Grief Is Not A Dirty Word Say The Weird Thing – Leaving Church Didn’t Heal My Grief, Finding Myself Did with Keya McClain - Episode 74
IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING AND NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE, CALL OR TEXT 988 (SUICIDE AND CRISIS LIFELINE) ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES, US TERRITORIES AND CANADA
WHO THIS EPISODE HELPS:
People struggling with grief, depression, suicidal thoughts, or anyone searching for an authentic path to healing after loss.
WHAT LISTENERS WILL GET:
An honest conversation about grief recovery, mental health, faith, therapy, and how people can begin untangling grief in their own way.
DESCRIPTION:
In this powerful episode of Grief Is Not A Dirty Word, Nick Gaylord speaks with author, poet, and grief advocate Keya McClain about her journey through profound loss, depression, and multiple suicide attempts. After losing the uncle she considered her father at nineteen, Keya struggled for decades to find healing. When traditional grief advice and religious expectations failed to help, she began searching for a more authentic path forward. Through therapy, journaling, walking, and deep self-reflection, she discovered that grief does not follow stages and healing cannot be forced. Together, Nick and Keya explore grief myths, mental health, spiritual identity, and the courage required to rebuild a life after loss. Their conversation is both deeply honest and unexpectedly hopeful for anyone navigating grief.
THIS EPISODE ANSWERS
• Why do common grief phrases like “they’re in a better place” sometimes hurt more than help?
• What happens when traditional grief advice or religious support doesn’t help you heal?
• Can therapy, journaling, and nature actually help untangle long-term grief and depression?
• Why do the “five stages of grief” fail many people who are grieving deeply?
• How can someone begin healing after years of suicidal thoughts and emotional pain?
KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Grief does not follow stages and healing is rarely linear.
• Well-intentioned grief advice can sometimes invalidate real emotional pain.
• Authentic healing often begins when people reconnect with themselves.
• Simple practices like journaling and walking can create powerful emotional breakthroughs.
• People struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts are not alone and help exists.
CONTACT KEYA! (Links below)
Website / Work With Keya / Coaching: https://keyascoaching.com
Book – Untangling Grief: Unraveling the Emotions of Loss
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F59KYZZH
Instagram (Primary Account)
https://www.instagram.com/hardcorehealingpencoach
Instagram (Poetry / Writing)
https://www.instagram.com/cigarchroniclespoet
Podcast – The Healing Poetic Podcast
GIVE THE SHOW A 5-STAR RATING ON APPLE PODCASTS!
FOLLOW US ON APPLE OR YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLATFORM!
BOOKMARK OUR WEBSITE: www.griefisnotadirtyword.com
FOLLOW OUR DEAD DADS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/griefisnotadirtyword
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/griefisnotadirtyword
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@griefisnotadirtyword
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmmv6sdmMIys3GDBjiui3kw
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-gaylord/