In December 2022, my family decided to write our way through Twelve Days of Grieving to talk about all the things that accompany grief and the holidays. We wanted to acknowledge that despite the emphasis on the fa-la-la-la-la, some years we all feel a fa-la-la-la-low. That essay series was so successful, it merited a encore. TriciaGaastra.com is just that: an encore performance of grief that always includes a healthy dose of irreverence.

Oh, and if you’re brand new here, hi, I’m Tricia. My body is broken (and bionic), my brother is dead, and I can’t have kids. 

Glad we got that out of the way.

On a lighter note, I take everything way too seriously while also treating life like a comedy skit. I curse too much and I don’t mind following up a heartbreaking sentiment with a snarky observation. My personality is F. Scott Fitzgerald meets Barbie pink, and I’m a cat lady with two dogs. 

If you want more grief chit-chat, Taylor Swift musings, and way too many pop culture references, there are options! Sign up below for my newsletter, Green Light Therapy, subscribe to my Substack, or follow me on Instagram. 

Normally I’d end the introduction with something standard like, thanks for being here, we’re going to have a great time, but that seems inauthentic, so I’m just going to go with: life is hard. Let’s discuss it.

~ Tricia