Grief 2 Growth
A podcast exploring personal transformation through adversity, primarily through interviews with survivors of near-death experiences and major trauma.
This is a spiritual interview show where host Brian D. Smith explores personal transformation through adversity. He primarily interviews survivors of near-death experiences (NDEs) and other major traumas, using their stories as a lens to discuss consciousness, resilience, and finding purpose after loss. The show is built on the premise that life's hardest challenges are not wounds to survive, but invitations to grow.
“The show's tight focus on near-death experiences and framing all adversity—from grief to accidents—as a spiritual "invitation" for growth. The host's gentle, non-interrogative style creates a safe space for guests to share profound, often paranormal, experiences in full detail.”
Who hosts this show
Brian D. Smith is a certified grief educator, life coach, and mental fitness trainer who hosts the Grief 2 Growth podcast. His work is informed by his own personal tragedy, the sudden passing of his 15-year-old daughter Shayna in 2015. This event catalyzed his deep dive into the nature of grief, the afterlife, and spiritual growth, leading him to create a platform to help others navigate loss. Before starting his coaching practice in 2019, Smith had a career in corporate IT sales and ran an online hair care company.
Credentials & credits
- Certified Grief Educator
- Certified Life Coach
- Mental Fitness Trainer
- Author, "Grief 2 Growth: Planted. Not Buried."
- Public Speaker (IANDS, Helping Parents Heal)
- Board Member, Helping Parents Heal
Other ventures
- Grief2Growth.com (Coaching & Courses)
- Grief 2 Growth Substack
- Helping Parents Heal (Volunteer & Board Member)
- The SoulPhone Foundation (Board Member)
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01
- 02Finding the Will to Recover: Nick Prefontaine | EP 493Jun 23, 2026 · 55 min
- 03How to Break Karmic Cycle — with Liane Marie Lambert | EP 492Jun 17, 2026 · 1h 00m
- 04How to Break Karmic Cycles and Step Into Your Dharma — with Liane Marie LambertJun 16, 2026 · 56 min
- 05The Monsters in the Basement: Facing the Fears That Come With GriefJun 14, 2026 · 6 min
- 06Why Loss Lives in Your Body (and How to Release It) | Kurtis Lee Thomas | EP 491Jun 11, 2026 · 1h 02m
- 07
- 08They Told Me I Was Born BrokenJun 10, 2026 · 10 min
Notable episodes
- 01"You Are Loved More Than You Could Ever Imagine" — A Near Death Experience | Jonathan Ashford
A quintessential episode featuring a guest who claims he was clinically dead for three hours and shares a detailed account of his life review and the spiritual teachings he received.
- 02Finding the Will to Recover: Nick Prefontaine
A powerful story of resilience where the guest recounts defying a dire medical prognosis after a snowboarding accident, ultimately running out of the hospital that said he'd never walk again.
- 03How to Break Karmic Cycles and Step Into Your Dharma — with Liane Marie Lambert
This episode clearly articulates the show's spiritual framework, using the guest's NDE (being hit by a bus) as a launchpad to discuss concepts like karma, dharma, and manifestation.
What you'll be asked on this show
Brian D. Smith's interview style is that of a gentle, spiritual guide. He opens episodes with a thematic, often meditative, monologue to set the tone. His first question to a guest is typically a broad invitation to share their origin story, such as "Can you take me back to..." or "Can you start by telling us about..." He then becomes an active listener, allowing guests to speak for long, uninterrupted stretches. His interjections are minimal, usually serving to paraphrase a guest's point for clarity or to gently steer the conversation toward a broader spiritual concept. He does not push back or challenge, but rather creates a safe, receptive space for guests to share their deeply personal and often paranormal experiences.
The format is primarily long-form interviews, but includes occasional solo monologue episodes where the host shares personal reflections. Interviews typically begin with the host's meditative monologue before he introduces the guest. He then cedes the floor, allowing guests to narrate their core trauma or transformation story with minimal interruption.
Questions the host keeps coming back to
10 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
origin
1- Q.01
“Can you start by telling us about your [accident/near-death experience]?”
This is his standard opening move to have the guest establish their core trauma story.
process
2- Q.01
“What specifically changed for you in the immediate aftermath of your experience?”
He asks this to connect the traumatic event to the guest's subsequent transformation.
- Q.02
“What was it about that experience that triggered your awakening?”
This question seeks to pinpoint the exact catalyst for the guest's personal growth.
personal
2- Q.01
“Did you have any spiritual or out-of-body experiences during that time?”
A recurring question that probes for the show's core interest in NDEs and paranormal events.
- Q.02
“What was the reaction from others when you defied their expectations?”
This question highlights the contrast between the guest's outcome and external predictions, emphasizing resilience.
values
1- Q.01
“What does [key spiritual concept like 'karma'] mean to you personally?”
Used to transition from the personal story to the guest's broader philosophical framework.
relationships
1- Q.01
“How did the people around you influence your mindset during your recovery?”
This explores the role of community and relationships in the healing process.
technique
1- Q.01
“Can you explain your concept of [guest's specific theory]?”
This allows the guest to elaborate on the unique intellectual property they've developed from their experience.
craft
1- Q.01
“What's a common misconception people have about [your core idea]?”
A follow-up question used to challenge common assumptions and clarify the guest's message.
advice
1- Q.01
“What's your advice for navigating the challenges of the world today?”
He often asks this toward the end to provide listeners with actionable takeaways.
Signature segments
- · Opening meditative monologue: "Close your eyes and imagine..."
- · Thematic tagline: "Planted. Not buried."
- · Host sign-off: "This is Grief to Growth, and I am your host, Brian Smith."
- · Framing adversity as an "invitation to become"
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically authors, coaches, or speakers who have survived a profound trauma, often a near-death experience, and have subsequently built a framework, book, or philosophy from it.
- Jonathan Ashfordon "You Are Loved More Than You Could Ever Imagine" — A Near Death Experience | Jonathan Ashford
- Nick Prefontaineon Finding the Will to Recover: Nick Prefontaine | EP 493
- Liane Marie Lamberton How to Break Karmic Cycles and Step Into Your Dharma — with Liane Marie Lambert
- Kurtis Lee Thomason Breathwork for Grief: Why Loss Lives in Your Body (and How to Release It) | Kurtis Lee Thomas
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
Sponsorship is primarily from the host's own coaching services, books, and digital products available on his website. The show also promotes thematically aligned partners like the International Association for Near-Death Studies (IANDS) conference.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch this show
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People also ask
- What is the host's real name?
- The host is Brian D. Smith. He uses the middle initial 'D' to distinguish himself.
- What is the format of the show?
- It's primarily a long-form interview podcast, with occasional solo monologue episodes from the host.
- What is the show's central theme?
- The show's theme is finding growth through grief and adversity, often explored through the lens of near-death experiences and other spiritual phenomena.
- Is the podcast still being produced?
- Yes, the podcast is active and releases episodes frequently.
- How did the host get into this topic?
- Brian D. Smith's journey began after the sudden passing of his 15-year-old daughter in 2015, which led him to dedicate his life to understanding grief and the afterlife.
- How can I pitch a guest for the show?
- The show's website, grief2growth.com, provides contact information. Guests are typically authors or experts who have survived significant trauma and have a message of growth.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Official Websitegrief2growth.com
- [02]About Me - Grief 2 Growthgrief2growth.com
- [03]Podcast Page - Grief 2 Growthgrief2growth.com
- [04]Bold Journey Magazine Interviewboldjourney.com
- [05]Grief Certified Coach Profilegrief-certified-coach.griefcertification.com
- [06]Apple Podcasts Profilepodcasts.apple.com
- [07]Open to Hope Contributor Pageopentohope.com
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