Rewiring the brain and body after grief

Grief doesn't just live in the mind — it lives in the body. It takes root in the nervous system, curls up in our chest, and sits heavy in our gut.

I used to think grief was something you thought or felt, but my body taught me otherwise. After losing multiple father figures — including my biological dad at 24 — I didn't just mourn emotionally. I unraveled physically. My chest ached. I was constantly fatigued. I found myself clinging to patterns, overworking, controlling food, trying to anchor myself in something — anything — that felt solid.

In those moments, work became both a refuge and a risk. It gave me structure and purpose when everything else felt like quicksand. But over time, I learned that healing grief isn’t about avoiding the pain — it’s about giving it space to move, to breathe, to be witnessed.

This is my story of learning to heal — not just emotionally, but physically, spiritually, and systemically. And it’s for anyone who’s ever felt broken by loss and unsure where to begin again.