"When people feel listened to well, their window of tolerance is expanded."

It's time to learn how to listen with intention, not just an outcome in mind. We're learning these skills from Emily Kasriel—former BBC journalist, executive coach, and author of Deep Listening: Transform Your Relationships with Family, Friends, and Foes.

Listen while we discuss how grief often becomes the unnamed adversary in our lives and relationships and explore how Emily’s eight-step framework for Deep Listening can help us re-enter connection, not only with those we’ve lost or hurt, but with the hurting parts of ourselves.

Links + Resources from this episode:

• Official Book Page: HarperCollins – Deep Listening
• Emily’s Website: www.emilykasriel.com

• • Connect on socials: Mandy or Emily
  • Join the Patreon!

"If you could preserve your loved one in a digital body, would you do it?"

This week, we're confronting the uncomfortable reality of AI grief bots - programs and companies providing artificially generated versions of your loved ones after their death.

This conversation could go on for days, so while this just scratches the surface of the topic, it's worthwhile to get your thoughts going about the ethical and emotional ramifications of this technology and the way we grieve.

Links + Resources from this episode:

• The Restorative Grief Project
• Joshua Barbeau's experience
• Join our Patreon
• Connect on social media (@MandyCapehart)

"If you really want to shock the world, unleash your kindness."

In a world full of fear, anger, and sorrow, kindness and empathy are become far less commonplace. But Brad Meltzer wants you to remember that as we go through these transitions and intense experiences in life, we can always position ourselves to make magic happen.

If you are in need of a reminder of the beauty that also exists in the middle of pain, this is a perfect conversation for you. Even as we grieve, we can craft a life full of wonder, awe, and joy for ourselves and for others.

Links + Resources from this episode:

• Buy a copy of Make Magic
• Learn more about Brad's work
• Connect with Mandy
• Become a Patron!

“Anger is a prayer of fire—begging the world to notice what’s been broken.”

Anger is a natural, protective part of grief—but most of us were never taught what to do with it. In this episode of Restorative Grief, we’ll explore safe, somatic ways to express anger without shame, bypass, or harm. You’ll walk away with practical tools, deeper understanding, and maybe even a little gratitude for the rage that’s been trying to keep you safe.

Links + Resources from this episode:

• Become a Patron!
• Join the Restorative Grief Project for a community of your own!
• Connect with Mandy on Instagram

"Getting outside saved me."

Former evangelical pastor turned mental health advocate Andy Neal wants you to push back against the resistance within to find what helps you flourish.

After losing his faith, his work, and his community, Andy explored what in the world could possibly help him feel safe in himself again. Through one fateful conversation with a therapist, his entire life changed.

Now as a social media influencer and hiking enthusiast, Andy uses his personal experience and life as a foster parent to advocate for children and adults alike to get the help they need AND to push for better services and availability at every possible level. We don't all need a platform to make a difference, so take notes.

Links + resources from this episode:

• Follow @AndyFilmsandHikes on Instagram
• Follow Andy on YouTube
• Mental Health America
• National Alliance on Mental Health
• Connect with Mandy on Instagram

"Restorative witnessing as a practice is one of the most inviting expressions of love for another."

What if eight minutes of your time could offer someone the safety they’ve been searching for? In this episode of Restorative Grief, we explore the transformative practice of restorative witnessing — a trauma-informed, compassion-centered approach to being fully present without fixing. Learn how co-regulation, attunement, and your grounded presence can reshape connection, one small moment at a time.

Links + Resources from this episode:

• Simon Sinek's reflections
• Interpersonal neurobiology with Dr. Dan Siegel
• Join Patreon.com/MandyCapehart
• Connect with Mandy on Instagram

"It's not complicated at all - it's actually quite simple."

Few things in this life are black and white, but when they are, they are as perceived as complicated by those who refuse to understand or learn from others.

Master Certified Grief and Transformation Coach Olivia Abousaid offers a grounded, trauma-informed perspective on collective grief, the impact of global injustice, and how witnessing or living through atrocity shapes the way we carry our sorrow. This conversation is a call to honor grief not as a weakness, but as a powerful force for change and solidarity.

Links + Resources from this episode:

• Olivia's website - Pact Coaching
• Become a Patron!
• Connect on Instagram with Mandy or Olivia

"The embodiment you can experience in these moments of disappointment requires safety, security, and ultimately results in a greater sense of belonging with yourself."

In this episode, we unpack the complex emotions behind grieving someone who is still alive. When relationships break down or fade away, disappointment often takes center stage, leaving us questioning where things went wrong.

This conversation explores the weight of unmet expectations, how attachment styles shape our grief, and what it takes to reconcile these emotions within ourselves. Learn how to move forward from relational grief while embracing embodiment and intentionality.

Links + Resources from this episode:

• Read the transcript of episode 132: Okay, So They’re Disappointed
• Become a Patron!
• Learn more about coaching