In this episode of A Place of Yes, host Heather interviews Annie Sklaver Orenstein, a cultural researcher, writer, and storyteller whose work has touched lives around the globe.

Annie shares the deeply personal story of losing her older brother, Ben, and sheds light on how sibling grief is often overlooked in society. As Heather reflects on her own family’s journey after the loss of her son, Jake, she gains invaluable insights on how to support her surviving son, Ethan, better.

Together, they explore the complexities of grief, the power of storytelling, and the importance of acknowledging every voice in the healing process.

FIND ANNIE: https://www.annieorenstein.com/about

Always a Sibling Book: https://www.amazon.com/Always-Sibling-Forgotten-Mourners-Guide/dp/030683149X


FIND HEATHER & JAKE’S HELP FROM HEAVEN

❤️ Jake’s Help from Heaven: https://jakeshelpfromheaven.org/

❤️ Jake’s Help from Heaven IG: https://www.instagram.com/jakeshelp/

❤️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jakeshelpfromheaven

❤️ Our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@APlaceofYesPodcast

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio

Watch on YouTube

 

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio

FIND HEATHER & JAKE’S HELP FROM HEAVEN ⬇️

❤️ Heather’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathersstraughter/

❤️ Jake’s Help from Heaven: https://jakeshelpfromheaven.org/

❤️ Jake’s Help from Heaven IG: https://www.instagram.com/jakeshelp/

❤️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jakeshelpfromheaven

❤️ Our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@APlaceofYesPodcast

Connect with us on social media:
• Heather’s Instagram
Jake’s Help from Heaven
Jake’s Help from Heaven IG
Facebook
• Our YouTube Channel

Keep scrolling for the episode transcript.

Checkout our other episodes

 

 

I Couldn’t Save Her: Losing My Daughter Changed Everything

I Couldn’t Save Her: Losing My Daughter Changed Everything

After Kelsey died, I blamed myself. I replayed every decision, every appointment, every moment. I thought I was prepared to fight for her—I wasn’t prepared to lose her. Grief didn’t just touch my life, it unraveled it. And for a long time, I didn’t know how I’d ever come back from that. This is the part of motherhood no one talks about.

What No One Tells You About Parenting a Child with Rare Disease – Emergency Surgeries & Advocacy

What No One Tells You About Parenting a Child with Rare Disease – Emergency Surgeries & Advocacy

When Jude needed emergency surgery, there wasn’t time to process—just to act. That’s the reality of parenting a medically complex child. It’s not just the big surgeries or diagnoses—it’s the constant decisions, the fear of missing something, the exhaustion of always being on alert. But somehow, through it all, there’s still joy. There’s still love. And there’s a strength I never knew I had until I became Jude’s mom.

Losing My Sister at 15 – One Year Later

Losing My Sister at 15 – One Year Later

When my sister died, I felt like the world kept moving—and I didn’t. I was only 15, and suddenly everything changed. No one talks about how isolating it is to lose a sibling, especially that young. People asked how my parents were doing, but no one ever really asked me. I had to figure out how to grow up with a kind of grief that didn’t have a place. This is what it’s really like to lose your sister when you’re still just a kid.