025- You’re Not Stuck. You’re Grieving. (A conversation with David Kessler on loss, meaning, and healing)
Podcast: Beyond Words with Najwa ZebianPublished On: Tue Dec 30 2025
Description: Send us Fan MailWe think our time is endless. So we waste so much of our lives chasing what we think life “should” look like, and calling avoidance “moving on.” But you don’t move on from pain without it being dragged behind you.In this episode of Beyond Words, I’m joined by my very first guest, grief expert and bestselling author David Kessler. We talk about what grief really is, why denial can be a form of grace, and how judgment keeps us stuck in pain. We explore finding meaning—not in loss itself, but in who we become after it—and why grief needs witnessing, not fixing.We also talk about grief in relationships, including narcissistic abuse and gaslighting, how to support someone who is grieving without abandoning yourself, and why the worst grief is always your own—because it’s the one you’re living.Guest: David Kessler Website: grief.com Support Groups: Tender Hearts (online) Social: @IamDavidKesslerTimestamps (Simplified)00:00 We think our time is endless & why avoidance isn’t healing 02:38 What grief really is: a change we didn’t want 06:00 Denial as grace & how the brain processes loss 11:32 Finding meaning: not in the event, but in who we become 16:16 Why grief must be witnessed, not fixed 20:59 Grieving identities, futures, and relationships 26:45 Judgment, self-compassion, and why shame keeps us stuck 34:35 Cultural rituals of grief & what we’re missing today 40:59 Boundaries while loving someone who’s grieving 46:32 Grieving narcissistic relationships & the death of self 53:21 Freedom is found in reality 56:26 Words From Me to You: don’t do grief alone 58:26 “The worst grief is yours” 01:00:35 Where to find David’s work & support
The note was deleted
The note was saved
Your message was sent