Ep 169. The Energetics of Grief, How to Heal and Keep Going, with Jade Donegan

Ep 169. The Energetics of Grief, How to Heal and Keep Going, with Jade Donegan

What makes a recovery story truly inspiring? This conversation between host Ash Butterss and longtime friend Jade Donegan shows how grief, energy work, and real-life responsibilities collide in very human, often messy ways. Jade, founder of Energy Collective Co., talks about losing her dad suddenly in a car accident and the shock of trying to function while falling apart inside.

She recalls a wedding photo taken just minutes after sobbing in the bathroom, saying she looked “very polished” on the outside while feeling “dead behind my eyes” inside. Her story will resonate with anyone who’s tried to hold it together at work, with family, or in social settings while grieving.

You’ll hear how her mum survived the crash with devastating injuries, how Jade pushed her own grief aside for years, and why she says, “I’m now really grateful for my dad’s passing because I have to believe that any other alternative would have been far worse.” She talks about forgiveness for the young learner driver who caused the accident, and how letting go of blame stops her from living in bitterness.

Jade also brings in her work with Reiki and energy management, sharing practical ways to sense and shift energy: rubbing hands together to feel the “buzz”, visualising light washing away heaviness, tapping and breathwork to stop a rage spiral, and using gut feelings to guide decisions rather than anxiety.

She links all of this to workplace wellbeing, stressing that people don’t leave their lived experience at the door and that “hurt people hurt” if they don’t have tools to regulate themselves. This episode suits anyone in alcohol or addiction recovery who’s juggling grief, work, family life, or old trauma, and wants grounded, spiritual-but-practical ways to keep going. Where might your own energy be asking for attention today?