What happens when grief hits all at once, and how do you survive it? In this episode of Dying to Know More, author Samantha Rose shares the raw, disorienting reality of losing her mother to suicide and the unexpected ways she found healing.

An Emmy Award-winning writer and bestselling author, Samantha Rose talks about her memoir Giving Up the Ghost: A Daughter’s Memoir, a powerful exploration of loss, love and the journey to healing — all with a touch of humor.

Learn how Samantha navigated a season of compounded grief, including divorce, cancer, her mother’s sudden death, and the isolation of COVID, and how those experiences reshaped her understanding of survival. She shares what it’s really like to lose someone to suicide, including the shock, guilt, anger, and unanswered questions that follow.

Samantha also reflects on the tools that helped her heal, from therapy to writing, and the deeply personal and surprising ways she continued a relationship with her mother after her passing.

This is a conversation about grief, but also about resilience, connection, and learning how to live again.

If you’ve ever wondered how people survive the unimaginable, or you’re navigating grief yourself, this episode offers honesty, comfort, and perspective you won’t hear in everyday conversations.

Purchase Giving Up the Ghost: A Daughter's Memoir at https://www.amazon.com/Giving-Up-Ghost-Daughters-Memoir-ebook/dp/B0DPN6JP58

Learn more about Samantha Rose at the following:

https://www.yellowskymedia.com/my-story
IG: https://www.instagram.com/samantharose_writer
FB: https://www.facebook.com/samantha.rose.90813/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantharoseswartz

What happens when success no longer feels meaningful and grief changes everything?

In this episode, we talk with entrepreneur-turned-death doula Phil Benavides, who walked away from a thriving tech company after experiencing multiple personal losses during COVID. What followed was a complete life pivot, one that led him into the world of grief support, end-of-life care, and ultimately, building a groundbreaking platform to help people navigate the loss of a beloved pet.

Phil shares powerful insights into the emotional complexity of choosing euthanasia, what a “good death” can look like for our pets, and how simple, intentional moments can make all the difference.

They also dive into the inspiration behind Remembrance, the new app designed to connect grieving pet owners with real humans who understand their pain, exactly when they need it most ... even if it's at 2 a.m.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why pet loss can feel just as painful as losing a person
• The concept of “disenfranchised grief” and why it matters
• How to know when it’s time to say goodbye to your pet
• What actually helps people process grief (hint: it’s not articles)
• How peer support and pet tech is reshaping the future of pet grief care

Check out Remembrance Pets here: https://remembrancepets.com/

When we lose a human loved one, society rolls out a "red carpet" of support. Meals are delivered, bereavement leave is granted, and our grief is validated. But when a "soul dog" or a beloved feline companion passes, pet parents are often met with silence, awkwardness, or the dismissive sentiment that it was "just an animal."

In this episode, we talk with Koryn Greenspan, a certified pet loss bereavement specialist and end-of-life pet doula. After a 13-year career in the pet industry and the profound loss of her own soul dog, Georgia, Koryn founded The Parted Paw to fill the void in how we support those grieving a pet.

In this episode, we explore:
• The "Hierarchy of Species": Why the clinical definition of bereavement doesn't distinguish between humans and animals, and why your grief is 100% valid.
• Anticipatory Grief: Navigating the "limbo" when a pet is aging or in palliative care.
• Practical Support: What to actually say (and what not to say) to a friend who has lost a pet.
• The Digital Gut-Punch: How social media memories can complicate the healing process and why we need better "digital boundaries" for grief.

Whether you are currently navigating the loss of a pet, supporting a friend, or working in the animal care industry, this conversation offers a safe space to acknowledge that love is love and loss is loss.

Website: https://www.thepartedpaw.com/
Instagram: thepartedpaw_griefsupport
TikTok: ThePartedPaw

About the Podcast:
Dying to Know More explores the complex, often hushed conversations surrounding death, dying, and the grief that follows. Hosted by Ashley Haugen, we aim to educate and empower listeners to lean into the uncomfortable parts of life with grace and curiosity.

Subscribe for more episodes.