Dr. Karen Kramer, Intuitive Energy Facilitator & Grief Transformation Guide

A few weeks ago, I woke up to a text I never expected to receive.

The daughter of my dear friend Stephanie—a woman I’ve known for nearly 30 years—shared that her mom wasn’t doing well and invited those who loved her to come to the hospital to say goodbye.

As I drove the hour there, I began feeling Stephanie.

For those who know me, you know I am deeply intuitive. And what I felt more strongly than anything was an overwhelming sense of **joy and freedom**.

“I’m free!”

Again and again:

“I’m free!”

At the time, I believed she was still alive.

When I arrived, her daughter hugged me tightly.

“I’m sorry, Auntie. I’m sorry.”

That’s when I learned Stephanie had already passed.❤️

Stephanie wasn’t only a dear friend. She holds a very special place in the story of 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧.

I have often called her one of the “poster children” for why I wrote the book.

After losing her husband, Stephanie carried tremendous grief and guilt for years—particularly the belief that she should somehow have been able to save him.

Later, after being diagnosed with stage-two colon cancer, she began questioning what she had been carrying emotionally all those years.

She reached out to me, and we did release work around some of those emotions.

Afterward, she told me about the changes she experienced—the guilt she released, her changing perspective, her happiness, her travels, her hiking, and the way she began living differently.

And she generously agreed to share her experience as one of the Grief Survivor Case Studies in 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧.

At her Celebration of Life, as I sat with Stephanie’s family and friends, watching nearly four dozen people experience the loss of the 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀, something became very clear to me again:

When we experience a loss, we aren’t necessarily grieving only what just happened...

A new loss can touch every unprocessed loss that came before it.

A death can awaken another death.

A hospital room can bring us back to another hospital room.

A divorce can awaken an earlier abandonment.

A song, smell, photograph, birthday or anniversary can open an emotional door we thought we had closed years ago.

And that doesn’t mean there is something wrong with us. It may simply mean there is something still asking to be felt.

This is why we need healthier conversations about grief.

So, in honor of Stephanie, for the next 13 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘴, I’m opening up a deeper conversation about Healthy Grief.

Not 13 weeks of sadness. 𝟭𝟯 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻.

About love. Loss. The body. Triggers. Relationships. Healing. Death. Joy.

And even freedom.

Next week, I’ll introduce you to Stephanie in a very special way: Through her own voice.

Before her passing, Stephanie recorded her Grief Survivor story for 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧. I’m honored that her voice, and what she learned through her journey, can continue touching others.

For now… Stephanie, thank you for trusting me. Thank you for sharing your story. Thank you for helping inspire 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧.

Rest well, Sis. I love you!

𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲. ❤️

🌺 The body remembers. And perhaps the soul does, too.

As I prepared for Stephanie MacGilfrey’s Celebration of Life, I’ve found myself returning to something that has been part of my life since I was nine years old: Polynesian dance.

After decades of dancing with my hālau, I danced again this week in preparation for Stephanie’s celebration. And yes… my body is definitely reminding me that dancing is a workout! 😂

But something beautiful is happening, too.

My hands remember. My hips remember. My feet remember. The music, the culture, the aloha, the ʻohana... it all comes rushing back.

So I took my practice into the pool, the last place I recorded Stephanie dancing.

For a moment, time disappears. I can hear the laughter, feel my ʻohana, and remember all the years we shared.

And now, I danced once more with my hālau sisters in honor of one of our own.

Stephanie, this one is for you. One more time, we dance and remember you. ❤️🌺

Me ke aloha pumehana.

Hard seasons have a way of changing us.

They stretch us, challenge us, and sometimes take us places we never expected to go. But they can also reveal strength, wisdom, and resilience we didn't know we had.

If you're walking through a difficult chapter right now, remember that this moment is not the entirety of your story.

You may not understand the purpose of this season yet. You don't have to.

Just keep moving forward, one step at a time. There may be something beautiful waiting on the other side that you can't see yet. 💙

Honoring my dear hālau sister, Stephanie MacGilfrey. ❤️🌺

I’m still finding my way through the grief of losing Stephanie just a few weeks ago.

For 36 years, she was my sister in dance and, over time, so much more. She was loving, generous, joyful, and the kind of person who would show up when you needed her most.

Stephanie’s journey through loss, cancer, and grief became deeply intertwined with my own work. Her courage and willingness to explore her grief helped inspire 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧, and her story became one of the 30 grief survivor stories featured in the book.

And now, I find myself living the very lessons I teach.

No amount of professional experience, research, or understanding makes losing someone you love hurt less.

Grief is grief.

We can feel peace and devastation. Joy and sorrow. Spiritual connection and deep physical absence. There is no contradiction, and there is no “right” way to grieve.

So today, I’m allowing myself to feel it all.

And I’m remembering Stephanie the way she lived: with a big heart, a beautiful smile, and a determination to LIVE.

Dance. Travel. Climb the mountain. Take the adventure. Love your people. Give the hug. Say the words. Live while you are here.

Until we dance together again, Stephanie. 🌺💕

🌿 Have you ever felt like your grief was invisible, unspoken, or misunderstood?

August 30th was National Grief Awareness Day, and in honor of that we pause to recognize every form of grief:
💔 The loss of a loved one
💔 The end of a relationship or friendship
💔 A job, health, or dream that slipped away

Grief touches us all. And together, we can make space for these conversations so no one feels like they have to carry it alone. 💜

Throughout September, I’ll be sharing:
✨ Insights from the Healthy GRIEF Framework – 5 steps to guide your healing
✨ The SARAH Model – understanding the natural shifts of grief
✨ Stories of disenfranchised grief – the hidden losses many don’t see
✨ Rituals & practices that bring comfort and resilience
✨ Personal stories from my own journey
✨ Highlights from the Grief Awareness & Education Conference on Sept 24th & 25th

💌 If you’d like easier access to these golden nuggets (without scrolling through social media), join my newsletter community—link in the comments below.

Together, we can normalize grief, support one another, and find hope along the way. 🌈

If you’ve read 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧, I’d love to hear from you.

Whether the book helped you navigate your own grief, supported someone you love, or simply gave you a new perspective on loss, your experience matters.

Would you take a few minutes to leave a review? Your words may be exactly what someone else needs to see when they’re searching for support, understanding, and a healthy way forward.

And if you know someone who has read 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧 and found it helpful, please encourage them to share their experience, too.

Thank you for helping me continue the conversation around what grief really is and reminding others that they don't have to navigate it alone. 💙

Sometimes grief feels like this view. The fog is thick. The path ahead isn't clear. You may wonder if you'll ever see beyond the heaviness you're carrying.

But the mountains are still there. And slowly, sometimes almost imperceptibly, the light begins to break through.

Grief doesn't disappear simply because a new day arrives. Healing isn't about pretending the fog wasn't there. It's about learning that you can move through it, even when you can't yet see what lies ahead.

There may be moments of beauty alongside the sadness. Moments of peace alongside the pain. Moments when the light reaches you unexpectedly.

If you're in a season of grief, keep going gently.

The fog is not the whole story. There is still light beyond it.🌄

Ever wonder what I’m really like?

I asked ChatGPT to “Describe me like you’re trying to warm someone before they meet me.”

And honestly… it was pretty accurate.

I’m not much of a small-talk person. Give me a few minutes and we may be talking about your purpose, your intuition, a relationship you’re navigating, or something you already know you’ve outgrown.

I’m curious, deeply feeling, a little spiritual, very vision-driven, and always interested in meaningful connection. I can talk about energy and synchronicities one minute and business strategy the next.

I also overthink, overgive, and occasionally have about 47 ideas before breakfast. 😆

But underneath it all, my WHY is simple:

𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀.

So if we’re going to meet, come as yourself. That’s the person I really want to know. ❤️

Consider this your official reminder to stop taking life quite so seriously. 💋✨

Sending a little love, a little sass, and a whole lot of good energy your way.

Yes, do the healing work. Yes, grow through the hard stuff. But don't forget to laugh, flirt with life, soak up the sunshine, and have a little fun while you're at it. 😉

Consider this your permission slip to choose joy today. 💕