"We need to live in a culture that supports that instead of running away from it."
What happens when we stop treating grief as something to overcome and start treating it as something worthy of our attention, care, and community?
In today's episode, I'm joined by journalist, essayist, and author s.e. smith, whose book All My Dead Cats and Other Losses: Practicing Good Grief in a Culture That Fears Mourning invites us into a larger conversation about loss, mourning, and the ways our culture often struggles to make space for grief.
Together, we explore why grief is not a problem to solve, how disenfranchised grief leaves so many people feeling unseen, and what becomes possible when we build communities that can tolerate discomfort instead of rushing people toward resolution.
This conversation is thoughtful, honest, and deeply compassionate. Whether you're grieving a person, a pet, a relationship, a former version of yourself, or a loss that others don't fully understand, I think you'll find something here that helps you feel a little less alone.
In this episode, we talk about:
- Why pet loss can open the door to larger conversations about griefWhat disenfranchised grief really meansHow our culture teaches us to avoid discomfort and mourningThe importance of being witnessed in griefWhy grief is not something we fix or completeCommunity as a vital part of mourningThe losses we often overlook or minimizeWhat a more grief-literate culture could look like
Links + Resources from this episode:
- Snag a copy of All My Dead CatsSubscribe to s.e.'s newsletter
- Learn more about their workConnect with s.e. smith on BlueskyLearn more about Restorative Grief at MandyCapehart.com/coaching