Turning Grief into Growth: The Journey of Transformation
Come join Greg Jacobs and Don Lipstein on this journey of transformation as we explore what it truly means to turn grief into growth. Both Greg and Don are fathers who have lost sons, and together they share the realities of their paths—both the deep pitfalls and the unexpected triumphs.
This podcast walks alongside anyone experiencing grief, no matter what your relationship to the one you’ve lost or the circumstances of their passing. Our hope is that as you journey with us, you’ll find space to heal, to grow, and to feel the strength of shared companionship along the way.
You can email us with feedback at: TurningGriefIntoGrowth@Gmail.com
Discover more about who we are by visiting our websites:
Greg Jacobs: www.yourdadforever.com
Don Lipstein: www.imaginefamilyrecovery.net
Episodes
28 episodes
Episode #28-Glen Lord
In this episode, Glen Lord shares his personal grief journey following the loss of his son, Noah Thomas Emory Lord, on June 14, 1999, due to complications from a tonsillectomy. Glen also speaks about the heartbreaking loss of his sister to brea...
Episode #27-Man in the Mirror
In this episode, Don and Greg explore what it means to engage in self-reflection and attempt to define what progress truly looks like throughout one’s grief journey. They share how vulnerability and authenticity are absolutely essential in dete...
Episode #26-Choices
In this episode, Greg and Don discuss what it means to make choices throughout the grief journey. Some choices may lead toward healing and long-term growth, while others can prove unsustainable over time. While they avoid taking a one-size-fits...
Episode #25-Robyn Houston-Bean
In this episode, Robyn Houston-Bean shares the growth she has experienced throughout her grief journey following the loss of her son, Nick, who passed away from an overdose on May 23, 2015. Robyn is the founder of The Sun Will Rise in ...
Episode #24-Franklin Cook
In this episode, Franklin Cook shares the story of losing his father to suicide in November 1978, following a lifetime struggle with daily alcohol use. He reflects on his own journey with substance use, including years spent in and out of rehab...
Episode #23-Larry Carlat
In this episode, Larry Carlat joins us to share his story and discuss his book, A Space in the Heart: A Survival Guide for Grieving Parents. Larry opens up about the loss of his son, Robbie, who died by suicide on February 6, 2019—over...
Episode #22-Putting The Work In
In this episode, Greg and Don explore what it truly means to “put the work in” on a grief journey. They acknowledge that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach—grief is deeply personal, and the path forward looks different for everyone. Still, t...
Episode #21-Rebecca Mullaney
In this episode, we are joined by Rebecca Mullaney, a licensed psychotherapist from North Carolina. Rebecca shares her deeply personal grief journey following the loss of her husband, Captain Ian Morrison, who died by suicide on March 21, 2012....
Episode #20-Ben Harris
In this episode, Ben Harris joins us to share his complex and compounding journey through grief. He reflects on the loss of his father, Phil, to a heart attack on 11/10/01; his younger brother Christopher, who died from a drug overdose on 11/17...
Episode #19-Capacity
In this episode, Don and Greg discuss the concept of capacity and the impact that taking on too many obligations can have on our lives in a negative way. They emphasize the importance of maintaining a reserve in order to serve, recognizi...
Episode #18-Chaplain Col William R. Spencer
In this episode, Chaplain Colonel William R. Spencer, Director of Staff and Chief, Space Religious Affairs, Headquarters United States Air Force, Office of the Chief of Chaplains, stationed at the Pentagon, reflects on his 27 years of service a...
Episode #17-Marna Brickman
In this episode, Marna Brickman, LCSW-C, shares her experience and insight as a seasoned grief therapist. As the founder of Guiding Therapy in Annapolis, Maryland, Marna walks us through the layered nature of grief and how it impa...
Episode #16-Claire Hunter
On today’s episode, Claire Hunter joins us from France to explore the growing role of artificial intelligence in the world of grief and bereavement support. Claire shares insight into how AI is currently being used—from chat-based grief compani...
Episode #15-Rendering Resources
In this episode, Don shares about the resources he provides as a grief coach through Imagine Family Recovery (www.imaginefamilyrecovery.net). Greg also highlights his website, You...
Episode #14-Dr. Frank Campbell
Dr. Frank Campbell shares in this episode the vital role peer support plays in the grief journey. Through powerful stories of walking alongside men in their pain, he highlights the importance of authenticity, vulnerability, and connection...
Episode #13-Grief In Many Forms
In this episode, Greg and Don explore grief in its many forms. Grief is not limited to the death of a loved one; it can arise from a wide range of life experiences such as divorce, the loss of a job, anticipatory grief related to illness, infer...
Episode #12-Brett Hartman
In this episode, Brett Hartman shares with Don and Greg about the loss of his daughter, Eva, who passed away in 2018 at the age of five. Now nearly eight years into his grief journey, Brett continues to grow, learn, and reflect on the impact of...
Episode #11-Joanne Gowdy
Podcast guest Joanne Gowdy shares how she has experienced growth throughout her grief journey after losing her husband, Rick, of 35 years to suicide on February 1, 2020. Although Rick was not there to walk their daughter down the aisle or to se...
Episode #10-Chris Reed
Chris Reed shares the story of losing his son, CJ, in an automobile accident in August 2022, followed by the passing of his mother in 2023. He reflects on the power of growth that comes through mentorship and how replicating what has been model...
Episode #9-Nancy Joselson
In this episode, Nancy Joselson shares the story of her husband, Hank, and the circumstances surrounding his tragic death by drowning, shaped by struggles with feelings of failure and substance abuse.
Episode #8-Melissa Farmer
Melissa Farmer shares the story of losing her son, Avery, at just 17 years old in a tragic automobile accident. Through her grief journey, Melissa reflects on the profound pain of that loss while also highlighting the personal growth, resilienc...
Episode #7-Kim Burditt Bartlett
Kim Burditt Bartlett shares about her loss as a sibling after her brother John died from suicide. In addition, she shares about the loss of both of her parents, and the work that she is doing with the Black Box Project and soldier suicide...