How to Honor and Celebrate a Loved One After Death: 5 Real Grief Stories
Grief often pulls our focus to the death, what happened, what was lost, and what we are missing.
But many grieving people wonder:
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How can I stay connected to my loved one? I don’t want to forget them- what should I do?
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How do I honor my loved one?
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How do I remember them in a way that feels meaningful?
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How do I celebrate their life without ignoring the pain?
In this special video from The GRIEF Ladies Podcast, five of our first guests share how they honor and celebrate their loved one’s life after death. Through personal rituals, traditions, everyday habits, and small acts of remembrance, they show that grief can hold both sorrow and Love.
At The GRIEF Ladies, we believe grief isn’t about “moving on.” It’s about learning how to carry love forward. We call this Celebrate Their Life, a gentle shift from focusing only on the loss to remembering what remains: the connection, the memories, and the impact that endures. If you are grieving and looking for ideas, comfort, or inspiration for honoring someone who died, this video offers real stories and compassionate support. You are not alone in your grief.
Watch the video at: https://youtu.be/C_f_Ub3DOqE
The GRIEF Ladies grew from decades of clinical work, community building, and lived experience. It isn’t a checklist to “get over it.” It’s a path you can re-enter on the hardest days and the ordinary ones.
Kelly Daugherty from Center for Informed Grief and Karyn Arnold of Grief in Common first connected when Kelly was leading a collaborative grief book project and posted in a Facebook group looking for authors. Karyn responded, and from their very first conversation, the connection was instant. They discovered a shared passion for supporting grieving individuals and striking similarities in their approaches and professional paths. Both had worked in hospice, and both believed that there are practical tools that can truly help support someone on their grief journey.
That first book became The Grief Experience: Tools for Acceptance, Resilience, and Connection. From there, their collaboration grew naturally. What began with one project has blossomed into an ongoing partnership including building frameworks, workshops, and now the GRIEF Ladies Podcast to help others navigate life after loss with honesty and hope. Sign up for their newsletter to stay informed about their future ventures!
Karyn Arnold has served grievers for 25+ years as a facilitator, educator, and the founder of Grief in Common, an online community that connects people by shared experiences of loss. With a background in psychology and mind–body work, Karyn blends evidence-informed practice with simple daily actions that help people steady themselves and find support. She has guided thousands of grievers through groups, workshops, and online programs, and partners with clinicians and organizations to make grief resources easier to find and use.
Kelly Daugherty, LCSW-R, FT, BCC, is a clinician, educator, board-certified coach, and founder of the Center for Informed Grief in Malta, NY. A Fellow in Thanatology, Kelly has worked with individuals and families across hospice, schools, and private practice for over two decades. Her commitment to grief work began after her mother’s death during Kelly’s teen years, shaping a career focused on practical, compassionate support. Kelly develops trainings for educators and mental-health professionals, consults with schools on grief-informed practices, and leads community programs that normalize grief while teaching concrete skills. She believes accessible, plain-language tools can change how communities show up for one another.
