The podcasting industry has been expanding for years, particularly since the pandemic. In a YouGov survey at the start of the year, 13% of respondents said they would increase their consumption of podcasts in 2023. Compared to other forms of media, this was behind only live events (19%), going to the cinema (15%), and streaming video (15%).
A 2022 survey conducted by Vodafone showed comedy to be the UK’s favourite podcast genre. However, there are podcasts on every topic imaginable, some of which were created to help listeners cope with grief.
Often, people who are grieving can feel that no one understands what they’re going through. There are many podcasts featuring hosts and guests sharing their experiences of bereavement and loss. These shows can provide helpful advice and be welcome reminders that we’re not alone in our grief. Here are seven podcasts to help you cope with grief.
Good Mourning Grief Podcast
Good Mourning sets out to ‘shine a light on what grief is really like.’ Hosts Sally Douglas and Imogen Carn speak with guests about all things grief. They share advice on how to cope with grief, and how to feel less alone after a loss.
The hosts describe their mission as tackling the topic of grief in a way that ‘isn’t all doom and gloom’, holding candid conversations with honesty and humour.
The Grief Gang Podcast
‘Welcome to the gang… the one you never asked to be part of.’ The Grief Gang podcast was created after host Amber Jeffrey’s mother died unexpectedly. As she struggled with her own grief, she set out to find people who shared the ‘continuous whirlwind experience’ of grief.
Alongside Amber's own experiences, guests from all different walks of life share stories of losing parents, children, siblings, and partners. The podcast aims to show listeners that there is life after loss.
On the Marie Curie Couch Podcast
On the Marie Curie Couch is a podcast from the UK charity that provides care for people at the end of their lives. A collection of well-known guests share their experiences of grief and bereavement, in a ‘therapeutic conversation’ with Marie Curie bereavement expert, Jason Davidson.
The podcast sets out to open up conversations about death, break down the taboo, and encourage people to share their end-of-life plans.
Grief Kind Podcast from Sue Ryder
This podcast is part of the Grief Kind campaign from the Sue Ryder charity. Acknowledging that grief is one of life’s toughest challenges, the campaign encourages us all to be kind to people who are grieving. Host Clover Stroud shares the stories of people who have experienced bereavement, offering a ‘supportive voice’ to those who are grieving.
Griefcast
Losing her father to cancer at 15, Cariad Lloyd started Griefcast to help people feel less isolated in their grief. She speaks with her guests about how they’ve coped with a range of different types of grief.
Lloyd says that when you lose someone it is ‘enraging’ that the world doesn't stop. But, she explains, “It's part of the important process of grief, that the world carries on. And that's really helpful because it reminds you that, ‘You know what? I need to carry on.’”
Grief Is My Superpower Podcast
Mark Lemon is an award-winning children’s author. When he was just 12, his father was murdered, and he has now dedicated his life to helping those who are struggling with loss.
The Grief Is My Superpower podcast supports children’s bereavement charity, Winston’s Wish. Each episode, he and a guest discuss whether it’s possible to live a fulfilled life after the death of a loved one.
A Good Cry Podcast
A Good Cry highlights the grief journey of a variety of guests, mostly comedians not typically known for their sincerity. It tackles ‘not just the hard parts’ of bereavement, reminding us that even in our darkest moments there is laughter to be found.
Kayne felt compelled to start the podcast following the tenth anniversary of the death of his son. In a thread of social posts at the time, he noted that ‘even in the era of the overshare’, death is still an incredibly taboo topic. Later in the same thread, he included a plea: ‘Ask your sad friend about the sad thing that you never talked about’.
