August 27th, 2025
When someone dies, the story is often one of sadness, longing, and loss. But what happens when the person who died was also someone who caused great harm? For Kathy, who was sexually and emotionally abused by her father, his death when she was 11 brought more relief than grief. In this conversation, Kathy shares how her early experiences with grief and trauma shaped her path as a social worker and volunteer, including her current work with teens and tweens who are grieving. Kathy’s story broadens our understanding of grief, reminding us that it’s never one-dimensional, and that sometimes, relief outweighs grief. Note: this episode includes references to childhood sexual and emotional abuse.
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In 1994, The Dougy Center had been around for just over a decade. It was also the year Hope Edelman published her groundbreaking book, Motherless Daughters. Brennan Wood, Executive Director of The Dou read more...
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Judith Finneren's husband Ralph, or Ralphie as she liked to call him, was hit and killed while riding his bike in the summer of 2011. Even when grief and anger are close companions, most of the time t read more...
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Sweaters, shoes, a favorite coffee mug, the pen always angled a certain way - items, big and small, create the landscapes left behind when someone dies. Nicole Leslie was 15 and she turned to fashion read more...
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This is an encore episode that originally aired on February 25th, 2019. Claire Bidwell Smith, LCPC, recently published her new book, Anxiety, the Missing Stage of Grief, that delves into all the ways read more...
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