If you’ve ever felt pressured to “push through” grief alone, episode 392 of the Grief and Happiness Podcast is a must-listen. Evermore founder Joyal Mulheron shares what she learned after losing her daughter—how bereavement can quietly damage a person’s health, stability, and future, and how our systems often worsen the pain. Drawing on years of policy work and real stories from grieving families, she reveals what truly helps people begin to recover. Her insights will change how you understand loss and how you support others through it.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

(01:03) Joyal’s story and the loss that changed her mission

(02:10) Leaving policy work to build Evermore

(04:19) What national tragedies revealed about America’s grief gap

(06:02) What six years of listening taught her about bereavement

(07:45) The real health and economic costs of grief

(09:57) Why people pull away—and how to truly support a griever

(11:54) Emily’s turning point: the power of saying yes

(17:30) Why community witnessing matters

(18:47) The harm of common grief clichés

(21:37) How workplaces often get grief wrong

(23:12) How loss reshapes relationships

(29:31) Reconnecting with long-lost friends during grief

(33:14) Finding meaning—and why systemic change is urgent

Joyal Mulheron is the founder and executive director of Evermore, a national nonprofit working to improve how society supports bereaved people. After a policy career advising governors, federal agencies, and the White House on science-based public health strategy, the death of her daughter redirected her work toward understanding the real impact of loss. Since then, she has become a leading advocate for reform, helping secure paid bereavement leave for U.S. Armed Forces and creating the country’s first community bereavement response guide. Her mission bridges science, policy, and community action to build more compassionate and effective systems for those experiencing grief.

In the episode, Joyal explains how personal tragedy revealed the deep health, social, and economic effects of bereavement—and how current systems consistently fall short. Drawing on years of research and conversations with families nationwide, she emphasizes that bereavement is a life-altering event that requires more than emotional support. She shares how Evermore pushes for stronger national policies, better community responses, and evidence-based tools that help people “weather” loss rather than face it alone. Her insights highlight the urgent need for more humane, prepared, and responsive structures for grieving individuals.

Connect with Joyal Mulheron:

Evermore Website

Evermore Instagram

LinkedIn

Instagram

Let's Connect:

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