Giving Grief Grace, a Grief Podcast for the Sandwich Generation
Loss changes everything. But it doesn't have to have the last word. Giving Grief Grace is a podcast dedicated to those in the throes of caregiving and loss with honest, compassionate conversations about grief, healing, and what it means to keep living after loss. Hosted by Lisa Hartung, a speaker, HR professional, and fellow griever, each episode creates space for the stories we don't always know how to tell.
From disenfranchised and hidden grief, to grieving while parenting, to the ways men experience loss differently, to the unexpected power of creativity and legacy, this show covers grief in all its forms. Featuring expert guests, real stories, and practical tools you can use right now.
If you've lost someone you love or are in the throes of caregiving, you belong here.
New episodes drop every Sunday. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
Giving Grief Grace, a Grief Podcast for the Sandwich Generation
Episode 65 - What Is Your Handicap? Choosing Joy, Presence, & What Really Matters After Loss
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In this solo episode, Lisa opens up about a bittersweet wave of grief triggered by an old photo memory of a day spent with her mom exploring Maine — and turns it into a gentle teaching moment on how to live with grief rather than wait for it to disappear. Leaning on a favorite passage from Melody Beattie's Journey to the Heart, she introduces the idea of grief as a personal "handicap": not something to overcome, but something to carry with grace while still choosing to live a full, joyful life.
Along the way, Lisa shares an intimate ritual — pulling tarot cards from a deck she and her mom used together during her mom's pancreatic cancer diagnosis — and reflects on the card she drew that day and what it meant to her. She closes with a reminder, inspired by a Michael Josephson's What Will Matter poem reflection on legacy, that what matters most isn't what we accumulated, but what we gave, taught, and how we made others feel.
Takeaways:
- Grief triggers (like social media memories) aren't something to dread — they're often a gift in disguise
- You don't "get over" grief; you learn to live with it and around it, like a handicap
- Rituals — even small ones — can be powerful ways to stay connected to a loved one who's passed
- Choosing joy and presence isn't a betrayal of grief; it's part of honoring the life your loved one wanted for you
- What we're remembered for has far more to do with character and compassion than achievement
If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone in their own season of grief — and if you'd like Lisa to pull a tarot card for you and your loved one, send her a message on Instagram @GivingGriefGrace or hello@lisahartung.com.
New episodes of Giving Grief Grace drop weekly, because grief was never meant to be carried alone.
Thanks for tuning in, your time is valuable and we are so grateful for you!
Please share this episode with a friend or someone who could use a hug. You are not alone.
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Special thanks to:
Podcast Editor Jacqueline van Bierk of Pink Star Music
Podcast Music Good_B_Music
