E8: Grief Makes You "Weird": 5 Coping Strategies That Actually Work

Written By Shelby Forsythia

Ever find yourself doing something a little odd after loss—like wearing the same outfit for weeks or talking to your dead person’s photo—and wonder, “Is this normal?”

In this episode, I’m sharing five coping strategies that might seem weird from the outside but actually help you navigate life after loss in grounded, helpful ways.

You’ll hear about:

  • The science behind grief and playing games

  • Why talking to a photo (or a houseplant or a stuffed animal) isn’t “crazy”

  • How grief uniforms and grief meals can help with decision fatigue

  • Why getting a drastic haircut after loss is not necessarily “chaotic,” but symbolic and meaningful

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Download the transcript for this episode here.

Shelby Forsythia

Shelby Forsythia (she/her) is a grief coach, author, and podcast host. In 2020, she founded Life After Loss Academy, an online course and community that has helped dozens of grievers grow and find their way after death, divorce, diagnosis, and other major life transitions.

Following her mother’s death in 2013, Shelby began calling herself a “student of grief” and now devotes her days to reading, writing, and speaking about loss. Through a combination of mindfulness tools and intuitive, open-ended questions, she guides her clients to welcome grief as a teacher and create meaningful lives that honor and include the heartbreaks they’ve faced. Her work has been featured in Huffington Post, Bustle, and The Oprah Magazine.

https://www.shelbyforsythia.com
Next

E7: Ask Shelby: How Do I Announce a Death on Facebook or Instagram?