{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Heather Loses Garrett To Accidental Overdose","description":"On Episode 5 of Season 9 of The Surviving Siblings Podcast\u00ae, host Maya Roffler is joined by Dr. Heather Taylor, a surviving sibling, therapist, and grief advocate, who shares the story of losing her brother, Garrett, to an accidental overdose, and how that loss completely reshaped her life, her career, and her mission in the grief space. Heather takes us back to her childhood growing up in a small town in Washington State, where she and her younger brother Garrett were raised surrounded by nature, imagination, and a deep sibling bond. They were each other\u2019s constant\u2014playing outside, competing in sports, and later maintaining a close relationship into adulthood through what she lovingly calls their \u201csibling dates.\u201d Garrett was her biggest champion, the voice that reminded her who she was when she doubted herself. That bond makes what happened next even more devastating. In November 2009, just one month after a meaningful late-night conversation where Heather reminded Garrett she would love him no matter what, her world shattered. Garrett died suddenly from an accidental overdose after unknowingly taking methadone in combination with other substances. The loss was shocking, confusing, and layered with complicated emotions, especially as the family tried to make sense of what had happened in real time. Heather shares the raw early days of grief\u2014the shock, the numbness, the need to \u201cdo something\u201d (even if that meant cutting out holiday apron patterns just to keep moving), and the surreal experience of planning a memorial while still trying to process the reality that her brother was gone. What followed was years of unprocessed grief, anger, and searching for support that didn\u2019t exist in the way she needed. After multiple frustrating experiences trying to find a therapist who truly understood grief, Heather made a life-changing decision: she would become the therapist she couldn\u2019t find. This episode is a powerful reminder that grief is not something to \u201cget over,\u201d but something to live with, integrate, and carry forward\u2014and that healing happens not by rushing the process, but by allowing grief to take up space in our lives. In This Episode: (0:00:00) \u2013 Meet Heather + Remembering Garrett Heather shares her childhood, growing up close with her younger brother, and the deep bond they carried into adulthood. (0:02:30) \u2013 Growing Up in Nature + A Strong Sibling Bond From building forts in the woods to sibling dates in college, Heather reflects on their connection and Garrett\u2019s role as her biggest supporter. (0:08:30) \u2013 The Conversation A late-night moment one month before Garrett\u2019s death becomes a memory Heather carries with her forever. (0:10:00) \u2013 The Day Everything Changed Heather describes the moment her parents showed up at her office and how she learned Garrett had died unexpectedly. (0:13:00) \u2013 Understanding What Happened The family learns Garrett died from an accidental overdose, adding layers of confusion, anger, and heartbreak. (0:16:00) \u2013 Shock, Numbness, and \u201cDoing Something\u201d Heather shares how early grief felt\u2014and why simple tasks like making aprons became a way to cope. (0:20:00) \u2013 The Memorial + Early Grief Reactions Planning Garrett\u2019s service, wanting more photos, and navigating overwhelming emotions. (0:22:00) \u2013 Finding a \u201cGrief Buddy\u201d Heather reflects on how connecting with someone else grieving helped her feel less alone. (0:31:00) \u2013 The Importance of Finding the Right Therapist Why connection matters more than credentials\u2014and how to know when it\u2019s not the right fit. (0:36:00) \u2013 Grief as the \u201cNew Normal\u201d Heather shares how she built her practice and podcast around redefining grief as something we integrate, not overcome. (0:43:00) \u2013 Grief vs. Trauma Why not everything needs to be labeled as trauma\u2014and how grief deserves its own space. (0:47:00) \u2013 The \u201cGrief Cyclone\u201d Explained Heather introduces her powerful metaphor for how grief moves over time\u2014not in stages, but in cycles. (0:51:00) \u2013 Final Advice for the Newly Bereaved Why grief gets to take up space, why there\u2019s no timeline, and how to move at your own pace. This episode is sponsored by Grief Is The New Normal Connect with Heather: Website: https:\/\/clinicians.griefisthenewnormal.com\/homepage Facebook: https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/people\/Grief-is-the-New-Normal-Psychological-Services\/61555887374241\/ Instagram: https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/grief_is_the_new_normal\/ Youtube: http:\/\/youtube.com\/@Grief_Is_The_New_Normal TikTok: https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@grief.is.the.new.normal Connect with Maya: Podcast Instagram: https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/survivingsiblingspodcast\/ Maya's Instagram: https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/mayaroffler\/ TikTok: https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@survivingsiblingspodcast Twitter: https:\/\/x.com\/survivingsibpod Website: thesurvivingsiblings.com Facebook Group: The Surviving Siblings Podcast YouTube: The Surviving Siblings Podcast Patreon: https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/TheSurvivingSiblingsPodcast   ","author_name":"The Surviving Siblings\u00ae","author_url":"https:\/\/www.thesurvivingsiblings.com","html":"