God, Grief, and Gin: A Spiritual Survivor's Tale

As I Live and Grieve®

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What happens when everything you love disappears? For Gina Economopoulos, this wasn't a hypothetical question but the reality she faced repeatedly throughout her extraordinary life journey.
Gina's path defies easy categorization—bartender turned Catholic nun for twelve years, then back to bartending again. But the thread connecting these dramatic life transitions is grief in its many forms. At 23, she lost her mother to cancer, a devastating blow that propelled her toward religious life seeking meaning and purpose. After twelve years and taking final vows, Gina experienced what she describes as "like a divorce" when she left the religious community following emotional abuse.
Just when she was rebuilding her life, she fell in love with Danny, an alcoholic who died just one month before their wedding day. This final loss plunged her into what she calls "complicated grief"—a state where she "simply existed" rather than lived. "The smile on my face was wiped away," she shares, revealing how she believed her purpose in life was merely to suffer.
The turning point came unexpectedly through Alcoholics Anonymous. Initially attending meetings to understand why Danny died while others recovered, Gina eventually recognized her own alcoholism. Through the program's structure and community, she learned to process grief in healthier ways, confront suppressed emotions, and rebuild her spirituality on more authentic terms.
Today, over ten years sober, Gina has transformed her multiple losses into purpose as an end-of-life doula, supporting dying people and their grieving families. She's authored her first book "Shake the Dust Off your Feet and Walk," sharing her journey of resilience and hope.
Perhaps her most powerful message is the permission she gives others to feel the full range of grief emotions without judgment. "It's okay to feel it," she emphasizes. Equally important is her reminder that finding joy after devastating loss is possible—and not a betrayal of those we've lost.
Contact:
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To Reach Gina:
Gina Economopoulos's Website
Credits:
Music by Kevin MacLeod

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Copyright 2020, by As I Live and Grieve
The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.

Chapters

1. God, Grief, and Gin: A Spiritual Survivor's Tale (00:00:00)

2. Welcome to As I Live and Grieve (00:00:01)

3. Gina's Unconventional Life Journey (00:01:16)

4. Losing Mom and Finding Faith (00:03:46)

5. Leaving the Sisterhood Behind (00:06:27)

6. Alcoholism, Loss, and Rock Bottom (00:09:36)

7. Recovery and Learning to Grieve Properly (00:15:07)

8. Finding Peace as an End-of-Life Doula (00:19:28)

9. Final Thoughts and Closing (00:25:37)