Healing Our Grieving Hearts Podcast
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I’m Kay Fontana, and have faced profound loss throughout my life, giving me a deep understanding of the pain it brings. My journey began with the loss of my brother to cancer when I was just nine, altering the dynamics of our family as my parents grappled with grief. Later, I experienced the anguish of losing my mother to Alzheimer’s and my father to cancer shortly after his diagnosis. The most heartbreaking of all was the death of my husband and soul mate of 40 years in January 2023 due to multiple health challenges. These losses, including many others - from...
Finding Your Daily DOSE of Healing
#119
Last Saturday at 5:00 PM
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:53]Main Topics
Grief Affects More Than Your Heart [02:15]D Is for Dopamine [04:34]O Is for Oxytocin [06:28]S Is for Serotonin [09:11]E Is for Endorphins [12:10]Bringing Your Daily DOSE Together [14:29]Closing [16:54]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaThe Long Goodbye: Understanding Anticipatory Grief
#118
07/04/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:53]Main Topics
What is Anticipatory Grief? [02:23]The Many Emotions Along the Way [04:00]Living Between Hope and Acceptance [05:57]Caring for Yourself During the Long Goodbye [07:34]Love Does Not Wait Until Goodbye [09:33]Closing [11:32]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaYour Body is Grieving Too
#117
06/27/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:53]Main Topics
Grief Is a Whole-Body Experience [02:26]Common Physical Symptoms of Grief [04:32]The Nervous System and the Impact of Loss [07:13]Listening to What Your Body Is Trying to Tell You [09:00]Supporting Your Body Through the Healing Journey [10:40]Closing [13:45]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaLove Beyond Goodbye: Honoring Their Memory in Everyday Life
#116
06/20/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:53]Main Topics
Love Does Not End When a Life Ends [02:01]Finding Them in Ordinary Moments [03:43]Creating Meaningful Rituals of Connection [05:39]Living Their Legacy Through Your Life [07:38]Allowing Love to Evolve [09:37]Closing [11:35]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaThe Life You Never Expected to Be Living
#115
06/13/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:53]Main Topics
Grieving the Future You Thought You Had [02:16]Learning to Navigate Unfamiliar Territory [04:13]Honoring the Love Without Staying Stuck [06:07]The Strength You Never Asked to Develop [08:01]Creating Meaning in the Life That Remains [09:33]Closing [11:37]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaThe Five Stages of Grief: What They Really Mean
#114
06/06/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:53]Main Topics
Where the Five Stages Came From [02:01]Understanding Denial [04:19]Understanding Anger and Bargaining [06:12]Understanding Depression and Acceptance [09:32]Grief Is Not Linear [12:18]Closing [13:39]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaWhen Grief Changes Everything
#113
05/30/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:53]Main Topics
The Life You Once Knew Begins to Shift [02:14]Grief Changes Relationships [04:42]Rediscovering Who You Are [06:45]The Spiritual Changes Grief Can Bring [08:59]Learning to Live Again [11:03]Closing [12:33]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaThe Benefits of Energy Healing During the Grieving Process
#112
05/23/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:53]Main Topics
Grief Impacts More Than the Heart [02:21]What Is Energy Healing? [04:08]The Nervous System and Emotional Safety [05:49]Reconnecting With Yourself After Loss [07:48]Sound Healing and Vibrational Support [09:52]Giving Yourself Permission to Heal [11:53]Closing [12:51]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaWhat If They Don’t Want to Talk About Dying?
#111
05/16/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:53]Main Topics
When Silence Becomes Part of the Journey [01:27]Why Some People Avoid the Conversation [03:57]Gentle Ways to Open the Door [06:33]Caring for Yourself When the Conversation Never Happens [09:39]Allowing the Journey to Be Imperfect [12:48]Closing [14:55]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaGrief and the Aging Population
#110
05/09/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:53]Main Topics
The Many Layers of Loss that Come with Aging [02:34]Loneliness and Isolation in later Life [05:33]Grief, Health, and Emotional Well-Being [08:12]Finding Meaning and Connection After Loss [10:58]Supporting the Aging Population with Compassion [13:40]Closing [16:14]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaThe Loneliness of Being Needed All the Time
#109
05/02/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:53]Main Topics
The Invisible Weight of Always Being On [02:09]When Your World Becomes Smaller [03:09]The Emotional Isolation Beneath the Surface [04:13]The Quiet Grief Within Caregiving [06:06]The Tension Between Love and Exhaustion [05:49]The Disappearance of Personal Space [06:34]Finding Small Moments of Return [07:18]Allowing Yourself to Receive [08:01]Reconnecting with Who You Are [08:49]Closing [10:21]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaSaying “I Love You” in a New Way
#108
04/25/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:53]Main Topics
When “I Love You” Has Nowhere to Land [01:40]Love Does Not End, It Transforms [02:57]New Ways of Saying “I Love You” [04:16]The Sacred Space of Memory and Presence [06:11]Learning to Receive Love Again [07:12]Trusting the Continuation of Love [08:26]Closing [09:19]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaWhen Grief Changes Shape: Noticing Who You Are Becoming
#107
04/18/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:53]Main Topics
Grief Does Not Disappear, It Evolves [02:13The Unexpected Emotions That Come with Change [03:51]Living in the Space Between Who You Were and Who You Are Becoming [05:43]Noticing the Quiet Growth Within You [07:27]Honoring Who You Are Becoming [09:15]Closing [11:21]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaWhat No One Tells You About the Final Days
#106
04/11/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:53]Main Topics
The Waiting and the Slowing Down [03:10]The Emotional Landscape Can Shift Quickly [04:38]Communication Changes in Subtle but Meaningful Ways [06:18]The Physical Changes Can Be Difficult to Witness [07:24]You May Question Yourself More Than You Expect [08:29]There Are Moments of Grace That No One Talks About [09:25]There Is No Perfect Goodbye [10:16]After the Final Moment [11:09]Closing [11:58]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaThe Difference Between Grief and Depression
#105
04/04/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:53]Main Topics
Understanding the Nature of Grief [01:35]Understanding the Nature of Depression [02:46]Where Grief and Depression Can Overlap [03:55]Listening to What Your Heart and Body Are Telling You [05:06]Releasing the Need to Compare or Judge Your Experience [06:08]Supporting Yourself with Gentle Care [07:36]When to Seek Additional Support [08:20]Closing [10:04]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaThe Exhaustion of Carrying Grief Invisibly
#104
03/28/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:53]Main Topics02:38
The Effort of Holding It Together [02:39]When Grief Has No Place to Go [04:13]The Body Remembers What the Heart Holds [05:50]Allowing Yourself to Be Seen, Even Gently [07:21]Resting Without Explaining [08:54]You Are Not Meant to Carry This Alone [10:18]Closing [11:37]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaHow to Leave the Room Without Guilt
#103
03/21/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:56]Main Topics
Understanding the Emotional Weight of Caregiving [02:46]Where the Guilt Comes From [04:33]Redefining Presence and Care [06:09]The Fear of Missing Something Important [07:45]Creating Space Without Guilt [09:19]Honoring Your Own Humanity [10:43]Closing [12:11]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaWhen Love and Resentment Exist Together
#102
03/14/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:56]Main Topics
Love Does Not Cancel Out Difficult Emotions [02:53]The Hidden Weight of Caregiving [04:20]When Love Becomes Mixed with Loss [05:57]Making Peace with Complex Emotions [08:36]Allowing Love to Remain at the Center [10:13]Closing [11:35]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaSound, Silence, and the Language Beyond Words
#101
03/07/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:56]Main Topics
When Words are Not Enough [02:53]The Healing Power of Sound [05:12]The Wisdom of Silence [07:28]Finding Balance Between Sound and Silence [09:25]Learning to Listen with the Heart [11:28]Closing [12:57]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaLetting Hospice Help You
#100
02/28/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:56]Main Topics
Understanding What Hospice Really Is [02:18]The Emotional Resistance to Calling Hospice [04:17]How Hospice Supports You as the Caregiver [05:27]What the Final Days May Look Like [07:04]Letting Hospice Help You is an Act of Love [08:17]Closing [09:31]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaMaking Peace with What You Cannot Fix
#99
02/21/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:56]Main Topics
Understanding the Fixer Within [03:10]When There Truly Was Nothing More You Could Do [04:51]Acceptance is Not Approval [06:52]Grieving Instead of Fixing [08:37]Trusting a Larger Holding [10:17]What Peace Actually Feels Like [11:22]A Gentle Practice for Releasing Control [12:24]Closing Reflection [13:13]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaGrieving in a World That Wants You to Be Fine
#98
02/14/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:56]Main Topics
The Culture of "Fine" and the Silence Around Grief [02:31]The Inner Pressure to Appear "Okay" [04:20]What Grief Actually Needs [05:54]Learning to Tell the Truth Gently [07:41]You Are Not Here to Perform Healing [08:55]Closing [09:44]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaWho Are You Beyond the Role of Caregiver?
#97
02/07/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:56]Main Topics
When Caregiving Becomes the Center of Everything [01:49]How Caregiving Slowly Shapes Identity [03:06]The Fear and Guilt Beneath the Question [05:54]Remembering the Parts of You That Went Quiet [07:41]Integrating Caregiving Without Losing Yourself [09:25]Closing [11:02]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaThe Grief That Begins Before Goodbye
#96
01/31/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:56]Main Topics
What is Anticipatory Grief [02:32]The Invisible Emotional Weight of Caregiving Grief [04:18]The Body and Nervous System in Anticipatory Grief [06:01]Caring for Yourself While You Are Still Showing Up [07:10]Love, Presence, and Sacred Moments Along the Way [09:18]A Gentle Reframing of This Season [10:11]Closing [11:05]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaCaring for Your Body While Your Heart Heals
#95
01/24/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:56]Main Topics
When Grief Lives in the Body [01:33]Grief is a Full Body Experience [02:58]Listening to Your Body with Compassion [04:59]Gentle Ways to Support Your Physical Self [06:35When Self-Care Feels Hard [08:37]Integrating Body and Heart Healing [09:33]Closing [10:27]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaRediscovering a Sense of Purpose in Daily Life
#94
01/17/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:56]Main Topics
When Life No Longer Looks the Way You Imagined [01:22]Redefining Purpose After Loss [03:40]Trusting the Quiet Voice Within [05:30]Purpose Lives in the Ordinary [07:12]Becoming Without Rushing the Becoming [08:40]Closing [09:57]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaThe Alchemy of Tears: How Grief Transforms the Soul
#93
01/10/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:56]Main Topics
Grief Arrives in its Own Way [01:37Tears as a Language of the Soul [03:29]How Grief Quietly Refines Us [05:38]Becoming More Fully Yourself [08:41]Closing [11:04]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaThe Quiet Crossing: Grief as a Companion into the New Year
#92
01/03/2026
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:56]Main Topics
Grief and the Turning of Time [02:17]Grief as a Companion, not a Burden [03:27]The Quiet Crossing into a New Year [04:32]Honoring What You Are Carrying [05:57]Letting Grief Shape the New Year [06:57]Closing Reflection [08:16]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaAwakening the Mystic Within: How Grief Opens Spiritual Doors
#91
12/27/2025
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:56]Main Topics
What Do I Mean by “The Mystic?” [02:05]Why Grief Opens Spiritual Doors [03:02]The Liminal Space of Grief [03:50]My Own Experience [05:11]Signs of a Mystic Awakening During Grief [05:51]Trusting the Process [07:10]You Are Not Becoming Someone Else [08:14]A Gentle Invitation [09:24]Closing [10:32]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaSoul Contracts and the Journey of Goodbye
#90
12/20/2025
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:56]Main Topics
What are Soul Contracts? [02:05]Love as a Sacred Agreement [03:10]When the Contract Shifts [04:08]Guilt and the Journey of Goodbye [05:01]You Are Still in a Relationship [06:53]Choosing How You Carry the Love [07:36]Closing [08:10]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaTiny Rituals, Big Comfort: 10 Practices to Feel Supported During the Holidays
#89
12/13/2025
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:56]Main Topics
Tiny Ritual One: The Warm Cup Pause [02:54]Tiny Ritual Two: A Light for the Longing [04:02]Tiny Ritual Three: A Doorway of Comfort [04:59]Tiny Ritual Four: A Memory Stone You Carry [05:58]Tiny Ritual Five: A Four Minute Nature Noticing Walk [06:48]Tiny Ritual Six: A Nourishing Touch Practice [07:36]Tiny Ritual Seven: The Permission Slip Ritual [08:25]Tiny Ritual Eight: A Holiday Sound Sanctuary [09:09]Tiny Ritual Nine: A Recipe of Comfort [09:47]Tiny Ritual Ten: A Quiet Space of Softening [10:42]Closing [11:23]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/m...The Courage to Create a New Kind of Holiday
#88
12/06/2025
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:56]Main Topics
Magnifying Emotions During the Holidays [01:43]What Do You Truly Need During the Holidays? [02:44]Your Experience as a Caregiver or Widow [04:30]Gentle Ways to Create a New Kind of Holiday [08:00Courage During the Holidays [10:24]Allow Yourself to Receive Support [11:41]Closing [13:42]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaWhen Grief Awakens Intuition: Listening to Your Inner Guide
#87
11/29/2025
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:56]Main Topics
Intuition Becomes Stronger During the Holidays [Emotion and Intuition [Four Ways that Grief Awakens Intuition [Moving Through Emotional Waves [Gentle Practices to Reconnect with Your Intuition During the Holidays [Closing [Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaBuilding Your Safe Haven: Creating Comfort in Your Own Space
#86
11/22/2025
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:56]Main Topics
What is a Safe Haven? [03:47]The Emotional Foundation of Your Safe Haven [05:19]The Spiritual Foundation of Your Safe Haven [07:04]Creating the Physical Space[08:42]How Your Safe Haven Holds You During the Holidays [09:51]Closing Reflections [11:27]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaThe Bridge Between Worlds: Feeling Their Presence in Daily Life
#85
11/15/2025
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:56]Main Topics
The Language of Energy [02:05]Signs and Synchronicities [03:29]The Heart as a Receiver [05:04]Presence in the Everyday [06:16]Trusting What You Feel [07:17]Creating Sacred Space for Connection [08:06]Living with the Connection [09:09]Closing [09:54]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaHow to Hold Both Pain and Hope at the Same Time
#84
11/08/2025
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:56]Main Topics
The Reality of Loss and Pain [02:00]What It Means to Hold Both [03:33]Why Holding Both is Necessary [05:01]Practices for Living in Both Worlds [06:22]Closing Reflections [08:13]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaReleasing the Weight: Letting Go of Guilt and “Should-Haves
#83
11/01/2025
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:56]Main Topics
The Weight We Carry [The Spiritual Nature of Release [The Illusion of "Should" [Rewriting the Story [The Body's Memory and Forgiveness [The Divine Perspective [Moving Forward with Grace [Closing [Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaListening to the Wind: Nature as a Messenger and Healer
#82
10/25/2025
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:56]Main Topics
Nature and Healing [02:31]Engaging the Wind as Practice [04:15]Reflection and Integration [06:03]Closing Thoughts [08:19]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaAnchoring Yourself: Practices for Calming Anxiety and Overwhelm
#81
10/18/2025
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:56]Main Topics
Understanding Grief-Related Anxiety [02:05]Returning to the Present Moment [03:33]Gentle Grounding Practices [05:07]The Spiritual Dimension of Anchoring [08:32]Integrating Calm into Daily Life [11:09]Closing [13:45]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontanaHonoring Your Loved One By Living Fully
#80
10/11/2025
Introduction
Topic Introduction [00:56]Main Topics
My Personal Reflection [01:47]The Spiritual Meaning of Living Fully [04:03]Practical Ways to Live Fully After Loss [06:50]Sound, Breath, and Presence [10:47]Living Fully as Your Sacred Yes [14:22]Closing [17:04]Additional Resources
https://healingourgrievinghearts.com/https://purpose.healingourgrievinghearts.comhttps://healingourgrievinghearts.com/mediahttps://www.facebook.com/kay.fontana