Host: Melissa Wheeler Farag, Attorney–Mediator
Podcast: High Vibe Divorce
Listen on: Spotify
Website: @highvibedivorce

In this deeply personal and emotionally resonant episode, Melissa explores one of the most overlooked yet universal aspects of divorce—grief. She shares her own story of profound loss, including the passing of her mother and partner, and how these experiences have shaped her compassionate approach to mediation and emotional healing.
Divorce is more than a legal process—it’s a breakup, a transformation, and an invitation to face yourself. Melissa walks listeners through the five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance) and reflects on how each one shows up uniquely in divorce.

She also discusses how grief intertwines with anxiety, identity loss, and emotional surrender, emphasizing that feeling your feelings—rather than avoiding them—is the true path toward acceptance and peace.

• Grief is normal and valid—even if you initiated the divorce.

• You’re not just grieving the person, but also the future you imagined and the version of yourself who believed in it.

• Anger can mask sadness—honor the emotion, but don’t stay stuck there.

• Acceptance doesn’t mean approval; it means acknowledging what is and creating space for new joy.

• The path through grief is not linear—allow your process to unfold and change over time.

“Repressed and suppressed feelings require counter-energy to keep them submerged.
As these feelings are relinquished, the energy that had been holding down the negativity is freed for creativity, growth, and relationships.”
— David R. Hawkins, Letting Go Deck

• Book: Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief by Claire Bidwell Smith, LCPC

• Book & Deck: Letting Go by David R. Hawkins

• Emotional Guidance Scale (available at highvibemediation.com)

Grief is not weakness—it’s evidence of love, growth, and transformation. Whether you’re mourning your marriage, your dreams, or your old self, know that you’re not alone. By acknowledging grief, you create the energetic space for acceptance, renewal, and higher vibration.

💔 Episode Overview

In this deeply personal and emotionally resonant episode, Melissa explores one of the most overlooked yet universal aspects of divorce—grief. She shares her own story of profound loss, including the passing of her mother and partner, and how these experiences have shaped her compassionate approach to mediation and emotional healing.
Divorce is more than a legal process—it’s a breakup, a transformation, and an invitation to face yourself. Melissa walks listeners through the five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance) and reflects on how each one shows up uniquely in divorce.

She also discusses how grief intertwines with anxiety, identity loss, and emotional surrender, emphasizing that feeling your feelings—rather than avoiding them—is the true path toward acceptance and peace.

• Grief is normal and valid—even if you initiated the divorce.

• You’re not just grieving the person, but also the future you imagined and the version of yourself who believed in it.

• Anger can mask sadness—honor the emotion, but don’t stay stuck there.

• Acceptance doesn’t mean approval; it means acknowledging what is and creating space for new joy.

• The path through grief is not linear—allow your process to unfold and change over time.

“Repressed and suppressed feelings require counter-energy to keep them submerged.
As these feelings are relinquished, the energy that had been holding down the negativity is freed for creativity, growth, and relationships.”
— David R. Hawkins, Letting Go Deck

• Book: Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief by Claire Bidwell Smith, LCPC

• Book & Deck: Letting Go by David R. Hawkins

• Emotional Guidance Scale (available at highvibemediation.com)

Grief is not weakness—it’s evidence of love, growth, and transformation. Whether you’re mourning your marriage, your dreams, or your old self, know that you’re not alone. By acknowledging grief, you create the energetic space for acceptance, renewal, and higher vibration.