When Alice’s father suffered a sudden stroke while travelling in Turkey, she and her family were thrown into a world of foreign hospitals, translation barriers and heartbreaking decisions. In this candid and compassionate conversation, Alice shares how she navigated the shock, the bureaucracy of bringing her father home, and the long, uneven road of grief that followed.

Along the way, she and Rachel talk about:

• coping with sudden loss far from home

• the kindness of strangers and small acts of care

• organ donation and the unexpected comfort it can bring

• the emotional chaos of funeral planning

• living with grief years later

This episode is a powerful reminder that grief doesn’t fade — we simply learn how to carry it.

Content note: We discuss death, grief, and funeral processes. Please take care while listening.

Crisis support (Australia):

Emergency: 000 (immediate danger)

Lifeline: 13 11 14 — 24/7 crisis support & suicide prevention

13YARN: 13 92 76 — 24/7 crisis support for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples

Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 — 24/7 phone & online counselling

Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 — 24/7 mental health support

Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 — 24/7 support for young people (5–25)

If you’re outside Australia, please contact your local emergency number or a local crisis line.

💬 Share your questions or experiences: DM on Instagram ⁠@TheDWord.podcast⁠ — your story or question might be featured in a future episode.

Grief doesn’t end when the funeral does. In fact, for many people, that’s when it truly begins.

In this episode, Rachel talks about what happens after the funeral — when the flowers are gone, the phone stops ringing, and reality begins to settle in. It’s the quiet, often overlooked chapter of loss that brings both practical challenges and emotional weight.

You’ll hear about:

• What to expect in the weeks after the funeral

• The official Death Certificate and what it’s used for

• Notifying organisations and navigating post-funeral admin

• Managing belongings, mail, and digital accounts

• Receiving ashes or finalising a burial headstone

• How to handle the quiet that follows when everyone else seems to move on

• Gentle signs that you might need more support

This episode is about finding your footing in the aftermath — one small, human step at a time.

Content note: We discuss death, grief, and funeral processes. Please take care while listening.

Crisis support (Australia):
Emergency: 000 (immediate danger)
Lifeline: 13 11 14 — 24/7 crisis support & suicide prevention
13YARN: 13 92 76 — 24/7 crisis support for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples
Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 — 24/7 phone & online counselling
Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 — 24/7 mental health support
Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 — 24/7 support for young people (5–25)

If you’re outside Australia, please contact your local emergency number or a local crisis line.

💬 Share your questions or experiences:
DM on Instagram @TheDWord.podcast — your story or question might be featured in a future episode.

Grief is heavy enough on its own — but when you’re also carrying the emotional weight of other people, it can feel impossible to breathe.

In this episode, Rachel talks about how to protect your peace through the chaos of loss — setting boundaries, understanding why others behave in strange or overwhelming ways, and learning to hold space for yourself first.

You’ll hear about:

• The mental, emotional, and physical toll of grief

• Why some people over-help while others completely disappear

• How to respond with kindness and boundaries

• What real, practical help actually looks like (and how to ask for it)

• Gentle ways to protect your peace when everything feels too much

This conversation blends lived experience, psychology, and heart. It’s for anyone navigating loss, supporting someone through it, or simply wanting to understand grief with more compassion.

Content note: We discuss death, grief, and funeral planning. Please take care while listening.

Crisis support (Australia):

• Emergency: 000 (immediate danger)

• Lifeline: 13 11 14 — 24/7 crisis support & suicide prevention

• 13YARN: 13 92 76 — 24/7 crisis support for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples

• Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 — 24/7 phone & online counselling

• Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 — 24/7 mental health support

• Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 — 24/7 support for young people (5–25)

If you’re outside Australia, please contact your local emergency number or a local crisis line.

Share your questions or experiences: DM on Instagram @TheDWord.podcast and we may include answers in a future episode.