What to Say When Someone Is Grieving (And What Not to Say) | Heather Stang | The Elisha Show

What do you say when someone is grieving and you’re afraid of saying the wrong thing? Sometimes, the most helpful thing you can offer isn’t the perfect words, but your presence.

On this episode of The Elisha Show, Amb. Elisha speaks with Heather Stang, grief therapist, author of Navigating Loss, and creator of the Mindfulness and Grief System. Heather shares her personal journey through loss and how it shaped her work helping others navigate grief.Together, they explore what grieving people need most, how to offer meaningful support without hurtful platitudes, and practical ways to cope when grief feels overwhelming. Heather also explains how grief can arise from experiences beyond death, including divorce, estrangement, and job loss, and why healing doesn't mean forgetting or simply moving on.

Whether you’re grieving yourself or trying to support someone you love, this conversation offers practical insights into compassion, mindfulness, and finding a way forward after loss.

In this episode:

✅ What to say when someone is grieving and you fear saying the wrong thing

✅ Why your presence can be more comforting than trying to find the perfect words

✅ What to avoid saying to someone who has experienced a loss

✅ Practical ways to support grieving people, from listening to helping with everyday needs

✅ Understanding grief beyond death, including divorce, estrangement, and job loss

✅ What to do when grief feels overwhelming and you don’t know where to begin

✅ How mindfulness and self-compassion can help you navigate difficult emotions

✅ How Heather’s eight-step Mindfulness and Grief System helps people adapt to loss and carry forward the legacy of those they love

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