What Learning to Swim Taught Us About Grief — with Cori Myka | GRIEF Ladies Ep. 25
What could learning to swim possibly have to do with Grief?
More than you’d think.
In Episode 25 of GRIEF Ladies: A Guide to What Comes Next, we welcomed Cori Myka, founder of Calm Within Adult Swim, and the conversation took
a turn we didn’t expect — in the best possible way.
Fear. Overwhelm. Not Knowing What Comes Next.
Cori works with adults who are terrified of the water. And as she started describing what her clients experience — the fear, the overwhelm,
the pressure to get it right — we couldn’t help but notice how much it sounded like grief.
Because grief puts you in a whole new world too. One where you don’t know the rules, you don’t know what’s coming, and everyone around you
seems to expect you to just figure it out.
Cori shared a powerful framework for slowing all of that down — and it turns out it works whether you’re standing at the edge of a pool or
standing at the edge of a whole new life without someone you Love.
The Takeaway You Can Try Right Now
One of our favorite moments in this episode was when Cori shared a simple, practical tool you can use anywhere — in a meeting, in a grocery
store line, at a Family gathering — when a grief wave hits and you need to come back to yourself.
It’s small. It’s tangible. And it just might help.
You’ll have to listen to get the full details. 🎧
Plus — Cori Shares Something Personal
We also asked Cori how she celebrates those who have died in her own life. Her answer was beautiful, unexpected, and something that stuck
with us long after we stopped recording.
Listen to Episode 25 here: https://youtu.be/aiLqrtJuFI8
Connect with Cori:
🌐 adultswimlesson.com
📲 @CalmWithinAdultSwim
Have you ever found an unexpected connection between something in your life and your grief? Tell us in the comments of the video — we’d love to hear it.
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.
