Grief Is Not A Dirty Word
Grief Is Not A Dirty Word is a weekly podcast that brings honest, real-world conversations about grief, loss, trauma, healing, and mental health into the light. Hosted by Nick Gaylord, the show creates a safe, compassionate space for anyone navigating the complicated emotions that come with losing a parent, partner, child, friend, relationship, or former version of themselves.
Originally launched as Our Dead Dads, the podcast has evolved into a broader mission: to normalize grief and break the stigma around talking about it. Nick explores every corner of the grieving experience — from anticipatory grief and sudden loss to complicated family dynamics, unresolved anger, identity shifts, and the invisible pain people carry long after the world assumes they’re “fine.”
Each episode features powerful, unfiltered stories from guests who have lived through loss and rebuilt their lives in deeply personal ways. Through conversations centered on resilience, vulnerability, courage, and connection, the podcast helps listeners understand that grief isn’t something to hide — it’s something that deserves space, honesty, and community.
Whether your grief is fresh or decades old, whether it’s tied to death or to a different kind of ending, this show will help you feel seen, supported, and less alone. If you’re looking for meaningful discussions about healing, emotional wellbeing, and the human experience — you’re in the right place.
New episodes every Tuesday.
Listen on all major podcast platforms or at griefisnotadirtyword.com.
Grief Is Not A Dirty Word — because every story matters, every emotion belongs, and healing begins when we speak the truth.
Grief Is Not A Dirty Word
Childhood Loss, Grief Healing, and Hope After Sandy Hook with Scarlett Lewis - Episode 50
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WHO THIS EPISODE HELPS: Parents, families, and anyone navigating child loss, trauma, or grief healing.
WHAT LISTENERS WILL GET: Tools for processing grief, stories of resilience, and hope for finding meaning after tragedy.
DESCRIPTION:
In this powerful episode of Our Dead Dads Podcast, host Nick Gaylord sits down with Scarlett Lewis, mother of Jesse Lewis, who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Scarlett shares her journey through unimaginable child loss, the moments of grief and shock, and the small but profound miracles that carried her forward. She opens up about her son’s bravery, her family’s healing, and the pivotal chalkboard message—“nurturing, healing, love”—that became the foundation for the Choose Love Movement. Together, Nick and Scarlett explore the intersection of personal grief, public tragedy, and the power of resilience in the aftermath of school shootings. This conversation is filled with raw truth, hope, and the reminder that even in the darkest moments, love can lead the way toward healing.
This episode answers:
- What is the grief journey of a Sandy Hook parent?
- How can families process child loss after a school shooting?
- What role does community support play in grief healing?
- How did Scarlett Lewis turn trauma into the Choose Love Movement?
- What lessons of resilience and hope come from Jesse’s story?
Key Takeaways:
- Grief after child loss can be transformed into purpose.
- Community and faith play crucial roles in healing trauma.
- Jesse’s act of bravery saved nine classmates at Sandy Hook.
- “Nurturing, healing, love” became a global grief-healing message.
- The Choose Love Movement offers resilience tools for families and schools.
JESSE LEWIS CHOOSE LOVE MOVEMENT (website): https://chooselovemovement.org/
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