Welcome to this special milestone episode of A Gift for Grief - Life After Loss.

In this 50th episode, I step away from interviews to share something deeply personal, the inner experience that has shaped my own grief journey over the past nine years.

This episode explores the ongoing dialogue between two parts of myself: the human mind, which feels the raw pain of loss, and the spiritual mind, which offers a sense of peace, perspective, and continued connection.

If you’ve ever felt torn between deep sorrow and moments of calm or meaning, this conversation may resonate with you.

In This Episode, I Share:

What it’s really like living with grief 9 years after losing my son Matthew

The internal conflict between emotional pain and spiritual understanding

Why grief doesn’t disappear — but life can grow around it

How both heartbreak and healing can exist at the same time

The importance of allowing all feelings without judgement

A comforting perspective on love, memory, and continued connection

Connect with your host Louise Bates: https://linktr.ee/louisebates

If this episode moved you, please consider leaving a review and sharing it with someone who might need it.

You help this show reach others walking their own path through grief.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I’m joined by Lucy Bee, both a therapist and the founder of Rage Rooms Leamington Spa.

In this episode we talk about a powerful and often overlooked side of grief - anger.

Lucy brings a unique perspective on grief, emotional suppression, and why sometimes talking alone isn’t enough. In this conversation, we explore how movement, expression, and safe release can play a role in healing.

Lucy created her rage room as a place where people can safely release what they’re holding inside. While smashing objects might sound unusual at first, the intention behind it is deeply therapeutic - allowing people to physically move emotions that feel stuck in the body.

We also dive into Lucy’s personal experiences with grief, what helped her move forward, and why acknowledging the full spectrum of emotions, including anger can be an important part of the healing process.

If you’ve ever felt like your grief doesn’t fit the neat, quiet version society expects, this episode may help you feel less alone.

Recommended reading:

The Body Keeps The Score - Bessel van der Kolk

The Courage To Be Disliked - Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi

Metaphysical Anatomy - Dr. Evette Rose

Tapping Therapy (EFT) - www.thetappingsolution.com

Connect With Lucy Bee – theinsidejobwithlucybee@gmail.com

www.ragerooms-leamingtonspa.co.uk

Connect with your host Louise Bates:

https://linktr.ee/louisebates

If this episode moved you, please consider leaving a review and sharing it with someone who might need it.

You help this show reach others walking their own path through grief.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Gentle Note: This episode contains discussion of mental health struggles, trauma, and the death of a young person. Please listen with care and seek support if you need it.

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Marianne Griffiths, a mother who shares her experience of losing her adult daughter - first through years of separation and struggle, and later through her heartbreaking sudden death in 2019 from SUDEP.

SUDEP stands for Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy. It refers to the sudden, unexplained death of someone with epilepsy who was otherwise healthy, where no other clear cause is found after investigation.

In this deeply moving and important conversation, Marianne shares the story of her daughter, Abi, a young woman who spent much of her life fighting to be understood, supported, and believed.

From an early age, Abi faced learning difficulties, mental health challenges, and repeated trauma. Her family spent years navigating education systems, social services, and mental health support in search of the right care. Along the way, there were moments of hope, heartbreak, and resilience.

This is a conversation about unconditional love, advocacy, and the urgent need to listen to vulnerable voices before it’s too late.

In This Episode, We Explore:

Marianne’s journey as a mother navigating complex systems

Abi’s early life and the challenges she faced

The impact of separation when a child is taken into care

Living with ambiguous grief and loss

The reality of grieving twice

Advocacy within education, social care, and mental health services

The importance of being heard, seen, and believed

Remembering Abi and the legacy she leaves behind

Connect with your host Louise Bates:

https://linktr.ee/louisebates

If this episode moved you, please consider leaving a review and sharing it with someone who might need it.

You help this show reach others walking their own path through grief.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.