Grief Is Not Just Sadness - Mary-Frances O'Connor

Have you ever felt the type of grief where it seemed like you would never recover, like your heart was actually broken? Whether it's a member of your family, a friend or a beloved pet, all of us will experience the loss of a loved one, and the deep and difficult emotions that follow. One of the reasons grief can be so difficult is actually more about our brains than our hearts. Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor has been studying grief for decades, and she has learned its profound effects on our brains and our bodies. She will reveal some surprising insights about why our minds struggle to understand and process when someone is gone. She'll also provide some very practical ways to help us cope with one of the most difficult experiences of our lives. Plus, how some animals grieve on land and sea. For more information, transcripts, and all episodes, please visit For more about Weill Cornell Medicine Neurological Surgery, please visit

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Grief Is Not Just Sadness - Mary-Frances O'Connor is an episode from This Is Your Brain With Dr. Phil Stieg by Dr. Phil Stieg.

This episode is 36:39 long.

This episode was published on Oct 3, 2025.

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