Turning Grief Into Your Superpower with Patrick McCarthy

Grief doesn’t only happen when someone dies. It can show up after a breakup, a major life change, losing a job, losing a version of your future, or saying goodbye to a person or chapter you thought would always be there.

In this episode, Olivia sits down with Patrick McCarthy (@misterpjm) for an honest conversation about what grief actually does to us, emotionally, physically, and even in the way we see our lives.

After losing his mom, Patrick began sharing openly about grief online and quickly found that thousands of people were carrying versions of the same pain. Together, he and Olivia talk about what it means to stop running from grief, how to live alongside it, and how loss can eventually reshape the way you love, connect, and choose to live.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Why grief can feel so lonely, even when loss is universal What happens when you avoid, suppress, or outrun grief How grief can show up physically in your body Why there is no “right” way or timeline to grieve How to handle jealousy when other people still have what you lost Why you may feel guilty for laughing, feeling joy, or not being “sad enough” How grief can make it scary to love and attach to people again Ways to keep someone’s memory alive after they’re gone How to support someone you love who is grieving Why grief can change what matters to you, and sometimes become a source of meaning, courage, and deeper loveWhether your grief is fresh, years old, or tied to a loss that looks completely different from someone else’s, this episode is a reminder that you don’t have to grieve perfectly. You just have to let yourself grieve honestly.

Connect with Patrick

Instagram + TikTok: @misterpjm

Website: We The Grievers

Connect with Olivia

Instagram: @twentysomething_podcast

TikTok: @twentysomething_podcast

YouTube: @TwentySomething-OliviaBurnett