Dear Teresa, 

As July unfolds, we honor National Bereaved Parents Month, with Bereaved Parents Day today July 3rd. Whether you’re walking through the heartbreak of losing a child or carrying a different kind of grief, know that your heart matters. I’m standing with you believing with you that emotional freedom is possible. This is a Month of Remembering & Reclaiming.

A New Kind of Freedom: Healing the Heart

As fireworks light the sky this 4th of July, we celebrate freedom, yet many of us wrestle with grief that binds our spirits. I’ve walked with countless women whose pain felt like chains, keeping them from truly breathing again. Healing isn’t forgetting, it’s discovering a fresh freedom where memories live beside newfound peace.

 

Your Path to Emotional Liberation

Here’s how you can begin unwrapping your heart from grief, with small, soul-nourishing steps:

  1. Release the Burden of "What Ifs"
    Whisper to your heart, "I did the best I could with what I knew then." Let that guilt drift away.
  2. Name It to Tame It
    Identify your emotions: anger, regret, quiet despair and invite them to sit with you without judgment.
  3. Bring Light to the Shadows
    Choose a trusted friend, a journal, or a grief coach to explore the pain. Courage begins with sharing.
  4. Guard Sacred Moments of Stillness
    Morning or night, pause in silence. A single minute of intentional breathing resets your heart.
  5. Anchor in a Freedom Mantra
    Claim it: “I’m learning to live with sorrow, while stepping into peace.” Breathe it in, hold it, live it.

 

 

 

Click Here to Play the Song

 

Movie Spotlight: Straw (2025)

⚠️ Viewer Caution: The film depicts Janiyah’s loss of her child a profoundly emotional storyline that may be triggering, especially for those who have experienced similar grief.

The Movie Straw is Tyler Perry’s gripping psychological thriller, now streaming on Netflix. Starring Taraji P. Henson as Janiyah Wilkinson a single mom facing a mounting wave of personal and financial tragedies. The film dives deep into desperation, survival, and how societal pressures can push us to the edge. Straw explores how far a parent might go when pushed to the brink.

Don’t Miss Next Week’s Podcast!
LaWayna and I will dedicate our entire episode to discussing Straw: the emotional impact, the raw portrayal of grief, and its real-life resonance. Whether the story stirred up hope, pain, or a call to empathy in you, tune in for an honest conversation and supportive exploration.

Step into Transformation:

Are you ready to embrace emotional freedom, renewed hope, and a blossoming sense of inner peace?

  • The Divorce Compass (4-week workshop): Join us the next 3 Mondays July 7-July 21from 6–7 PM at Edwardsville Library. Rebuild your emotional foundations and step into financial clarity.
  • The Grief Resilience (4-week workshop): Mondays Aug 4-Aug 25 from 6-7 PM at The Collinsville Library-Blum House. This series offers a compassionate, empowering path forward, one step, one tear, one breath at a time.
  • The Grief Reset: A 4-Week virtual Faith-Fueled Journey from Sorrow to Strength. This holistic approach addresses grief on the spiritual, emotional, and physical levels.

Something Special Is Coming…

I'm thrilled to announce that information and registration for the 2nd Annual Emotional Freedom After Loss Retreat will be opening soon!

This powerful weekend gathering is expanding to welcome anyone navigating significant loss, whether through death, divorce, or life transitions. Held in a serene and supportive setting, the retreat offers space for healing, reflection, and meaningful connection.

If you’ve felt called to rest, reset, and be truly seen in your grief journey… this might be your moment.

📅 Save the Date: November 14–16, 2025
📍 Location: Toddhall Retreat Center, Columbia, IL

Stay tuned—details are coming your way soon!

📩 If something stirred within you while reading about these events, reply to this email, I’d love to share more about these spaces for healing.

Imagine your heart like a field once covered in shadows, now flourishing under the warm light of grace. In this season of healing, may your soul learn to breathe deeply, lean into trusted support, and step boldly toward emotional freedom.

You are held. You are worthy. And your tomorrow can be brighter than today.

 

 

 Hope and Healing,

Teresa Reiniger

Grief Specialist with Living After Grief

 

 

 

 “My mission is to work with compassionate grieving women to navigate their path of grief, fostering resilience and finding clarity and understanding in their journey. My role as a Grief  Specialist is to support them in reclaiming their freedom to live fully and to cultivate a deeper sense of trust in themselves as they move through the healing process."

 

When you are ready, here are a few more ways I can empower you on your grief journey:

Book a Hope Exploration Session:

During this session we will:

  • Assess Where You Are Currently:  Understand where you are right now and identify the emotional triggers that are holding you.
  • Clarify Your Desires and Vision: Clarity and Understanding to live your life fully while honoring your loved one.
  • Explore Collaboration: If I'm confident that I can help you, I’ll share how we can work together to achieve your goals.

Sound good? Click the link to schedule a time to talk.

Book A Call:

You can check out my podcast: Female Voice: Life & Loss. Our podcast is dedicated to women from all walks of life, providing a supportive and encouraging platform that addresses the various challenges they face. We aim to offer compassionate guidance, share diverse stories, and equip listeners with practical advice and resources to help them grow, heal, and thrive through every stage of their journey.

Podcast Click Here: 
Teresa Reiniger
Living After Grief