Reclaiming Identity: Healing After Unimaginable Loss | Rachel Tenpenny McGonigle
🌿 Grief is not an identity — it’s an experience.
In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Rachel Tenpenny McGonigle, who shares her courageous journey of navigating unimaginable loss after the death of her twin daughters. Rather than letting grief define her, Rachel chose a path of healing — one that has empowered thousands of others to reclaim their lives after loss.
We explore the cultural misunderstandings around grief, the importance of self-advocacy, and how healing requires integrating pain into our identity rather than being consumed by it. Rachel’s insights will challenge you to think differently about grief — not as a permanent state, but as a transformational experience.
If you’ve ever faced loss or walked alongside someone in grief, this conversation is for you. 💛
✨ Because even in the deepest sorrow, healing is possible.
Find Rachel here: https://thegriefgal.com/
and here: https://www.instagram.com/the_grief_gal/
Chapters
00:00
Introduction to Grief and Healing
Introduction to Grief and Healing
05:06
Rachel's Personal Story of Loss
Rachel's Personal Story of Loss
15:32
Cultural Perspectives on Grief
Cultural Perspectives on Grief
20:30
Grief as Identity vs. Experience
Grief as Identity vs. Experience
23:47
Navigating Pain and Healing
Navigating Pain and Healing
39:54
Building Identity After Loss
Building Identity After Loss
42:03
Navigating Grief: The Importance of Support
Navigating Grief: The Importance of Support
44:38
Marriage and Grief: A Revealing Journey
Marriage and Grief: A Revealing Journey
46:41
Healing Through Clarity: The Path Forward
Healing Through Clarity: The Path Forward
49:47
Embracing Pain: The Power of Staying Present
Embracing Pain: The Power of Staying Present
52:58
Creating a Plan: Navigating Grief Like a Riptide
Creating a Plan: Navigating Grief Like a Riptide
57:50
The Choice in Grief: Empowerment and Responsibility
The Choice in Grief: Empowerment and Responsibility
01:01:30
Honoring Loss: Choosing Life Beyond Grief
Honoring Loss: Choosing Life Beyond Grief
01:09:22
Understanding Different Types of Loss
Understanding Different Types of Loss
01:11:43
Grief in the Wake of Disaster: The Wildfire Experience
Grief in the Wake of Disaster: The Wildfire Experience
01:15:49
The Grief Revolution: Normalizing Healing and Support
The Grief Revolution: Normalizing Healing and Support
Creators and Guests
Host
Jen Porter
Corporate leader turned entrepreneur, I created "Lioness Conversations" to amplify the voices of extraordinary women—leaders who have faced fear, overcome challenges, and are now shaping the world with their work. This podcast is a space for courage, truth, and deep inspiration. My mission is to empower women to be brave, leading with confidence and joy, to do the most meaningful work of their lives.
Guest
Rachel Tenpenny McGonigle
Rachel Tenpenny McGonigle is no stranger to grief. In 2008, she experienced the unimaginable when both her baby daughters died just six days apart from each other, just weeks after their birth. The pain was overwhelming, and like so many grieving mothers, she was met with well-meaning but unhelpful advice, limiting beliefs, and outdated grief support that left her feeling more lost than ever. But despite being told she’d never truly be okay again, Rachel refused to let grief define her. Instead, she chose to take an active role in her healing—and that decision changed everything. Determined to find a way forward, Rachel immersed herself in the study of grief, healing, and the emotional complexity of life’s most difficult transitions. By integrating evidence-based tools with her own lived experience, she developed a holistic, practical, and deeply compassionate approach to grief recovery. This unique framework empowered her to rebuild a life grounded in purpose, peace, and joy after profound loss. Today, she is the founder of The Grief Gal—a thriving coaching practice where she guides others through grief with clarity, intention, patience, and empowerment. For the past 17 years, Rachel has supported thousands of individuals—from those grieving the loss of a loved one to those grieving the loss of their marriages, health, or even the sale of their company—helping them process their pain, reimagine their identity, and rediscover meaning when life looks nothing like you imagined. Through coaching, speaking, retreats, and writing, she offers a proven path to healing that’s honest, empowering, and deeply human. Rachel now lives in Northern Virginia with her husband Jason, their blended family of four healthy (and hungry) boys, and their sweet one-eyed dog Nala. What once felt impossible is now her daily reality: a home full of love, a business full of impact, and a heart anchored in peace. She’s living proof that even after the deepest loss, a beautiful life is still possible—and she’s devoted to helping others find it too.
