What happens when grief isn’t something you remember—but something you’ve carried your whole life?

In this deeply personal episode of Take Off the Mask, host CasieCasem sits down with Dr. Katie Wiggins, Ed.D, LMHC, founder of Uprooted: Where Healing is Planted LLC, licensed mental health counselor, and grief educator. Casie and Katie are not just professionals in the world of healing—they're survivors. Both lost a parent to homicide. Both are members of Project Cold Case. And years ago, Katie was the first grief counselor Casie ever worked with.

Together, they explore what it means when grief finds you—and refuses to leave.

This conversation dives into:

• How grief shows up in hidden ways
• The grief of not knowing a lost parent
• Body-based trauma and nervous system regulation
• The myth of closure and the truth about healing
• The loneliness of violent loss
• Turning pain into purpose through advocacy and storytelling
• Creative expression as a grief response
• What to say—and what not to say—to someone who’s grieving

Whether you're holding a fresh wound or a lifelong ache, this episode offers space, solidarity, and soul-level reflection. It’s not about “getting over it”—it’s about honoring the life that continues, even in the shadow of loss.

💬 Connect with Dr. Katie Wiggins:

🌿 Website: https://uprootedhealing.com
🧠 Client Portal: https://katie-wiggins.clientsecure.me
📞 Phone: 904-993-2486

🕊️ Resources Mentioned:

• Project Cold Case – Advocacy and support for families of unsolved homicide victims
• CTFOD.com – Casie’s nonprofit supporting mental health and grief healing

✏️ Aftercare Prompt:

If this episode stirred something in you, take a moment to reflect:
What part of me is still grieving what I never got to say?
What part of me is still worthy of love, even in sadness?

Grief is not a problem to solve.
It’s proof that love once lived.
You are not alone. You are human. And you are held.

To learn more about Casie's mother, Melissa “Missy” Taylor Ellison, visit her Project Cold Case spotlight at projectcoldcase.org/2019/06/10/melissa-ellison.
To read about Dr. Katie Wiggins’ father, Stephen Wiggins, visit projectcoldcase.org/2015/04/25/cold-case-spotlight-stephen-wiggins.