You Can Be Grieving and Grateful: The Card Collection That’s Changing How We Show Up for Loss

If you’ve ever struggled to find the right words—or any words at all—when someone you care about is grieving, episode 354 is for you. Grief activist Lisa Keefauver and artist Rachel Kroh reveal how their hand-printed card collection is changing the way we support each other in loss, offering messages that are honest, beautiful, and deeply human. They share personal stories of heartbreak, cultural myths that make grief even harder, and why showing up with presence—not platitudes—can transform relationships. If you want to be a better grief supporter (or feel less alone in your own sorrow), don’t miss this conversation. In This Episode, You Will Learn: (01:01) Why we’re grief-illiterate (03:32) Art as a response to loss (08:55) A podcast, a book, and a serendipitous collaboration (10:39) Making cards by hand, with heart (13:35) The power of presence over platitudes (15:01) Beauty as a tool for healing (22:44) Designing for all types of grief (27:02) Permission to feel it all (38:39) Redefining support through contrast and color In today's episode, I'm joined by Lisa Keefauver and Rachel Kroh. Lisa Keefauver, MSW, is a grief educator, author, and host of the Grief is a Sneaky Bitch podcast, with over two decades of experience as a clinical social worker. After the death of her young husband, Lisa founded Reimagining Grief to improve grief literacy and help people show up with compassion rather than clichés. Rachel Kroh is a visual artist and founder of Heartell Press, a letterpress card company known for its hand-carved designs that bring care and sincerity to life’s most difficult moments. When Rachel couldn’t find a card that expressed what she needed during her mother’s terminal illness, she began creating her own. Together, Lisa and Rachel co-created Reimagining Grief, a line of empathy cards that blend healing words with hand-printed artwork—designed to support people in grief with beauty, presence, and deep emotional honesty. Throughout this episode, grief educator Lisa Keefauver and artist Rachel Kroh share the story behind Reimagining Grief, their hand-printed empathy card collection designed to help people show up with care during times of loss. Lisa reflects on her personal and professional experience with grief and the harm caused by silence or cliché responses. Rachel describes how her mother’s cancer inspired her to create sincere, emotionally honest cards. Together, they discuss the healing power of beauty, presence, and permission to feel deeply. By combining Lisa’s compassionate words with Rachel’s handmade designs, they offer a meaningful, lasting way to support grievers beyond traditional expressions of sympathy. Connect with Lisa Keefauver:WebsiteInstagramFacebookLinkedInYouTubeApple Podcast Connect with Rachel Kroh:WebsiteInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.