In this episode of the podcast, I meet with Holly, who speaks about her experience of losing both of her parents. Holly shares the impact of her father's death as a teenager in a pivotal moment in her life and the challenges of navigating her mother's early onset dementia whilst raising young children years later.
The conversation delves into the hugely emotional toll of caregiving a parent, the unpredictability of grief, and the importance of finding 'your people'. Holly reflects on the unique bond between a mother and a daughter and the profound struggle that comes with watching a parent deteriorate over years. The episode emphasises the personal nature of grief and the significance of finding meaning and connection in the midst of loss.
Holly shares her honest account of these two very different experiences and the impact they have left on her.
If you’ve lost a parent and are trying to figure out how to keep living without them, this conversation will help you feel less alone.
The facebook group mentioned in this episode as a recommendation is called 'Adult Children of Early Onset Dementia Parents'.
Key Takeaways:
As part of Grieving Daughters Club I’ve created a free resource for you to download called: 10 Ways You Change After Losing a Parent. It’s full of truths no one warns you about, written from my own grief and experience as a therapist, I hope you find it useful.
If you are a grieving daughter and would like the chance to share your story on this podcast please email me on:
elle@grievingdaughtersclub.co.uk or come and find me over on instagram.
Keywords
grief, loss, mourning, family, legacy, emotional conflict, coping strategies, cultural practices, support, love
Follow me on Instagram: grieving_daughters_club_
In this episode I met with Meera. She shares her heartfelt journey of losing her mother, just two weeks after her 70th birthday party.
Meera reflects on her mother's vibrant personality, the suddenness of her passing, and the complexities of navigating grief as the eldest daughter. The conversation delves into the emotional conflicts that arise during mourning, the impact of cultural expectations, and the importance of self-care.
Meera emphasizes the significance of love and support from family and friends, while also acknowledging the unique nature of each person's grief journey. She offers valuable insights and advice for others experiencing similar losses, highlighting the need to cherish every moment with loved ones and to carry on loved ones advice long after they have died.
It’s a deeply personal story about never being ready to lose a parent, and what it means to step into the space your mum once held when the matriarch of the family is suddenly gone.
If you’ve lost a parent and are trying to figure out how to keep living without them, this conversation will help you feel less alone.
Key Takeaways
As part of Grieving Daughters Club I’ve created a free resource for you to download called: 10 Ways You Change After Losing a Parent. It’s full of truths no one warns you about, written from my own grief and experience as a therapist, I hope you find it useful.
If you are a grieving daughter and would like the chance to share your story on this podcast please email me on:
elle@grievingdaughtersclub.co.uk or come and find me over on instagram.
Keywords
grief, loss, mourning, family, legacy, emotional conflict, coping strategies, cultural practices, support, love
Follow me on Instagram: grieving_daughters_club_
In this episode I met with Rebecca, who opened up about the quiet, powerful lessons her dad left her with, lessons she didn’t fully realise were shaping her life until after he was gone.
Rebecca talks about watching her dad retire, finally giving himself permission to enjoy his days… and how that changed the way she now moves through the world. Not in a forced “live every day like it’s your last” way, but in the small, human ways that actually matter. Slowing down, treating herself with kindness. Finding joy in the ordinary instead of waiting for the “right” moment or the “right” age.
It’s an honest conversation about how grief doesn’t just break you, it rewires the way you think about time, joy, rest, and what you deserve.
As always, I’m deeply grateful to Rebecca for her openness and for sharing her story with us.
If you’ve lost a parent and are trying to figure out how to keep living without them, this conversation will make you feel less alone.
Key Takeaways:
As part of Grieving Daughters Club I’ve created a free resource for you to download called: 10 Ways You Change After Losing a Parent. It’s full of truths no one warns you about, written from my own grief and experience as a therapist, I hope you find it useful.
If you are a grieving daughter and would like the chance to share your story on this podcast please email me on:
elle@grievingdaughtersclub.co.uk or come and find me over on instagram.
Keywords
grief, loss, family, memories, support, conversations, love, dad, life lessons, enjoying moments, personal growth, self-care, mindset, happiness, family influence, daily joy, living fully, treating oneself
Follow me on Instagram: grieving_daughters_club_
In this first episode of Series Two of the Grieving Daughters Club Podcast, I talk to Katie, who shares her honest and heartfelt story of losing her beloved dad, Kevin. Having previously faced the devastating loss of her brother, Katie reflects on how this previous life changing experience, impacted her and how she viewed death and dying. She shares how this knowledge helped her approach her dad’s illness and passing in a different way.
We talk about the power of open conversations around dying, the quiet comfort found in family bonds, and giving yourself grace during the difficult times. Katie hopes her story will inspire others to reframe their perception of death and see it as an opportunity for growth and expansion alongside the pain and grief.
It’s a conversation filled with both heartbreak and hope, a reminder that even in loss, we keep learning, loving, and finding new ways to grow alongside our grief.
As always, I’m deeply grateful to Katie for her openness and for sharing her story so generously.
If you’ve lost a parent and are trying to figure out how to keep living without them, this conversation will make you feel less alone.
We talk about:
The book and course Katie mentions in this podcast that she has found helpful during this process is:
Wild Edge of Sorrow by Francis Wellar
Liminal Time workshops - www.liminal-time.com
As part of Grieving Daughters Club I’ve created a free resource for you to download called: 10 Ways You Change After Losing a Parent. It’s full of truths no one warns you about, written from my own grief and experience as a therapist, I hope you find it useful.
If you are a grieving daughter and would like the chance to share your story on this podcast please email me on:
elle@grievingdaughtersclub.co.uk or come and find me over on instagram.
Keywords
grief, loss, family, memories, healing, support, death, coping, conversations, love, dad, practical resources, rituals, empowerment, physical response,
Follow me on Instagram: grieving_daughters_club_
In this sixth and final episode of the first series of the Grieving Daughters Club Podcast, I sit down and talk to Soph, who shares the devastatingly short chapter between her mum’s pancreatic cancer diagnosis and her death just 26 days later.
Soph talk about the shock of a life flipped upside down overnight, the chaos and numbness of the diagnosis and the days that follow. Soph speaks honestly about, the small moments of normal that keep you going, and the strange, bittersweet comfort of carrying your mum’s love forward in everyday life.
It’s a deeply emotional conversation about finding scraps of light in the darkest days, holding on to the people who get it, and giving yourself permission to grieve in your own messy, human way.
If you’ve lost a parent and are trying to figure out how to keep living without them, this conversation will make you feel less alone.
We talk about:
Soph's story is honest, and insightful and full of moments which I am sure any grieving daughter can relate to.
As part of Grieving Daughters Club I’ve created a free resource for you to download called: 10 Ways You Change After Losing a Parent. It’s full of truths no one warns you about, written from my own grief and experience as a therapist, I hope you find it useful.
If you are a grieving daughter and would like the chance to share your story on this podcast please email me on:
elle@grievingdaughtersclub.co.uk or come and find me over on instagram.
Keywords
grieving a mum, grief, loss, coping, family, emotional journey, support, grieving daughters, unexpected loss, navigating grief, personal stories, parenting, community, pancreatic cancer, early grief, legacy, coping strategies, grieving daughters
Follow me on Instagram: grieving_daughters_club_
In this fifth episode of the Grieving Daughters Club Podcast, I sit down and talk to Charmaine who lost her mum to ovarian cancer in her 20s.
Charmaine reflects on her mother’s vibrant spirit, the heartbreak of her illness, and the raw emotions that surfaced in those early days of grief and how it has an impact now 13 years later.
Charmaine also shares how repressed grief showed up in her life, and what it meant to finally give herself permission to feel it. From the small comforting rituals that carried her through, to the way her grief has shifted over time, Charmaine’s story is both tender and powerful.
Most of all, Charmaine speaks about the importance of honouring her mum’s legacy, and offers gentle, heartfelt advice to other grieving daughters who may be navigating similar emotions.
If you’ve lost a parent and are trying to figure out how to keep living without them, this conversation will make you feel less alone.
We talk about:
Charmaine's story is honest, and emotional which I am sure any grieving daughter can relate to.
As part of Grieving Daughters Club I’ve created a free resource for you to download called: 10 Ways You Change After Losing a Parent. It’s full of truths no one warns you about, written from my own grief and experience as a therapist, I hope you find it useful.
If you are a grieving daughter and would like the chance to share your story on this podcast please email me on:
elle@grievingdaughtersclub.co.uk or come and find me over on instagram.
Keywords
grief, loss, mother, podcast, emotional healing, coping mechanisms, early grief, memories, legacy, support, ovarian cancer.
Follow me on Instagram: grieving_daughters_club_
In this fourth episode of the Grieving Daughters Club Podcast, I sit down and talk to Tam who lost her dad suddenly without warning.
Tam talks about the shock of losing her dad out of the blue. She also speaks about the process of grieving while trying to be there for her children, and the bittersweet sting of facing big family moments without him.
We talk about how deeply personal grief is, and why there’s no right or wrong way to feel when someone you love dies.
If you’ve lost a parent and are trying to figure out how to keep living without them, this conversation will make you feel less alone.
We talk about:
Tam's story is honest, and insightful and full of moments which I am sure any grieving daughter can relate to.
As part of Grieving Daughters Club I’ve created a free resource for you to download called: 10 Ways You Change After Losing a Parent. It’s full of truths no one warns you about, written from my own grief and experience as a therapist, I hope you find it useful.
If you are a grieving daughter and would like the chance to share your story on this podcast please email me on:
elle@grievingdaughtersclub.co.uk or come and find me over on instagram.
Keywords
sudden loss, grieving a dad, grief, loss, coping, family, emotional journey, support, grieving daughters, unexpected loss, navigating grief, personal stories
Follow me on Instagram: grieving_daughters_club_
In this third episode, of the Grieving Daughters Club Podcast, I sit down and talk to Clare about double parent loss.
Claire opens up about losing both of her parents in her 30s within 18 months of each other. She also talks about the tradition of Irish funerals and the impact this had on her grieving process and the quiet ways she continues to honour her mum and dad.
We talk about:
Losing both parents at a young age
Navigating shock, grief, and expectation
The role of Irish funeral rituals in processing loss
Why open caskets can bring comfort, not fear
Keeping memories alive without making grief performative
Clare’s story is honest, grounded, and full of moments which I am sure any grieving daughter can relate to.
As part of Grieving Daughters Club I’ve created a free resource for you to download called: 10 Ways You Change After Losing a Parent. It’s full of truths no one warns you about, written from my own grief and experience as a therapist, I hope you find it useful.
If you are a grieving daughter and would like the chance to share your story on this podcast please email me on:
elle@grievingdaughtersclub.co.uk or come and find me over on instagram.
Keywords
grief, loss, support, cultural perspectives, emotional exhaustion, family traditions, coping mechanisms, signs from loved ones, community support, double parent loss, losing a mum, losing a dad, bereavement.
Follow me on Instagram: grieving_daughters_club_
In this second episode of The Grieving Daughters Club Podcast, I sit down and talk with my sister Steph.
We talk what it was like for Steph to lose mum whilst being 8 months pregnant and how hard it was to give birth only 5 weeks later and navigating early grief while becoming a first time parent.
This is an honest and deeply personal conversation about the heartbreak of losing our mum and the impossible collision of grief and motherhood.
We speak honestly about the things people don’t usually say out loud, the guilt, the rage, the joy that felt wrong, and the pain that never goes away.
If you've lost a parent to, alongside navigating parenthood, this episode is for you.
As part of Grieving Daughters Club I’ve created a free resource for you to download called: 10 Ways You Change After Losing a Parent.
It’s full of truths no one warns you about, written from my own grief and experience as a therapist, I hope you find it useful.
If you are a grieving daughter and would like the chance to share your story on this podcast please email me on:
elle@grievingdaughtersclub.co.uk or come and find me over on instagram.
Keywords
grief, loss, support, parenting, first time parenting, bereavement, coping strategies, healing, emotional health, mental health, personal stories, family, mother loss, losing a mum, death, losing a parent, grieving daughter.
Follow me on Instagram: grieving_daughters_club_
Hi I am Elle, a UK counsellor and a Grieving Daughter having lost both of my parents in my 20s and 30s. In this first ever episode of The Grieving Daughters Club Podcast, I talk about the day my world changed the day my mum died when I was only 25.
This is a honest and deeply personal conversation with my sister about what it was really like losing her, the pain, the cancer, the trip to Mexico, and everything that came after. We speak honestly about the reality of grief when it hits too early, too hard, and without a rulebook.
We say her name and we share the kind of things that don’t get spoken out loud enough.
If you've lost your mum too, or if you're navigating life after a parent’s death, this episode is for you for you to remember that you are not alone.
As part of Grieving Daughters Club I’ve created a free resource for you to download called: 10 Ways You Change After Losing a Parent . It’s full of truths no one warns you about, written from my own grief and experience as a therapist, I hope you find it useful.
If you are a grieving daughter and would like the chance to share your story on this podcast please email me on: elle@grievingdaughtersclub.co.uk or come and find me over on instagram.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode
The story of Elizabeth Godliman — my mum
What it felt like to lose her in my 20s
The helplessness of watching someone you love fade
How grief blurred into depression, identity loss, and isolation
The trip to Mexico that gave us hope — and heartbreak
Why saying her name still matters
How grief still lives with me, and what helps now
Why I created this podcast, and who it’s for
Keywords
grief, loss, support, bereavement, coping strategies, healing, emotional health, mental health, personal stories, family, mother loss, losing a mum, death, losing a parent, grieving daughter.
Follow me on Instagram: grieving_daughters_club_