Grief Is My Side Hustle

It's the season finale already- and I know how to leave a lasting impression! John Onwuchekwa, (a.k.a. "John O.") is a preacher, a writer, a husband, father, and brother. According to his own website, "Everything in John Onwuchekwa’s life hinges on the power of words, both spoken and written...in one way or another everything John does intersects with the beauty and power of words—both how he has been shaped by them and how he uses them to shape the world around him."    I couldn't agree more. John is a gifted orator and dear friend, and I could engage with him endlessly. This week, please listen in as we discuss the loss of his brother, grief education and fluency, the role spirituality plays in grief (and our lives) and much more!    John is the author of multiple books, including "We Go On: Finding Purpose in All of Life’s Sorrows and Joys." [https://www.amazon.com/We-Go-Finding-Purpose-Sorrows/dp/0310460115/ref=sr_1_2?crid=11N4C8DXV67LU&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.uJhI-MZYaPF4NXx294ZklQfg4IWsePDqZdG_-xVviF_F9UFoWgx62hgwoK77Xzl4NsQMwOjip-LnVTCZueHk8df-fE3Ws_vk6Yvb2uu_BOEkYliTEtP3hZ5dMDmrLnPuNGbxbfXXgEQqsJDCqidfDKKm1f9WqFvglZIRwPpBbcHj5MnsGbHTNSIHUWByZVASyo3Pcnu539CVORWzDDtlKziZfJfBjaT6amCPhBNlbBQ._TlVpdSXbh3kvwjVTXQLviULuG4Y2OPDbTEnbNPjoM0&dib_tag=se&keywords=john+onwuchekwa&qid=1750276009&sprefix=john+onwuchekwa%2Caps%2C170&sr=8-2] I hope you'll enjoy this time with John as much as I did- he's definitely someone you need to hear from!   Thank you so much for your support of "Grief is My Side Hustle" this season, and always. Please rate and review us wherever you get your shows. We'll back in the fall with more griefy goodness.   Find out more about John: Visit: johno.co [https://www.johno.co/] Instagram: @jawn_o [https://www.instagram.com/jawn_o/]

Dr. Jessica Zucker, author of "Normalize It: Upending the Silence, Stigma, and Shame That Shape Women's Lives" is my guest this week...and man, is she someone who tells the truth. About everything.    Jessica is a L.A.-based psychologist who specializes in reproductive and maternal mental health. She has written extensively about how the landscape of her marriage changed in the face of profound loss, as well as eventual parenthood. Jessica is incredibly powerful in how she relates the experience of a devastating miscarriage (suffered while she was home alone). She is also a fierce advocate for women's well-being and safety, especially during pregnancy.    I don't have accurate words to describe how eloquent and sincerely incredible Dr. Jessica Zucker is. I implore you to listen to this episode with an open mind and heart. She is absolutely someone who's journey you will want to follow along with.    Please check out more about Jessica's work at drjessicazucker.com and buy "Normalize It" [https://www.drjessicazucker.com/normalize-it] at your favorite bookseller!    Thank you for being with us this week, and always!

My guest this week is the incomparable Nichole Sachs. Nichole was diagnosed with a degenrative spinal condition at age 19. Doctors warned her that her entire life would affected; her comfort, growth, ability to have biological children. The news was devastating, of course. According to her own website, "It brought me to the doorstep of Dr. John Sarno, then an attending physician at The Rusk Center for Rehabilitation/NYU Langone Medical Center. Armed with his teachings on the brain science behind MindBody medicine and an eagerness to regulate my nervous system, I became chronic pain free and gave birth to my three beautiful children without complication. I went from a patient to a colleague, lecturing with him at NYU and supporting his patients in my private psychotherapy practice." Nichole is also the author of "Mind Your Body: A Revolutionary Program to Release Chronic Pain and Anxiety," available now at all major retailers! Tune in to our conversation to learn more about how Nichole's determination to find a different way to heal- and end her suffering- lead her to help countless others. You don't want to miss this one- thanks for listening!   Learn more about Nichole: https://www.yourbreakawake.com/ [https://www.yourbreakawake.com/]  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolesachslcsw/ [https://www.instagram.com/nicolesachslcsw/]  Book: https://www.yourbreakawake.com/book [https://www.yourbreakawake.com/book]

If you've been following me for a while, you know how much I love hospice nurses. This season I am so grateful to sit down with "Hospice Nurse Penny," AKA Penny Smith.  Nurse Penny entered the world of grief with the death of her dad, who passed about five years into her career. She is a nationally certified hospice and palliative care nurse, and has a large social media presence due to her incredible insights and candor. Penny is also the author of "Influencing Death: Reframing Dying for Better Living."  When her own mother went through hospice care, she knew she also wanted to be of service. At the age of 40, Penny started nursing school and never looked back.  The education she shares, coupled with her honest opinions, make Nurse Penny a unique presence, and an incredible guest! I'm so excited to share this conversation with you all- I KNOW you'll take away so much from her expertise.   THANK YOU for listening, this week and always!   Learn more about Hospice Nurse Penny: https://www.hospicenursepenny.com/about [https://www.hospicenursepenny.com/about]  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hospicenursepenny/ [https://www.instagram.com/hospicenursepenny/]  Book: Influencing Death [https://www.hospicenursepenny.com/book]

My guest this week is the incredibly soulful and inspiring Myra Sack.  Myra’s life changed when her first daughter, Havi Lev Goldstein, was diagnosed with Tay-Sachs, a terminal neurodegenerative disorder, on December 17, 2019. Havi passed away on January 20, 2021. In 2021, Myra and her husband Matt began supporting Courageous Parents Network, a Boston-based nonprofit organization and educational platform that “Orients, empowers, and accompanies families and providers caring for children with serious illnesses.” Myra is also trained as a Certified Compassionate Bereavement Care facilitator and began writing a memoir to share the story of Havi’s illness, her passing- and the aftermath. Myra’s writing focuses on the beauty and pain that can be found in loss and the power of community to sustain and uplift those who are suffering. Her first article on her experience, “A Mother’s Letter on the Passing of Her Young Daughter,” was published on upworthy.com [https://www.upworthy.com/a-mother-s-letter-on-the-passing-of-her-young-daughter-is-a-must-read-on-grief-love-and-loss-rp] in January 2022, and quickly reached over 2.7 million viewers. Her memoir, "Fifty-Seven Fridays," just won a 2025 Nautilus Book Award [https://www.nautilusbookawards.com/2025-winners-11-20]! Myra speaks in such a straightforward, passionate, and insightful way about grief as a whole, as well as her very specific personal experience. She shares how movement has helped her stay in the present as much as possible, and how she and her family work to move forward, while still carrying Havi's memory close to their hearts. Thank you for joining us this week for this very tender conversation.    Learn more about Myra: Website: https://www.myrasack.com/ [https://www.myrasack.com/]  Book: Fifty-Seven Fridays [https://www.amazon.com/Fifty-seven-Fridays-Losing-Daughter-Finding/dp/1958972258] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myrasack/ [https://www.instagram.com/myrasack/]