I am so, so grateful to welcome the extraordinary Dr. Alexandra Sowa to our space this week. You may be wondering, "Meghan, what the heck does a doctor who works closely with GLP1s have to do with grief?" Turns out, quite a lot. Anyone who has experienced a significant weight loss or gain and has found themselves grieving the change in their form will probably want to share this conversation far and wide.

In this episode, Dr. Sowa discusses the biological factors influencing weight gain- debunking the myth that effort alone determines weight management. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the role of environment and mental health in sustainable weight loss strategies. We talk all things GLP-1, of course, and Dr. Sowa brings valuable advice to folks who have been considering that step, or have taken that step- and now find their feelings are all over the place.

I really enjoyed how this conversation braided a lot of topics together that folks might not always find related...but really, when you think about, grief is pretty far-reaching. I hope you all found this episode as valuable and special as I did. If so, PLEASE don't hesitate to leave us a rating and a review wherever possible.

More about Dr. Sowa: https://alexandrasowamd.com/ The Ozempic Revolution https://www.instagram.com/alexandrasowamd/

Elena Brower is a bestselling author, artist, podcast host, teacher, mentor and chaplaincy student. Her debut book, Art of Attention, was published in 2012, and her bestselling journals Practice You and Being You, along with her courses, classes, and talks, explore stages of studentship, practice, life, and listening. In this conversation, Meghan and Elena discuss Elena's latest book, Hold Nothing, and have a beautiful conversation about learning to receive, be vulnerable, and "love ourselves with rigor." https://elenabrower.com/about/ https://www.instagram.com/elenabrower/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenabrower/

Ronald Simpson-Bey would call his grief a proponent of his survival. While he was incarcerated (for a crime he didn’t commit) during the early 2000s, his young adult son was fatally shot. Ronald’s conviction was finally overturned in 2012, and he would return to mainstream society as a grieving father who had lost such a formative piece of his life.

These days (after becoming a paralegal while imprisoned) Ronald is a staunch advocate for individuals fighting wrongful conviction, and acts as a pillar of strength and wisdom in his community and beyond. Ronald is currently working as the Executive Vice President for JustLeadershipUSA (JLUSA). He is also a 2015 Leading with Conviction (LwC) Fellow with JLUSA.

Thank you SO much for coming back to another season of Grief is My Side Hustle! Please be sure to leave a five-star rating and review wherever possible. We truly appreciate you!

For more about Ronald: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4kwP3U0d5w https://www.instagram.com/ronaldsimpsonbey/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/simpsonbey1/