Working Thru Grief: Shock

Episode 31: Loving from a distance

Loving From a Distance Some relationships don’t end with a slammed door. They end with a quiet realization. A realization that love and access are not the same thing. In this episode of Pretty & Painful, we’re talking about the grief that comes from loving people you can no longer do life with. The heartbreak of watching resentment, hurt, pride, and pain create distance where connection once lived. We’re talking about boundaries. Mental health. The exhausting cycle of trying to earn approval from people determined not to give it. And the freedom that comes when you finally stop carrying what was never yours to carry. This isn’t an episode about anger. It’s about peace. It’s about accepting that some roads were never meant to stay connected, and sometimes the most loving thing you can say is: “I wish you well.” Because you can love someone deeply and still choose distance. And sometimes that’s exactly what healing looks like. Pretty & Painful Podcast — Where grief and joy sit at the same table.

Working thru grief Episode 2: Numbness

Working Through Grief: Episode 2 — Numbness After the shock fades, something else settles in. Numbness. The silence after the phone call. The blank stare across a crowded room. The moments where you know you’re hurting, but you can’t seem to feel it. In Episode 2 of the Working Through Grief series, B opens up about the strange season that follows loss—the part where your heart builds walls to survive. The part where you’re functioning, smiling, going to work, showing up for everyone else… while feeling completely disconnected from yourself. This episode explores emotional shutdown, survival mode, and the guilt that often comes with not feeling “grief enough.” If you’ve ever wondered why you feel stuck, detached, or like part of you disappeared when they did, this conversation is for you. Because numbness isn’t the absence of grief. Sometimes it’s grief’s way of keeping you alive. Grab your coffee, your tissues, or just a quiet place to sit for a while. You’re not walking through this alone, babes. Pretty & Painful Podcast Where grief and joy sit at the same table

Episode 29: I can't Live, Laugh,Love in this economy

Babes… I can’t live, laugh, love in this economy. I can barely add to cart. This week we’re talking dopamine dressing, oversized t-shirts, Shein carts, weight loss, anxiety, reunion nerves, and the strange experience of trying to recognize yourself while you’re still growing. Somewhere between the beige trends, the bed rot, the life stress, and the “I have nothing to wear” spiral, I realized this episode isn’t really about clothes at all. It’s about identity. It’s about learning to stop waiting for the next version of yourself to arrive before allowing yourself to enjoy your life. So grab your emotional support oversized tee, your iced coffee, and maybe that leopard print you’ve been saving for a special occasion. We’re figuring out how to thrive in this economy, in this season, and in the beautiful mess of becoming ourselves. Because the algorithm says beige. But my soul says hot pink. 🩷

Table Talk Episode 3: The Finch on a Buoy

Sometimes grief finds us in the strangest places. A finch on a buoy. A quiet river. A memory that suddenly feels alive again. In this Table Talk episode of Pretty & Painful, we’re sharing a listener story that reminds us how deeply love lingers — even in the smallest signs. From the crystal waters of the Ichetucknee to the ache of missing someone who mattered, this episode is about connection, remembrance, and the moments that make us stop and whisper, “that had to mean something.” If you’ve ever searched for your person in sunsets, songs, birds, or still water… this one’s for you. Because grief is heavy. But sometimes healing floats quietly beside it. same table, different plates. 🩷

Working Thru Grief: Shock

Shock changes people. In Episode One of the new Working Through Grief series, we’re talking about the first stage of grief — the numb, blurry, disorienting reality that comes after loss. The phone call. The hospital room. The “this can’t be real” feeling. The exhaustion. The replaying of final moments over and over again. From anticipatory grief and hospice goodbyes to sudden loss and the silence that follows, this episode is for the fresh griever, the lifelong griever, and anyone learning how to survive after goodbye. Because whether grief came instantly or slowly… it still burns like hell. 🎙️ Pretty & Painful Podcast “Where grief and joy sit at the same table.”