When we lose a loved one, it can feel like we've lost a part of ourselves. And for good reason, our brains are learning how to live in this world without someone we care about in it. In this episode, psychologist Mary-Frances O'Connor explains what happens in our brain when we experience grief. (A version of this episode originally aired on NPR's Short Wave.)

Psychologist Mary-Frances O'Connor explains how our brain copes with grief when we lose a loved one in this episode of NPR's Short Wave.

What happens in our brain when we grieve — and how it helps us stay afloat