Herdyne Mercier, LCSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Grief Coach, author, retreat facilitator, nonprofit founder of L.I.V.E., and transformational speaker. She is also the host of the Redefining Grief Podcast, where she leads meaningful conversations around healing, loss, and emotional resilience.

Through her work, Herdyne has created safe, nonjudgmental spaces for people navigating grief and emotional pain. Her mission is rooted in helping others move through grief not as a fixed endpoint, but as a powerful pathway toward transformation, purpose, and renewed living.

She is the author of Restored: A 21-Day Prayer, Worship, and Journaling Experience and Release: A 30-Day Guided Journey to Healing, Letting Go, and Embracing the Person You Were Always Meant to Be. In April 2026, she also released her first children’s book, Mommy, What’s That Feeling?, which helps children better understand and express emotions, including grief.

Q: What gap did you see in traditional grief support that motivated you to create your own platforms like L.I.V.E.?

Herdyne: The biggest thing that pushed me to speak out was realizing that the five stages of grief do not apply to every griever with a broken heart. I developed the five grief anchors to give people a different kind of support, one that does not put them in a box. Too often, grief is simplified in a way that does not reflect what people are really carrying, and I wanted to create a framework that truly supports the grieving process.

Q: How has your work evolved from clinician to author, speaker, and retreat facilitator?

Herdyne: My work has evolved because I am passionate about grief and I bring a creative spin to how I teach about it. I show up every day with love and wisdom, and I am grateful to be invited into spaces where I can educate others. My goal is to turn people into grief Crusaders who understand the power of anchoring in grief so they can do what God created us to do and truly L.I.V.E.

Q: What inspired you to pursue a career as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and grief specialist?

Herdyne: I was seven years old when I became curious about death at a funeral. I remember the pastor asking the congregation a question that stayed with me: do you know we are all going to die? That moment opened something in me, and even as a child, I started asking who, what, when, where, and how.

Q: Did that curiosity show up in your childhood in other ways?

Herdyne: Yes, it did. I would cry if my parents did not take me to funerals with them. I wanted to be there because I felt like funerals taught you how to stay alive. I always wanted to know how the person died because I was trying to understand life better and make sure I lived a long one. That was just the mind of a seven-year-old.

Q: Were people around you aware that this would become your life’s work?

Herdyne: My childhood friends honestly believed I would become a funeral director. I had a funeral outfit I would wear to every funeral, and I was always telling them I could not go to church or a playdate because I was heading to a funeral with my dad. Looking back, it makes sense that grief and death were already part of my calling.

Q: Did music play a role in how you express grief and healing?

Herdyne: Yes, absolutely. I wrote a grief song with my cousin Kiana, and it is on my YouTube page. Kiana can truly sing, and I am so grateful to her. That project was another way for me to help people process grief emotions, because that is my life assignment.

Q: What would you say to someone who feels overwhelmed by grief right now?

Herdyne: Grief is not something you outrun. It is not something you sweep under the rug or ignore until it disappears. Grief changes you because love, loss, and life all leave their mark. But grief is not a punishment. It is proof that you dared to love deeply and care fiercely.

Q: Was there a defining moment that confirmed this work was your calling?

Herdyne: Yes. The moment I realized that every person on this planet, including animals, will experience grief, I understood that this work had to be part of my life. I often say, life is not perfect, but there is a requirement to live. Grief is part of that reality, and helping people move through it is what I was called to do.

Q: How do you want people to think about grief differently after hearing your message?

Herdyne: I want people to understand that grief is not the end of the story. It is the evidence of love, and even though it can feel heavy and overwhelming, it does not break you. If we learn how to anchor in grief instead of avoiding it, we can heal, grow, and live with more purpose.

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