In the final episode of Grief Gratitude & Greatness, Sarah speaks with her father about how he met her mom, their young romance and their lives as immigrants to the United States. Sarah and her Dad also reflect on the importance of family, the difficulties of existing as a Jew in Iraq, stark cultural differences and life continuing after Sarah’s mom’s death.

Trigger Warning: This episode references suicide. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please seek help by dialing 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

This week we share the second of three intimate conversations with people close to Sarah. In this episode Sarah speaks with Sabine, her mother’s best friend growing up in rural Romania, and a longtime family friend. They discuss the reality of being a US immigrant and the mental health challenges some immigrants face.

Trigger Warning: This episode references suicide. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please seek help by dialing 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

When Sarah started the Grief Gratitude & Greatness podcast about 6 years ago, people asked why she was embarking on a project about grief. During the podcast’s run, she was asked about her own personal grief story, and realized that while she was helping other people tell their stories, she ended up sharing little of her own.

This week we share the first of three intimate conversations with people close to Sarah. In today’s episode, Sarah speaks with her sister, Amira, discussing grief related to their family's immigrant experience and the very different ways that they grieve the death of their mother.

When her life partner died suddenly, Tiana Hill had to confront some difficult truths. She discovered that the man she thought she knew was not all that he seemed. Faced with these revelations, she chose to take ownership of the part she had played in their relationship. Sarah speaks to Tiana about losing her daughter's father, being rejected by his family and how she healed by facing the truth rather than turning away from it.

When we look at history, we see Western culture's invasive influence spreading around the world, replacing local beliefs and customs. Dr. Agya Boakye-Boaten grew up in a village in Ghana, where he was educated in a Methodist all-boys school beginning at the age of 10. Upon coming to the US, he found that many of the things he’d been taught were problematic and required dismantling. Sarah speaks to Agya about becoming "an unapologetic African," the struggle of immigrants to reclaim their identity, and the pressing need for Americans to listen to the pain of Black people.

A native Hawaiian, David Komeiji’s Japanese Buddhist heritage informs his life of service. In his career as a healthcare professional, David has worked to address the needs of the houseless. He now teaches ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, to the incarcerated. Sarah speaks to David about sacred space, his rituals of honoring ancestors, and how he works to humanize those who often go unseen in our society.

At the height of Black Lives Matter movement, Andre Middleton finds his passion for music and mentorship intersecting with his experience as a Black man. He finds purpose in helping underserved youth discover their voice, honing their skills in the technical and business aspects of live music production. Sarah speaks to Andre about his childhood in Brooklyn, the racial dynamics of living in Oregon, and the power of creative community engagement.

In the immediate aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, protests against police brutality sprung up in cities across the country, and there has been a reckoning about the continued inequality that exists in our society. Beth Blumklotz grew up African-American and white, raised in a white adoptive household. She observed the duality of how people are treated due to the color of their skin, even in a supposedly liberal city like Portland, Oregon. Sarah speaks with Beth about raising a black son, the discrimination she endured as a young person, and how systemic racism is not black people’s problem to solve.

Ill with terminal pancreatic cancer, Susanne Schumann let her family know that she would be choosing Death With Dignity. Her son Ben Orion spent his mother's last day with her and had the incredible experience of supporting her when she made the choice to end her life. Sarah speaks with Ben about his mom and the gift of being present for her death.

In this special edition, Sarah speaks with Seann McKeel, Virginia Gewin and Renee Gorham about their unique experiences with grief during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A victim of child sexual abuse, Nathan Langston published his story, I Need You To Tell Me Everything, as a web-based multimedia experience. Sarah speaks to Nathan about PTSD, the perspective he brings to his parenting, and how sharing his story is part of his healing journey.

When Leslie Barber’s husband was ill and died of cancer, she became aware of the inconsistent and inadequate response that many companies have to supporting their grieving employees. Sarah talks to Leslie about the economic challenges of widowhood and the necessity to make significant changes in the workplace for the bereaved.

Following the deaths of several people close to her, Chelsea Granger began openly engaging with her online community about her grief and mental health. Her love of zines and postal mail led her to compile a monthly subscription newsletter full of resources for the grieving. Sarah speaks with Chelsea about how her grief triggered suicidal depression, the manic episodes she experienced, and the artwork she creates.

As a long-term survivor of HIV, Jennifer Jako continues to advocate for prevention, empowering and informing the community about the virus that has killed many of her peers. Sarah speaks to Jennifer about her experience living with HIV, how she became a mother despite her diagnosis, and how the fight against HIV/AIDS continues.

Confronting a lifetime of anxiety, Courtenay Hameister spent a year stepping far out of her comfort zone to try some new things, then wrote a book full of stories about the experience. Sarah speaks to Courtenay about her feelings concerning the nature of her father's death, how grief broke up a relationship and the opportunities she's passed by due to death, shame, fear, and mental health.

Years into a successful career, Michael Namkung realized that he was unfulfilled. Having been discouraged from pursuing his interests and dreams as a child, he found himself grieving the hope and passion he’d lost. Sarah talks to Michael about giving up on security to rediscover himself, while reinventing his career as an artist, athlete, and poet.

Hey There — Happy New Year! We’re taking a New Year's break and reflecting on all the amazing guests, conversations and things we’ve learned over this past year. Thanks for listening and supporting our work to bring these discussions out of the shadows and help to change our culture around grief! We’ll be back January 14th with a new season and a new episode. We look forward to sharing more conversations with you.

When Christy Wopat was pregnant with twins, she suffered from complications of PPROM, leading to her babies being born prematurely and dying shortly after. Sarah speaks to Christy about how she navigated the difficult interactions that she had to contend with afterward, and how she found community in writing about her experience.

As a young woman, Mary Zinkin survived a random act of gun violence and lived for years with undiagnosed PTSD from the incident. Sarah speaks with Mary about how her pursuit of mental wellness healing led to her work in conflict resolution, facilitating conversations between victims and their perpetrators.

Sarah speaks with singer/songwriter Jen Myzel about the unexpected, debilitating and life-altering experience of pursuing her family history, later finding recovery and healing through shamanism.