Is There a Right Way to Grieve?Top of Mind with Julie Rose • Season 2025, Episode 23
Nov 10, 2025 • 54m
Why are we so uncomfortable with grief?
In this episode of Top of Mind, we explore America’s fear of grief and mourning and what we lose when we rush people to “move on.” Writer Jacqueline Dooley shares how she keeps her daughter’s memory alive years after her death. Historian Brandy Schillace takes us back to Victorian mourning rituals when grief was public, visible and communal. And grief expert Lisa Athan offers clear, compassionate advice on what to say (and not say) to someone who’s lost a loved one. We’ll also hear stories of miscarriage, pet loss, and the unexpected ways people find healing when they finally let grief in.
GUESTS
Jaqueline Dooley, writer and essayist (https://jacquelinedooley.medium.com/)
Brandy Schillace, author of “Death's Summer Coat: Our Strange, Unsettled History of Mourning” (https://brandyschillace.com/deaths-summer-coat/)
E.B. Bartels, author of "Good Grief: On Loving Pets Here and Hereafter" (http://www.ebbartels.com/good-grief/)
Katie C. Reilly, writer and attorney (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jul/09/pregnant-after-miscarriage-emotional-pain)
Lisa Athan, founder of Grief Speaks (http://griefspeaks.com/index.html)
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
03:25 Cultural Perspectives on Grief
11:42 The Victorian Era: Mourning Rituals and Practices
17:00 Modern Grieving
21:11 Disenfranchised Grief
22:50 Pet Grief: A Missed Opportunity for Learning
31:36 Katie Riley: A Skilled Griever
32:13 Katie's Journey with Miscarriage
35:09 Why We Should Talk About Miscarriage
38:20 How to Support Grievers
46:35 Encouraging Healthy Grieving
47:40 Self-Care During Grief
51:19 Conclusion
(This episode was originally released in September 2022)