If you’re carrying the heavy weight of losing a loved one to suicide, this episode was created to offer healing tools to help you begin finding your footing. In this episode, host Gretta interviews clinical psychologist Dr. Celeste Birkhofer, who shares deep insights on navigating the unique complexity of suicide loss, processing overwhelming guilt, and building the inner resources required to survive after heartbreaking loss.

In this episode, we explore:

• Giving Grief a "Relational Home": The necessity of safe spaces and support systems.
• The Mind-Body Connection: How suppressed pain often manifests as anxiety, depression, or physical symptoms.
• Breaking the Guilt Loop: How to navigate self-blame and move away from self-punishment.
• Somatic & Emotional Grounding: Practical ways to regulate your nervous system and handle emotional flooding.
• Building Your Internal Operating System: The five core inner resources that help you survive traumatic loss and find lasting mental peace.

CRISIS SUPPORT: If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org (US & Canada).

Dr. Celeste Birkhofer is a licensed clinical psychologist and adjunct clinical faculty member at Stanford Medical School, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. She maintains a private psychotherapy practice, teaches and supervises Stanford psychiatry residents, and is on the clinical advisory board for the Jed Foundation.

Connect with Dr. Celeste Birkhofer:

Website | Order your copy of her book: Beyond Quick Fixes: Essential Ingredients for Better Mental Health & A Fulfilling Life

Connect with Gretta:

Free Guide: What to Say To A Ghost
Free and Private Facebook Support Group | Instagram | copingwithghosting.com

Host Gretta Perlmutter, a Certified Post Betrayal Transformation® Coach, delivers evidence-based strategies to turn personal betrayal into a powerful catalyst for growth and healing.

Music: "Ghosted" by Gustavo Zaiah

Disclaimer: This information is designed to mentor and guide you to cope with Ghosting by cultivating a positive mindset and implementing self-care practices. It is for educational purposes only; it solely provides self-help tools for your use. Coping With Ghosting is not providing health care or psychological therapy services and is not diagnosing or treating any physical or mental ailment of the mind or body. The content is not a substitute for therapy or any advice given by a licensed psychologist or other licensed or other registered professionals.

✨Shop the CWG Amazon Store✨ If it's on the list, it is because my Coping With Ghosting Podcast guests wrote it or recommended it, and/or I've read it or experienced it and found it valuable for me and my clients.❤️‍🩹

Support the show

Note to All Listeners: Ghosting is defined as: The practice of ending a personal relationship with someone by suddenly and without explanation withdrawing from all communication (Oxford Languages). When you leave an abusive situation without saying "goodbye," it's not ghosting, it's "self-protection." When you quietly exit a relationship after a boundary has been violated, it's not ghosting, it's "self-respect."

Are you being ghosted, or are they just busy? Whether your friend, a date, or family member is MIA, this show provides solutions. In Episode 100, Gretta breaks down the early signs of ghosting, how to handle the anxiety of the "grey zone," and how to discover if you're being ghosted.

This show covers:
• How to ground down and separate facts from fear
• The problem with “If they wanted to, they would”
• Step-by-step outreach guidelines: How to text someone without chasing
• Follow-up limits for dating, committed relationships, and friendships
• What to ask if an "almost ghost" comes back
• The first steps to take if you've been ghosted.

If you're wondering, "Am I being ghosted?" this show will help you find answers.

Connect with Gretta:

Free Guide: What to Say To A Ghost
Free and Private Facebook Support Group | Instagram | copingwithghosting.com

Host Gretta Perlmutter, a Certified Post Betrayal Transformation® Coach, delivers evidence-based strategies to turn personal betrayal into a powerful catalyst for growth.

Music: "Ghosted" by Gustavo Zaiah

Disclaimer: This information is designed to mentor and guide you to cope with Ghosting by cultivating a positive mindset and implementing self-care practices. It is for educational purposes only and provides self-help tools for your use. Coping With Ghosting is not providing health care or psychological therapy services and is not diagnosing or treating any physical or mental ailment of the mind or body. The content is not a substitute for therapy or any advice given by a licensed psychologist or other licensed or registered professionals.

✨Shop the CWG Amazon Store✨ If it's on the list, it is because my Coping With Ghosting Podcast guests wrote it or recommended it, and/or I've read it or experienced it and found it valuable for me and my clients.❤️‍🩹

Support the show

Note to All Listeners: Ghosting is defined as: The practice of ending a personal relationship with someone by suddenly and without explanation withdrawing from all communication (Oxford Languages). When you leave an abusive situation without saying "goodbye," it's not ghosting, it's "self-protection." When you quietly exit a relationship after a boundary has been violated, it's not ghosting, it's "self-respect."

Are you seeking a fresh start for your friendship circle? 🌟

In this episode of Coping With Ghosting, Host Gretta speaks with Florence Ann Romano, author of Build Your Village: A Guide to Finding Joy and Community in Every Stage of Life, about intentionally building a community and fostering healthy connections.

🎧 In this episode, we discuss:

• Evaluating Your Relationships: Tips for mindfully reflecting on your friendships to see if they are fulfilling and aligned with your values.
• Friendship Red Flags: The "micro-signals" of when a relationship may need to end.
• Ending Friendships with Integrity: When to intentionally walk away from an outgrown relationship with compassion.
• Healing Friendship Burnout: How to navigate a relationship when your friend is having an emotional crisis or health issue.
• How to begin to trust after the trauma of betrayal: The very first step you need to take.
• Rebuilding Your Village: Low-risk, sustainable ways to slowly re-enter a community.

If you are navigating the loneliness epidemic or healing from a friendship breakup, press play to start building your village with intention.

Connect with Florence Ann Romano:

Florence Ann's Website | 📖READ: Build Your Village: A Guide to Finding Joy and Community in Every Stage of Life | Instagram

Connect with Gretta:

Free Guide: What to Say To A Ghost
Free and Private Facebook Support Group | Instagram | copingwithghosting.com

Host Gretta Perlmutter, a Certified Post Betrayal Transformation® Coach, delivers evidence-based strategies to turn personal betrayal into a powerful catalyst for growth and healing.

Music: "Ghosted" by Gustavo Zaiah

Disclaimer: This information is designed to mentor and guide you to cope with Ghosting by cultivating a positive mindset and implementing self-care practices. It is for educational purposes only and provides self-help tools for your use. Coping With Ghosting is not providing health care or psychological therapy services and is not diagnosing or treating any physical or mental ailment of the mind or body. The content is not a substitute for therapy or any advice given by a licensed psychologist or other licensed or registered professionals.

Ghosted? You deserve peace of mind. Explore coaching with Gretta today.

✨Shop the CWG Amazon Store✨ If it's on the list, it is because my Coping With Ghosting Podcast guests wrote it or recommended it, and/or I've read it or experienced it and found it valuable for me and my clients.❤️‍🩹

Support the show

Note to All Listeners: Ghosting is defined as: The practice of ending a personal relationship with someone by suddenly and without explanation withdrawing from all communication (Oxford Languages). When you leave an abusive situation without saying "goodbye," it's not ghosting, it's "self-protection." When you quietly exit a relationship after a boundary has been violated, it's not ghosting, it's "self-respect."