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WHO THIS EPISODE HELPS: Anyone grieving estranged parents, unresolved loss, or complicated grief.
WHAT LISTENERS WILL GET: Insight into estrangement grief, anger, family abandonment, and paths to healing.

DESCRIPTION:
In this episode of Our Dead Dads Podcast, host Nick Gaylord speaks with Mary Fields about the deeply complicated grief of losing an estranged parent. Mary’s father had been absent from her life for nearly two decades when she suddenly became responsible for managing his affairs after his death. She describes the overwhelming burden of cleaning out a hoarder’s home, facing shocking realities, and stepping into the role of next-of-kin for someone she barely knew. Together, Nick and Mary unpack the invisible grief of estrangement, the anger of abandonment, and the conflicted emotions of honoring someone who offered little in return. Mary opens up about her therapy journey, the release that came from processing her emotions, and the dignity she ultimately chose to give her father through a military service. This powerful conversation highlights resilience, compassion, and the courage it takes to grieve what never was.

This episode answers:

• How do you grieve an estranged parent you barely knew?
• What happens when you become responsible for a parent’s affairs after decades of absence?
• Why does parental estrangement create such complicated grief?
• How can therapy help with unresolved anger and grief toward absent parents?
• What lessons can be learned from honoring someone who never showed up for you?

Key Takeaways:

• Estrangement creates unique grief challenges distinct from typical loss.
• Managing a parent’s affairs can feel like business, not grief.
• Therapy provides space to process anger, abandonment, and unresolved emotions.
• Honoring someone with dignity can offer healing even in fractured relationships.
• Grief can surface for what never existed, not just what was lost.

MARY’S LINKS:

FACEBOOK (BUSINESS): https://www.facebook.com/merryassistant
FACEBOOK (PERSONAL): https://www.facebook.com/nononopenope
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/merryassistant/

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