Grief and the Emotional Brain

Faith After Loss Finding Strength in Something Greater Than Your Pain

Episode 6: Faith After Loss: Finding Strength in Something Greater Than Your Pain Grief has a way of shaking not only our hearts, but our beliefs. In this episode of Hope After Loss, Marilyn Burns, M.S., L.P.C.C., explores what happens when loss leaves us questioning faith, meaning, and the very things that once grounded us. Whether your comfort comes through God, prayer, spiritual connection, nature, the universe, or simply the hope that something greater exists beyond your pain, this conversation offers gentle encouragement for the grieving heart. If you’ve ever asked:  Why did this happen? Where was God? How do I keep going when life no longer makes sense? This episode is for you. Healing does not require perfect faith—only a willingness to remain open to comfort, meaning, and light. 💛 Questions around faith inspired Marilyn’s children’s book, Where Are You, God? Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2604797/fan_mail/new] Thank you for listening to Hope After Loss: Conversations on Grief. If this episode spoke to you, please consider sharing it with someone who may need support.  This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment.  If you have a question or a topic that you would like me to gently explore,  you’re welcome to email me at [your email]. While I’m not able to provide individual counseling through email,  I would be honored to hold your question and possibly share it in a future episode  so others may feel less alone.

Who Am I Now? Identity After Loss

Grief doesn't just change our lives--it can change our sense of self.  In this episode of Hope After Loss, Marilyn Burns M.S., L.P.C.C. explores the deep sense of identity loss that often follows grief. When we lose someone we love, we don’t just lose the person — we also lose the parts of self connected to them, the roles we carried, and the life we once knew. Through compassionate reflection and emotional insight, Marilyn discusses the importance of embracing the changes happening within and around us. Although grief changes us forever, learning to walk through life without our loved one can slowly shape a new version of ourselves — one built from love, resilience, growth, and healing. This episode is a gentle reminder that becoming “someone new” after loss is not betrayal… it is part of surviving. grief may quietly reshape who we are becoming. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2604797/fan_mail/new] Thank you for listening to Hope After Loss: Conversations on Grief. If this episode spoke to you, please consider sharing it with someone who may need support.  This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment.  If you have a question or a topic that you would like me to gently explore,  you’re welcome to email me at [your email]. While I’m not able to provide individual counseling through email,  I would be honored to hold your question and possibly share it in a future episode  so others may feel less alone.

Finding Your Way Through the Darkness of Grief

Grief can feel like darkness—quiet, heavy, and hard to move through. In this episode, Marilyn gently explores what it means to live in that darkness, and how we begin, slowly and softly, to find our way again. When we are grieving, it’s common to feel lost, disconnected, and unsure of who we are or how to move forward. This isn’t weakness—it’s the mind and body trying to cope with something overwhelming. Through both personal experience and professional insight, Marilyn offers a compassionate perspective on grief and reminds us that we don’t have to find our way all at once. Sometimes… it begins with one small step. If you are moving through the darkness of grief, this episode is a gentle place to pause, breathe, and remember—you are not alone. This is Hope After Loss — gentle conversations for grieving hearts. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2604797/fan_mail/new] Thank you for listening to Hope After Loss: Conversations on Grief. If this episode spoke to you, please consider sharing it with someone who may need support.  This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment.  If you have a question or a topic that you would like me to gently explore,  you’re welcome to email me at [your email]. While I’m not able to provide individual counseling through email,  I would be honored to hold your question and possibly share it in a future episode  so others may feel less alone.

Living in the Space Between Hope and Fear

There is a kind of grief that begins long before loss. In this episode, Marilyn shares the emotional reality of loving someone who is struggling, and what it feels like to live in the space between hope and fear. This is the space where you find yourself waiting…  waiting for the phone to ring…  waiting for things to change…  and carrying a quiet fear that never fully goes away. Through her personal experience as a mother and her professional understanding of grief, Marilyn gently explores anticipatory grief, the emotional toll of living in uncertainty, and the weight of feeling responsible for someone you love. If you are loving someone through addiction or walking through this kind of grief, you are not alone. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2604797/fan_mail/new] Thank you for listening to Hope After Loss: Conversations on Grief. If this episode spoke to you, please consider sharing it with someone who may need support.  This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment.  If you have a question or a topic that you would like me to gently explore,  you’re welcome to email me at [your email]. While I’m not able to provide individual counseling through email,  I would be honored to hold your question and possibly share it in a future episode  so others may feel less alone.

Grief and the Emotional Brain

Grief is not just an emotional experience—it is also neurological. In this episode of Hope After Loss, Marilyn Burns, M.S., L.P.C.C., explores how the emotional brain responds to grief and loss, and why so many people experience overwhelming thoughts, anxiety, and emotional distress during the grieving process. This episode gently explains: – Why your thoughts may feel out of control after loss  – How the emotional brain processes grief  – The connection between grief, anxiety, and chronic stress  – Why you are not “losing your mind,” even when it feels that way Whether you are experiencing recent loss, anticipatory grief, or ongoing emotional pain, this conversation offers understanding, validation, and hope. If you are struggling with grief, anxiety, or the emotional impact of losing someone you love, you are not alone—and what you are experiencing makes sense. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2604797/fan_mail/new] Thank you for listening to Hope After Loss: Conversations on Grief. If this episode spoke to you, please consider sharing it with someone who may need support.  This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment.  If you have a question or a topic that you would like me to gently explore,  you’re welcome to email me at [your email]. While I’m not able to provide individual counseling through email,  I would be honored to hold your question and possibly share it in a future episode  so others may feel less alone.