Today, Mardi Winder talks with her friend and guest expert Michele Benyo about the layered experience of grief, especially for families who have lost a child. Michele, a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist® and founder of Good Grief Parenting, shares how her personal journey after the loss of her young son shaped her dedication to supporting bereaved siblings and their parents. Through her story, she highlights the challenges of being both a grieving parent and caretaker to a surviving child, emphasizing how children process loss in unique ways that often go unnoticed.

Michele explains that well-meaning adults often try to shield children from grief, but this can leave kids alone with hard feelings and confusion. She advocates for honest, age-appropriate conversations and using clear language around death, as well as including the child in family grieving and remembrance. Her approach calls for recognizing that grief remains with children as they grow, but with guidance and connection, families can still nurture hope and happiness.

Throughout their conversation, Mardi and Michele discuss practical ways parents and teachers can support grieving children, such as sharing information with schools and normalizing discussions about loss within the family. Michele’s work offers reassurance that even after profound loss, families can honor their loved one's memory and continue living forward. 

About Michele: Michele Benyo is a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist®, early childhood educator and parent coach, and the founder of Good Grief Parenting. After her 6-year-old son died of cancer, her 3-year-old daughter said, “Mommy, half of me is gone.” This heartbreaking statement defined Michele’s life purpose. Her mission is twofold: to help parents through the unimaginable challenges of parenting while grieving the death of a child, and to equip parents to meet the unique needs of a child who has lost a sibling in the early childhood years. The desire of Michele’s heart is to see families live forward after loss toward a future bright with possibilities and even joy. 

To connect with Michele: Website: www.goodgriefparenting.com

About the Host Mardi Winder-Adams is a certified divorce transition and high-conflict divorce coach, credentialed mediator, and international speaker. With over 30 years of experience, she helps people navigate conflict, manage divorce challenges, and create positive transitions.  She is the best-selling author of From I Do to I’m Done and The Other Side of Divorce.

Connect with Mardi: mardi@poscs.com https://www.divorcecoach4women.com/ 

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