Tendrils of Grief

Continuing bonds after death

In this deeply moving episode of Tendrils of Grief, I sit down with Ksenia Merck—artist, architect, and creative storyteller—to explore how love, creativity, and spiritual connection continue long after loss. Ksenia shares her powerful grief journey following the death of her husband, William F. Merck II, and how honoring his final wish led her to bring his genre-blending science fiction novel, Ghost Flower, to life through posthumous publication and her own original illustrations. What unfolds is an intimate conversation about enduring bonds, creative healing, and the unseen ways our loved ones remain present. Together, Ksenia and I reflect on caregiving, compounded loss, spiritual communication, and how grief reshapes purpose over time. She opens up about caring for her mother until age 102, navigating trauma within the hospital system, and discovering that creativity became both her refuge and her bridge to continued connection with her husband. In this episode, we gently explore themes such as: * Continuing bonds after death * Spiritual signs and intuitive communication with loved ones * Grief as a lifelong companion, not something to "get over" * Creative expression as a path to healing * Trusting inner guidance and making meaning after loss With compassion, honesty, and hope, this conversation is a reminder that grief does not end love—and that connection, creativity, and faith can help illuminate a path forward, even in the darkest seasons. Whether you're early in your grief journey or years into it, this episode offers reassurance that you're not imagining your connection, you're not grieving wrong, and you are not alone. Know Ksenia J. Merck Website : https://www.merckiipress.com/ [https://www.merckiipress.com/] LinkedIn : Ksenia Merck [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ksenia-merck-44525514/overlay/about-this-profile/] Facebook : Merck II Press [https://www.facebook.com/merck2press] Instagram: merck2press [https://www.instagram.com/merck2press/] Did you enjoy today's episode? Welcome to New Ways Barre. We are so glad you are here. Get ready to transform your body, mind and life. At New Ways Barre, we are dedicated to fostering a supportive community where individuals can achieve holistic well-being. Please subscribe and leave a review. If you have questions, comments, or possible show topics, email susan@tendrilsofgrief.com Don't forget to visit Tendrils Of Grief [https://www.tendrilsofgrief.com/] website and join for upcoming Webinars, Podcasts Updates and Group Coaching. Get involve and share your thoughts and experiences in our online community Tendrils of Grief-Survivor of Loss [https://www.facebook.com/groups/2708675396071194] To subscribe and review use one links of the links below Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/Tendrils-of-Grief/dp/B08K584Y7M] Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tendrils-of-grief/id1504765728] Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3l0mutQR5aMF2WadITscPV] Audacy [https://www.audacy.com/podcasts/tendrils-of-grief-36147] Deezer [https://www.deezer.com/en/show/1006722] Podcast Addict [https://podcastaddict.com/podcast/tendrils-of-grief/2794997] Pandora [https://www.pandora.com/] Rephonic [https://rephonic.com/podcasts/tendrils-of-grief] Tune In [https://tunein.com/podcasts/Health--Wellness-Podcasts/Tendrils-of-Grief-p1309127/] Connect with me Instagram: @Sue_ways [https://www.instagram.com/sueways/] Facebook:@ susan.ways [https://www.facebook.com/susan.ways] Email @susan@tendrilsofgrief.com Let me hear your thoughts!

Beyond the Goodbye – Perspective on grieving from a funeral director

In today's episode with Karen Roldan, a licensed funeral director, embalmer, and the creator of Behind the Funeral, to pull back the curtain on one of the most misunderstood industries in our lives — death care. With nearly twenty years of experience and a deep respect for the families she serves, Karen brings honesty, compassion, and clarity to conversations many of us avoid until we're forced to have them. As a graduate of Worsham College of Mortuary Science and a licensed professional in funeral services, cremation, pre-need planning, and cemetery property, Karen offers a rare insider perspective on what really happens behind the scenes after a death. Through Behind the Funeral, Karen is changing how we talk about grief, funerals, and end-of-life planning — dismantling myths, answering hard questions, and humanizing a profession often surrounded by fear and silence. In our conversation, we explore what families should know before making arrangements, why transparency matters in death care, and how understanding the process can bring peace during some of life's most difficult moments. This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating loss, planning ahead, or simply wanting a more honest and informed relationship with death — because the conversations we avoid are often the ones that heal us most. Episode Highlights * The Death-Positive Movement * Transparency in the Funeral Industry * End-of-Life Planning for Millennials & Gen X * Normalizing Conversations About Death * Grief Education vs Grief Avoidance * Ethical Funeral Practices * Pre-Planning Funerals & Cremation * Humanizing the Death-Care Profession * Funeral Industry Myths Debunked * Emotional Support During Funeral Planning * Death Literacy & Public Education * Digital Memorials & Modern Grief Rituals * Consumer Advocacy in Funeral Services * Trauma-Informed Death Care * Cultural Shifts in How We Honor the Dead * funeral director insights * death care industry explained * behind the funeral process * funeral planning guide * cremation vs burial explained * end-of-life planning education * funeral myths and truths * grief and funeral services * death care transparency * licensed funeral director advice * pre-need funeral planning * what happens after death * funeral costs explained * compassionate funeral care * talking about death and grief * modern funeral practices * behind the scenes funeral home * death positive movement * understanding cremation process * how funerals really work Know Karen Roldan Visit behindthefuneral.com [https://www.behindthefuneral.com/] to learn more. karen@behindthefuneral.com [karen@behindthefuneral.com] https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenroldanaasfsp/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenroldanaasfsp/] Did you enjoy today's episode? Welcome to New Ways Barre. We are so glad you are here. Get ready to transform your body, mind and life. At New Ways Barre, we are dedicated to fostering a supportive community where individuals can achieve holistic well-being. Please subscribe and leave a review. If you have questions, comments, or possible show topics, email susan@tendrilsofgrief.com Don't forget to visit Tendrils Of Grief [https://www.tendrilsofgrief.com/] website and join for upcoming Webinars, Podcasts Updates and Group Coaching. Get involve and share your thoughts and experiences in our online community Tendrils of Grief-Survivor of Loss [https://www.facebook.com/groups/2708675396071194] To subscribe and review use one links of the links below Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/Tendrils-of-Grief/dp/B08K584Y7M] Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tendrils-of-grief/id1504765728] Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3l0mutQR5aMF2WadITscPV] Audacy [https://www.audacy.com/podcasts/tendrils-of-grief-36147] Deezer [https://www.deezer.com/en/show/1006722] Podcast Addict [https://podcastaddict.com/podcast/tendrils-of-grief/2794997] Pandora [https://www.pandora.com/] Rephonic [https://rephonic.com/podcasts/tendrils-of-grief] Tune In [https://tunein.com/podcasts/Health--Wellness-Podcasts/Tendrils-of-Grief-p1309127/] Connect with me Instagram: @Sue_ways [https://www.instagram.com/sueways/] Facebook:@ susan.ways [https://www.facebook.com/susan.ways] Email @susan@tendrilsofgrief.com Let me hear your thoughts!

Curious Compassion: A Gentle Look At Grief

Today I sit down with Kyle Kittleson, the on-camera host for MedCircle, known for making complex mental health topics accessible through thoughtful, compassionate conversations. Kyle opens up about his personal grief journey after losing his mother as a teenager and how unprocessed loss shaped his emotional world for years. Drawing from both lived experience and thousands of interviews with leading mental health experts, Kyle shares powerful insights on grief, trauma, emotional healing, and rebuilding life after loss. We talk about why there's no "right" way to grieve, how avoidance quietly impacts healing, and what it truly means to work with grief rather than against it. This conversation offers grounded wisdom, hope, and practical tools for anyone navigating bereavement, supporting a loved one, or seeking a deeper understanding of mental health and grief. Episode Highlights * Kyle Kittleson MedCircle * grief and mental health podcast * losing a parent as a teenager * childhood grief and trauma * unprocessed grief healing * navigating grief after loss * grief and emotional avoidance * mental health education podcast * understanding grief and trauma * healing after loss journey * how grief affects mental health * coping with grief after losing a mother * grief recovery without timelines * working with grief instead of avoiding it * emotional healing after bereavement * grief conversations with mental health experts * making sense of loss and trauma * grief support through mental health education Know Kyle Kittleson About MedCircle: While treatment, medication, and therapy are all crucial components to mental wellness, the often forgotten step to optimal mental health is preventative mental health care – for you and others. MedCircle believes that people who become highly educated about mental health can improve both their lives and the lives of the people around them. MedCircle provides access to the world's greatest minds in mental health through engaging interview-style video series, virtual live Workshops, and in-depth articles on important mental health topics. MedCircle's award-winning video library gives you "behind-the-scenes" insight from the most sought after psychologists and psychiatrists. You'll learn what certain diagnoses entail and get unprecedented insight into the processes experienced doctors use to diagnose them. You'll also understand treatment options along with the risks and benefits each doctor considers, and how they go about prescribing a treatment, therapy and/or medication. Become a MedCircle Member today: https://medcircle.com/ [https://medcircle.com/] Did you enjoy today's episode? Welcome to New Ways Barre. We are so glad you are here. Get ready to transform your body, mind and life. At New Ways Barre, we are dedicated to fostering a supportive community where individuals can achieve holistic well-being. Please subscribe and leave a review. If you have questions, comments, or possible show topics, email susan@tendrilsofgrief.com Don't forget to visit Tendrils Of Grief [https://www.tendrilsofgrief.com/] website and join for upcoming Webinars, Podcasts Updates and Group Coaching. Get involve and share your thoughts and experiences in our online community Tendrils of Grief-Survivor of Loss [https://www.facebook.com/groups/2708675396071194] To subscribe and review use one links of the links below Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/Tendrils-of-Grief/dp/B08K584Y7M] Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tendrils-of-grief/id1504765728] Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3l0mutQR5aMF2WadITscPV] Audacy [https://www.audacy.com/podcasts/tendrils-of-grief-36147] Deezer [https://www.deezer.com/en/show/1006722] Podcast Addict [https://podcastaddict.com/podcast/tendrils-of-grief/2794997] Pandora [https://www.pandora.com/] Rephonic [https://rephonic.com/podcasts/tendrils-of-grief] Tune In [https://tunein.com/podcasts/Health--Wellness-Podcasts/Tendrils-of-Grief-p1309127/] Connect with me Instagram: @Sue_ways [https://www.instagram.com/sueways/] Facebook:@ susan.ways [https://www.facebook.com/susan.ways] Email @susan@tendrilsofgrief.com Let me hear your thoughts!

Don't Call Me Widow

In this episode of Tendrils of Grief, I sit down with Samina Bari—a corporate leader, author, and grief advocate whose life changed forever after the sudden loss of her husband. Known for advising CEOs and boards on over $40 billion in global M&A transactions, Samina brings that same clarity and strength to a deeply personal conversation about grief, widowhood, and rebuilding life after loss. We talk openly about the realities of sudden grief—the loneliness, identity shifts, and emotional overwhelm that often go unseen. Samina shares why grief makes people uncomfortable, how well-meaning support can miss the mark, and why grief isn't something to "fix" or rush. At the center of our conversation is her book, Don't Call Me Widow, written to help others better understand and support those who are grieving. This episode offers insight, validation, and compassion for anyone navigating loss—or walking alongside someone who is. If you've ever felt misunderstood in your grief, this conversation will remind you that you're not broken—you're grieving, and you're not alone. Episode Highlights * grief after sudden loss * widowhood healing journey * navigating grief as a widow * life after loss podcast * grief and identity after death * coping with sudden death of a spouse * emotional healing after loss * grief support for widows Know Samina Bari Samina's linktree: https://linktr.ee/SaminaBari [https://linktr.ee/SaminaBari] Did you enjoy today's episode? Welcome to New Ways Barre. We are so glad you are here. Get ready to transform your body, mind and life. At New Ways Barre, we are dedicated to fostering a supportive community where individuals can achieve holistic well-being. Please subscribe and leave a review. If you have questions, comments, or possible show topics, email susan@tendrilsofgrief.com Don't forget to visit Tendrils Of Grief [https://www.tendrilsofgrief.com/] website and join for upcoming Webinars, Podcasts Updates and Group Coaching. Get involve and share your thoughts and experiences in our online community Tendrils of Grief-Survivor of Loss [https://www.facebook.com/groups/2708675396071194] To subscribe and review use one links of the links below Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/Tendrils-of-Grief/dp/B08K584Y7M] Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tendrils-of-grief/id1504765728] Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3l0mutQR5aMF2WadITscPV] Audacy [https://www.audacy.com/podcasts/tendrils-of-grief-36147] Deezer [https://www.deezer.com/en/show/1006722] Podcast Addict [https://podcastaddict.com/podcast/tendrils-of-grief/2794997] Pandora [https://www.pandora.com/] Rephonic [https://rephonic.com/podcasts/tendrils-of-grief] Tune In [https://tunein.com/podcasts/Health--Wellness-Podcasts/Tendrils-of-Grief-p1309127/] Connect with me Instagram: @Sue_ways [https://www.instagram.com/sueways/] Facebook:@ susan.ways [https://www.facebook.com/susan.ways] Email @susan@tendrilsofgrief.com Let me hear your thoughts!

What Grief Really Feels Like

In this episode, I'm joined by Marie Crews, a transformational coach, speaker, retreat facilitator, and best-selling author whose work is grounded in one core belief: your story can set you free. For over 15 years, Marie has helped women rewrite the narratives that limit them—guiding them through grief, trauma, and profound life transitions with compassion, courage, and clarity. Marie's 25-year journey of self-discovery led her to the practice that became her greatest healing tool: journal writing. This deeply personal process inspired her to create The Nautilus Way: Write Your Way Free, a powerful and proven method that helps women break emotional patterns, process grief, rewire limiting beliefs, and intentionally shape who they're becoming. Her story is one of extraordinary resilience. Raised in poverty in rural Louisiana and a single mother of two at a young age, Marie fought to build a stable life for her family. She eventually left corporate America to pursue her calling—supporting women's healing and studying mind-body psychology. But in 2017, Marie faced unimaginable heartbreak when she suddenly lost her son, just two years after her mother's unexpected death. Instead of letting grief define her, she turned inward, using the same tools she teaches to rise again, rediscover her strength, and choose life with intention. This lived experience, combined with years of transformational coaching, makes her uniquely equipped to support women with authenticity, empathy, and hard-won wisdom. Today, Marie leads life-changing women's retreats, including one exclusively for grieving mothers, in her newly built Gulf-front home in Florida—a sacred space for healing, confidence, and personal awakening. Her work consistently helps women reconnect with forgotten parts of themselves, uncover subconscious patterns, and step forward with renewed peace, purpose, and self-trust. Marie Crews is a certified health and wellness coach, a successful entrepreneur, and the best-selling author of Even When…She Rose—a testament to her unwavering commitment to rising through adversity and helping others do the same. This episode dives into: ✨ The healing power of journaling and emotional expression ✨ Rewiring limiting beliefs and breaking generational patterns ✨ Navigating profound grief and loss authentically ✨ Mind-body practices for trauma and emotional release ✨ Rebuilding identity after loss and life transitions ✨ The transformative impact of women's retreats and community If you're seeking healing, clarity, or a deeper connection to your own inner wisdom, Marie's story—and her work—will inspire you to rise, no matter what you've endured. Episode Highlights * Journaling for grief recovery * Emotional healing tools for women * Transformational coaching for women * Navigating grief and loss * Grieving mothers support * Trauma-informed journaling * Mind-body connection healing * Women's healing retreats Florida * Gulf-front healing retreat * Healing after losing a child * Personal transformation stories * Breaking generational trauma * Rewriting limiting beliefs * Journaling for emotional breakthroughs Know Marie Crews SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS: Website: www.mariecrews.com [http://www.mariecrews.com] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marieeurecrews [https://www.facebook.com/marieeurecrews] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@empowermentandgriefguide [https://www.tiktok.com/@empowermentandgriefguide] Did you enjoy today's episode? Welcome to New Ways Barre. We are so glad you are here. Get ready to transform your body, mind and life. At New Ways Barre, we are dedicated to fostering a supportive community where individuals can achieve holistic well-being. Please subscribe and leave a review. If you have questions, comments, or possible show topics, email susan@tendrilsofgrief.com Don't forget to visit Tendrils Of Grief [https://www.tendrilsofgrief.com/] website and join for upcoming Webinars, Podcasts Updates and Group Coaching. Get involve and share your thoughts and experiences in our online community Tendrils of Grief-Survivor of Loss [https://www.facebook.com/groups/2708675396071194] To subscribe and review use one links of the links below Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/Tendrils-of-Grief/dp/B08K584Y7M] Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tendrils-of-grief/id1504765728] Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3l0mutQR5aMF2WadITscPV] Audacy [https://www.audacy.com/podcasts/tendrils-of-grief-36147] Deezer [https://www.deezer.com/en/show/1006722] Podcast Addict [https://podcastaddict.com/podcast/tendrils-of-grief/2794997] Pandora [https://www.pandora.com/] Rephonic [https://rephonic.com/podcasts/tendrils-of-grief] Tune In [https://tunein.com/podcasts/Health--Wellness-Podcasts/Tendrils-of-Grief-p1309127/] Connect with me Instagram: @Sue_ways [https://www.instagram.com/sueways/] Facebook:@ susan.ways [https://www.facebook.com/susan.ways] Email @susan@tendrilsofgrief.com Let me hear your thoughts!