This podcast is a series of conversations around Something we all will feel and yet no one really talks about and we are never prepared for. Grief
My goal is to provide a resource people can access to help them understand they are not alone as they experience grief.
Stay tuned for Future episodes, we'll host:
o Faith leaders with decades of experience helping people deal with grief
o Hospice workers and Nurses sharing their experiences
And other Guru's talking about the effect physically and emotionally people may go through as they travel their own grief journey.
The loss of a beloved pet can leave an emptiness unlike any other. In this heartfelt episode of Guiding Grief, host Nicholas Welzenbach sits down with Ken Toren to explore the extraordinary bond we share with our animal companions and why saying goodbye can be so profoundly difficult.
Ken, who is involved with the Alzheimer’s community and serves on the Monte Sereno City Council, shares deeply personal stories about the dogs who have shaped his life. From Pixie, his first beloved Sheltie and a treasured member of the family, to Valentine, Cupid, Rocky, and the many other dogs he has loved and lost, Ken reflects on the companionship, joy, and unconditional love that pets bring into our lives.
Some of those losses were especially intertwined with other moments of grief. Pixie and Ken’s father both faced cancer, and when Pixie was eventually put to rest at the age of 16, she was buried alongside his father. Ken also shares the remarkable connection he felt between Rocky and his late mother and a beautiful moment involving a rainbow above the veterinary center when Rocky passed.
Through these stories, Ken offers a moving reflection on pet loss, love, and the courage to open your heart again. As he shares, every loss may leave your heart feeling empty, but the next animal we welcome into our lives has the capacity to fill it in an entirely new way.
Because, ultimately, it is all about loving again.
23 Sept 2026
Jason Arena Certified Probate and Trust Specialist and Realtor with Compass
What happens when grief and real estate intersect?
In this episode of Guiding Grief, host Nicholas Welzenbach speaks with Jason Arena, a Certified Probate and Trust Specialist and Realtor with Compass, about the deeply emotional experience of navigating a loved one’s home and estate after a death.
Jason’s perspective is shaped by both his professional experience and his personal journey as a caregiver. When his father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2017, and as he helped care for other family members, Jason began to recognize the complicated intersection between loss, family, and the practical decisions that follow a death. He realized he could offer more than simply helping people sell a home, he could support families through one of life's most difficult transitions.
Jason and Nicholas explore the emotions connected to letting go of a family home, as well as the importance of preparation. The conversation includes an approachable discussion about trusts, why they can be valuable, and why families with real estate and multiple family members may want to consider planning ahead.
This episode is a thoughtful look at the practical side of loss and the human emotions that are often inseparable from it.
9 Sept 2026
Julianne Halverson from Cancer CAREpoint
In this returning episode of Guiding Grief, host Nicholas Welzenbach welcomes back Juliann Halvorson, LMFT, for an organic and heartfelt conversation about grief, healing, vulnerability, and the many ways loss and change shape our lives.
Juliann shares her work supporting patients and families in the cancer community through Cancer CAREpoint, an organization dedicated to providing holistic care, resources, and support.
The conversation also explores Juliann’s work facilitating grief group therapy for Darling Fischer families and the power of coming together with others who understand. From learning to recognize our own grief to resisting the urge to compare our experiences, Juliann reminds us that vulnerability can create meaningful connection.
Grief is not limited to death. It can emerge from any significant change in our physical, mental, or emotional lives and sometimes, it can be difficult to recognize while we are living through it. Most importantly, this episode offers a powerful reminder: it is never too late to begin your grieving process or your healing journey. By validating what we feel and giving ourselves permission to discover new ways forward, healing can begin wherever we are.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
45,229
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.7 / 5
14 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 37 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
13
Social presence
0
YouTube
72
Engagement
82
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