Feel Free Again with Cole James

In this episode of the Feel Free Again Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Andrea Szegedi, a medical doctor, grief recovery specialist, and founder of a clinic in Budapest, Hungary. Andrea’s story is both heartbreaking and deeply inspiring — after losing her third son, she began searching for answers that science, logic, and faith alone couldn’t provide. What she discovered was that grief isn’t just emotional — it’s cellular. It lives in the body, and true recovery means reconnecting the mind, body, and heart. Connect with Dr. Szegedi: https://www.griefrecoverymethod.com/grms/andrea-szegedi-md [https://www.griefrecoverymethod.com/grms/andrea-szegedi-md] Throughout our conversation, Dr. Andrea Szegedi shares how the Grief Recovery Method gave her stability in the chaos of loss, helping her rebuild her life from the inside out. She opens up about how grief physically affected her body, why expression is the opposite of depression, and how movement, music, and writing became sacred tools for healing. From crawling on the floor to completing two half-marathons, her journey is proof that emotional recovery leads to physical restoration. We also talk about the missing education around grief, how children naturally process loss, and why modern medicine must integrate emotional healing with physical care. Andrea now uses her platform to help parents, cancer patients, and grievers around the world find peace, laughter, and hope again. Whether you’re grieving a loved one, your health, or simply trying to understand your emotions — this conversation will help you reconnect with the part of yourself that still believes in wholeness. Chapters: 00:00 – Welcome & Introduction to Dr. Andrea Szegedi 03:00 – Losing a Child and the Birth of a Calling 06:00 – Why Logic and Faith Aren’t Enough to Heal Grief 10:00 – Understanding Grief as an Emotional Process 13:00 – The Pyramid of Grief and Finding Stability 17:00 – How Movement, Crying, and Singing Healed Her Body 23:00 – Laughter and Light Returning After Loss 31:00 – Teaching Children to Process Grief Naturally 40:00 – Integrating Medicine and Grief Recovery in Healthcare 55:00 – The Biology of Trauma and Path to Wholeness

Welcome back to the Feel Free Again Podcast! In today’s episode, I’m joined by grief recovery specialist Michele Mariscal, who brings over 8 years of experience helping people process grief through the Grief Recovery Method. We dive deep into her unique journey—from molecular biology to esoteric philosophy—and how these experiences shaped her approach to grief and healing. Michelle shares how her personal grief journey inspired her to become certified in grief recovery and how she uses powerful tools like HeartMath to help people heal from emotional trauma in both personal and workplace settings. Connect with Michele: https://energym.org/ [https://energym.org/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelemariscal-phdgrief/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelemariscal-phdgrief/] https://www.facebook.com/michele.mariscal/ [https://www.facebook.com/michele.mariscal/] https://www.amazon.com/GROWING-THROUGH-GRIEF-Alchemy-Healing/dp/1791800246/ref=sr_1_1?sr=8-1 [https://www.amazon.com/GROWING-THROUGH-GRIEF-Alchemy-Healing/dp/1791800246/ref=sr_1_1?sr=8-1] Grief is often misunderstood, and we’re shedding light on its far-reaching impacts—especially in the workplace. Employers and coworkers often fail to recognize the daily grief events that impact productivity, mental health, and relationships. Michelle shares how grief recovery can support employees in overcoming unresolved grief, helping them process not only personal loss but also unspoken disappointments, broken relationships, and unmet expectations. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to understand grief beyond the obvious and learn about the transformative tools that can change the way we communicate and heal, whether in our personal lives or at work. Tune in as we explore the often-overlooked concept of "emotional maintenance," how unresolved grief impacts workplace dynamics, and why it’s crucial for employers to integrate grief recovery into their employee wellness programs. Whether you’ve experienced personal loss or are navigating unresolved emotions in your workplace, this episode offers valuable insights on how to heal and move forward. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to the Episode 00:06 - Michelle Mariscol’s Background and Grief Recovery Work 01:50 - From Molecular Biology to Esoteric Philosophy 03:43 - Michelle’s Personal Grief Journey and the Catalyst for Certification 06:01 - Finding the Grief Recovery Method in 2017 08:25 - The Power of the Grief Recovery Method as a "Template" 10:36 - The First Steps in Michelle's Grief Recovery Practice 12:57 - Grief in the Workplace: A Hidden Epidemic 15:23 - The Importance of Emotional and Mental Health for Employees 17:50 - How Grief Recovery Can Prevent Workplace Conflict 21:15 - Addressing Unmet Expectations and Grief in Career Development 23:33 - Understanding “Emotional Maintenance” in the Workplace 27:00 - How Grief Recovery Tools Strengthen Employee Relationships 31:12 - The Role of Grief Recovery in Post-Trauma Communities 34:02 - HeartMath and Grief Recovery: A Powerful Combination 38:21 - Wrapping Up and Michelle’s Final Thoughts on Grief 41:09 - Where to Find Michelle and Connect with Her Services 44:00 - Conclusion and Call to Action: Share This Episode

In this episode of the Feel Free Again podcast, host Cole James interviews Sandy Wheeler, a Vietnam veteran and creator of the Life's Final Thoughts app. The conversation explores the importance of emotional communication, especially in the context of grief and loss. Sandy shares his personal experiences with PTSD and the impact of unresolved grief, particularly in military settings. The app aims to help individuals record video messages for their loved ones, preserving their voices and messages for future generations. The discussion emphasizes the need for emotional debriefing, the role of family in healing, and the significance of leaving a legacy through meaningful communication. Connect with Sandy: https://www.lifesthoughts.com [https://www.lifesthoughts.com] Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to Sandy Wheeler and His Mission 06:12 -Sandy's Journey Through Grief and PTSD 12:24 - The Impact of Technology on Grief Recovery 18:03 - Creating Lasting Memories Through Video Messages 23:51 - The Importance of Emotional Communication 29:51 - Collaborative Efforts in Grief Recovery 35:42 - Technical Difficulties and Transition 36:56 - The Military's Grief Recovery Challenges 40:26 - The Impact of Grief on Individuals 42:34 - Communication and Emotional Intelligence 44:56 - Understanding the Warrior's Experience 48:45 - The Power of Personal Videos 51:32 - Navigating Estranged Relationships 55:12 - Final Thoughts on Love and Legacy

In this powerful episode of the Feel Free Again podcast, I chat with Amy Diane Ross, a Grief Recovery Method Specialist and Bible teacher, about her transformative journey through grief and healing. Amy's story is deeply personal – she started this work as a way to help others but ended up healing her own heart in ways she never anticipated. From dealing with childhood trauma to navigating complex relationships, she found profound freedom through the Grief Recovery Method. Her experience proves that emotional healing is not just about overcoming loss, but about learning how to process grief to live fully in the present. Amy's passion for emotional wellness within the Christian community is contagious. She discusses the importance of offering healing tools in church settings and how they can help create healthier, more compassionate congregations. With years of ministry and outreach work, Amy shows us that meeting people where they are emotionally – without judgment – is key to real transformation. Whether you are dealing with grief from personal loss or church hurt, Amy shares how these methods can help you find peace and forgiveness. If you're struggling with emotional pain or unfinished grief, this conversation is a must-listen. Amy’s approach emphasizes the power of self-disclosure, vulnerability, and using grief recovery tools to create lasting healing in our lives and communities. Tune in and discover how grief recovery can restore your emotional health, strengthen your relationships, and deepen your faith journey. Connect with Amy: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amydianeross/ [https://www.instagram.com/amydianeross/] Website: https://www.bethechurchministry.com/ [https://www.bethechurchministry.com/]   Timestamps with Titles: 00:00 - Introduction to Amy Diane Ross and Her Journey Cole and Amy dive into her background and the work she does with Grief Recovery. 02:10 - How Amy Found the Grief Recovery Method Amy shares the emotional journey that led her to discover grief recovery, after losing her father. 04:40 - The Power of a Listening Heart: Amy’s Personal Healing Experience Amy describes the transformative impact of being truly heard during her grief recovery process. 07:10 - Grief Recovery in Christian Communities: A Missing Link Why this method is essential in helping the Christian community heal from emotional pain. 09:40 - The Importance of Emotional Healing in Churches Amy explains why churches need tools like grief recovery to help people emotionally process loss. 13:00 - Church Hurt and Unresolved Grief: How It Affects Congregations Exploring how grief and pain are often overlooked in church communities and the damage that can cause. 16:20 - How Grief Recovery Builds Trust and Vulnerability in Relationships The crucial role that emotional openness plays in building deeper, authentic relationships. 19:00 - Emotional Health for Pastors: Why They Need Grief Recovery Too Amy discusses the importance of pastors and leaders undergoing grief recovery to avoid burnout. 22:30 - Why Grief Recovery Should Be the First Step in Discipleship The benefits of starting with grief recovery before diving into Bible-based counseling. 30:00 - Practical Tools for Dealing with Grief and Trauma Amy talks about how the grief recovery tools provide a systematic approach to healing emotional pain.

When I sat down with Caelyn Caulfield, I knew this conversation would hit home for so many coaches, parents, and athletes. As a varsity basketball head coach and future school counselor, she’s bringing the grief recovery tools she’s learned into the gym, the classroom, and her everyday life with students. What stood out most to me is how intentional she is about giving her team space to process emotions—not just run plays. Too often, coaches and parents expect kids to "shake it off" or hide their feelings when they miss a shot, lose a game, or face personal struggles. But as Caelyn shared, those unresolved emotions don’t disappear—they follow kids into the next practice, the classroom, and even into adulthood. By creating weekly team meetings that focus on themes like trust, she’s building stronger athletes and healthier young women who know it’s okay to feel and process life as it comes. This episode is a call to action for every coach, teacher, and parent: emotions aren’t a distraction from the game—they’re the foundation of growth. Whether you’re on the field, in the dugout, or at home cheering in the stands, we all have a responsibility to model emotional health for the next generation. I think you’ll walk away from this conversation inspired to lead with more compassion and intentionality—on and off the court.   Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to Unresolved Emotions 01:39 - Caelyn Caulfield's Journey to Certification 04:09 - Applying Emotional Tools in Coaching 08:23 - Creating a Safe Space for Emotions 12:24 - The Importance of Vulnerability in Sports 16:11 - Building Trust and Team Dynamics 20:34 - The Work Behind Emotional Coaching 24:37 - Navigating Change and Grief in Teams 33:19 - Navigating Emotions in Youth Sports 36:09 - Building Relationships and Accountability 39:28 - Understanding Grief in Young Athletes 43:41 - The Impact of Unfinished Business on Coaching 48:05 - Connecting with Students in Detention 54:40 - Emotional Engagement in Coaching and Life   Cole James, President of the Grief Recovery Institute, shares about the Power of Grief Recovery! Cole is dedicating his life to help people with grief. Now, grief is much more than just losing someone. Did you know that? You've probably heard of the Five Stages of Grief, right? Well, this goes much deeper than you think. Let me explain. Everyone has some type of grief in their lives, some haven't yet, but it's part of life. We can't escape it, BUT we can work through it. And you don't have to do it alone. Let's talk about it. We have trained Grief Recovery Method Specialists, who help heartbroken people, in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, the Middle East, Central America, South America, and North America. The Grief Recovery Method Certification Program is taught and available in multiple languages including: English, Spanish, Swedish, Hungarian, Ukrainian, and Russian. Our home office is in the United States and serves English-speaking nations and populations around the world, such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and the Commonwealth Nations. In addition, we have international affiliate offices in Sweden, Australia, Mexico, and Hungary. Our goal is to help as many people as possible, which is why our books have been translated into over 30 languages including: Spanish, French, Dutch, Portuguese, Japanese, Ukrainian, Russian, and many more. For more information visit: https://www.griefrecoverymethod.com/ [https://www.griefrecoverymethod.com/]