Send Victoria a text message!

I'm excited to share this episode with Amanda Popovski, in which we discuss everything related to being an empath or highly sensitive person (HSP).

I could feel the energy behind the words Amanda used in her application, and the synergy I felt with her was one of being a kindred spirit. Sometimes, there are people in this world you click with, and it was refreshing not only to be and feel seen by Amanda but, more importantly, I hope she felt seen by me as well.

This episode is a masterclass of sorts for empaths (HSPs). We discuss everything from personal growth and evolution as an empath (HSP), the energetics of what it means to be an empath (HSP), how it shows up in our lives, the challenges we face as empaths (HSPs) in a world that isn't exactly fully accepting of us deeply feeling and emotional beings, and how we can leverage this energy as our superpower.

From childhood experiences as an empath (HSP), leaving corporate (against her family's wishes), people-pleasing, entrepreneurship, dating, friendships, and everything in between, I hope you feel seen in this episode, if you find, like myself and Amanda, where being an empath (HSP) has just seemed to feel like a cruel curse at times.

This is a love note from Amanda and me to all empaths and HSPs.

Dear fellow empaths/HSPs,
You are a powerful and necessary force that is deeply needed in the fabric of humanity. 💛

RESOURCES:

• Ep Blog Post for List of Full Resources

CONTACT:

• Website
• IG
• Facebook
• LinkedIn

_______

NEED HELP?

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
• Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor

If you are struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are available HERE.

CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:

• Instagram
• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook

Support the show

This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

Would you like to join the mission of Grieving Voices in normalizing grief and supporting hurting hearts everywhere? Become a supporter of the show HERE.

Send Victoria a text message!

Inspired by recent discussions, this episode offers a new perspective that's been noodling around in my mind. In this week's episode, I explore the question: Is there a wrong way to grieve?

Key Points:
Societal Struggles with Grief: Despite popular belief that all grieving methods are valid, society often fails at effective coping—indicating a need to reevaluate our grief practices.

Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms: People frequently turn to short-term harmful behaviors like substance abuse, gambling, or workaholism as an escape from grief rather than confronting their emotions head-on.

Cultural Responses to Grief: Common advice such as "be strong" or "stay busy" reflects societal discomfort with grief rather than offering real support for healthy emotional processing.

Impact on Children: These unhealthy responses are often learned in childhood and perpetuate ineffective grieving cycles; teaching children healthier mechanisms is crucial for breaking these patterns.

Rethinking Language: Instead of saying there's no wrong way to grieve, acknowledging that better ways can be more constructive in framing our approach toward grief.

This episode challenges listeners to reflect deeply on their own experiences with loss while encouraging a transformative shift towards healthier approaches to dealing with grief—for individual growth and the betterment of society.

RESOURCES:

• Bi-weekly newsletter, The Unleashed Letters

_______

NEED HELP?

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
• Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor

If you are struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are available HERE.

CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:

• Instagram
• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook

Support the show

This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

Would you like to join the mission of Grieving Voices in normalizing grief and supporting hurting hearts everywhere? Become a supporter of the show HERE.

Send Victoria a text message!

With over a decade of experience collecting stories globally, this week's guest and author, Annie Sklaver Orenstein, has been featured on platforms such as NPR and Time. Her book, Always a Sibling: The Forgotten Mourners Guide to Grief, is an empathetic resource for surviving siblings—a group often overlooked in mourning.

Annie shares her insights about sibling relationships being some of the longest-lasting bonds in life. This perspective offers new dimensions to understanding grief, especially for those who haven't experienced sibling loss themselves. She emphasizes that siblings spend more time together during childhood than with their parents—highlighting how integral these relationships are.

Annie shares her personal story of losing her brother Ben, who was killed in Afghanistan after enlisting pre-9/11 with aspirations to serve politically and make impactful changes. The raw recounting of receiving the devastating news underscores the surreal nature of loss and its immediate emotional upheaval.

Key Takeaways:

• Sibling Relationships: Often our longest-lasting bonds, crucial yet frequently neglected in grief discussions.
• Suppressing Emotions: Surviving siblings might downplay their grief to protect grieving parents.
• Anger & Coping: Allowing oneself to feel intense emotions like anger can be vital for healing.
• Cultural Misunderstandings: Children aren't necessarily emotionally equipped despite exposure; they need support tailored to their developmental stage.
• Grief’s Unique Forms: Each person's process is distinct; societal stages don’t capture every individual experience.

Annie highlights that while society often overlooks sibling mourners, acknowledging their unique grief journey is essential. Her advocacy through writing serves as a reminder that all forms of grief deserve recognition and respect.

Ultimately, this episode sheds light on navigating complex emotions following a sibling's death while stressing self-compassion and honest emotional expression as pillars for coping with such irreplaceable losses.

RESOURCES:

• Annie's Book | Always a Sibling: The Forgotten Mourner's Guide to Grief
• Ep. 68 | Ken Ross

Support the show

This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

Would you like to join the mission of Grieving Voices in normalizing grief and supporting hurting hearts everywhere? Become a supporter of the show HERE.

Send Victoria a text message!

Today's guest, Carolina Sotomayor, is a renowned fertility Reiki womb healer who shares how Reiki helped her conceive her son. We also dive deeper into her childhood stories and the emotional wounds that created what Carolina believes were the energetic blocks to conceiving.

Carolina's Path to Healing 🧘‍♀️

• Personal Struggles: Initially struggling with conception despite no medical issues, Carolina turned to Reiki after suggestions from her grief therapist and a psychic.
• Journey Through Adversity: Her pregnancy was filled with challenges, including anxiety, surgeries, and postpartum depression. Reiki played a pivotal role in her recovery.

The Power of Energy Healing 💫

• Reiki Success Stories: With experience in four different lineages and over 100 successful “Reiki babies,” Carolina’s practice connects mothers-to-be with their spirit babies.
• Make A Baby Membership: Offers live sessions, guided meditations, prerecorded modules, and masterclasses for women on their fertility journeys.

Embracing Self-Care 🎗️

• Cultural Reflections: Highlights how societal conditioning often undervalues self-care leading to involuntary life pauses such as illnesses or accidents.
• Nonnegotiable Self-Care: Stresses make self-care nonnegotiable in releasing trapped emotions and preventing physical ailments and emotional blockages.

Overcoming Childhood Trauma 🛤️

• Tumultuous Upbringing: Raised by a single mother struggling with alcoholism and anger issues, she faced neglect from both parents post-divorce.
• Resilience & Boundaries: Shares insights on generational pain while emphasizing the importance of setting boundaries for emotional well-being.

Transformative Insights 🌺

• Recognizes that ignoring personal healing can lead to profound crises.
• Advocates for prioritizing oneself as central to breaking cycles of trauma.

Carolina’s experiences underscore the transformative power of confronting unresolved emotions. She passionately advocates recognizing self-worth while creating supportive communities worldwide to help women achieve their motherhood dreams.

Let this episode inspire you to embrace your journey toward healing and hope! 💖

RESOURCES:

• Website
• The Make a Baby Podcast
• YouTube Channel

CONNECT:

• Instagram
• TikTok

_______

NEED HELP?

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
• Crisis Text Line provide

Support the show

This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

Would you like to join the mission of Grieving Voices in normalizing grief and supporting hurting hearts everywhere? Become a supporter of the show HERE.

Send Victoria a text message!

Unlock the power of deep connections with one simple phrase: "Tell me more."

Today, I explore how a single statement can transform relationships and foster emotional honesty. I also explore the impact of inviting others to share their stories, emphasizing the importance of being present and truly listening.

Key Takeaways:
- Discover why "Tell me more" is a game-changing invitation for deeper conversations.
- Learn how to create safe spaces for emotional sharing without needing to fix or judge.
- Understand the significance of connecting through genuine storytelling in your relationships.

Tune in now to enrich your interactions and support those around you on their grief journey.

RESOURCES:

• Teeccino - listeners receive 10% off the entire order with the code "THEUNLEASHEDHEART"

_______

NEED HELP?

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
• Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor

If you are struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are available HERE.

CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:

• Instagram
• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook

Support the show

This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

Would you like to join the mission of Grieving Voices in normalizing grief and supporting hurting hearts everywhere? Become a supporter of the show HERE.

Send Victoria a text message!

Let me support you in this week's episode by guiding you through a journey of understanding grief—especially when someone close doesn't seem to be handling a family death well. This isn't just another conversation but an invitation for introspection and growth.

Key Highlights:

The episode is thoughtfully structured around three pivotal areas:

• Coping Perspectives: It challenges us to question societal grieving norms and consider what constitutes healthy coping.
• Relationship Dynamics: Every bond with the departed is unique.
• Energy & Focus Direction: Looking inward at our own healing rather than outward in judgment.

Open dialogue about grief within families can lead to personal healing and generational change. This isn't easy, but it’s necessary for healthy healing to continue within family dynamics —and ultimately transform generational trauma and beliefs that are not in anyone's highest good.

I invite you to engage further, ask probing questions about your own experiences with grief, and explore resources for guidance on this tender path.

This episode goes beyond mere discussion—it offers deep insights that may help you unlock something deep within that, perhaps, you've never realized before hearing this episode. If you find it helpful, please share this episode with someone you know and love, for it may unlock something for them, too. And who knows...it may be a catalyst for conversation as well. 💛

RESOURCES:

• Human Design
• YouMap
• Do Grief Differently
• Ep. 207 with Tiff Carson

_______

NEED HELP?

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
• Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor

If you are struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are available HERE.

CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:

• Instagram
• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook

Support the show

This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

Would you like to join the mission of Grieving Voices in normalizing grief and supporting hurting hearts everywhere? Become a supporter of the show HERE.

Send Victoria a text message!

In this emotional and deeply personal episode of Grieving Voices, Tiff shares the impact of generational trauma and the subsequent loss of her brother to a fentanyl overdose. Tiff Carson found her brother Cory’s struggle with addiction frustrating and impossible to understand until he chose to use his voice. It was her brother using his voice that became the catalyst for Tiff to choose to love her brother through his struggles, as well as her own.

Tiff shares how a joint therapy session with her brother helped reconnect them as siblings by opening up dialogue about their shared experiences.

Alongside the grief of watching her brother struggle with addiction, Tiff shares the struggles she and her husband experienced with IVF, parenting struggles, and her subsequent divorce that followed the death of her brother.

Takeaways on this episode:

1. Sibling grief is often overlooked but carries profound significance throughout one’s life.
2. Early traumatic events can set individuals onto difficult paths; understanding these origins is crucial for empathy and support.
3. Transparent communication about emotional pain within families is essential for collective healing.

Join me as Tiff and I discuss these topics, which remind us that while our journeys may be hard at times, they are also filled with beauty when approached with openness and vulnerability.

RESOURCES:

• Tiff's Book | Dancing in the Rain
• Book | Always a Sibling
• Podcast | Hard Beautiful Journey

CONNECT:

• Website
• IG
• FB

_______

NEED HELP?

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
• Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor

If you are struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are available HERE.

CONNECT WITH VICTORIA:

• Instagram
• Website
• LinkedIn
• Fa

Support the show

This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

Would you like to join the mission of Grieving Voices in normalizing grief and supporting hurting hearts everywhere? Become a supporter of the show HERE.

Send Victoria a text message!

This week's guest, Becky Ellis, recounts how her father’s concealed World War II experiences shaped their family life, culminating in her powerful memoir Little Avalanches. Join us as we explore themes of secrecy, resilience, and reconciliation.

Key Highlights:

• Discover how Becky navigated through the silence surrounding her father’s wartime past.
• Understand the challenges she faced while balancing reverence for his heroism against the shadows it cast over their family dynamics.
• Learn about Becky's decade-long journey to penning Little Avalanches and its role in mending the fractured relationship with her father.

Deep Dive Into Emotional Legacies:

• Grasp how children process trauma differently and why giving them a voice is crucial.
• Witness Becky’s transformation as she listens to her inner child and adult self during writing.
• Feel moved by the harrowing tale of the fateful day at the Mark River, which left indelible scars on her father and all involved.

Becky exemplifies resilience through storytelling, illustrating how unearthing past pains can lead to profound personal transformation and provide voices for those whose narratives are seldom heard. Her life story emphasizes empathy as the key to truly understanding others’ struggles while coping with grief, both inherited and experienced firsthand.

This isn't just another war story; this is an invitation—to see beyond medals and accolades and into hearts haunted by battlefields far removed from sight and yet ever-present. It’s an exploration of what happens when we confront grief head-on instead of shying away—an acknowledgment that sometimes joy is found not despite sorrow but because we've dared to embrace it fully.

RESOURCES:

• Becky's Memoir | Little Avanches
• Movie | A Monster Calls
• Ep. 202 Yvonne Caputo

CONNECT:

• Website
• IG
• FB
• LinkedIn

_______

NEED HELP?

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
• Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained Crisis Counselor

If you are struggling with grief due to any of the 40+ losses, free resources are available

Support the show

This episode is sponsored by Do Grief Differently™️, my twelve-week, one-on-one, in-person/online program for grievers who have suffered any type of loss to feel better. Click here to learn new tools, grief education, and the only evidence-based method for moving beyond the pain of grief.

Would you like to join the mission of Grieving Voices in normalizing grief and supporting hurting hearts everywhere? Become a supporter of the show HERE.