#132. Life is hectic. Sometimes we simply need to stop for a moment. And that’s what this short episode is all about. Oh, and the beautiful sounds of the Mediterranean Sea that I recorded when we were in Cyprus. Welcome to The Silent Why podcast, here to help you navigate loss and grief, and possibly... find hope. These very short, episodes will pop up every now and then to help you take a moment to check in and see how you're really feeling. Less than 7 minutes total, including 2 minutes of tim...
Jul 08, 2025•7 min•Ep. 132
#131. Let's chat... about where the love goes when someone dies. Can you still be 'in love' if it's not reciprocated? Does it eventually fade? Or die? Welcome to another Let’s Chat episode, where instead of continuing our 101 Types of Loss list, I (Claire Sandys) sit down with guests who have expertise and personal insight into different aspects of loss. In this episode, I have the pleasure of talking with David Kelly from Hertfordshire, who works as a Community Engagement Coordinator at Rennie ...
Jun 24, 2025•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 131
#130. Not all losses are bereavements. Sometimes they follow a diagnosis and impact someone for the rest of their life, like with our guest in this episode. This is The Silent Why, a podcast on a mission to explore grief, asking if hope can be found in 101 different types of permanent loss. Loss #63 of 101: Loss through chronic illness - Lupus In this episode, we meet Olivia Abousaid - a grief coach based in Los Angeles who lives with the autoimmune disease Lupus. Olivia shares the lesser-seen g...
Jun 10, 2025•57 min•Ep. 130
#129. What are the most valuable things we've learnt - or think really matter - after 20 years of marriage? This is The Silent Why , a podcast on a mission to open up conversations around grief, exploring asking if hope can be found in 101 different types of permanent loss. On 26 May 2025, we celebrated 20 years of marriage! It's a big deal for us as we love being married and find we don't have that much to celebrate in life! So we decided to sit down and discuss what we've learnt over the past ...
May 27, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 129
#128. Did you know you can build mental muscles, as well as physical ones? And that you can start that any time - no matter how weak you might feel? Welcome to another My Why from Claire Sandys (co-host of The Silent Why podcast). My Why episodes are audio versions of my latest blog post. If you'd prefer to read it, you can find it here: https://www.thesilentwhy.com/post/how-to-build-mental-muscles-when-you-re-feeling-weak Flexing your mental muscles is like training your body - it takes time an...
May 13, 2025•36 min•Ep. 128
#127. Think menopause is just a physical change? What if we told you it can also bring grief, loss of identity, and a hit to your mental health? This is The Silent Why , a podcast on a mission to open up conversations around grief, exploring asking if hope can be found in 101 different types of permanent loss. Loss #62 of 101: Loss through menopause In this episode, we welcome Diane Danzebrink, advocate, educator, and author of Making Menopause Matter . Diane experienced surgical menopause follo...
Apr 29, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 127
#126. Let's Chat... about seeing grief as an adventure. Welcome to another Let’s Chat episode, where instead of continuing our 101 Types of Loss list , I sit down with guests who have expertise and personal insight into different aspects of loss. In this episode, I (Claire) have the pleasure of talking with Bianca Neumann, the Assistant Director of Bereavement at Sue Ryder – a charity dedicated to providing the right support, at the right time, for people who are end of life or grieving. We expl...
Apr 15, 2025•53 min•Ep. 126
#125. What impact can possessions have on grief? The lack of them, the loss of them, too many of them etc. This is The Silent Why, a podcast on a mission to open up conversations around grief, exploring asking if hope can be found in 101 different types of permanent loss. Loss #61 of 101: Loss of possessions In this episode we welcome Naomi Westerman, a playwright, screenwriter, and author from South East London. Naomi's experienced profound loss from a young age, and with that, the difficult ta...
Apr 01, 2025•52 min•Ep. 125
#124. Let's Chat... about how writing and running can help us through grief. Welcome to another Let’s Chat episode, where instead of continuing our 101 Types of Loss list , I sit down with guests who have personal insight into different aspects of loss. In this episode, I (Claire) have the pleasure of talking with fellow podcaster and writer, Justin Creps. Justin is a teacher based in Ohio and co-hosts the podcast Writing in Progress , which is how I first discovered him. Justin and I share a de...
Mar 18, 2025•54 min•Ep. 124
#123. Can hope be found in 101 different types of loss? We're well on our way to finding out, as we reach another milestone! We've hit loss number 60 on our mission to explore 101 different types of permanent loss, meaning we only have 41 (!) to go. Now over halfway to our goal. In this episode, we (Chris & Claire Sandys) pause briefly to discuss life in general (something new we thought we'd try!), the last batch of losses (51-60), and what nuggets of wisdom we've taken from each guest. We'...
Mar 04, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 123
#122. Let's Chat... about how the Covid pandemic reshaped important death rituals. These 'Let’s Chat' episodes are conversations with guests who have experience/expertise in a particular area of loss. In this episode, I (Claire Sandys) chat to Natasha Mikles who is an assistant professor at Texas State University. Natasha is a scholar of stories about death and what happens next, and researches traditions related to death and grief around the world (especially in Tibet and the Americas). Her mos...
Feb 18, 2025•46 min•Ep. 122
#121. Go on, be honest, can you understand why someone who's getting remarried, or celebrating a miracle pregnancy, or beginning a new job, might be experiencing some unhappiness alongside the cheer? This is The Silent Why, a podcast on a mission to open up conversations around grief, exploring whether hope can be found in 101 different types of permanent loss. Loss #60 of 101: Loss in happy life transitions In this episode, we meet Bex Eyles from Berkshire in England. She's a professional couns...
Feb 04, 2025•56 min•Ep. 121
#120. Well, after our 'looking ahead to Christmas' episode, how did it go? Were our festive hearts filled with joy? Or were there tears?! This is The Silent Why, a podcast on a mission to open up conversations around grief, to see if hope can be found in 101 different types of loss, and we're Chris & Claire Sandys, your childless hosts. Every year, we dedicate an episode to sharing our thoughts and feelings about the Christmas season - before, and after, it happens. Now that the holiday buzz...
Jan 21, 2025•48 min•Ep. 120
#119. Life is hectic. Sometimes we simply need to stop for a moment. And that’s what this short episode is all about. Oh, and the beautiful sounds of a distant thunderstorm that I recorded in Belgium. Welcome to The Silent Why podcast, here to help you navigate loss and grief, and possibly... find hope. These very short, episodes will pop up every now and then to help you take a moment to check in and see how you're really feeling. Less than 7 minutes total, including 2 minutes of time for you a...
Jan 07, 2025•6 min•Ep. 119
#118. Struggling with the festive season? You're not alone. As a childless couple, we've been there too, especially when family is at the heart of so many celebrations. This is The Silent Why, a podcast on a mission to open up conversations around grief, to see if hope can be found in 101 different types of loss, and we're Chris & Claire Sandys, your childless hosts. Every year we release an episode where we chat about how we're feeling about Christmas. We started with an episode in 2021, ta...
Dec 23, 2024•55 min•Ep. 118
#117. What do you do when the career you love is gone, and you're barely staying afloat? And why is helping yourself so much harder than helping others? This is The Silent Why, a podcast on a mission to open up conversations around grief, to see if hope can be found in 101 different types of permanent loss. Loss #59 of 101: Loss of a police career and self worth In this episode, we meet Ken Anderson from York, England; a retired police officer whose life took an unexpected turn after a nearly 20...
Dec 10, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 117
#116. Let's Chat... about what it looks like when we use social media to show and share our grief. These 'Let’s Chat' episodes are conversations with guests who have experience/expertise in a particular area of loss. In this episode, I (Claire Sandys) chat to Rebecca Feinglos in North Carolina who is a certified grief support specialist and the founder of Grieve Leave - which offers grief support, education and training for workplaces. By the age of 31, Rebecca had lost both her parents and was ...
Nov 19, 2024•50 min•Ep. 116
#115. Have you ever considered the losses that might be encountered by going through puberty early? Have you even heard of precocious puberty? Let alone think about it in the context of grief. This is The Silent Why, a podcast on a mission to open up conversations around grief, to see if hope can be found in 101 different types of permanent loss. Loss #58 of 101: Loss of agency over your body through precocious puberty Meet Dannie-Lu Carr, who lives on the south coast of England in St Leonards-o...
Nov 05, 2024•48 min•Ep. 115
BONUS EPISODE TIME! ... and this episode contains something that I've never shared on the podcast before. Welcome to The Silent Why, a podcast on a mission to open up conversations around grief, to see if hope can be found in 101 different types of loss. Many of you will know that I (Claire Sandys, host) enjoy podcasting (of course!) and writing, and drinking Earl Grey tea and eating marzipan, but what you might not know is that I also occasionally speak at church gatherings. This year I was ask...
Oct 29, 2024•17 min
#114. How does the grief of losing someone to suicide differ from other deaths? What emotions and questions does it raise? And what if it's your spouse who's died, and you're five months pregnant with his child? This is The Silent Why, a podcast on a mission to open up conversations around grief, to see if hope can be found in 101 different types of permanent loss. Loss #57 of 101: Loss of a husband to suicide while pregnant Meet Rachel Hart, from Liverpool, who recalls the time she was five mon...
Oct 22, 2024•42 min•Ep. 114
#113. Life is hectic. Sometimes we simply need to stop for a moment. And that’s what this short episode is all about. Oh, and the beautiful sounds of the Eternal Forest in Wales… Welcome to The Silent Why podcast, here to help you navigate loss and grief, and possibly... find hope. These new, very short, episodes will pop up every now and then to help you take a moment to check in and see how you're really feeling. 7 minutes total, including 2 minutes of time for you and you alone - join me in a...
Oct 08, 2024•7 min•Ep. 113
#112. What is it like doing chaplaincy work on the frontline with the police? Or experiencing the worst humans can do to each other up close? This is The Silent Why, a podcast on a mission to open up conversations around grief, to see if hope can be found in 101 different types of permanent loss. Loss #56 of 101: Loss in the role of a Police Chaplain Meet Jared Altic, a returning podcast guest who is here to talk to us about what it's like to work as a full-time Pastor, voluntary Police Chaplain...
Sep 24, 2024•53 min•Ep. 112
#111. So, is grief selfish? I mean it's largely about something we're sad about. It's something we've lost or miss. So, is it a selfish thing? Let's open up this can of worms, shall we?! Welcome to another My Why from Claire Sandys (co-host of The Silent Why podcast). My Why episodes are audio versions of my latest blog post. If you'd prefer to read it, you can find it here: https://www.thesilentwhy.com/post/is-grief-selfish I overheard a conversation in a charity shop, and it really made me che...
Sep 10, 2024•32 min•Ep. 111
#110. Do you find the summer hard, painful, a reminder of things you don't have? Whether you have children, don't have children, go on holiday, don't go on holiday - things do shift a bit in this month, and because of that, things are a bit different at The Silent Why HQ too. Welcome to another episode from me, Claire Sandys, host of The Silent Why podcast. This one is a bit of an update on what's happening over the next few weeks, and why. I've decided to repeat what I did last year and take so...
Aug 06, 2024•11 min•Ep. 110
#109. What if your loved one doesn't have a 'good' death? How do you cope with the trauma of witnessing someone suffer at the end of their life? This is The Silent Why, a podcast on a mission to open up conversations around grief, to see if hope can be found in 101 different types of permanent loss. Loss #55 of 101: Loss through a bad/complex death In this episode we chat to Kay Backhouse, in Morecombe, Lancashire, about the death of her youngest brother, Syd, to neuroendocrine cancer in 2019. K...
Jul 23, 2024•59 min•Ep. 109
#108. I've always loved graveyards. I'm not sure what it is about them that draws me in, but a little while ago I decided to record my musings as I wander round them. So that's what these Graveyard Musing episodes are, just me and my phone, in a graveyard. And sometimes I go international (like this one) and sometimes Chris joins me (like this one). Anyway, welcome to another Graveyard Musing from me, Claire Sandys (host of The Silent Why podcast). In this musing, Chris (husband) and I are wande...
Jul 09, 2024•33 min•Ep. 108
#107. Let's Chat... about what day-to-day life is like working in, or visiting, a hospice. Let’s Chat episodes chat to guests who have experience/expertise in a particular area of loss. In this episode, I (Claire Sandys) chat to Maddy Bass (Director of Nursing) and Kay Backhouse (Clinical Administrator) who both work at St John's Hospice in Lancashire. Maddy has wanted to work with people who are dying all her life and is passionate about her work and providing the best possible care, and Kay ha...
Jun 25, 2024•59 min•Ep. 107
#106. Ever felt the grip of serious addiction? Drink and drug addictions can destroy life, but what about the person in recovery who's celebrating being 'clean' while also having to accept the loss of the many things ruined by years of misuse? This is The Silent Why, a podcast on a mission to open up conversations around grief, to see if hope can be found in 101 different types of loss. Loss #54 of 101: Loss through addiction We're so excited to share this episode, not only is it an episode that...
Jun 11, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 106
BONUS EPISODE TIME! This is The Silent Why, a podcast on a mission to open up conversations around grief, to see if hope can be found in 101 different types of loss. In last week's episode (Loss 53) we spoke to a friend of ours, Laura Burns, about alopecia and coming to terms with the loss of her hair, but she wasn't the only one sat in the podcast studio for that in-person interview. Quietly perched in the corner was husband, Jonathon (a friend of ours, which is how we met Laura in the first pl...
Jun 04, 2024•19 min
#105. What's it like to suddenly start losing your hair at the age of 22? How open should you be about it when start dating? This is The Silent Why, a podcast on a mission to open up conversations around grief, to see if hope can be found in 101 different types of loss. Loss #53 of 101: Loss of hair through alopecia Meet Laura Burns, a social worker for an anti modern-slavery charity, but also a friend of ours who lives in The Black Country. Laura married our friend Jonathon in 2022, and we had ...
May 28, 2024•36 min•Ep. 105
