EP: 155 Grief 2 Growth: A Father’s Journey Through Child Loss & Healing | Brian D. Smith

In this heartfelt episode of the Maria Gonçalves Podcast, Maria welcomes Brian D. Smith. He is a certified grief educator, life purpose coach, small business consultant, and host of the Grief 2 Growth podcast. Following the loss of his 15-year-old daughter, Shayna, Brian felt his life was over. But over time, he discovered a way not just to survive—but to grow.

Brian has worked with hundreds of grieving parents and individuals facing loss, divorce, illness, and major life transitions. Through thousands of hours of study into the nature of life and death, Brian combines reason, evidence, and spiritual insight to help others heal. His framework emphasizes gratitude, mindfulness, movement, and self-care as pillars for transformation.

He serves on the Board of Directors for Helping Parents Heal and is a member of the Advisory Board of the International Association for Near-Death Studies (IANDS). Brian’s work has been featured on leading podcasts and publications, including those by Sandra Champlain, Roberta Grimes, Irene Weinberg, and Mark Anthony. 

Brian is the author of Grief 2 Growth: Planted, Not Buried, available on Amazon and other bookstores, and is currently developing multiple resources, including an oracle deck (Love Lives On), grief workbooks, and guided spiritual experiences.

Connect with Brian:
 📩 brian@grief2growth.com
 🌐 www.grief2growth.com
 🎧 Grief 2 Growth Podcast
"We are not buried. We are planted. And with time, light, and love—we grow."

Social Media Connections:
Substack: grief2growth.substack.com
Instagram: instagram.com/grief2growth
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grief2growthcommunity
YouTube: https://youtube.com/grief2growth
Podcast: podcast.grief2growth.com