If grief feels closer lately, you are not going backward. Your heart may simply need a little more care.

The trees begin releasing what they can no longer carry.
The light shifts.
The evenings grow quieter.
And sometimes, without warning, our grief feels closer too.

You may notice memories rising more often. You may feel more tired, tender, restless, or emotional. You might even find yourself thinking:

Grief does not follow a straight path. It responds to seasons, memories, anniversaries, changing routines, and even the way the light and air feel at a particular time of year.

Sometimes your body recognizes a meaningful season before your mind understands why it feels significant.

In September, Dena and I gathered with a small, intimate circle of women at the Lake of the Ozarks for The Woman I Used to Be retreat.

We created space to slow down, breathe, listen inward, and gently explore the roles, expectations, and survival patterns women often carry for years.

The woman you used to be is not someone you need to force yourself to become again.

And change does not mean the most important parts of you have disappeared. Sometimes they have simply been buried beneath responsibility, protection, grief, and the need to keep going.

When you finally have enough space to breathe, you may begin to recognize yourself again not exactly as you were, as the woman you are becoming.

This song is a beautiful reminder that growth is still taking place during the seasons when everything appears quiet or barren.

Not every season is meant for blooming. Some seasons are for resting, rooting, releasing, and trusting what God is doing beneath the surface.

A Sacred Pause: Find a quiet place, take a slow breath, and allow the song to meet you wherever you are today.

During grief or a major life transition, your nervous system often works hard to protect you.

You may become the strong one.
The responsible one.
The one who keeps everyone else together.
The one who says, “I’m fine,” even when something inside you is exhausted.

These patterns are not evidence that something is wrong with you. They may be evidence that your mind and body learned how to help you survive something painful.

This is not a test, and there is no score to calculate. Simply notice which statements make something inside you exhale or become a little emotional.

☐ Remember the person or life I am grieving without apologizing for bringing it up.

☐ Trust that moving forward does not mean leaving anyone or any meaningful part of my life behind.

Choose just one for the coming week. Write it somewhere you will see it and ask yourself each morning:

Ecclesiastes reminds us that there is a season for everything; a time to weep, a time to heal, a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

There is no shame in needing time to grieve. There is no weakness in asking for help. And you do not have to rush toward joy to prove that you still have faith.

And sometimes faith is simply whispering, “God, help me take the next step,” when you cannot yet see the whole path.

Our October conversations will explore The Weight of Guilt including the guilt connected to what was said, what was left unsaid, what we did, what we could not do, and what we still wish had been different.

You do not have to share before you are ready. You are welcome to come, listen, breathe, and simply be with others who understand that strength and struggle can exist together.

Tuesday, October 6th and October 20th 6:00–7:00 PM
Location: Becoming: A Space to Breathe, Heal & Begin Again
9500 Collinsville Road, Suite 6, Collinsville, IL 62234

When the Tears Won’t Stop: Learning to Feel Without Fear

Wednesday, October 7 at 6:00 PM
Location: O’Fallon Public Library

When emotions feel intense or unpredictable, it can be tempting to avoid them, suppress them, or worry that allowing yourself to feel will make everything worse.

During this conversation, we will explore why emotions can feel so overwhelming, what may be happening within the body and nervous system, and how to begin allowing feelings without becoming consumed by them.

This is the first conversation in a two-part series.

Part Two: Holiday Heartache—Boundaries, Grace & the Courage to Pause
Wednesday, November 4th at 6:00 PM

October Breathwork

Somatic Breathwork offers an opportunity to step out of constant thinking and allow your body to release some of what words alone may not reach.

You do not need to arrive knowing how to let go.

You only need to arrive willing to breathe.

Find More Information and Available Dates Click Here

Grief Recovery Method® Support Group

A new group is forming.

Grief is not limited to death. It may follow divorce, estrangement, caregiving, changes in health, lost dreams, retirement, pregnancy loss, or any experience that changed life as you knew it.

The Grief Recovery Method® provides a structured and compassionate process for exploring the things that were left unsaid, unfinished, or emotionally incomplete.

If you have been wondering whether it is time to receive more support, reach out to learn about the upcoming group and whether it may be the right next step for you. More Information

Day Retreat: What If It Was Never Yours to Carry?

November 7, 2026 | 9:00 AM–5:00 PM

A one-day retreat for the woman who has spent so much of her life being strong for everyone else that she may have forgotten what it feels like to simply be herself. Hosted by Dena and I.

There comes a point when being the strong one starts to feel... heavy. More Information

Before You Go…

You do not have to wait until you are falling apart to receive support.

You do not have to explain your pain perfectly.

And you do not have to enter this next season in the same way you have entered every difficult season before it.

Perhaps this is the season when you allow yourself to pause.

Perhaps it is the season when you stop carrying everything alone.

Perhaps it is the season when you begin trusting that the woman you are becoming is worthy of care, support, and space to breathe.

If something in this message felt like it was speaking directly to you, I invite you to reach out. We can have a gentle conversation about what you are carrying and what kind of support might feel right for you.

“My mission is to work with compassionate grieving women to navigate their path of grief, fostering resilience and finding clarity and understanding in their journey. My role as a Grief Specialist is to support them in reclaiming their freedom to live fully and to cultivate a deeper sense of trust in themselves as they move through the healing process."

When you are ready, here are a few more ways I can empower you on your grief journey:

You can check out my podcast: Female Voice: Life & Loss. Our podcast is dedicated to women from all walks of life, providing a supportive and encouraging platform that addresses the various challenges they face. We aim to offer compassionate guidance, share diverse stories, and equip listeners with practical advice and resources to help them grow, heal, and thrive through every stage of their journey.