"When your person died, a part of you died too. Not your whole self—but the version of you that only existed in connection with them. That's the part grief takes. That's what forever changed really means."

In this episode of Grieve That Shit, Sharon Brubaker, Certified Grief Specialist and founder of The Grief School, opens her heart about what it truly means to be forever changed—but not broken.

After losing her nephew Austin and later her best friend Sharon, her life split into two: before and after. But in this episode, she invites you into the middle—the space between who you were and who you're becoming. It's the unseen, disorienting place where identity, routine, and meaning fall apart.

This is the part of grief no one talks about. The part where you're not who you were, but not yet who you'll be. Sharon calls it "the tween." And it's here, in the unknown, that real healing begins.

You'll hear what it means to let go of the pieces that no longer match your truth, how to live with the absence that screams louder than words, and why being "forever changed" is not the same as being broken.

Because the truth is—grief rewires your story. But you still get to decide how that story ends.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

• The three phases of grief: before, between, and after

• Why your identity shifts after loss—and how to honor the version of you that's gone

• How to navigate the "tween," the unknown space between devastation and rebuilding

• The truth about being "forever changed, not broken"

• Why time doesn't fix grief—but processing the pain does

Homework for You

Find a quiet place this week and journal through these prompts:

1️⃣ What part of me died when they died?
2️⃣ What part of me is still here, waiting to be known again?
3️⃣ What truth am I ready to stop fighting?

You don't have to have perfect answers. You just have to begin writing them. Because healing starts the moment you stop trying to go back—and start facing the after.

Resources + Next Steps

🎥 Get the Forever Changed Video Series — A 3-part self-guided video course with slides, reflection prompts, and deep-dive lessons to help you process your pain.
📘 Download the eBook "This Is Grief" — Learn the foundations of grief and what it really means to be forever changed.
🧠 Join The Grief School Study Hall — Live weekly support sessions where you can bring your questions, your tears, and your truth.

👉 Access everything at clickhereforhope.com