What happens when grief doesn’t come one loss at a time, but hits you in waves, back-to-back, with no recovery window?

In this deeply honest episode of RESILIENT A.F., Blair sits down with Amanda McKoy Flanagan to talk about compound grief, sobriety, marriage, and what it really takes to keep going when life keeps taking. Amanda shares her experience of losing five close family members in just three years, how those losses nearly unraveled her marriage, and why facing grief sober changed everything.

This conversation is raw, grounding, and surprisingly hopeful. It’s about grief that doesn’t fit neatly into timelines, the quiet strength of supportive partners, and the courage it takes to look inward instead of numbing out.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re “doing grief right” (spoiler: there’s no such thing), this episode will feel like a long exhale.

After moving from New York to Colorado, Amanda experienced an overwhelming series of losses, including the deaths of her brother, cousin, and former partner. She opens up about how grief stacked on top of grief impacted her emotional health, identity, and marriage.

Blair reflects on her own experience with compound loss and speaks candidly about navigating grief while sober, a path that removes the numbing but amplifies the truth.

Amanda and Blair explore the difference between grieving in active addiction versus grieving with full emotional presence. Together, they unpack what it means to sit with pain instead of escaping it, and why sobriety can be both brutal and deeply healing when loss hits.

Amanda shares a pivotal moment when her husband, Jim, recognized that something wasn’t right and suggested marriage counselling. What followed was resistance, realization, and ultimately repair.

If this episode hit home, share it with someone who needs to hear they’re not broken, they’re grieving. And if you’re ready to go deeper into these conversations, make sure you’re subscribed so you never miss an episode that tells the truth out loud.

Sponsorship opportunities: https://docs.google.com/document/d/15oZsxAigvb6e4wbAmvW_El_1_laeyK4shMY1md6zVWI/edit?usp=sharing

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Buy our Books: https://theglobalresilienceproject.com/books/

About the Guest:

A native New Yorker turned Coloradan, Amanda McKoy Flanagan masterfully combines urban insights with a nature-inspired philosophy in her approach to love and loss. Certified intuitive loss + empowerment coach, writing coach, energy healer, and retreat leader, Amanda is the author of the award-winning inspirational memoir Trust Yourself to Be All In: Safe to Love and Let Go and host of the Sol Rising podcast. Empowering individuals to navigate life's toughest transitions with clarity, healing, and creative expression, Amanda focuses on holistic wellness, guiding clients toward emotional and spiritual recovery by releasing trauma and regaining balance. Offering a transformative approach to living fully, Amanda provides actionable insights for overcoming challenges by embracing the power of one’s own inner wisdom, natural resilience, and capacity for change.

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/amandamckoyflanagan

https://www.instagram.com/solrisingpodcast

https://www.facebook.com/amandamckoyflanagan

https://m.youtube.com/@thesolrisingpodcast

https://www.amandamckoyflanagan.com/

⚠️ Content Note:...

In this episode of Resilient AF, hosts Blair and Alana interviewed Dr. Tasha Faruqui and her daughter, Soraya, about their experiences with Mr. Main, a beloved teacher who passed away from illness. Soraya shared her ability to communicate with spirits and her close relationship with Mr. Main, who provided her support during a difficult time at school. Tasha discussed Soraya's unique gifts and their family's approach to discussing spirituality. The conversation also touched on Soraya's current health challenges, living in Hospice, and her message of advice for other teens facing similar situations. This is their story and Tasha and Soraya are RESILIENT A.F.

Buy the books: https://theglobalresilienceproject.com/books/

About the Guests:

Dr. Tasha Faruqui is a pediatrician, speaker, advocate, and author of Keep Your Head Up: A Mother’s Story of Chasing Joy in the Face of Grief (Jossey-Bass, 2025). Inspired by her father, a doctor to an underserved rural community, Tasha joined the National Health Service Corps after medical school. However, her focus shifted when her daughter Soraya was born with a rare genetic disorder. Tasha is now a passionate advocate for parents of medically complex children and those experiencing anticipatory grief, regularly sharing her message of hope at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Make-A-Wish events, and on Instagram (@thefaruqui5). She was named a top doctor by Cincinnati Magazine in 2022, 2024, and 2025. Connect and learn more at www.tashafaruqui.com.

Soraya

Soraya is 13 years old, and she is a kind, trendy girlie who loves so many things it’s almost impossible to list them all. She loves makeup, nail designs, graphic novels, dolls, and games on my iPad/ Computer. Her favorite games are Toca Boca and SIMS. She also loves hanging out with her family and friends. Soraya was born with a rare genetic disease that impacts the TAOK1 gene. Little is known about the disease; however, for Soraya, it is progressive and is similar to ALS. She is currently in hospice and making the best out of every moment. Soraya is most proud of her job as a Youth Equity Ambassador, where she connects with other individuals with disabilities across the world and advocates for accessible spaces.

⚠️ Content Note: Some episodes may contain themes that could be distressing. Please take care of yourself while listening, and don’t hesitate to seek support from a mental health professional if needed.

About the Hosts:

Blair Kaplan Venables is a British Columbia-based grief and resilience expert and coach, motivational speaker and the Founder of The Global Resilience Project. Her expertise has been featured on media platforms like Forbes, TEDx, CBC Radio, Entrepreneur, and Thrive Global. She is named the Top Grief and Resilience Expert of the Year 2024 by IAOTP. USA Today listed Blair as one of the top 10 conscious female leaders to watch and she empowers others to be resilient from stages around the world. 'MyStory,’ which is a television show available on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+ and Google Play, showcases Blair's life story. She is the host of the Radical Resilience podcast and specializes in helping people strengthen their resilience muscle using scientifically proven methods and guides grieving high performers with her Navigating Grief Framework. The Global Resilience Project’s award-winning book series are international bestsellers, and her fourth book, RESILIENT A.F.: Stories of Resilience Vol 2, will be published in January 2025. In her free time, you can find Blair writing, in nature,...

In this deeply honest and unexpectedly funny episode, sisters and co-founders Blair and Alana kick off 2026 by unpacking the emotional hangover of 2025. From grief anniversaries and health scares to TV obsessions, bowel updates (yes, really), and big audacious dreams, this conversation is a reminder that resilience is rarely tidy and never boring.

They talk about honouring their late mother, navigating the heaviness of the holidays, managing bodies that hold stress in strange places, and why it is okay to celebrate wins even when grief still sits at the table. The episode also pulls back the curtain on what is coming next for The Global Resilience Project, including books, billboards, a TV show in development, and a bold Q1 vision for 2026.

Equal parts reflective, irreverent, and forward-looking, this episode is for anyone who survived last year and is trying to move into the next one with presence, humour, and intention.

In This Episode, They Talk About:

1. Why December was emotionally and financially heavy and how that shaped the start of 2026
2. Honouring Sharon’s birthday with cake, Greek food, and ritual, even when life does not pause
3. How grief changes the holidays and why the absence of traditions can hit harder than expected
4. EMDR training, nervous system regulation, and doing healing work while still living real life
5. Somatized emotions, inflammation, and listening to what your body is trying to say
6. Canadian healthcare realities and the rise of health apps as a first line of reassurance
7. Alana’s very committed relationship with her bowel movements and her quest for answers
8. Survivor fandom, Season 50 dreams, and Blair offering to DM a former cast member
9. What Blair and Shayne are binge-watching and why streaming convenience is a blessing and a curse
10. TV shows that surprised us, including low-budget stories with global impact
11. Behind-the-scenes realities of TV production and what Anatomy of Lies revealed
12. The comedy series Blair and Alana have been developing for nearly a year, and what comes next
13. What it really means to turn grief into business without bypassing the pain
14. Blair’s Q1 2026 goal of signing a TV deal and how the pitch process works
15. The upcoming Substack that will share the real, messy, hilarious parts of building this work
16. A prescriptive memoir in progress rooted in the Navigating Grief Framework
17. Vision boards, chosen words for the year, and why presence beats pressure
18. What is launching next for The Global Resilience Project, including books, speaking, merch, and events