When Lisa Woolery found her husband Eric slumped over in his home office—gone at 53 from sudden heart failure—she never imagined what would come next. Not just the frozen assets, the angry 12-year-old, or walking 20,000 steps a day to process the pain. But this: grief made her a better parent.

In this honest, hope-filled conversation, Lisa shares how losing everything forced her to shed perfectionism, step into uncomfortable leadership, and discover that transformation often comes wrapped in tragedy. From getting kicked out of a grief group to sending her son to military boarding school, from hearing God "with her whole body" to healing generational wounds with her 82-year-old mother—Lisa's journey reveals what's possible when you take just one step forward every day.

About Lisa Woolery: Lisa is the voice behind The Widow's Comeback, a ministry supporting widows through grief and reinvention. Her memoir, The Widow's Comeback, chronicles the first two years after Eric's death with raw honesty and unexpected humor. She also created a 365-day grief calendar and a guided grief journal to help others process loss. Lisa lives in Kansas City with her daughter and travels the world solo—something the "old Lisa" never imagined doing.

Key Topics Covered:

• How grief made Lisa a better parent by stripping away perfectionism
• Processing grief through the body: 20,000 steps, breaking furniture, and physical release
• The surprising journey from "because I say so" to collaborative parenting
• Financial survival after sudden loss: frozen assets and practical widow wisdom
• The controversial choice to send her son to military boarding school (and why it worked)
• Trusting God as "husband" after losing her earthly partner
• Creating a new life: from homebody to solo world traveler and bestselling author
• Why "your life is not over" at 40, 50, 60, or beyond

Visit the Grief 2 Growth store for FREE items as well as other tools to help you along your journey:

• Guided Meditations
• My book GEMS of Healing (signed copy)
• My Oracle deck to help you connect with your loved ones
• Mini-courses
• Mini-guides
  
  

Check it out at https://grief2growth.com/store

Grief doesn’t follow stages, timelines, or rules.
If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I doing this right?”—you’re not alone.

That’s why I created the Grief Check-In.
It’s not a test. There are no right or wrong answers.

In just a few minutes, you’ll gain clarity, reassurance, and language for what you’re experiencing.

👉 Visit grief2growth.com/checkin

This deck is a labor of love. It's a 44 card oracle deck that's about connecting you to your loved one in spirit. The deck comes with a companion digital guide that gives you an affirmation, a reflection, and an activity for the day.

Check it out at https://stan.store/grief2growth/p/oracle-deck

Support the show

🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join Facebook Group- Get Support and Education
👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)
📰 Get A Free Gift
📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call
📈 Leave A Review

Thanks so much for your support

What if those unexplainable feelings you get — those quiet nudges that something is about to change — aren't just anxiety or imagination, but your soul preparing you for what's ahead?

In this deeply moving episode, I talk with Tami Pitetti Sanders, an intuitive guide whose journey began with subtle intuitive signs before death that she didn't fully understand until after loss transformed her life. Tami shares how she received "unknowing knowings" about a year before her father's passing — scheduling family photos on an off-year, feeling pulled toward Reiki training, and sensing something was coming for her dad.

When her beloved dog died unexpectedly, followed months later by her father's peaceful transition, those intuitive nudges suddenly made perfect sense. In her grief, Tami discovered she could see, feel, and communicate with the other side — and she's now dedicated to helping others find the same comfort and validation she desperately needed.

About Tami Pitetti Sanders:

Tami is an intuitive medium and Reiki practitioner who specializes in helping grieving people reconnect with their loved ones in spirit. After experiencing profound loss during COVID and finding little support available, she developed her intuitive gifts to become the guide she wished she'd had. Through her unique reading style at Divine Lens Readings, Tami provides evidence-based comfort that love and connection continue beyond death.

Connect with Tami: Instagram @DivineLensReadings

Special offer for listeners: Tami is offering discounted readings ($55 instead of $111) for Grief 2 Growth podcast listeners. Message her on Instagram and mention you heard this episode.

Resources mentioned:

• Divine Lens Readings on Instagram: @DivineLensReadings
• Grief 2 Growth Substack: grief2growth.substack.com
• Free consultation with Brian: https://grief2growth.as.me/30-minute-consult

Visit the Grief 2 Growth store for FREE items as well as other tools to help you along your journey:

• Guided Meditations
• My book GEMS of Healing (signed copy)
• My Oracle deck to help you connect with your loved ones
• Mini-courses
• Mini-guides
  
  

Check it out at https://grief2growth.com/store

Grief doesn’t follow stages, timelines, or rules.
If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I doing this right?”—you’re not alone.

That’s why I created the Grief Check-In.
It’s not a test. There are no right or wrong answers.

In just a few minutes, you’ll gain clarity, reassurance, and language for what you’re experiencing.

👉 Visit grief2growth.com/checkin

This deck is a labor of love. It's a 44 card oracle deck that's about connecting you to your loved one in spirit. The deck comes with a companion digital guide that gives you an affirmation, a reflection, and an activity for the day.

Check it out at https://stan.store/grief2growth/p/oracle-deck

Support the show

🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join Facebook Group- Get Support and Education
👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)
📰 Get A Free Gift
📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call
📈 Leave A Review

Thanks so much for your support

What happens when grief doesn't just visit once—but keeps coming back? In this deeply honest conversation, Vanessa May shares how she navigated losing her son Harry, then her husband Anthony, and father during the pandemic, all while battling COVID and later a cancer diagnosis.

Vanessa doesn't sugarcoat. She doesn't spiritually bypass. She tells the truth about what it's like when the ground keeps getting ripped out from under you—and how she's found her way forward anyway.

In this episode, we explore:

• The unique pain of compounded grief—losing a child and a spouse
• How trauma lives in the body and can manifest as illness
• Why "resilience" can feel like pressure instead of praise
• Soul planning, earth school, and making meaning from loss
• The loneliness of widowhood in the middle years
• How Vanessa still feels Harry and Anthony guiding her
• The six women featured in her new book and what they have in common
• Finding the balance between spiritual hope and raw human grief

About Vanessa May:

Vanessa is a holistic grief coach, certified grief educator, nutritional therapist, and author of three books including Love Untethered: How to Live When Your Child Dies and her newest release, When Grief Takes Everything: A Survival Guide to Devastating Loss.

Connect with Vanessa:

• Website: VanessaMay.co.uk
• Instagram: @may.wellbeing.griefsupport

What resonated with you in this conversation?

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Join the discussion at grief2growth.substack.com, leave a comment, and connect with others walking this road.

Visit the Grief 2 Growth store for FREE items as well as other tools to help you along your journey:

• Guided Meditations
• My book GEMS of Healing (signed copy)
• My Oracle deck to help you connect with your loved ones
• Mini-courses
• Mini-guides
  
  

Check it out at https://grief2growth.com/store

Grief doesn’t follow stages, timelines, or rules.
If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I doing this right?”—you’re not alone.

That’s why I created the Grief Check-In.
It’s not a test. There are no right or wrong answers.

In just a few minutes, you’ll gain clarity, reassurance, and language for what you’re experiencing.

👉 Visit grief2growth.com/checkin

This deck is a labor of love. It's a 44 card oracle deck that's about connecting you to your loved one in spirit. The deck comes with a companion digital guide that gives you an affirmation, a reflection, and an activity for the day.

Check it out at https://stan.store/grief2growth/p/oracle-deck

Support the show

🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏻 Join Facebook Group- Get Support and Education
👛 Subscribe to Grief 2 Growth Premium (bonus episodes)
📰 Get A Free Gift
📅 Book A Complimentary Discovery Call
📈 Leave A Review

Thanks so much for your support