The number of people listening to podcasts has been growing around the world for years. In the UK, industry research shows that 32% of adults were listening to podcasts every month at the end of 2023.
The country’s favourite podcast genre is consistently comedy. However, there are podcasts on every topic imaginable, some of which were created to help listeners cope with grief.
One of the most difficult aspects of grieving is the feeling that no one understands what you are going through. Podcasts featuring hosts and guests sharing their experiences and providing tips for coping provide a powerful reminder that we’re not alone in our grief.
Here are 10 podcasts we hope will make it a little easier to cope with your grief. Not all of them are currently releasing new episodes, but all these podcasts offer insight and, hopefully, some comfort.
All There Is with Anderson Cooper
All There Is with Anderson Cooper is a podcast about the long-term effects of dealing with the loss of someone close. The podcast was inspired by TV anchor Anderson Cooper’s decision to sell his mother’s apartment. In the first episode Cooper records his thoughts and memories as he packs up his late mother’s things. Now in its second season, the podcast continues Cooper’s personal journey to understand his own grief, but also features honest discussions with others who’ve experienced life-altering losses.
Terrible, thanks for asking
Hosted by American author Nora McInerny, this podcast takes the question ‘How are you?’ as its starting point. McInerny knows that people will often respond ‘Fine’ even if they are feeling terrible. She wants to break down the taboos surrounding grief, asking ‘real people to get real honest about how they’re really doing’. Many of the guests on ‘Terrible, thanks for asking’ speak about bereavement, but there are also conversations about other kinds of loss from divorce to losing a much-loved job.
What's Your Grief?
Eleanor Haley and Litsa Williams are the mental health professionals behind the ‘What’s Your Grief?’ website and book. In this podcast, they set out to demystify the complicated and messy world of living life after a loss. They discuss topics from broader grief theory to tips for coping with grief every day. Taking a practical approach, the podcast is accessible and informative, more about advice than emotions. They say, “No tilted heads, no soothing tones…. just exploring the experience of life after loss”.
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 have 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 and bereavement support to those left behind. 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 break down taboos, open up conversations about death 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. Grief is one of life’s toughest challenges and the campaign promotes kindness for people who have suffered a loss. Host Clover Stroud shares the stories of people who have experienced bereavement, offering a ‘supportive voice’ to those who are grieving. Acknowledging that sometimes we are so scared of getting it wrong that often we do nothing, the podcast aims to give listeners the confidence to support friends and family through a bereavement.
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. Host Michael Cruz 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.
