Amanda Kloots' Most Emotional Interview Yet: The Truth About Grief No One Talks AboutAmanda Kloots' Most Emotional Interview Yet: The Truth About Grief No One Talks About
The Brain Warrior's Way Podcast
Dr Daniel Amen and Amanda Kloots talk about her experiences of divorce, widowhood and raising a child after loss, alongside detailed discussion of brain scans and emotional healing. The conversation touches on exercise, writing, EMDR, alcohol use and practical ways to support the brain during intense grief.
1:30:57•13 Jul 2026
Grief, Brain Scans and Joy: Amanda Kloots with Dr Daniel Amen
Episode Overview
- Daily movement, such as walking or jumping rope, can act as a strong antidepressant and support brain chemistry during grief.
- Writing about painful experiences helps process trauma and has been shown to be healing for grief.
- Techniques like EMDR and havening can reduce the emotional intensity of traumatic memories and anniversaries.
- Challenging "automatic negative thoughts" and asking whether they are actually true can change emotional outcomes.
- Reducing alcohol use supports brain health, mood and long-term wellbeing, especially after major loss.
“Never let their grief to be their excuse to hurt themselves.”
Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This conversation between Dr Daniel Amen and television host, author and fitness entrepreneur Amanda Kloots centres on grief, brain health and the surprising tools that help people keep going when life hits hardest.
Amanda talks openly about losing her husband Nick Cordero after 95 days in intensive care during COVID-19, describing how doctors urged her to stop hoping: "The hospital and doctors asked me to give up many, many, many times, but I was like, absolutely not." She explains how she felt grief as "floating in space" in an astronaut suit, and why she now shares that image with new widows and widowers to help them feel less alone.
You’ll hear how her divorce was the first time she tasted deep grief and anxiety, and how later loss reshaped her outlook. Dr Amen walks through her brain scan, showing strong frontal lobes and a highly active emotional centre, and links this to her resilience and ability to stay focused on caring for her son Elvis while processing intense pain. There’s lots here for anyone dealing with addiction, anxiety or bereavement.
The pair talk about exercise as "the best antidepressant", the way jumping rope and dancing for hours on Dancing with the Stars became "one of the most healing experiences" of Amanda’s life, and how writing her memoir helped her make sense of trauma. They also dig into EMDR and havening, simple techniques for calming painful memories, and Dr Amen’s method of challenging "automatic negative thoughts" so you don’t believe every "stupid thing" your mind throws up.
Alcohol use gets a frank reality check, with Dr Amen arguing that it damages the brain and microbiome and is often tied to life’s worst moments. Through it all, Amanda keeps coming back to small, practical habits: one moment of joy a day, honest tears, and choosing thoughts that reflect the truth that "he’ll be surrounded by love".
If grief, anxiety or drinking have left your brain feeling stuck, could it be time to care for your mind as fiercely as Amanda cared for her husband?
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