An empty leash. A quiet house. A favorite spot on the couch that suddenly feels too still.

Losing a beloved pet can leave a deep ache in our hearts and in the everyday routines we once shared. In Episode 16 of Hope After Loss, Marilyn Burns, M.S., L.P.C.C., offers a compassionate message for anyone grieving an animal who was part of the family.

Marilyn explores the loneliness of pet loss, grief that begins before the goodbye, and the guilt that can follow difficult end-of-life decisions. She also shares gentle ways to honor your pet’s memory, support grieving children, and consider welcoming another animal when the time feels right.

Whether your loss is recent or you still miss a companion from years ago, this message offers room for your tears, your memories, and your love.

Your loss matters. You do not have to grieve alone.

Find more messages, books, and resources at:
https://hopeafterlosswithmarilyn.org

If this episode brings you comfort, please share it with someone who is missing a beloved pet.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Thank you for listening to Hope After Loss: Conversations on Grief.

If this episode spoke to you, please consider sharing it with someone who may need support and hope today.

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment.

If you have a question or a topic that you would like me to gently explore,
you’re welcome to email me at healerzz@yahoo.com.

While I’m not able to provide individual counseling through email,
I would be honored to hold your question and possibly share it in a future podcast, so others may feel less alone.

Thank you for allowing me to walk beside you. Until next time, be gentle with yourself. Learning to walk with this pain begins one day at a time, one choice at a time to love yourself.

Books by Marilyn Burns, M.S., L.P.C.C.

For additional support, hope and healing, you can explore my books, including Lost No More: A Mother's Spiritual Journey Through Her Son's Addiction, Where Are You, God?, and Now I Lay Him Down To Rest.

View my books on Amazon

Can we experience happiness after losing someone we love without feeling that we're leaving them behind?

In this episode of Hope After Loss, Marilyn Burns, M.S., L.P.C.C., explores the guilt that sometimes accompanies laughter, pleasure, and moments of happiness after a death.

Drawing on her personal experience and professional perspective as a licensed counselor, Marilyn reflects on the enduring nature of love and how our relationships continue to shape our lives even after physical loss.

From a beautiful sunset to an unexpected laugh, she invites listeners to recognize that joy and grief can coexist—and that experiencing happiness does not diminish the love we carry.

In this episode:

• Why happiness after loss can trigger guilt
• How love continues beyond physical absence
• Finding connection through memories and everyday experiences
• Understanding continuing bonds
• Giving ourselves permission to experience joy again

Finding joy doesn't mean forgetting. Sometimes it means allowing the love that remains to continue enriching our lives.

Learn more at HopeAfterLossWithMarilyn.org.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Thank you for listening to Hope After Loss: Conversations on Grief.

If this episode spoke to you, please consider sharing it with someone who may need support and hope today.

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment.

If you have a question or a topic that you would like me to gently explore,
you’re welcome to email me at healerzz@yahoo.com.

While I’m not able to provide individual counseling through email,
I would be honored to hold your question and possibly share it in a future podcast, so others may feel less alone.

Thank you for allowing me to walk beside you. Until next time, be gentle with yourself. Learning to walk with this pain begins one day at a time, one choice at a time to love yourself.

Books by Marilyn Burns, M.S., L.P.C.C.

For additional support, hope and healing, you can explore my books, including Lost No More: A Mother's Spiritual Journey Through Her Son's Addiction, Where Are You, God?, and Now I Lay Him Down To Rest.

View my books on Amazon

What happens to all the love we still carry when someone we love is no longer here?

When someone dies, the relationship changes—but the love doesn't simply disappear. We may still reach for the phone, think of something we want to tell them, hear a song that brings them close, or find ourselves wondering where all that love is supposed to go.

In this episode of Hope After Loss, Marilyn Burns, M.S., L.P.C.C., explores the idea of continuing our bond with someone after death. Through memories, traditions, acts of kindness, stories, dreams, signs, and the ways we choose to live, love can continue to have a place in our lives.

We also explore something many grieving people struggle with: Does beginning to enjoy life again mean we're leaving our loved one behind?

Perhaps healing isn't about letting go of the person we love. Perhaps it's about discovering a new way to carry that love forward.

Death may change the way we love someone. But it doesn't require us to stop loving them.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Thank you for listening to Hope After Loss: Conversations on Grief.

If this episode spoke to you, please consider sharing it with someone who may need support and hope today.

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment.

If you have a question or a topic that you would like me to gently explore,
you’re welcome to email me at [your email].

While I’m not able to provide individual counseling through email,
I would be honored to hold your question and possibly share it in a future podcast, so others may feel less alone.

Thank you for allowing me to walk beside you. Until next time, be gentle with yourself. Learning to walk with this pain begins one day at a time, one choice at a time to love yourself.

Books by Marilyn Burns, M.S., L.P.C.C.

For additional support, hope and healing, you can explore my books, including Lost No More: A Mother's Spiritual Journey Through Her Son's Addiction, Where Are You, God?, and Now I Lay Him Down To Rest.

View my books on Amazon

What if the hardest person to forgive after a loss is yourself?

Guilt and regret can begin long before someone dies. When someone we love is ill, we may feel exhausted, impatient, frightened, or even wish for a break--and then feel guilty for having those feelings at all.

After a death, those feelings can become even more powerful. We replay conversations, decisions, things we said, and things we wish we had said. The mind becomes filled with if onlys: If only I had known, If only I had done more, If only I had been there.

In this episode of Hope After Loss, Marilyn Burns, M.S., L.P.C.C., explores the difference between guilt and regret, the painful trap of hindsight, caregiver guilt, and the complicated feelings that can come when a loved one's suffereing finally ends.

Most importantly, we talk about learning to look at the past with both honesty and compassion.

We judge yesterday's choices with today's knowledge.

Send us Fan Mail

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Thank you for listening to Hope After Loss: Conversations on Grief.

If this episode spoke to you, please consider sharing it with someone who may need support and hope today.

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment.

If you have a question or a topic that you would like me to gently explore,
you’re welcome to email me at [your email].

While I’m not able to provide individual counseling through email,
I would be honored to hold your question and possibly share it in a future podcast, so others may feel less alone.

Thank you for allowing me to walk beside you. Until next time, be gentle with yourself. Learning to walk with this pain begins one day at a time, one choice at a time to love yourself.

Books by Marilyn Burns, M.S., L.P.C.C.

For additional support, hope and healing, you can explore my books, including Lost No More: A Mother's Spiritual Journey Through Her Son's Addiction, Where Are You, God?, and Now I Lay Him Down To Rest.

View my books on Amazon

What happens when the funeral is over, the phone stops ringing, and everyone else seems to have returned to their lives—but you're still grieving?

Grief doesn't follow a timetable. Whether it has been one year, five years, or twenty years since the death of someone you love, unexpected waves of sadness, memories, anniversaries, songs, and even ordinary moments can bring grief rushing back.

In this episode of Hope After Loss, Marilyn Burns, M.S., L.P.C.C., explores what it means to grieve long after the funeral. Drawing from nearly five decades of counseling experience and her own journey through profound loss, Marilyn discusses why grief can resurface years later, why there is no "right" timeline for healing, and how we can continue living without leaving the people we love behind.

You'll also hear about the difference between moving on and moving forward, why joy and grief can exist together, and how to give yourself permission to remember, love, laugh, and live again.

Love doesn't have an expiration date. Why should grief?

If you've ever wondered, "Shouldn't I be over this by now?" this episode is a gentle reminder that healing isn't about forgetting. It's about learning to carry love with you as you continue living.

Be gentle with yourself. And remember—there is always Hope After Loss.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Thank you for listening to Hope After Loss: Conversations on Grief.

If this episode spoke to you, please consider sharing it with someone who may need support and hope today.

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment.

If you have a question or a topic that you would like me to gently explore,
you’re welcome to email me at [your email].

While I’m not able to provide individual counseling through email,
I would be honored to hold your question and possibly share it in a future podcast, so others may feel less alone.

Thank you for allowing me to walk beside you. Until next time, be gentle with yourself. Learning to walk with this pain begins one day at a time, one choice at a time to love yourself.

Books by Marilyn Burns, M.S., L.P.C.C.

For additional support, hope and healing, you can explore my books, including Lost No More: A Mother's Spiritual Journey Through Her Son's Addiction, Where Are You, God?, and Now I Lay Him Down To Rest.

View my books on Amazon

Episode 11: When Grief Becomes Your Greatest Teacher: How Loss Changes Your Life Forever

Grief changes us in ways we never expect. While none of us would choose the pain of losing someone we love, our losses can become some of life's greatest teachers.

In this episode, Marilyn Burns, M.S., L.P.C.C., reflects on the unexpected lessons grief can bring—including deeper compassion, greater resilience, renewed purpose, and a fresh perspective on what truly matters. Drawing on nearly five decades as a licensed professional counselor, along with her own journey after the loss of her son, Marilyn shares heartfelt insights about how healing often grows alongside heartbreak.

If you've ever wondered why grief changes you, or questioned who you're becoming after the death of a loved one, this episode offers gentle encouragement and hope. You'll discover that while grief may always be part of your story, it can also shape your heart in meaningful and life-giving ways.

Whether your loss is recent or many years ago, may these reflections remind you that healing is not about forgetting—it's about allowing love, hope, and wisdom to guide your journey forward, one day at a time.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Thank you for listening to Hope After Loss: Conversations on Grief.

If this episode spoke to you, please consider sharing it with someone who may need support and hope today.

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment.

If you have a question or a topic that you would like me to gently explore,
you’re welcome to email me at [your email].

While I’m not able to provide individual counseling through email,
I would be honored to hold your question and possibly share it in a future podcast, so others may feel less alone.

Thank you for allowing me to walk beside you. Until next time, be gentle with yourself. Learning to walk with this pain begins one day at a time, one choice at a time to love yourself.

Books by Marilyn Burns, M.S., L.P.C.C.

For additional support, hope and healing, you can explore my books, including Lost No More: A Mother's Spiritual Journey Through Her Son's Addiction, Where Are You, God?, and Now I Lay Him Down To Rest.

View my books on Amazon

Children experience grief differently than adults, yet their pain is just as real. As a licensed professional clinical counselor for nearly five decades, I've had the privilege of walking alongside grieving children and their families. In this episode, I share what I've learned about how children process loss, the questions they often carry in their hearts, and how the caring adults in their lives can offer comfort, honesty, and hope.

We'll talk about common misconceptions about children's grief, what to say (and what not to say), and simple ways to help children feel safe expressing their emotions.

I'll also share why I wrote my children's book, Now I Lay Him Down to Rest, a gentle story created to help children find hope and reassurance after the sudden loss of a parent.

Whether you're a parent, grandparent, teacher, counselor, pastor, or simply someone who loves a grieving child, I hope this conversation encourages you and reminds you that healing begins with love, patience, and honest connection.

Thank you for joining me on Hope After Loss. If this episode encouraged you, please consider sharing it with someone who may need it.

Together, let's continue finding hope after loss.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Thank you for listening to Hope After Loss: Conversations on Grief.

If this episode spoke to you, please consider sharing it with someone who may need support and hope today.

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment.

If you have a question or a topic that you would like me to gently explore,
you’re welcome to email me at [your email].

While I’m not able to provide individual counseling through email,
I would be honored to hold your question and possibly share it in a future podcast, so others may feel less alone.

Thank you for allowing me to walk beside you. Until next time, be gentle with yourself. Learning to walk with this pain begins one day at a time, one choice at a time to love yourself.

Books by Marilyn Burns, M.S., L.P.C.C.

For additional support, hope and healing, you can explore my books, including Lost No More: A Mother's Spiritual Journey Through Her Son's Addiction, Where Are You, God?, and Now I Lay Him Down To Rest.

View my books on Amazon

Can Dreams Bring Hope? My Journey

Can dreams bring comfort after the loss of someone we love?

In this deeply personal episode, I share a dream that forever changed my understanding of grief and loss—and ultimately led me to write the book, Lost No More....A Mother's Spiritual Journey Through Her Son's Addiction. Dreams can become a source of hope, healing, and connection during our darkest times which it clearly did for me. I refer to this as a miracle and believe in miracles ever since.

Whether you believe dreams are spiritual experiences, messages from our subconscious, or simply part of the grieving process, my hope is that this conversation encourages you to remain open to the many ways love continues to reach us.

In this episode, we'll explore:

• Why dreams often become more meaningful after loss.
• My own life-changing dream and what it meant to me.
• Different ways grieving people experience connection—through dreams, signs, memories, music, or an unexpected sense of peace.
• How to remain open without feeling pressured to believe any one explanation.
• Why every grief journey is unique.

No matter where you are in your grief, I hope this episode reminds you that love doesn't end when a life does.

Thank you for allowing me to walk beside you.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Thank you for listening to Hope After Loss: Conversations on Grief.

If this episode spoke to you, please consider sharing it with someone who may need support and hope today.

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment.

If you have a question or a topic that you would like me to gently explore,
you’re welcome to email me at [your email].

While I’m not able to provide individual counseling through email,
I would be honored to hold your question and possibly share it in a future podcast, so others may feel less alone.

Thank you for allowing me to walk beside you. Until next time, be gentle with yourself. Learning to walk with this pain begins one day at a time, one choice at a time to love yourself.

Books by Marilyn Burns, M.S., L.P.C.C.

For additional support, hope and healing, you can explore my books, including Lost No More: A Mother's Spiritual Journey Through Her Son's Addiction, Where Are You, God?, and Now I Lay Him Down To Rest.

View my books on Amazon