How To Heal After Loss | Sarah Barthel (Phantogram)

·58 min·5 clips

The medium nailed a personal detail about jackets made for friends, leaving Sarah and her family stunned.

This episode is the second part of an interview with Sarah Barthel, the vocalist of the band Phantogram. Host Jessimae Peluso introduces it as a deeper continuation, focusing on grief and healing. Sarah opens up about her father's death from a brain tumor when she was young, explaining he never witnessed her musical success and she never experienced having a proud dad. She discusses how his illness affected her family dynamics, leaving a chaotic home with her mom and sister. After her sister Becky's suicide, Sarah's relationship with her mom improved significantly, becoming more positive and supportive. The core of the episode is Sarah's story about visiting a medium named Cindy in Oklahoma, arranged by friends Miley Cyrus and Katie Coyne after Becky's death. Cindy conducted a reading with a special table, accurately naming people like Becky and providing specific details, such as commenting on jackets made for friends. This experience gave Sarah and her mom closure, with signs like butterflies confirming Becky's presence. The episode then transitions to fan questions submitted via Instagram, covering lighthearted topics like Sarah's love for stale Cheetos, musical inspirations including The Beatles and Outkast, and advice for aspiring musicians. Sarah also shares personal routines, such as skincare with Heather Nicole, and coping mechanisms like laughter and watching funny videos. The conversation blends serious grief discussions with humorous anecdotes, reflecting the podcast's theme of finding humor in loss. Throughout, Jessimae facilitates a mix of deep reflection and casual banter, ending with tour updates and gratitude.

As heard by us

Sarah Barthel's grief conversation lets a butterfly sign and a broken Wu-Tang slipper share the same emotional weather.

Sarah Barthel's grief story moves through a childhood without a proud dad, a changed bond with her mother, and a medium's reading that turns butterflies into something emotionally loaded.

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Why you'd press play

When you need grief, butterflies, and a broken Wu-Tang slipper in one tender, sideways human conversation.

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