The Neuroscience of Grief (Part 1): The Science of Grief How Loss Reshapes the Brain and Body with Dr. D’Marti Burgos

Grief isn’t just emotional—it’s neurological. In this first part of a two-part series, host Julienne Irons speaks with Dr. D’Marti Burgos, a physician with deep expertise in neuroscience, to uncover what really happens to the brain and body when we grieve.

Dr. Burgos explains how grief reshapes neural pathways, why our responses feel so unpredictable, and the difference between grief and depression. The conversation also explores the many forms of grief beyond bereavement—anticipatory, disenfranchised, digital, and ecological—and the physical toll grief can take, from fatigue to chronic pain.

This episode lays the scientific groundwork for understanding grief as a whole-body experience. In part two, we’ll continue the conversation with Dr. Burgos as we turn toward childhood, collective, and generational trauma—and how we can begin to heal it.

Episode Highlights
00:00 Introduction to Grief
01:25 Sponsor Message: 3 of Cups
02:25 Welcoming Dr. D'Marti Burgos
03:39 Understanding Grief from a Neuroscientific Perspective
06:17 The Brain's Learning and Unlearning Process
16:05 Grief vs. Depression
19:23 Exploring Different Types of Grief
31:28 Sponsor Message: Healing After Loss
32:57 Coping with Disenfranchised Grief
34:53 Physical and Emotional Manifestations of Grief
38:14 Why Grief Resurfaces
39:35 Conclusion and Next Episode Teaser