The Death Dialogues Project Podcast

By The Death Dialogues Project Podcast

“I love how real these episodes are. . .” “This podcast was like a beacon of light when I needed it most.” A grassroots movement getting conversations about death, dying & the aftermath out of the closet. Becky Aud-Jennison has worked for the past four decades as a therapist, instructor, presenter, writer—interfacing with Death professionally—it was her own deep loss that motivated her to start this project. Hearing others’ STORIES are what informs us. Join us as we talk all things Death. Follow: www.deathdialogues.net Find us on IG & FB .

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128. You Will Always Be That Child’s Mother: Shauna Domalain

The Death Dialogues Project PodcastMar 16, 2023

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49:44

128. You Will Always Be That Child’s Mother: Shauna Domalain

Shauna is the creative founder of the Growing Up in Heaven Program for mothers who want to connect and communicate with their children on the Other Side. Shauna’s personal journey through the loss of her son Jack has paved a path for mothers to move from grief to relief as they learn to make the connection with their child in Heaven. A powerhouse in the spiritual communication realms, Shauna’s first-hand experience with loss and grief allow her to share a wealth of soulful + heart-felt tools and support on how to navigate loss and find true meaning in life again.
She runs her business from her home in Canada, and is the host of The Oracle of Light Podcast. Shauna enjoys kickboxing and working out, spending time in the mountains with family and friends, and her continued quest for the perfect cup of coffee.

Mar 16, 202349:44

127."Dipped In It" by Bethany Harvey

Bethany Harvey is a debut memoirist whose book, "Dipped In It," reached the best seller list on both Barnes & Noble and Amazon when released in July of 2021. "Dipped In It" came to life when Bethany’s "gratitude journaling" went awry. In "Dipped In It," Bethany’s daily reflections during a period of deep grief explore the question, “Can gratitude and grief coexist?” The answer is a resounding yes, as Bethany learns that we can rage, weep, belly laugh, and ache over the beauty and fragility of life—all in one day, hour, or moment. It all gets to belong. Bethany is a deep thinker and feeler, the mother of two inspiring children, and the owner of a much sought after childcare center in her home State of Rhode Island. Her daughter is showcasing the gorgeous cover she created in the photo.

Feb 09, 202358:22

126. It’s All Gonna Be Okay: Gracelyn Bateman

Gracelyn Bateman is an author, co-founder of Luna Peak Foundation, and a grief advocate. With a background in sociology and personal experience of the sudden loss of her father, she set out to humanize the taboo topic of grief through photography and storytelling. Her mission is to help people not feel alone in their grief. Her latest book Beyond Grief shares 80 grief photographs, mementos, and stories to show how others process and navigate their life after loss. Her work at Luna Peak uplifts multicultural survivor stories and gives survivors a safe platform to share. She was born and raised in Southern California and loves to hike and play the ukulele with her grandfather.

LINKS:
www.lunapeakfoundation.org/ (find books there)
Instagram: @lunapeakfoundation

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Thanks for being here! Please consider subscribing and rating The Death Dialogues Project Podcast to help us get these episodes in front of folks who need them. The book Death and its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons: field notes from The Death Dialogues Project is on sale everywhere you buy your books. Here's one link: tinyurl.com/2p9c25rt As the Kiwis say, this project runs on the smell of an oily rag (read: no income or funding)-- the purchase of the very affordable book will go towards costs for running this project. "Just finished this wonderful resource by Becky Aud-Jennison called, Death and Its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons. If you have any desire to learn the effects the death of a loved one has on us, read this book. It is one of those lovely books that combines story, science and the experience of the author to illuminate a profound topic in an understandable way." - Jennifer A. O'Brien, author of Hospice Doctor's Widow

Dec 11, 202252:26

125. five years on …

Becky Aud-Jennison has recorded a spontaneous heartfelt episode and shares her feelings and experiences surrounding this work, current life, insights about being human just now, and some resources. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••Links: all things this project, substack, interviews, and a variety of places to buy the book: linktr.ee/deathdialoguesproject?utm_source=linktree_profile_share

Nov 05, 202201:00:05

124. Helping Grieving Siblings Heal After Child Loss: Michele Benyo

Michele Benyo is a mom of two, a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist®, an early childhood educator and parent coach, and the founder of Good Grief Parenting. After her 6-year-old son died of cancer, her 3-year-old daughter said, “Mommy, half of me is gone.” This heartbreaking statement defined Michele’s life purpose. Her mission is twofold: to help parents through the unimaginable challenges of parenting while grieving the death of a child, and to help parents meet the unique needs of a child who has lost a sibling in the early childhood years. The desire of Michele’s heart is to see families live forward after loss toward a future bright with possibilities and even joy.

LINKS: www.goodgriefparenting.com https://www.instagram.com/goodgriefparenting/ https://www.facebook.com/goodgriefparenting/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/parentsraisingyoungsiblings

******* Thanks for being here! Please consider subscribing and rating The Death Dialogues Project Podcast to help us get these episodes in front of folks who need them. The book Death and its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons: field notes from The Death Dialogues Project is on sale everywhere you buy your books. Here's one link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9c25rt As the Kiwis say, this project runs on the smell of an oily rag (read: no income or funding)-- the purchase of the very affordable book will go towards costs for running this project. "Just finished this wonderful resource by Becky Aud-Jennison called, Death and Its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons. If you have any desire to learn the effects the death of a loved one has on us, read this book. It is one of those lovely books that combines story, science and the experience of the author to illuminate a profound topic in an understandable way." - Jennifer A. O'Brien, author of Hospice Doctor's Widow Edit audio

Oct 13, 202259:31

123. Men, Mental Health, Grief, and Finding Life After: Mark Schutter

In 1993 Mark's first wife, aged 27, died of metastatic breast cancer. He did what he believed was expected of him as a young man - move on. He remarried, had a daughter and many years later the grief resurfaced. Over the past 5 years through counseling and writing creatively he was able to write his memoir "Cowboys Are Not Supposed to Cry" chronicling his story of love, loss, grief, healing and “life after...”
He continues to fight for others and their healing. He seeks truth, writes poetry and stories while often stumbling along the way. He has navigated the pain of loss and grief to find hope and love again. Grief is not something you just get over and he tells his story of living a life while acknowledging and carrying grief. He has poems published in several anthologies on the topics of love, loss, grief, healing, hope and self-discovery under the pen name Mark Wayne.
He is happily remarried to a wonderful woman who he claims is the most beautiful and strongest woman he has ever known. He has been blessed with a beautiful daughter who keeps him young in this second chapter of life that he has been granted. He enjoys horses and mountain biking when not writing. He believes in the ‘ripple effect,’ touch one life and you may touch the world, for to share the journey, however brief, is a wonderful gift. His wish is to share the joys, the sorrows, the hope and healing to inspire others to live despite the grief we all carry because there is “life after…”. *******
Thanks for being here! Please consider subscribing and rating The Death Dialogues Project Podcast to help us get these episodes in front of folks who need them.
The book Death and its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons: field notes from The Death Dialogues Project is on sale everywhere you buy your books. Here's one link: tinyurl.com/2p9c25rt As the Kiwis say, this project runs on the smell of an oily rag (read: no income or funding)-- the purchase of the very affordable book will go towards costs for running this project.
"Just finished this wonderful resource by Becky Aud-Jennison called, Death and Its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons. If you have any desire to learn the effects the death of a loved one has on us, read this book. It is one of those lovely books that combines story, science and the experience of the author to illuminate a profound topic in an understandable way." - Jennifer A. O'Brien, author of Hospice Doctor's Widow

Sep 15, 202201:04:10

122. Cultivating Our Own Connections: Dr. Amy Robbin

Dr. Robbins is the Director of Mental Health at BIÂN (Be-on) and a Clinical Psychologist in private practice for almost 20 years. Dr. Robbins, has experience in both traditional and energy psychotherapy and spiritual intuition. She encourages people to awaken to and live their essence, using the wisdom of death in an unexpectedly positive way.
After the unexpected death of her aunt at a young age and a spiritual transformative experience with “the other side,” Dr. Robbins began a long journey into spirituality that has paralleled her clinical psychology work. Only 3 years ago, Dr. Robbins opened up to share her experiences through her podcast, Life, Death, and the Space Between, where she provides an ever-growing library of resources to explore the complex synergy between the psychological and spiritual – empowering you to know your true self and live a more fulfilling, connected life.
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Thanks for being here! Please consider subscribing and rating The Death Dialogues Project Podcast to help us get these episodes in front of folks who need them.
The book Death and its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons: field notes from The Death Dialogues Project is on sale everywhere you buy your books. Here's one link: tinyurl.com/2p9c25rt As the Kiwis say, this project runs on the smell of an oily rag (read: no income or funding)-- the purchase of the very affordable book will go towards costs for running this project.
"Just finished this wonderful resource by Becky Aud-Jennison called, Death and Its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons. If you have any desire to learn the effects the death of a loved one has on us, read this book. It is one of those lovely books that combines story, science and the experience of the author to illuminate a profound topic in an understandable way." - Jennifer A. O'Brien, author of Hospice Doctor's Widow

Aug 18, 202201:00:51

121. Putting Our Feet on the Ground: David Richman

David is an author, public speaker, and endurance athlete whose mission is to form more meaningful human connections through storytelling. His first book, Winning in the Middle of the Pack, discussed how to get more out of ourselves than ever imagined. With Cycle of Lives, David shares stories of people overcoming trauma and delves deeply into their emotional journeys with cancer. He continues to do Ironman triathlons and recently completed a solo 4,700-mile bike ride. You can pick up a copy of his book at david-richman.com/cycle-of-lives/ or on Amazon.
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Thanks for being here! Please consider subscribing and rating The Death Dialogues Project Podcast to help us get these episodes in front of folks who need them.
The book Death and its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons: field notes from The Death Dialogues Project is on sale everywhere you buy your books. Here's one link: tinyurl.com/2p9c25rt As the Kiwis say, this project runs on the smell of an oily rag (read: no income or funding)-- the purchase of the very affordable book will go towards costs for running this project.
"Just finished this wonderful resource by Becky Aud-Jennison called, Death and Its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons. If you have any desire to learn the effects the death of a loved one has on us, read this book. It is one of those lovely books that combines story, science and the experience of the author to illuminate a profound topic in an understandable way." - Jennifer A. O'Brien, author of Hospice Doctor's Widow

Jul 28, 202255:58

120. Unexpecting with Rachel Lewis

Rachel Lewis is a foster, adoptive and birth mom. After a 5-year battle with secondary infertility and the losses of five babies during pregnancy, she now has three children in her arms and a foster son in her heart.

As the founder of the Facebook support group Brave Mamas, she is passionate about helping others through their grief. She is a contributor to Still Standing Magazine, Pregnancy After Loss Support, and Filter Free Parents. Rachel holds bachelor’s degrees in Theology, Bible, and Speech Communications.

Rachel wrote the book Unexpecting: Real Talk on Pregnancy Loss as a way for other parents experiencing similar loss to connect and know what to expect. You can find Rachel’s book on Amazon or Barnes & Noble. My conversation with Rachel spans talking about platitudes, to paper plates, and the grief she felt as she experienced unprecedented loss.

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Thanks for being here! Please consider subscribing and rating The Death Dialogues Project Podcast to help us get these episodes in front of folks who need them. The book Death and its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons: field notes from The Death Dialogues Project is on sale everywhere you buy your books. Here's one link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9c25rt As the Kiwis say, this project runs on the smell of an oily rag (read: no income or funding)-- the purchase of the very affordable book will go towards costs for running this project.

"Just finished this wonderful resource by Becky Aud-Jennison called, Death and Its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons. If you have any desire to learn the effects the death of a loved one has on us, read this book. It is one of those lovely books that combines story, science and the experience of the author to illuminate a profound topic in an understandable way." - Jennifer A. O'Brien, author of Hospice Doctor's Widow

Jul 14, 202201:10:28

119. Healing Grief Through Poetry: Mike Bernhardt

When Mike Bernhardt's wife died in 1991, he turned to writing poetry to express his grief and found it to be both cathartic and healing. Over time, he was contacted by hundreds of other people who felt the same way. Mike's book, "Voices of the Grieving Heart," is a collection of over 160 deeply authentic poems, short essays, and images contributed to him by 83 people whose loved ones died. To learn more or order the book, visit mikebernhardt.net.

Thanks for being here! Please consider subscribing and rating The Death Dialogues Project Podcast to help us get these episodes in front of folks who need them. The book Death and its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons: field notes from The Death Dialogues Project is on sale everywhere you buy your books. Here's one link: tinyurl.com/2p9c25rt As the Kiwis say, this project runs on the smell of an oily rag (read: no income or funding)-- the purchase of the very affordable book will go towards costs for running this project.

"Just finished this wonderful resource by Becky Aud-Jennison called, Death and Its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons. If you have any desire to learn the effects the death of a loved one has on us, read this book. It is one of those lovely books that combines story, science and the experience of the author to illuminate a profound topic in an understandable way." - Jennifer A. O'Brien, author of Hospice Doctor's Widow

Jun 30, 202254:20

118. Peace & Purpose After Loss: Reid Peterson

Reid Peterson is the Creator of Grief Refuge, a mobile app that is a daily companion to people in grief. Reid's biological father died in 2006 and his stepfather died in 2016. After losing both father figures in his life, he sought support through community grief counseling and support groups. After realizing comfort and solace could be provided to grievers more consistently, he made the Grief Refuge app to provide support on a daily basis.
Reid lives with his wife, Jessica, in Santa Barbara, California.
Reid often shares his story of losing both father figures in his life and the grief that comes with living without those important people. Although he was not close to his biological father the way he hoped, Reid still grieves the relationship that he wished he had with him. After his loss, Reid found support through grief groups but wanted more consistent support. This led him to create a grief support app that offers daily audio messages to comfort grieving hearts, soothe anxious minds, and validate people on their difficult journey.
Reid has created an open space for his clients to grieve through his companioning support model. This allows them to grieve in the way that’s open for them without criticism or judgment. The process gives them the validation they need to work through the hard things and the tools they need to heal. You can find Grief Refuge by searching the name in your mobile app store.
Thanks for being here! Please consider subscribing and rating The Death Dialogues Project Podcast to help us get these episodes in front of folks who need them.
The book Death and its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons: field notes from The Death Dialogues Project is on sale everywhere you buy your books. Here's one link: tinyurl.com/2p9c25rt
As the Kiwis say, this project runs on the smell of an oily rag (read: no income or funding)-- the purchase of the very affordable book will go towards costs for running this project.
"Just finished this wonderful resource by Becky Aud-Jennison called, Death and Its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons. If you have any desire to learn the effects the death of a loved one has on us, read this book. It is one of those lovely books that combines story, science and the experience of the author to illuminate a profound topic in an understandable way." - Jennifer A. O'Brien, author of Hospice Doctor's Widow

Jun 16, 202247:25

117. thoughts from the road …

An update from Becky from over three weeks into her 12 week post-pandemic connection with loved ones tour. Life, love, connection, death, stress, mind-body-spirit balance, pandemic, and no promises …. www.deathdialogues.net

May 18, 202222:56

116. Grieving as a Self Help Guru: Kristine Carlson

Kristine Carlson is a New York Times bestselling author and renowned speaker recognized worldwide for the global success of The Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff book series she co-authored with her late husband Dr. Richard Carlson. Her latest book, Heartbroken Open, a life-changing memoir, has become a Lifetime Television biopic starring Heather Locklear called Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff: The Kristine Carlson Story. With over 30 million books in print, Carlson has emerged as a leading mindfulness expert and transformational guide who has been featured on national radio and television broadcasts, including The Today Show, The View, and The Oprah Winfrey Show. In 2010, she was awarded the Kennedy Laureate Award by John F. Kennedy University alongside the iconic chef Alice Waters and CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta. In addition to her books Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff for Women, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff in Love, and Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff for Moms, Carlson’s other titles include An Hour to Live, An Hour to Love (a tribute to her husband), and her seminal self-help book for leading readers out of the pain of loss and into a new future — From Heartbreak to Wholeness: The Hero’s Journey to Joy. Through her beloved women’s retreats, including her signature What Now? program, Carlson serves as a guide for women navigating transition and change of all kinds — showing them how to live their most vibrant, joyous, and fulfilling life in their next chapter. Through her popular podcast Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, Live the Big Stuff, Carlson’s depth, realness, and ever-present humor shine through each memorable episode. Her popular video-based, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff Happiness Training Courses (on Dontsweat.com) teach people how to find inspiration and direction right in the midst of life’s uncertainties — helping individuals around the world to move from overwhelming anxiety to an abiding optimism and trust in life. These courses feature exclusive video footage of her late husband, Dr. Richard Carlson. She is on the advisory board of Modern Widows Club and on the Global Leadership Council of Challenge Day. Carlson has two daughters and five grandchildren. In her spare time, she loves to exercise – boot camp fitness classes, yoga or hiking. She also is an inspirational speaker and leads women’s retreats all over the world. Her mission is to show people that it is possible to love your life again after profound loss and major change — and to discover that more laughter, love, and happiness await you. To learn more about Kristine Carlson, visit her website www.kristinecarlson.com.

Please remember to rate and subscribe to The Death Dialogues Project Podcast. Thank you! Don't forget our book, Death and its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons: field notes from The Death Dialogues Project for your personal reading and gift giving needs. Available wherever books are sold. Whangarei Paper Plus is selling it nationwide in New Zealand.

Apr 28, 202257:43

115. Learning about Grief: A. Olivia Nelson

A. Olivia Nelson is a two-time widow in her twenties who, in the span of five years, said goodbye to family and friends alongside major non-death losses. Having to face grief in a variety of situations, she gained deep insight into our broken grief culture: grieving people lack support and those who want to help don't know how. To heal this gap, Nelson formed Learning About Grief, a website on which she shares personal stories, coping resources, and hosts a virtual grief group. Her vision is to change how we perceive grief. "We'll all bury a loved one," said Nelson. "Educating ourselves on what that's like helps us embrace grief as a human experience." You can find A. Olivia Nelson on Instagram @LearningAboutGrief, Twitter @LearnAboutGrief, or learningaboutgrief.com.
Please leave a rating and subscribe to The Death Dialogues Project Podcast. Thank you!
Don't forget to check out the recently released book Death and its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons: field notes from The Death Dialogues Project. We are getting lovely feedback from folks who are reading if for self-reflection as well as many who are giving it for gifts. Available where books are sold. Kindle/e-book super affordable if you'd like to check it out. Most seem to be buying paperbacks, I'm sure the lovely cover has something to do with that. It's a great gift for when there are no words ...

Apr 14, 202256:31

114. Kate Manser: ALIVE

Kate Manser is a spiritual leader whose work is to help people live more alive in their everyday life. Her work as a meditation guide, author, and artist has touched millions of people around the world. Her book, YOU MIGHT DIE TOMORROW, was lauded as “illuminating the beauty of being alive” by NYT Bestselling author Brad Montague. Kate is currently on tour leading her Kaleidoscope Meditation Walks around the United States. Find Kate's meditations to help you live more alive in your everyday life on katemanser.com, YouTube, and Insight Timer. Find her in IG @thealivekate.
Please follow The Death Dialogues Project and learn more about this project at www.deathdialogues.net where you will find links to podcast platforms and our social media. Instagram is our fave social media home @deathdialoguesproject
Don't forget to find out new book "Death and its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons: field notes from The Death Dialogues Project" wherever books are sold.

Mar 31, 202259:10

personal & project updates

In this bonus episode you'll hear a bit of an update of the project and podcast and recently released book AND, further along, our recent personal experience of peering into death’s abyss.

Thank you all for your support.
It is so greatly appreciated.

Links to podcast episodes in profile. The latest episode can always be found at www.deathdialogues.net. It’s everywhere you listen to your podcasts.

Please support the project by subscribing to this podcast and leaving a review.

Buying and recommending “Death and its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons: field notes from The Death Dialogues Project” tangibly supports the work of this project.

Thanks for being here ...

Mar 17, 202222:04

113. Soul Midwifery: Margaret McCallum

Margaret was born and raised in Aotearoa New Zealand. She has lived there, in various corners of the country, apart from ten years in the UK. Her interests and areas of work have shifted over the decades, but a strong underlying theme is always a passion for the growth or evolution of people of any age. This includes people who are dying. Margaret has a deep interest in death and dying, especially in opening people to the gifts in dying, gifts which she feels are often not experienced in Western society because of a cultural resistance to death, even so-called ‘timely’ death. Margaret has three adult children and four precious young grandsons who bring her much joy.

Find Margaret at https://www.margaretmccallum.com/

Please follow The Death Dialogues Project and learn more about this project at www.deathdialogues.net where you will find links to podcast platforms and our social media. Instagram is our fave social media home @deathdialoguesproject

Read our new book Death and its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons: field notes from The Death Dialogues Project. Available as e-book, hard cover, paperbacks and audio book. Find it where books have sold. Have you tried this indie online offering? https://bookshop.org/books/death-and-its-terrible-horrible-no-good-very-beautiful-lessons-field-notes-from-the-death-dialogues-project/9781945060359

Find the audio book here: https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/death-and-its-terrible-horrible-no-good-very-beautiful-lessons

Thanks for being here!

Mar 03, 202255:21

Death & its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons

Our new co-host, Kate Burns and project creator Becky Aud-Jennison have a casual chat about the upcoming book, Death and its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons: field notes from The Death Dialogues Project which will be released on 2/22/22 (US date).
Join us for a peek inside the book's why, the writing process, and thoughts about what you will find held in that gorgeous cover.
How can you help?
Buy the book, leave a review online at Amazon and on Goodreads.
Recommend the book to those you feel may benefit from and/or appreciate it.
Please share the book's one sheet with your local bookstores and ask them to stock the book. All resources here: linktr.ee/deathdialoguesproject
This project is 100% grassroots and the profits from the sale of these books will enable this project to continue. (((thank you)))
As always, a huge thank you to our story tellers: this is YOUR book. And to our listeners. We deeply appreciate you all.

Feb 17, 202229:03

112. The Art of Living With Grief: Claudia Chappel

A successful professional artist, Claudia, a single mom, supported her children by painting tiles for peoples' houses. It allowed her to be home with her children. At the age of 53 Claudia experienced the unimaginable. She answered a knock at the door and a policeman was standing there. He told her every parent's worst nightmare, her son Ben, the first love of her life was gone. After Ben's death, she fell into a dark and lonely place. She gave up painting. Over the next 13 years, Claudia slowly learned to live with her pain and grief. She began to paint again. Her work had no special meaning to her at the time. Parents who have experienced the death of their children began to seek her out for advice, comfort and hope. Over time she realized that she was saying the same words repeatedly. She decided to write them down. It wasn't until she began writing this book that the art, she thought had no meaning, served to be perfect illustrations. The book was initially written as a gift for a mother whose son had recently died. Other's wanted copies to send to friends who were suffering the same losses. She started making copies. She discovered that helping other grieving parents gave both her grief and her art a purpose. Claudia lives in Baltimore, Maryland with her loving husband Richard and close to her daughter Jessica, son-in-law Michael and two grandchildren, Olive and Gus. Her loves also include her two dogs and two birds. Find Claudia: @artoflivingwithgrief
claudiachappel.com Please follow The Death Dialogues Project and learn more about this project at www.deathdialogues.net where you will find links to podcast platforms and our social media. Instagram is our fave social media home @deathdialoguesproject

Feb 03, 202258:12

111. B-word Lives On: A Mother’s Magical Story

Always fascinated with stories surrounding connection into the beyond, after reading the account Tina Fluharty had written surrounding her daughter, Rebecca's untimely, tragic death, she was immediately contacted to be on the podcast. Not only have we shared her story here, but it is also featured in our upcoming book: Death and its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons: field notes from The Death Dialogues Project.
Sometimes we are fortunate enough to be exposed to a story of connection that is so detailed and complex, it is impossible to deny the fact that there are deep and beautiful mysteries surrounding death and life that, if we are lucky enough, teach us there so much more to our existence than what is visible to the human eye.
Our hope is when you hear this true account of what Tina experienced, you will find yourself a bit more open to the depths of the great mysteries of life and death.
B-word does live on and you can find her amazing work in a variety of places.
You can find Rebecca's Instagram account and see her gorgeous photos at @_bword
You can read Tina's written version of her account of what happened on the day of Rebecca's death here: www.lovewhatmatters.com/something-awful-has-happened-my-family-looked-at-me-confused-my-daughter-was-somewhere-being-swept-away-by-raging-flood-waters-mom-loses-daughter-to-tragic-flood-drowning-accident-afte/
Here is the link to Rebecca's staggering memorial video: youtu.be/m84c243krOU
You can find Rebecca's work, documentation of life celebration and art for sale here: www.abandonedcentral.com/
Please follow The Death Dialogues Project and learn more about this project at www.deathdialogues.net where you will find links to podcast platforms and our social media. Instagram is our fave social media home @deathdialoguesproject

Jan 20, 202256:50

110. Lisa Bain: The Wandering Widow

Hi! I’m the real Lisa Bain, the blogger behind The Wandering Widow and author of Heart of a Kingdom.

A few years ago, I was just like everyone else I knew. I was on the corporate career track at a company I loved, caring for my aging parents, and taking life’s adventures one day at a time with my soul mate at my side. I had a plan. I knew where I was going, how long it would take to get there, and had the action items to propel me towards my life goals.

All that came screeching to a halt in 2016, when my husband died of a very aggressive and rare form of cancer, just nine months after my dad died of Advanced Parkinson’s Disease. I couldn’t hold it together and watched in horror as my carefully crafted life imploded. The loss of the two men I loved most in the world ripped off the cover on every other loss I’d buried deep inside, forcing me to face them all. I couldn’t function, and the people in my life didn’t know how to help me.

With THE WANDERING WIDOW I started writing to work through my grief. I had been in corporate sales and marketing. Creative writing had been on my radar but became a saving grace as I tried to figure out who I was in this new widow life. I started my blog The Wandering Widow as a way to express the feelings I couldn’t verbalize amid my raw pain. I always wrote for myself, but the feedback I received from other widows encouraged me to share my blog to a wider audience. I committed to share all the ugly and beautiful bits of my grief journey as a way to both stay on track for my healing and also to help others. We live in a grief phobic society. If my snarky accounts of my story can help shed light on the needs of the grieving, help the bereaved feel less alone, and help family and friends with suggestions on how to help, then I’m in 100%. And a journey it became. I left that corporate job, my home, and my friends and family and set out to travel the world by myself for a year. (That year never ended, in case you were wondering.) By this point, I’d added short stories and angsty poetry to my journaling but never planned to write a book. Traveling alone had its lonely moments, and I often took my laptop to a coffee shop and just wrote what I saw. I didn’t want to be a travel blogger but did want to share the things I learned on my travels as The Wandering Widow. And everywhere I went, I encountered my fellow bereaved. I learned that most countries struggle with providing adequate grief support. I connected with widows and widowers who were desperate to share their stories and say aloud the names of the ones they lost. I’m grateful to now call many of them friends.

While my grief will always be her cornerstone of my writing, I've moved further afield and am now and internationally published poet and working on my second novel.

Find Lisa on social media @thereallisabain and @lisanainwrites and her website www.thereallisabain.com.

Jan 06, 202201:06:51

Happy Holidays Bonus Episode 2021

On this episode we hear Becky’s wrap of this wackadoo year and she shares Chapter One of the audio book “Death and its Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Beautiful Lessons: field notes from The Death Dialogues Project. You can see what the early readers are saying about the book here: www.goodreads.com/book/show/59344268 and order an early copy of the e-book here: www.amazon.com/dp/B09GMWMSKX/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_Y1JFHR0SK7KDA98QCT45

Dec 24, 202130:12

109. Holistic Medium Shane Gadd

On this episode you hear from Shane Gadd who says, “We don't heal in isolation, but in community.
Its a time of remembering rather than learning, for we are in a cycle of return, we are being woven back into the centre. This is a time of deep soul Alchemy, and global Alchemy we are being invited as community to touch the ground and reach deep into the earth with our bare hands, we pull those stories up into the light , like lost seeds, that are yearning to be reborn , retold and remembered. This is how we move from harm to healing Through our collective story.
I have brought a fresh, honest and thought provoking attitude to the world of psychic phenomena. As a Holistic Medium, author and lecturer, I have, over the last 27 years, helped thousands with my uncanny ability to communicate with those who have crossed over to the Other Side.”
You can find Shane at www.shanegadd.com. He’s also on youtube and at Instagram as @shane.gadd

Dec 09, 202101:03:01

108. Heal Through Love: Teresa Weybrew

My name is Teresa Weybrew. I’m a Mom, Wife, Daughter, Sister, Boppie (grandmother), Aunt, and Friend. I am a Spiritual Companion.
On a beautiful June morning, I was thrown unprepared into a very deep and scary darkness. My love, my person, died in my arms, tragically and very unexpectedly. In my darkest hour, I was completely broken open. There was no capacity, but for a shallow breathe to sustain my shell of a life. I wanted to be with him. In that moment, I was offered a gift, and a choice for my soul. That gift was love. For myself, my life, my family and friends, and for him. I chose love, in that powerful moment. Life was never the same.
My work since then has been to work with others understand the power within, and to choose love. I have had the privilege every day of helping others who find themselves lost. Through the death of a loved one, loss of self, work, health, and other experiences we encounter as we walk on this earth. My deep love of connecting to and helping people, coupled with my extensive training as a Holistic Life Coach, Certified HeartMath Coach, and a Meditation and Mindfulness teacher, has combined the true essence of my authentic self.
I live my life using the practical and spiritual tools that I am passionate to share. Healing can begin with support and compassion, loving kindness, and a nurturing space to feel safe and understood . With these skills, a knowledge of the Universal Law of Attraction, my prayer is for others to experience powerful change and develop a practice that will affect their lives forever. Together, we’ll soften the jagged edges in this moment because this moment is all we have.
You can find Teresa's work at healthroughlove.com
Please follow The Death Dialogues Project and learn more about this project at www.deathdialogues.net where you will find links to podcast platforms and our social media. Instagram is our fave social media home @deathdialoguesproject

Nov 25, 202101:05:22

107. American Hospice Pioneer: Barbara Karnes, RN

Barbara Karnes, RN Award Winning End of Life Educator, Award Winning Nurse, NHPCO Hospice Innovator Award Winner 2018 & 2015 International Humanitarian Woman of the Year While at the bedside of hundreds of people during the dying process, Hospice Pioneer Barbara Karnes noticed that each death was following a near identical script. Each person was going through the stages of death in almost the same manner and most families came to her with similar questions. These realizations led Barbara to sit down and write Gone From My Sight, "The Little Blue Book" that changed the hospice industry. Gone From My Sight is the original, and remains the most widely used, patient/family educational booklet on the signs of approaching death. It has been in print continuously since 1985 and has sold over thirty million copies world wide. With its publication and distribution, Barbara created one of the most important tools in the end of life movement today. Barbara Karnes, RN, is an internationally respected speaker, educator, author, and thought leader on matters of end of life. She is a renowned authority on the dying process and a leading educator for families, healthcare professionals, and the community at large. Barbara's award winning DVDs and books about death and dying are starting conversations and changing lives - in this country and around the world. In her work, Barbara compassionately explains stages of the dying process, living with a life threatening illness, pain management, and how people grieve. She explains how important it is to take care of yourself as a caregiver and offers guidelines for professionals. Barbara has held both clinical and leadership positions, including staff nurse, clinical supervisor, and executive director at Hospices and Home Health Care agencies. Since 1994, Barbara has traveled the country speaking about end of life issues and the stages of dying at national and state hospice and palliative care organization conferences, state associations, colleges, nursing schools, hospitals, and hospices. She is the expert that hospice and other healthcare professionals count on to teach them how to explain the dying process to families. Barbara has dedicated the last 40 years of her life to the education, care, and support of dying people and their loved ones. The most useful and important things that she's learned along the way have been distilled into her materials. “People don’t understand that there’s a normal, natural way of dying. My materials are written to guide and support anyone who finds themselves addressing end of life situations. The goal is to help people have a positive experience so everyone involved will have a sacred memory to carry with them.” - Barbara Karnes, RN. Please follow The Death Dialogues Project and learn more about this project at www.deathdialogues.net where you will find links to podcast platforms and our social media. Instagram is our fave social media home @deathdialoguesproject

Nov 11, 202159:24

Laura Davis: The Burning Light of Two Stars—a mother-daughter story

Laura Davis is the author of seven books, including The Courage to Heal and I Thought We‘d Never Speak Again. Her groundbreaking books have been translated into 11 languages and sold two million copies. In addition to writing books that inspire and change people’s lives, the work of Laura’s heart is to teach. For more than twenty years, she’s helped people find their voices, tell their stories, and hone their craft. Laura loves creating supportive, intimate writing communities online, in person, and internationally. You can find Laura at: lauradavis.net Book Description: Laura’s new memoir, The Burning Light of Two Stars: A Mother-Daughter Story is the riveting story of her embattled relationship with her mother Temme, their determination to love one another, and the dramatic and surprising collision course they ended up on at the end of Temme’s life. For the millions of readers of Laura’s first book, The Courage to Heal, The Burning Light of Two Stars is both prequel and sequel, revealing in page-turning, intimate detail how Laura reconciled with the mother who betrayed her, and came to care for her in her final days. Offer for Listeners: You can read the opening five chapters here: www.lauradavis.net/chapters Direct links to buy The Burning Light of Two Stars: Independent Bookstores: Get Signed Copies Through Bookshop Santa Cruz: https://www.bookshopsantacruz.com/burning-light-two-stars-get-it-signed) Elliott Bay Books: https://www.elliottbaybook.com/book/9781954854161 Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/books/the-burning-light-of-two-stars-a-mother-daughter-story-9781954854161/9781954854161 Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1954854161/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1954854161&linkCode=as2&tag=lauradavis-20&linkId=8a2f02a3d8d282b66785fb136ca02b80 Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-burning-light-of-two-stars-laura-davis/1139198069 Want a Discount When You Buy in Bulk for Your Book Club or Organization? For bulk sales: https://www.porchlightbooks.com/product/burning-light-of-two-stars-a-mother-daughter-story--laura-davis?variationCode=9781954854161#full-description Audiobook version of The Burning Light of Two Stars: On Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Burning-Light-of-Two-Stars-Audiobook/B09G8WJQP7 And on Libro.fm for independent stores: https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781950144471 Also: If you’re a writer or want to use writing as a tool for healing or self-discovery, you can learn about Laura’s online writing workshops and in-person domestic and international retreats here: www.lauradavis.net * * * * Laura Davis www.lauradavis.net A picture containing text, blackboard, picture frame Description automatically generated My new memoir, The Burning Light of Two Stars: A Mother-Daughter Story is available for presale now. Read the first five chapters and check out the great bonuses you can get if you order now: www.lauradavis.net/the-burning-light-of-two-stars/ Finalist, Page Turner Awards Free Ebook: Writing Toward Courage: A 30-Day Practice. Click here to receive this beautiful, thought-provoking creative gift: www.lauradavis.net/courage/ Facebook: @LauraDavis&TheWritersJourney Instagram: @laurasaridavis

Nov 04, 202149:36

106. Talk Dying to Me: Lauren Daley, MD

Lauren is a palliative care doctor, motherless daughter, longtime griever and believer that having a healthy relationship with our mortality is the secret to living a better life. Her podcast, "Talk Dying to Me" shares stories from the crossroads of life and death, and all of the messy bits in between. She hopes her work creates space for fellow mortals to contemplate the harder parts of being human and weigh in on life's greatest mystery.

You can find Lauren at Intagram and Facebook as @talkdying to me and at www.talkdyingtome.com

Regarding the Living with Ghosts virtual movie screening party for anyone in the world, here is the link: https://www.livingwithghostsmovie.com/joinusdesiree

This will go live on NZ's Oct 30/US Oct 29 and be available for 10 days.

Oct 28, 202159:42

105. and then he left: Jenifer Davis

Today we welcome Jenifer Davis onto the podcast. This is a deep and raw episode and Jenifer covers difficult ground in her story that she feels strongly about sharing. You will hear that there were so many layers of trauma and loss to this story. Here are Jenifer's words:
On May 30, 2017 at approximately 12 noon, I lost my husband to suicide. I was in the office in our house when he went out into his workshop in the garage and shot himself with a shotgun.
We had been married for almost 35 years and a couple for almost 36 years – but I knew him for 42 years. He was the love of my life and even though our marriage was not always easy, both of us plagued by our troubled childhoods, he was my person. We weathered so much over the years, but we had 3 grown children, they were doing well in our lives – we had a home and stability. All of that ended when he was laid off from his job (the first time he had ever been laid off). What should have been a blessing ended up being a nightmare.
Now, with the clarity of hindsight, everything makes so much sense.
The story has so many layers. But in 16 months what happened is this: He lost his job – he pushed me to transfer to Arizona where I could work for my company and we could buy a house for less money so the pressure for him to find more work wouldn’t be there. Because when you are an alcoholic, you think that things will get better if you change your environment. But you can move a 1000 miles away and you are still the same person.
I was grieving – I didn’t want to leave at that time but I did so he could feel better. We moved here 11 months after he was laid off. Two months after that I was fired from my job – Arizona is a Right to Work (no unions or unionize by choice/vote) and because I was over 50 and made over 100K a year they found a loophole and there was nothing I could do about it. So now we were in a strange state and neither of us had a job.
His suicide was an impulsive act; carried out impaired by alcohol. I never in a million years would have believed he would have done this. I tried to do everything I could to make him happy – he couldn’t overcome his anger at his childhood and he couldn’t articulate it (at least to me) – and he couldn’t be grateful for the blessings we did have.
What I really was unaware of was how he lived with anxiety and depression and only masked it. He did a pretty good job of it until the last 10 years of his life.
There are so many unanswered questions with a suicide – and they will never be answered. I can guess (and I am pretty sure I am close, if not 100% accurate). I am supposed to pick up the pieces of my life and figure out what in the hell I am supposed to do after all of this time? My children were grown, my job was taken from me, my home where my support infrastructure was, and my husband – all gone. I knew I was supposed to be married to him and I was his safe harbor – he was not always my safe harbor. I had to be strong, I had to figure out how to do things for our family and I often had to do them alone – sometimes I felt like I had four kids. Don’t get me wrong, I wanted to take care of them all; mothering is what I love to do – but I dearly longed for appreciation. He would give me just enough to keep me around.
But I love him dearly regardless of all of the pain and sorrow – there were beautiful times – and I have his 3 children.
I want to help widows/widowers – I want there to be a place or something for them to come to for help because I didn’t have that – I have some ideas but because my brain scatters. I haven’t done anything yet, but the idea is there.
You can find me on Instagram @jeniferbrd7761
Please follow The Death Dialogues Project and learn more about this project at www.deathdialogues.net where you will find links to podcast platforms and our social media. Instagram is our fave social media home @deathdialoguesproject

Oct 14, 202101:04:38

104. Karen Wyatt, MD: Lessons for Living from the Dying

In this episode Karen opens up about early lessons of death after her father ended his life and how that has followed her. She shares perceptions about the frustration of how dying is addressed (or not) in main stream medicine. AND— she eloquently explains each of the seven lessons for living from the dying.
Dr. Karen Wyatt is the bestselling author of the book 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying, which contains stories of patients she cared for as a hospice doctor and the spiritual lessons she learned from them at the end of their lives. Dr. Wyatt also hosts End-of-Life University Podcast, which features conversations with experts who work in all aspects of end-of-life care. She is widely regarded as a thought-leader in the effort to transform the way we care for our dying in the U.S. In addition, she is valued for her application of spiritual principles to illness and healthcare and teaches that in order to live life fully we must each overcome our fear of death and embrace the difficulties that life brings us.

Website: www.eoluniversity.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/eoluniversity/
Twitter: @spiritualmd
Instagram: www.instagram.com/kwyattmd/. Please follow The Death Dialogues Project and learn more about this project at www.deathdialogues.net where you will find links to podcast platforms and our social media. Instagram is our fave social media home @deathdialoguesproject

Sep 30, 202101:06:57

103. Sharing Solace: Crystal Webster

Crystal Webster is the Founder of Sharing Solace, Author of ‘Confessions of a Griever’, speaker, entrepreneur, and most importantly she is Madelyn Elizabeth Webster’s mama. When Madelyn died in Crystal’s arms just after she was born, she wanted to die too. It took her years to learn to live again – mostly because she realized her Madelyn wouldn’t want her to live the rest of her life waiting to die.

Sharing Solace was founded from that love and hope: to help grievers grieve and lovers love their griever through tangible, pass-along-able gifts wrapped in a meaningful community of support and strength so you can always ‘Remember. You’re not alone.’

Please follow The Death Dialogues Project and learn more about this project at www.deathdialogues.net where you will find links to podcast platforms and our social media. Instagram is our fave social media home @deathdialoguesproject

Sep 16, 202101:05:03

102. Oceana Sawyer: End of Life Doula

As an End of Life (EOL) Doula, Oceana Sawyer specializes in the liminal spaces of active dying and grief. She is currently researching embodied grief (through a sensual lens) and racialized trauma in the Somatic Abolitionism Training Program with Education for Racial Equity.

A certified home funeral celebrant, living funeral ceremony facilitator, and Conscious Dying Educator, Oceana also holds graduate degrees in integral counseling psychology and organizational development.

Oceana draws upon her meditation practice, experience as a sensuality educator, earth-based spirituality, and intensive study in the expressive arts and integral counseling psychology to bring a grounded, compassionate presence and holistic approach to her work. Through Death Cafes, EOL vision mapping, EOL doula training, and virtual grief events and workshops, Oceana works with individuals and groups centered primarily in communities of color (culture).

She has also contributed to a number of articles and podcasts in the area of death, dying, and grieving.

You can follow her on her Instagram and participate in her online grief community on Patreon.

Please follow The Death Dialogues Project and learn more about this project at www.deathdialogues.net where you will find links to podcast platforms and our social media. Instagram is our fave social media home @deathdialoguesproject

Sep 02, 202141:13

101. Cumulative Grief with Kameron & Kate

This episode is the first interview by our new Death Dialogues Project co-host, Kate Burns. A hearty welcome goes out to her.

Kate has served as an Equal Employment Opportunity and Title IX Investigator and a large Midwest university for the last four years. In this role, she investigates harassment, discrimination, and sexual violence. Kate has extensive training in trauma informed interviewing and takes much pride in connecting with people on a meaningful level. Kate has a masters degree in forensic science which has proven helpful during interviews and also aided in achieving some unexpected accomplishments. After suddenly losing her mom in 2019, Kate found deep purpose in helping others navigate the processes which are encountered with death. Kate began volunteering with the Green Burial Council in February 2021 before being elected to serve a three year term on the Board of Directors. Kate is also in the process of becoming a death doula through the Going with Grace End of Life Planning program. Becoming part of the Death Dialogues Project has given life to Kate’s desire to connect with people who are experiencing/have experienced loss and has shined light on the need for more conversation around grief and loss.

Here’s what Kameron says about this conversation:

I can’t say that I remember a point in my life where I wasn’t familiar with great loss. My parents met on the cruise ship where my father worked, and my mother managed to convince him to move to Nebraska (he’s from Turkey and was living in Miami at the time, so the deal must have been pretty sweet). Working on a cruise ship meant he was gone for weeks at a time, which familiarized me with absence at an early age. By the time I was in grade school, my parents separated, and it wasn’t too long after that my father wound up in prison (sentenced to life without parole). I was raised only by my mother through middle and high school, which wasn’t an easy job. When I started undergrad at a local university, I decided to live at home despite my rocky relationship with my mother. One morning at the beginning of my second semester of freshmen year, I woke up to find my mother dead in her bedroom. Unexpectedly I found myself completely without parents, and with my entire adult life ahead of me.

Aug 19, 202144:53

100. Relaxing into the Pain: Dr. Mekel Harris

Dr. Mekel Harris, Ph.D., NCSP, PMH-C, a licensed pediatric and family health psychologist/health service provider (HSP) (and CEO of Harris Psychological Services, LLC), currently serves in private practice in the mid-South, offering psychological evaluation and support to children, adolescents, and families. Further, she offers training/education, consultative, and supervisory services to several local organizations throughout the Memphis area. Pre- and post-doctorally trained at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Dr. Harris specializes in coping and adjustment to acute and chronic illness, grief and loss, and health-related trauma. In December 2020, she completed advanced certification through Postpartum Support International (PSI) in Advanced Perinatal Mental Health. Throughout the past decade, Dr. Harris has presented at over 25 domestic and international conferences, focused on pediatric, family, and community health issues, including grief and loss. Further, she is a TEDx speaker, magazine and podcast contributor, and author of a memoir, “Relaxing Into the Pain: My Journey Into Grief & Beyond.” In her spare time, she enjoys writing, traveling around the globe, and spending time with family, friends, and her feisty Beagle. Dr. Harris’ faith and relationships, coupled with real-life challenges, keep her tethered to what matters most in life. Website: www.mekelharrisphd.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/drmekel IG: www.instagram.com/drmekel Twitter: www.twitter.com/drmekel Please follow The Death Dialogues Project and learn more about this project at www.deathdialogues.net where you will find links to podcast platforms and our social media. Instagram is our fave social media home @deathdialoguesproject

Aug 05, 202101:02:54

99. Sacred Crossings: Olivia Bareham

Olivia Bareham is a Death Midwife, Energy Healer, Interfaith Minister, Master Teacher
and Founder of Sacred Crossings, The Institute for Conscious Dying and
Alternative Funeral Home in Los Angeles. She was born and raised in England and
received her BA in Education from the University of London and a bachelors in
Natural Theology and Sacred Healing from the Healing Light Seminary in California.
Olivia guides individuals toward a conscious dying experience and supports
families to reclaim what she terms as - ‘The lost art and healing ritual of a
home funeral’.
Her training program, ‘The Art of Death Midwifery’ is an intensive 3-level course that encompasses the roles of death doula, spiritual end-of-life counselor, home funeral guide and celebrant. It is unique, rich, deep and profoundly relevant today, more than ever. For more information visit: Sacredcrossings.com

Sacred Crossings publishes The Death Care Directive - a planning booklet for your funeral and final disposition. To purchase, visit deathcaredirective.com

Please follow The Death Dialogues Project and learn more about this project at www.deathdialogues.net where you will find links to podcast platforms and our social media. Instagram is our fave social media home @deathdialoguesproject

Jul 22, 202101:01:38

98. Dignity with Departure: Shantell Riley

Our guest on this episode is Shantell Riley BSN, RN, RYT-200HR, End-of-Life Doula

Registered nurse by profession who has a passion for reducing the stigma surrounding end-of-life (or the challenging term death) advocating for and supporting an individual's right to have quality of life until the end. Shantell also assist individuals through the grief process after experiencing a loss. Shantell offers Yoga for Grief as a way for individuals to connect with their grief allowing a space to be present in the moment and poses used to open themselves up the emotions related to grief. She found yoga to be personally beneficial on her healing journey after the loss of her oldest son, Jevontese Riley Sr.
Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin mother of three sons, bereaved mother, grandmother, registered nurse, end-of-life doula, wholistic wellness practitioner, registered yoga teacher, herbalist, and advocate for mental health and death awareness. Shantell is the facilitator of Death Café MKE where participants come together to talk about death. She is also the owner of Dignity with Departure that others preparation and support for individuals for death and grief. She is also the owner of Blue Lotus Life which others wholistic services and products to restore balance and harmony for the wellbeing of individuals. Shantell received her associate degree in nursing from Milwaukee Area Technical College in 2007 and obtained her bachelors of science in nursing from Concordia University-Mequon in 2016. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, running, reading, connecting with nature, and researching alternative therapies for wellness.

You can connect with her at:
Phone: 414-666-1875
Email: dignitywithdeparture@gmail.com
Website: dignitywithdeparture.com

Please follow The Death Dialogues Project and learn more about this project at www.deathdialogues.net where you will find links to podcast platforms and our social media. Instagram is our fave social media home @deathdialoguesproject

Jul 08, 202153:34

97. Mahyan’s Story: the beautiful-horrible

Madeleine says: “Until Mahyan died I was more familiar with birth than death and I noticed how often my brain produced images of my heart that looked more like the jagged edges of a torn placenta than the shattered yet life giving organ that would now pound and appear to beat out of time at random moments for years to come. After Mahyan died I felt bereft; physically aching for loss of my son only to discover fear had also come along for the ride as I realized the world where children were born, loved and raised to adulthood was no longer certain.

In what world had I previously felt this guarantee?

Death and the shattering of hearts and certainty is a transformative thing right?

Gently tending to questions such as these has also transformed me; leaning greatly on the incredible and loving community around me, Mahyan's death has also brought connection; rivers of tears have become well journeyed roads where those around me have nurtured, fed and sung to me and my family again and again. Close friends and colleagues have walked alongside and with my pain, shared stories and memories of Mahyan through many years and I am transformed again as I notice my heart has a steadier pace, a peace amidst this mountain of grief.”

Madeleine is a Mother and bereaved parent re-membering what it is to trust in life and death.

Through her work at the intersection of maternal and infant health, Madeleine creates spaces for listening and the sharing of stories through postnatal and breastfeeding Wananga (workshops). She is passionate about community and the sharing of music, laughter, tears and food. She no longer expects to come out the other side of grief, though feels much is to be gained through the showing up with kindness to our own experiences. Please follow The Death Dialogues Project and learn more about this project at www.deathdialogues.net where you will find links to podcast platforms and our social media. Instagram is our fave social media home @deathdialoguesproject

Jun 24, 202101:23:28

96. Grow with Grief: Katrina Weller

Katrina is 26 year old grief and loss educator who is normalising grief through conversation and storytelling. After her Mum died when she was 15, she became a voice of advocacy within her own respective network and beyond. Katrina is no stranger to death and over the last 11 years, has experienced the death of 8 relatives and friends.
She now facilitates workshops and provides training, promoting grief-literate and inclusive workplaces and policy.
Katrina recognises that grief is a part of her, however no longer lets it define her.

www.katrinapreislerweller.com
@katrinalpweller Please follow The Death Dialogues Project and learn more about this project at www.deathdialogues.net where you will find links to podcast platforms and our social media. Instagram is our fave social media home @deathdialoguesproject

Jun 10, 202152:11

95.Spirituality & Grief: Dr. Terri Daniel

Dr. Terri Daniel is a hospice and hospital-trained spiritual care provider and end-of-life educator certified in death, dying and bereavement by the Association of Death Education and Counseling and in trauma support by the International Association of Trauma Professionals. She conducts workshops throughout the U.S. and teaches SPIRITUALITY AND BEREAVEMENT to chaplaincy students at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California.
Terri is also the founder of The Afterlife Conference and the Ask Doctor Death podcast, and is the author of four books on death, grief and the afterlife. Terri had no idea what she’d be when she grew up until she was in her early 50s, when her son Danny died at age 16 after a long struggle with a rare metabolic disorder. Danny began communicating with her after his death, and his guidance -- in this world and the next -- changed everything.
Starting out as a hospice volunteer, Terri spend the next several years pursuing academic degrees in Religious Studies and Pastoral Counseling, and also founded the Afterlife Conference, which is now in its 11th year. Over the years Terri has helped hundreds of people learn to live, die and grieve more consciously.
Her work is acclaimed by hospice professionals, spiritual seekers, therapists theologians, and academics worldwide. Visit Terri’s websites at: www.AfterlifeConference.com www.SpiritualityAndGrief.com www.DanielDirect.net
SPECIAL AFTERLIFE CONFERENCE DISCOUNT FOR LISTENERS OF THE DEATH DIALOGS PODCAST! Use promo code DDP to get $40 off general admission to the 2021 virtual conference.
Conference details and registration link can be found at www.AfterlifeConference.com
Please follow The Death Dialogues Project and learn more about this project at www.deathdialogues.net where you will find links to podcast platforms and our social media. Instagram is our fave social media home @deathdialoguesproject

May 27, 202153:28

Apr 29, 202156:34

91. The Grave Woman: Jo’el Simone Anthony

I am so pleased to bring you this conversation with today’s guest: My name is Joél Simone Anthony. I am a licensed funeral director and sacred grief practitioner. Originally from Beaufort, South Carolina, I was raised in the heart of Gullah and Geechee culture. Spirituality has always been a huge part of my life and professional approach which is deeply rooted in ancient wisdom passed down from community elders, generation to generation. During my decade of service in the funeral service industry, I fashioned my unique background and professional experiences into a caliber and style of care and comfort that guides countless families toward healing through the exploration of alternative practices designed to help you navigate and heal through your journey with grief. It is my life's work to educate everyone –regardless of faith, race, age or status – that death, dying and grief are sacred and transformative to our journeys as human beings. All of Jo’el’s links can found here https://linktr.ee/Thegravewoman Please go to www.deathdialogues.net to learn more about our project & find us on Instagram & FB. This podcast is available on most platforms. We’d love for you to subscribe & leave your comments. 🖤

Apr 15, 202155:34

90. Your Faithful Griever: Miriam Wasmund

On March 9th, 2016, Miriam's older brother and only sibling passed away suddenly from an overdose. She and her mother, both devastated from a loss they had spent a lifetime trying to avoid, were left to figure out what life looked like without him. One year later, Miriam's mother, wracked with grief, passed away from cancer after a steep decline and an all-too-brief diagnosis. Now the only surviving member of her tiny family unit, Miriam has been openly traveling through her grief in the hopes of helping even one person know they are not alone in the darkness and depth of their experience. Using her work in the fitness and wellness community, combined with being an accomplished performer and choreographer, she has allowed her life-altering experience and perspectives to be raw within her work as a way of helping to foster a healing balance between loss and the joys that still infuse life. Her hope is to create healing in herself and to facilitate others to share their stories in their journey towards healing.

In this episode she explores the differences between foreseen and unforeseen loss, the devastation left behind from addiction and the horrific pitfalls of the American healthcare system.

In 2019, inspired by letters she used to exchange with her family, Miriam went on to create "Your Faithful Reader," an experiential theater performance. Miriam lives in Brooklyn with her much loved cats and plants and believes her family is in everything she does and that they live on everywhere there is light, energy and joy in the world.

Www.yourfaithfulreader.com
@move2livenow
@rememberinghenry
@thegravelinmytravel

Move2livenow@gmail.com Please find out more about our project at www.deathdialogues.net

Apr 01, 202101:12:57

89. Kellie Curtain: What Will I Wear to your Funeral

On this episode we hear about Kellie’s journey with her mother at end of life. Kellie Curtain is an author, journalist and communications expert with a love of family, her tribe of women, and the power of a bright lipstick. The mother of four has a degree in nothing but feels like she has a Masters in Procrastination. Writing a book was never part of her plan, let alone one including conversations with her dying mother. ‘What will I wear to your funeral?’ was named as a Distinguished Favourite in the New York City Big Book Awards. The memoir is funny and heartbreaking in equal parts and a powerful catalyst for prompting discussions many are fearful to have about dying. “ Reading this book was the most heart wrenching yet heart expanding experience.” Maggie Beer AM When invited to speak, Kellie’s is entertaining, thought provoking and uplifting. Kellie wrote her book whilst living in the Middle East. She had traded her career as a television news reporter for the role of trailing spouse. Six years as an expat taught her Pilates, pony riding and patience. It was underscored and enriched by female friendships that, though fleeting have left an indelible mark. She is a board member for Motherless Daughters Australia. The not for profit organisation has committed to building a support network for those who must navigate a future without their first and most influential relationship of all. Kellie is a natural storyteller, her humour, warmth and honesty is captivating.

https://indeliblemarks.net

Instagram: @indelible_marks

Collaborations include : Advanced Care Planning Australia, Cabrini Health, Australian Industry of Funeral Professionals, Breast Cancer Network Australia.

Please follow along with The Death Dialogues Project at Instagram, on Facebook and our website . It is a tremendous support of this podcast, if you liked what you've heard, to go to your podcast platform and rate and comment on our conversations. Thanks for being here.

Mar 18, 202155:14

88. My Old Friend Death: Brooke Hartman

Brooke Hartman is a wife, mom, and friend. Death became an "old friend" early on in life with the loss of her grandfather- which acted as a catalyst to grief not associated with death. In her journey through multiple deaths of close friends and loved ones, Brooke learned that she had a desire to become more educated in regards to death and death practices She has become a nursing student at her local community college, where it's her goal to become an RN to work in hospice care to help educate and advocate for others regarding death. You can connect with Brooke on IG @bhartman7785. For more about the project please go to deathdialogues.net & find & follow us on Instagram @deathdialoguesproject & at FB. We’d love it if you’d help our mission by subscribing to the podcast & leaving a review. Your support is greatly appreciated. 🖤

Mar 04, 202148:28

87. Grief: A Love Story with Tara Caffelle

Tara Caffelle is a certified life and relationship coach, management consultant, writer, and fluent speaker of the language of grief. Significant and successive losses led Tara to see that, now more than ever, we must get better at supporting our fellow humans at living who is actually a grief-filled life. She works closely with small businesses and non-profit organizations to create a culture that supports grief in our collective spaces of work and service, so that we may take that culture home with us to our dinner tables.
Tara is navigating her first year as an adoptive parent with her partner, Bill, and is squeezing in a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work around the edges of work and diaper changes.
Tara’s first book, Grief: A Love Story, is due out in 2021. You can follow her work here:
Instagram: @taracaffelle @grief_at_work
Web: taracaffelle.com
thisisgriefatwork.com

Feb 18, 202148:11

86. My Own Death as a Teacher : Kirsty Salisbury

Kirsty Salisbury is driven by a passion to live her best life and to help others. A strong believer that we can all 'design' our future regardless of our circumstances. She's a dynamic speaker, a coach, and the host of the Let's Talk Life Design podcast.

Kirsty's passion comes from her own traumatic life event when just 3 weeks after her 12th birthday, she was left paralysed on her left side due to a rare brain malformation. It turned her world (and the world of her family) up side down. And there started what she calls 'her second life', one in which she aims to live consciously, filled with purpose and gratitude. Even at such a young age, Kirsty made the decision that this major life event would never define or limit her and she would in fact 'thrive'.

In the first few years following her illness, Kirsty dedicated everything to her recovery. She learned how to walk again, how to move her arm, then how to skip, then jump, and now the sky is the limit. Whilst every single day she is reminded of her journey, she is truly grateful for her experience, and continues to use the lessons she has learnt to push life's boundaries.

Jan 28, 202139:24

85. Loving & Living Your Way Through Grief

This fascinating conversation shares the shocking experience of being introduced to death at the age of 14 while working on the family owned ambulance and how more experiences with death expanded Emily Thiroux Threat to a place where she had a book that had to come out: Living and Loving Your Way Through Grief.

In Emily's words: Having gone through the experience of the death of two husbands and many family members and friends. I have much experience in the grieving process, and I have learned to face life with love, optimism, and joy. I have taught writing many years at the university level. My new book, Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief is being published by Mango Press. I facilitate Writing Through Grief groups to help others on their journey. My Email emily@lovingandlivingyourwaythroughgrief.com My website https://lovingandlivingyourwaythroughgrief.com/ https://linktr.ee/emily_thiroux_threatt My Private Facebook group Writing Through Grief with Emily https://www.facebook.com/groups/2869332503181276/ My Private Facebook Group Reclaiming Your Joy After Loss https://www.facebook.com/groups/ReclaimingYourJoyAfterLoss/ My Blog where you can sign up to be on my mailing list https://lovingandlivingyourwaythroughgrief.com/blog/ My Public Facebook Accounts Emily Thiroux Threatt Greif Transformation with Emily My course delivery site for classes on grief and writing https://www.reclaimingyourjoywithemily.com/ Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/emilythirouxthreatt/ YouTube Chanel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP4Y0hr8M9Nn1x0T40bVmjg

Instagram: @Emily_thiroux_threat

Jan 14, 202157:47

84. Awakened by Death: Naila Francis

Naila Francis is a certified death midwife and From Grief to Gratitude™ coach, as well as a wedding officiant, interfaith minister, poet and accomplished writer. Writing in fact was her first love, which led her to a career in print journalism for many years. Over the course of her career, she profiled artists and entertainers such as Yoko Ono, Sara Bareilles, India.Arie, Seal, James Earl Jones, k.d. lang, Pink and “Eat, Pray, Love” author Elizabeth Gilbert. For many years, she also had her own column Life in LaLa Land, where she shared her personal journey, including grieving the loss of her mom’s partner and her own father, with readers. Her words have also appeared in greeting cards and publications such as Mystic Pop and Opera Philadelphia’s festival guides. Raised on the Caribbean islands of St. Lucia, Barbados and Antigua, Naila is an island girl at heart. She considers herself an ardent joy enthusiast, which some find an unlikely trait for someone who serves others in the realm of grief and dying. But she also deeply appreciates holding sacred space for people at life’s threshold moments, whether that’s entering a marriage, experiencing a deep loss or preparing for life’s final passage. Among her other passions is traveling to Tanzania, where she loves spending time with “her kids” at the orphanage she helps to support.

Jan 01, 202155:48

83. Wydowhood with Celeste

Celeste was married to her high school sweetheart and heaven sent soulmate. They were together for over 20 years and were married for 13. They were blessed with a big family as Celeste and Anthony were blessed with 8 children. Celeste's life came to an abrupt halt when her husband was diagnosed with sarcoma in the lungs in 2018. He passed 10 weeks after the diagnosis and ever since Celeste has been figuring out her life as a wydow and mother to 7 children. She lost a son 6 years ago, so with the lost of both her husband and her son she developed a passion to motivate others about love and how to rebuild their life after losing a loved one whether it's a spouse, friend, child, parent, sibling, or a friend's lost of someone dear to them. Celeste is rebuilding her life starting in the mud and she wants to share her journey with you all.
"I have always been the type to figure out a way to pull myself out of the mud that I was walking through. In those moments it was unsettling, uncomfortable, and any other 'un' prefix that's suitable to use. Trying to make yourself smile after enduring tragedy is a lot easier than many may think. It's about being able to smile and laugh about the good times. Sometimes, if not most, the sadness creeps back in and takes a seat in the corner waiting for its grand debut all over again, like it just couldn't stand to be missed. However, I like to help others look for the patch of grass on the other side of the snow filled mountain."
Wydowhood is a company that's built on the moral of helping wydows and wydowers. We use the letter 'Y', because 'Y' is always the question that we ask when we lose someone close to us, especially a spouse or even a child. 'Y' is also the summa cum laude of why we do things. It's the very reason of 'Y' we wake up in the morning. We always have to fulfill the 'Y'. Wydowhood is focused on turning the grieving connotation of 'Y' into the immediate reason for 'Y' it's important to move forward, but not move on. We offer services which include, but are not limited to, life insurance information, financial assistance, legal assistance, living will, talk psychology, grief counseling, family psychology, and more. We're here to lend two arms and an open community of welcoming fellow wydows and wydowers alike to share their testimonies and use our services.
Instagram: @wydowhood
YouTube: HERE

Dec 10, 202051:41

82. The Long Walk Home: Find Your Harbor–Margo Fowkes shares her journey of walking her son home

In this episode we hear the story of Jimmy who died at the age of 21 after an eight year odyssey of brain cancer. This episode shares so many poignant, informative and beautiful messages as a mother tells her story of love and loss.
Margo Fowkes created Salt Water to provide a safe harbor for people grieving the death of someone they didn’t think they could live without. Her goal is to create a community where grieving souls can support each other by sharing wisdom and ideas and offer hope about creating a life in the aftermath of a devastating loss. It is the website she couldn’t find after her mom and her 21-year-old son Jimmy died.
Salt Water is open to everyone regardless of what they believe, where they are in the grief process, how they’re feeling or what type of loss they’ve experienced. The site provides resources and support for those grieving the death of a child, spouse, sibling, parent, dear friend or pet as well as those mourning a death by suicide.
Salt Water also provides blog posts, articles and other resources for “the people who love us”, friends and family members who are desperate to help and don’t know how. Margo learned early on that there are no “perfect” or magic words that will bring her son or her mother back. Rather than criticize friends or family members for saying or doing the “wrong” thing, Salt Water offers practical suggestions and encouragement to friends and family along with gentle reminders to those who are grieving that those hurtful comments are often a loved one’s attempt to show how much they care.
By looking for common ground and creating connection, Salt Water enables grievers to help each other heal and build a new life after the loss of a beloved person or pet. As Ram Dass says, “we are all just walking each other home.”
Links for more info:
findyourharbor.com/about/our-mission/ findyourharbor.com/about/who-we-are/
Instagram: @findyourharbor
Facebook: www.facebook.com/FindYourHarbor

Nov 27, 202057:09

81. Gentle Death with Dr. Annetta Mallon

It’s always fascinating to hear the early death experiences that lead people to their life’s work. Dr Annetta Mallon Annetta is an End of Life Consultant and Doula, professional public speaker, writer and editor, academic, social researcher, education advocate, psychotherapist who specialises in grief, loss, PTSD, injury and trauma recovery, and personal growth and development, an artist, and a professional mentor. Annetta has been speaking at public events and conferences both in Australia and internationally for several years, with a focus on end of life and funeral cost transparency for the past two. A passionate consumer rights advocate who prioritises transparency, the absence of itemisation in the corporate funeral business model and information transfer about funeral rights and choice is a current focus of many of her lectures and presentations.
In her academic roles Annetta is an Honorary Adjunct and death and dying specialist lecturer with Western Sydney University, and a unit convenor and lecturer with Navitas Sydney City Campus for both undergraduate and postgraduate courses in sociology, social science, and health science. Annetta is currently developing a monograph of EOL Doulas in Australia for an international academic publisher, and is writing up the findings from an international qualitative research project of her own initiative which saw End Of Life (EOL) Doulas in four countries interviewed. The project considered End of Life Doula perspectives on the role of death literacy in helping to form compassionate communities and provide continuity of care for clients at end of life and after death, as well as discussions of professional identity. Annetta was awarded her PhD in Social Science in early 2016; her thesis investigated art therapist professional identity formation, encompassing creative arts-based qualitative research, feminism, pedagogy, personal stories and narratives, health sociology, and professional practice.
Annetta’s work in the fields of somatic psychotherapy and allied health saw her working in Australia, Italy, and the USA, creatively engaging the personal narratives and stories of her clients in order to support their recovery from injury, grief, trauma, and loss for over twenty years. Her client base included military and paramilitary personnel, and survivors of rape, incest, and domestic violence, and she brings this experience and skillset to her current work with those whose lives have been affected by violent and/or unexpected death. Annetta’s work in this area includes grief support, counselling, and mentoring, funeral planning and funeral celebrancy.
In her private practice Annetta offers a wide range of atheist and secular end of life and after-death services to both human and pets, and regularly holds talks and education events to promote death literacy and awareness of rights at end of life, the importance of advance planning for health, end of life, and funerals. She once spent an interesting year working for NSW Police Headquarters as a writer, content developer, and editor for their intranet education program, and spends a great deal of time with her dog Cully (a seasoned research assistant).
100-word ‘highlights bio’
Dr Annetta Mallon is an End of Life Consultant and Doula, highly sought after for professional and academic guest lectures and speaking engagements. Her end of life work combines in-depth training and experience as an artist, collaborator, writer, and professional mentor with her extensive academic and allied health skillset to offer high-quality secular services for both peers, and human and pet clients. Funerals you attend before you die are a popular item in Annetta’s service list. A grief and loss expert who worked in Australia, Italy, and the USA, she now includes EFT for traumatic grief and exposure to violent death.

Nov 12, 202057:03

80. Death Chose Me: Britt Keehn

Britt says: There's no time in my memory that death was a stranger, but it decided to get close to me later in life. I have looked death in the eye four times; four times I almost couldn't be here. It was as if death needed someone to hear and understand. I feel death chose me. Now, death is my life work. I am a certified death doula whose focus is coaching people as they approach the end of their life. As a longtime educator of infants and children, I often find there is much to which we return, from beginning to end of life, regardless of the age at which we find ourselves at the end. I created The Art of The End to teach what I know from having been there, so close to the edge myself. My experiences have been my privilege and my gift to share with those who are facing the end. Let's erase the isolation of dying. Let's talk about death.

www.Theartoftheend.com

www.facebook.com/theartoftheenddeathcoach/

instagram.com/the_art_of_the_end?igshid=6umnhaa340y5
(Just search for: The_art_of_the_end)

Oct 29, 202001:02:57

79. My Story Of Stillbirth & Miscarriage: Amy Watson

Amy Watson is a mom to 6 living children, and two babies in heaven. Lauren was stillborn just a few days before her due date and River was only 14 weeks when his heart stopped beating. Going through pregnancy loss can feel so isolating, because it's not something people want to talk about. But healing and continuing to talk about these special babies is what gives Amy meaning and purpose in her life. She is a certified life coach for other moms of angel babies and she is committed to helping break the stigma around babyloss as well as letting people know that is is possible to heal and live a beautiful life, even without all your babies in your arms. She loves being outdoors, hanging out with her family and reading self help books when she can sneak a few quiet minutes.
www.instagram.com/amy.smoothstonescoaching/

www.facebook.com/smoothstonescoaching/

smoothstonescoaching.com/

Oct 15, 202056:05

78. The Heart of a Grieving Child: Grief & Grits

Randi Pearlman Wolfson is a Los Angeles based grief educator and author. After experiencing the death of her dad when she was ten years old, it became her life-long dream to provide hope and healing to grieving children and adults. For nearly 20 years, she has educated the community, including mental health professionals, clergy, students, teachers, and various other professionals, on the topic of grief. As founder/writer at Grief & GRITS on Facebook and Instagram, Randi provides a caring heart and voice for grievers. She is the author of “Eddie’s Brave Journey: How one little elephant learned all about grief” a story for the littlest of grieving hearts. To learn more about her book please go to: EddiesBraveJourney.com Links are @griefandgrits on Instagram Grief and Grits on Facebook "Eddie's Brave Journey: How one little elephant learned all about grief" can be found at www.EddiesBraveJourney.com

Oct 01, 202055:45

77. A Journey without a Map: John Sardella

1. Grief is both a universal and individual feeling.
When John Sardella lost his wife, the feeling of grief and loss was overwhelmingly heavy on him. So heavy that he had to lean on others to get through it. A Journey Without A Map aims to help those going through their personal grief, while letting them know they’re not alone.
2. Every difficult day is an opportunity to keep going. It was a hard lesson for John Sardella to learn that life doesn’t stop when your own world comes crashing down. John says that even the hardest days without his wife are an opportunity to keep moving forward.
3. It’s not just support that’s important, it’s the consistency of support. Anyone who’s lost a loved one has experienced sympathy and support in the aftermath of loss, but John Sardella is quick to point out how quickly that goes away. There’s sympathy then silence. John suggests that the key to moving
forward is to seek out support to be there for you in between the sympathy and silence - for the life part.
4. It’s going to be okay. John Sardella will be the first to tell you that you don’t stop grieving the loss of a spouse/best friend/mother, but years after losing his rock, he can tell you that it’s going to be okay. John says that his grief will always be there, but it changes with time making it easier to move forward.
A Journey Without A Map on Amazon / Release Date: February 25, 2020 / Lioncrest Publishing Book Description
After twenty-seven years of marriage, John Sardella lost the love of his life when his wife, Margaret, passed away following a seven-year battle with cancer. John looked for a book that would give him space for his pain and inspire him to move forward, but all he found were clinical books written by psychologists. That was John’s motivation to write this book and share how he worked through the grieving process in the hopes of reminding others not only that they are not alone, but also that they will be okay.
A Journey Without a Map gives you permission to not only feel those real and true feelings you have, but also permission to move forward. Sharing stories that span from Margaret’s battle with cancer to her funeral and John’s life since, John demonstrates the power of connection and shows that with the proper perspective, you can still live life to its fullest extent. You can get back to being the person you’re capable of being—John wants to help you get there. JOHN SARDELLA is the author of two previous books: How to Start a Successful Youth Lacrosse Program and L is for Lacrosse: An ABC Book. John’s professional career was spent in the Liverpool CSD. He was a teacher for sixteen years and a principal for fifteen years. He is now retired and enjoys spending his time writing, golfing, and being with family and friends. John resides in Liverpool, New York, and Naples, Florida. His kids are all grown, and John still sees them often. You can find John on Twitter @sardella_john, connect via email at ajourneywithoutamap@gmail.com, or visit johnsardella.com.

Sep 17, 202050:53

76. The Memory Circle: Barri Leiner Grant

Barri Leiner Grant is a self-proclaimed Chief Grief Officer and founder of The Memory Circle, which was established in 2018. Since losing her mom, Ellen Jane, in 1993, she has believed that our grief stories and loss need a better place and space in modern society. A redefinition of the vernacular around loss. Her work as a writer, stylist and collector, has made the art of visual story telling a centerpiece of her life for decades. The Memory Circle was born from a desire to make the grief cycle a shared and more open experience. A a place to tell your tale because it reinforces that your loss mattered. "I have combined my work as a yoga and meditation teacher with my personal mission to heal and help the bereaved at any stage of their journey. Our workshops and gatherings are bathed in ways to release what we are holding - while always keeping the spirt and celebration of those lost and loved, alive." barri leiner grant 917.545.1036 Instagram: @thememorycircle and @blg Website and mailing list: thememorycircle.com The Memory Circle, Private Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/132181931161167/?multi_permalinks=197722761273750¬if_id=1590499316298012¬if_t=feedback_reaction_generic&ref=notif

Sep 03, 202057:53

75. BONUS—Tipping Point: stress•school•anxiety

This timely episode is an offering for university or high school students who are finding themselves experiencing extreme stress and/or anxiety as they return to school at a time when the corona virus seems to be running rampant. Thrust into unknown, hopefully you will find a greater ease after listening to this episode.
Written transcript at www.deathdialogues.net
Please share with anyone who you think can relate to this episode.

Aug 27, 202015:56

74. Hope for Steve

Meet Hope Cross who was the 24/7 caregiver of her husband Steve for nine years— from diagnosis of ALS until his death in April 2020. Steve and Hope openly shared their journey and brought attention and awareness of ALS. They have a wide audience, a documentary and have touched so many lives. Hope commits to always tell Steve’s story. This Intimate conversation was recorded shortly after Steve’s death. You can find Hope at www.hopefromearth.com/.

Aug 20, 202059:08

73. Good Grievings: Thomas Biddulph

Hey, I'm Tom Biddulph and have been through a lot in my 38 years of time on this earth. Since 1994, I have lost 16 loved ones that have either been family or friends. Grief is a never ending journey, but I've learned to find the good grievings along the way that bring me joy.

My hope is for you to feel a sense of self worth and to see there is so much more available in life than just to wallow in the pain and fear. I want you to feel love after death, and happiness so you can be present and not lose out on what greatness life has to offer you now.

goodgrievings.com
@goodgrievings (twitter)
@goodgrievings (instagram)
@goodgrievings (YouTube)

Aug 06, 202046:06

BONUS: AfterDeath: keeping our loved ones home

Bex Tingey, from our latest podcast, Our Lost Adventure, and host, Becky, chat about their experiences of having their deceased loved ones' bodies at home for a period of time after their death– what that process feels like and some of the logistics surrounding it.
We felt that since some people aren't familiar with this practice have expressed curiosity, this conversation could provide some insight into what that process.
And don't forget to hear Bex share her story of her partner, Josh's, untimely death in the last podcast.
Thanks for being here.

Jul 30, 202024:32

72. Our Lost Adventure: Bex Tingey

Bex Tingey unexpectedly lost her life’s adventure when her partner/fiancée was killed in a paraglider accident. She is trying to work out the new normal whilst honouring love. www.ourlostadventure.wordpress.com IG: our_lost_adventure

Jul 23, 202059:56

71. Grief Alchemy: Taurie Bednarski

In September 2018 Taurie's Dad suddenly and unexpectedly past away. Riding the waves of shock and deep grief, she recalls having a clear moment of being able to "choose" the course of her grief journey. In that moment Taurie decided that she would choose her heart and open to her journey of grief, conciously, resulting in the realisation that she now stands strong in believing, that grief has the potiential to be a portal or gateway into a deeper sense of self and life. Taurie now holds sacred containers for groups and individuals and allies those who are feeling the pull to courageously walk the path of a conscious griever.

www.griefalchemy.net IG:Taurie.Bednarski

Jul 09, 202051:02

70. Marisa Meddin: letters from beyond— Part 2

Part 2. Please listen to the previous episode with Marisa- Part 1. On this episode Marisa and your host, Becky, process the letter from beyond that Marisa channeled for Becky based on questions she had written for loved ones. After graduating with a business degree from the University of Michigan and completing a six year career in brand marketing at PepsiCo in NYC and LA, Marisa realized she wanted more time and freedom to explore other countries. So, she quit her corporate job to try her hand at entrepreneurship, and began traveling the world full-time while running a few successful online businesses. In her time visiting over 60 countries, learning about self development practices to become a better entrepreneur, and studying spiritual and scientific principles to heal a broken heart & mysterious back pain, Marisa learned two important skills that changed her life: One, she had the ability to coach others so that they, too, could live emotionally freer lives filled with more joy and alignment. And two, she discovered she was a psychic medium who had the gift of communicating with those who had passed on (which, looking back, was not so surprising considering her mother’s spiritual experiences). Marisa now knows her mission is to heal others by leveraging her gifts of empathic coaching and spiritual communication....all while traveling the world and living a life in alignment. Find Marisa at marisamedium.com IG @mlmeddin

Jun 25, 202056:11

69. Marisa Meddin: letters from beyond— Part 1

In this episode we hear the fascinating story of Marisa Meddin discovering her gift of mediumship and some pointers for those of us who may have an interest in connecting with our deceased loved ones. After graduating with a business degree from the University of Michigan and completing a six year career in brand marketing at PepsiCo in NYC and LA, Marisa realized she wanted more time and freedom to explore other countries. So, she quit her corporate job to try her hand at entrepreneurship, and began traveling the world full-time while running a few successful online businesses. In her time visiting over 60 countries, learning about self development practices to become a better entrepreneur, and studying spiritual and scientific principles to heal a broken heart & mysterious back pain, Marisa learned two important skills that changed her life: One, she had the ability to coach others so that they, too, could live emotionally freer lives filled with more joy and alignment. And two, she discovered she was a psychic medium who had the gift of communicating with those who had passed on (which, looking back, was not so surprising considering her mother’s spiritual experiences). Marisa now knows her mission is to heal others by leveraging her gifts of empathic coaching and spiritual communication....all while traveling the world and living a life in alignment. Find Marisa at marisamedium.com IG @mlmeddin

Jun 11, 202001:03:38

Mid 2020 update 🖤

Thank you so much for your listener support of The Death Dialogues Project Podcast. We will be moving to an every two week publishing format while Becky works on a writing project surrounding death, dying & the aftermath.

Next week's episode is a fascinating discussion with medium Marisa Meddin. This conversation is so fresh and light as Marisa walks us through what it was like for her to leave the corporate world and follow the path of opening up to her gifts. I'm so excited to share this unique and enlightening episode as Marisa shares the very special way she communicates with Spirits.

Find us at Instagram.com/deathdialoguesproject facebook.com/deathdialogues www.deathdialogues.com

Jun 04, 202008:20

68. Shauna Janz: Death of a Grasshopper— grief as initiation to life

Shauna Janz, MA is dedicated to tending belonging in our world - within ourselves, with each other, and with our other-than-human relations. She creates space for reaching into the rough and beautiful places that are a catalyst for transformation and healing, personally and collectively, through grief work, ritual and ancestral healing. Her offerings are trauma-informed and anchored in the resiliency of the human spirit, healing justice and animist values.

Shauna supports individuals, families, communities and organizations, and has been designing and delivering trauma-informed programs since 2008. Audiences have included non-profit organizations, local and provincial government, First Nation communities, post-secondary education institutions, counseling teams, rural communities and international summits.

Alongside her online school of Sacred Grief, Shauna is a trainer and director with BC Bereavement Helpline supporting traumatic loss, and has been a teacher with Ancestral Medicine leading multi-day healing rituals; an Executive Director with Learning Through Loss serving youth with grief education and support; the founder of the Victoria Holistic Death Care Gatherings, and a co-visionary for the annual Deathly Matters community conference. She is a lover of inspiration and creativity, and can be found dancing, playing music, and walking in the wilds of nature and mystical communion. You can book a free consultation with Shauna at Shaunajanz.com

May 28, 202058:57

67. Grieving Mothers: Megan Hillukka

Megan Hillukka is a grieving mother turned grief coach, who is supporting and guiding grieving moms on their grief journeys. After her daughter, fifteen month old Aria, died unexpectedly Megan found that the emotions of grief were overwhelming and she felt so crazy and alone so often, and she now provides that space for other grieving moms to know they are not alone, and she shares the tools she's found to help her in her find life after loss. Megan lives with her 5 children and husband of 9 years in Minnesota USA and carries Aria every day in her heart. Find links to The Grieving Mother’s Podcast & Megan’s work at MeganHillukka.com

May 21, 202051:33

66. Lysa Black: transformative power of death

On this episode we hear the transformation Lysa Black experienced after a miscarriage & then the death of her beloved horses (two within two weeks) & the major changes that have ensued in her life and the enlightenment and boundaries in relationships that resulted. After 11 years in Business, Lysa Black knows how vital it is to feel safe owning our heart medicine - she became fully booked after 5 years in Business once she published her first book - and began sharing her story. Her role as a Healer & Business Mentor for Trail Blazing Healers, Coaches & Intuitive Business Owners is to reflect back the heart medicine she can perceive in them. We can't speak up publicly about our sacred work until we feel safe, and we can't feel safe until we are seen and loved in our truth. Lysa knows that the feminine leaders are the only ones who can bring through the heart transmissions that facilitate true transformation" 3 key URL's: Website, Facebook & Instagram www.lysablack.com https://www.facebook.com/LysaCBlack/ https://www.instagram.com/lysa_black_/

May 14, 202001:03:49

65. A Grief Warrior: Leslie Barber

Leslie Barber is the Founder of Grief Warrior, a company that brings recognition, respect and reconnection to the grieving. Leslie’s husband, Steve, died from esophageal cancer on the summer solstice, 2015. The longest day of the year became the worst day or her life. She and her six-year-old daughter were devastated. Leslie has channeled her sorrow into Grief Warrior to help other grievers. Grief Warrior offers corporate workshops and trainings on grief, 1:1 and group coaching, and heartfelt sympathy gifts for the grieving. Grief Warrior's workshops and trainings enable corporations to acknowledge grief within the workplace. The Grief Warrior sympathy gifts enable supporters to connect with the grieving - to SAY or DO something that is helpful, useful and healing. Leslie is also a grief coach who works with grievers to recognize their grief, to find the purpose to put one foot in front of the other and ultimately to take their next step. Grief Warrior can be found at www.agriefwarrior.com and @agriefwarrior on Instagram and Facebook.

May 07, 202058:37

64. Trauma & Resilience: Kemia Sarraf, MD, MPH

On this episode you hear the current thoughts from a physician, public health specialist, mother, partner, human— as we discuss our current experience with living in the midst of the covid19 pandemic. Dr Sarraf is an Internist and Public Health professional who left clinical medicine more than a decade ago to start a public health initiative for children in her community focused on working with and teaching children in schools and community organizations to “Eat Real, Move More” through programming in the kitchen, gardens and playgrounds. Kemia is also an trauma specialist and executive coach who melded these two disparate fields into a coaching paradigm specifically for physicians and other professionals who are experiencing high levels of chronic toxic stress and secondary trauma (aka “Burnout”) in their workplace. She is the CEO of Lodestar Consulting and Executive Coaching.

Married to a physician who will be a part of the frontline in this pandemic, Kemia is currently holed up with her four sons, providing a public health perspective in several local physician groups, blogging on FB in a desperate bid to get her community to understand the concept of radical social distancing to flatten the curve, and fielding calls from clients, all while trying desperately to avoid listening to her two youngest children “read” to her during homeschool hours. The live on a small family farm where it is currently lambing season, the muskrat have invaded the ponds and it’s raining enough to need an ark; she firmly believes all those things should be part of her boy's curriculum. She would very much like to know when the “social distancing” part of this pandemic will kick in for her in her home...

Kemia M. Sarraf, M.D., M.P.H., CCC, TIPC™
CEO, Lodestar
Kemia@lodestarpc.com
lodestarpc.com
Lodestar - Direction when you’ve lost your True North.

May 01, 202001:08:34

63. Full Circle: Stephanie Sprinkel’s story from Grief to grief coach

On this episode we come full circle as one of our first interviewees reconnects about eighteen months after our initial conversation where she was learning how to walk in the world as a new widow. On January 16, 2016 Stephanie Sprinkel unexpectedly became widowed when her husband passed away from a sudden heart attack. Feeling alone and misunderstood she decided to create a separate Instagram account. One where she could openly express her wide ranging emotions from her loss. She quickly began to connect with other widows, widowers, adult children that lost their parents and sadly parents that lost their children. Soon after she realized two things:
Grief is not a phase, it’s a lifelong journey
The journey is misunderstood by those who haven’t been through it.
The feedback and fellowship she found from her Instagram account and Facebook page that followed, started to pull at Stephanie. She felt a strong calling use her experience to help others. As fate would have it sponsored ads for life coaches and widow coaches began popping up in her Instagram feed. That’s when she realized that’s what she needed to do. She decided to become a coach so she could walk alongside others through their grief journey.
In 2019 Stephanie embarked on an intensive life coaching program. She has now graduated from the program with the intention to assist other women. Help them find the self confidence to grow, get unstuck and move forward after the loss of their significant other. She found her tools in becoming resilient are also helpful for women who experiencing the ending of a relationship do to a break up, separation and/or divorce.

You can follow Stephanie on Instagram @survivingtheloss or @chooseyourselfcoaching. If you wish to contact her for one on one coaching services in Grief, Loss and Resiliency she can be reached through either account.

Apr 24, 202055:45

62. Grief Dreams with Dr. Joshua Black

Dr. Joshua Black is considered one of the leading academic experts in dreams after loss (also know as Grief Dreams). Additionally, he is a speaker, author, and host of the Grief Dreams Podcast. Dr. Black has focused all of his graduate research (in psychology) on investigating grief dreams from many types of loss (including prenatal loss and pet loss). The majority of his research on grief dreams has been specifically on dreams of the deceased. Due to the lack of academic research in this field, Joshua has focused his efforts on raising awareness on grief dreams through doing talks, workshops, interviews, and running his podcast. Additionally, he developed a grief dreams website (www.griefdreams.ca), runs several social media accounts (Grief Dreams Facebook Group, and Twitter and Instagram pages @Griefdreams), and wrote a children’s book on grief dreams called Dreaming of Owl.

Apr 17, 202001:03:19

61. Life in the Time of Covid: Part 3

Thanks for being here. On this installment of stories during the time of the covid pandemic we hear from previous contributors & my precious intern Svenja Mueller, who we can thank for the existence of this podcast, and the following people: Jana Buhlman (episode 11 & 12) who shared about walking her husband from stage 4 cancer to his assisted death. You can find her on IG @baldgrrl & bringthejoy.blog ; Jane Edberg (episode 43) of The Fine Art Grieving — you can find her at IG under the same name & at thefineartofgrieving.com ;Beth Robbins (episode 46) author of A Grief Sublime keatsandcompanypublishers.com/books; Lisa Jones (episode 52) After a transformative shared-death experience, Lisa brings messages from the beyond to enlighten and comfort. millionairemedium.com. IG lisajonespodcast . Thank you so much to all of our contributors to today’s episode. So much love and comfort to all of our listeners. Stay in the moment & take good care. 🖤

Apr 14, 202034:40

60. Life in the Time of Covid19: Part 2

On this episode we have another instalment of how some of our previous contributors are dealing with life during this unprecedented time. First up is Kellyn Shoecraft of hereforyou.co (episode 21) who shares insights she has gained from her reaction to this pandemic. Next we have Lucinda Herring , author of Reimagining Death, lucindaherring.com (episode 17) with her personal perspective about our relationship with Death during this pandemic & her human experience. Then we hear from Angela Mencl whose story of becoming a widow at the age of 30, her sister dying the day before her husband & being a mom of four young children was our most listened to episode (number 32) as she describes what life is looking life for her as she walks down a new road (you don’t want to miss this update) & the curve of her personal Covid 19 response. Angela’s instagram handle is @lovelylionheart_ . And finally we have Ronit Plank, podcast host of And Then Everything Changed as she shares how things have changed since our previous conversation (episode 57) last month. Sending out a huge thank you to all of our contributors for sharing from their hearts on today’s episode. Would you like to share your thoughts about your Covid 19 pandemic experience? Record a 5 minute audio clip and send it to deathdialogues@gmail.com.

Apr 10, 202038:37

59. Stories of Life in the Time of Covid19: part 1

Listen to the first installment of this series where people are sharing stories of their day to day living during the covid19 pandemic. Today’s contributors are previous guests of The Death Dialogues Project Podcast: — Kjerstin Davies, episode 29. — Diana Jecker, episode 42. —Serena McCullough, episode 51. — Dawn Picken, episode 7. —Jane Cunningham, episode 16. — Heike Mertins, episode 22. Thank you so very much to our guests for sharing a glimpse into their responses to the current pandemic. Be on the lookout for part 2 of this series. Subscribe to this podcast so you don’t miss a story. 🖤 Please don’t forget to listen to episode 53– Calm in the Time of Corona for some research based practical tools you & your family can use to ease the stress and improve your wellbeing now & for all times.

Apr 04, 202042:42

58. Deathwork with Lashanna Williams

Lashanna (she/her) is, at her core, a helper; a doula and massage therapist who merges formal education, ancestral knowledge, life experience, and all 6 senses to guide her care. She serves individuals, families, intentional communities, and small businesses with end of life education and planning, body care education, home wake facilitation and creating legacy pieces. She has an never diminishing desire to grow community care through education and collaboration to fully support autonomy and choice through abortion, death and dying . "If energy is neither created or destroyed, I'm sure we've met sometime before." Don't forget you can contact Lashanna for a 30 minute free consultation at: antareswellness.com The other organizations Lashanna is affiliated with are: asacredcrossing.org & pearlcollective.org Don't forget to check out the podcast And Then Everything Changed! Here's a link to the episode where you hear the story behind The Death Dialogues Project: https://open.spotify.com/episode/35Dq9GufhklA8bJvnCAkt6

Apr 03, 202054:41

57. Covid19: And Then Everything Changed

Ronit is a native New Yorker, a writer, teacher, and mother who has also led parenting support groups for new families in the Seattle area. She hosts the podcast And Then Everything Changed which features intimate conversations with survivors, authors, thought leaders, and social justice advocates about the pivotal moments in their lives and the decisions that have defined them. New episodes weekly, available on all podcast platforms: www.ATECpodcast.com. Website
andtheneverythingchangedpodcast.com
ronitplank.com

Instagram
@andtheneverythingchangedpod
@ronitplankwriting

Twitter
@ATECpcast
@PlankRonit

Apple:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/and-then-everything-changed/id1485293813

Spotify:
open.spotify.com/show/4g8OX3O5qQUjgXr6rviAKR?si=XFu8M2d2TUyt8T1Pt3i4TA

Mar 31, 202045:52

56. Complex trauma & grief: Lindsay Joy Taylor

Lindsay Joy Taylor is a grief advocate and the owner of The Joyful Jewelry Box. Lindsay's mom died when she was only 13 months old so now she keeps her mother's memory alive by serving other bereaved people with grief support and remembrance jewelry. She also writes and speaks to normalize and raise awareness about grief, loss, and trauma. Lindsay lives in California and in her downtime, you can usually find her at the beach with her husband, Brandon and their dog, Trooper. >>> Join my mailing list for updates and grief support: https://www.bit.ly/tjjbnews >>> Follow me on Instagram for inspiration and encouragement: https://www.instagram.com/TheJoyfulJewelryBox >>> Visit my shop: https://www.TheJoyfulJewelryBox.com * * * Don't forget to check out the podcast And Then Everything Changed! Here's a link to the episode where you hear the story behind The Death Dialogues Project: https://open.spotify.com/episode/35Dq9GufhklA8bJvnCAkt6

Mar 27, 202001:02:44

55. Kemia Sarraf, MD, MPH: life in the time of covid19

Mar 25, 202059:16

54. Walking her mother home: Kristie Bennett

Kristie Bennett’s life was forever changed after the journey to the end of life of her mother. From first symptom to diagnosis of terminal stomach cancer, Kristie talks about negotiating the medical system and the need for an advocate. Her mother’s death was a wake-up call. Death is one thing that is certain but we don’t want to talk about it. Most of us are completely ill-equipped to deal with loss. Our hearts are broken and we have no idea how to fix it. Grief is the normal and natural reaction to loss of any kind. The problem is that we have all been socialized to believe that these feelings are abnormal and natural. Feeling frustrated with the lack of real conversations regarding death and loss, Kristie became a Grief Recovery Specialist and is dedicated to helping others through their own unique and painful grief journey. Kristie also believes that children are often the “forgotten mourners” of grief. She struggled to help her 3 daughters through the loss of their beloved granny. Through a conscious parenting approach, Kristie helps parents develop the skills to help assist children navigate through any emotional turbulence they experience. Not only does this help children heal their broken hearts but creates a greater connection between parent and child. WEBSITE www.kristiebennett.ca INSTAGRAM www.instagram.com/finding.gratitude.in.grief www.instagram.com/kristie_bennett FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/kristiebennett331 www.facebook.com/kristieabennett
* * * *
Don't forget to check out the podcast And Then Everything Changed! Here's a link to the episode where you hear the story behind The Death Dialogues Project: open.spotify.com/episode/35Dq9GufhklA8bJvnCAkt6

Mar 20, 202001:02:07

53. Calm in the Time of Corona

On this bonus episode, The Death Dialogues Project creator, Becky Aud-Jennison, MA, LCPC (therapist gone rogue) taps into her clinical background & research & imparts some tools you may find helpful during these trying times.

Mar 17, 202035:36

52. Exploring Death with Lisa Jones

After a transformative shared-death experience, Lisa Jones expresses her passion for life by exploring death. Author, speaker, and host of the Exploring Death podcast, she has had the privilege to work with groups and individuals, business leaders, entertainers, and fellow spiritual seekers. Lisa brings refreshing clarity and honesty to a challenging subject. She seeks to use her gifts to give encouragement, comfort, and inspiration to a culture that has hidden death and dying from view. You'll be uplifted by her energy and touched by her warmth.

www.facebook.com/lisajonespodcast/
www.instagram.com/lisajonespodcast/
twitter.com/MediumLisaJones
www.millionairemedium.com/

Mar 13, 202040:42

51. Losing a father at 12: an eloquent story of how deep loss affects a child

Serena McCullough, Intuitive Guide shares on her experience around death and how loosing her Father at just 12 years old greatly impacted her life and how she has viewed life. She now takes what she has learnt, having hit her rock bottom when her children were 6 and 4 years old and coming out the other end of depression and anxiety, and supports and guides other Mum's and sometimes Dad's, on their healing journey as they too cultivate the authentic and harmonious family life that they desire. Website - serenamccullough.co.nz/

Facebook - www.facebook.com/serenamccullough.intuitiveguide/?modal=admin_todo_tour

Instagram - www.instagram.com/serena.mccullough_guide/

Mar 06, 202001:05:53

50. Aftermath of Suicide in the Workplace: transforming conversations

In this episode we hear a unique perspective of how a leader handled the suicide of a colleague within the workplace to best support her staff and personnel. Rachel has been an educator and leader based in Ōtautahi (Christchurch, New Zealand) for 25 years. She currently works for The Prince’s Trust New Zealand as their Director of Education, with side hustles as a professional supervisor and a funeral consultant & celebrant. Her intention in all her work is to be strengths-based, resource focussed, and to walk alongside others in their learning, working, dying or grieving journey so they can learn, work, or ‘do death well’. With regards to her new funeral consultancy business it is her hope that through this work, families and friends together feel empowered to manage as much of the process as they feel comfortable with in order to provide an honouring that personifies their love, enables their involvement, and facilitates healthy bereavement for their loved one. rachel@transformingconversations.nz

Feb 28, 202057:18

49. From Death’s Edge to Death Work: Paige Haviland’s journey to becoming a Death Doula

Paige Haviland-Drufovka joins us a Death Doula and Energy Healer. Her journey to becoming a Death Doula and Energy Healer began 7 years ago when she was diagnosed with a fatal illness that no doctor said she would survive. Through the process of western medicine, holistic healing, and losing very close family members unexpectedly, she found her path and calling in our communities for “death doula” work. She’s had to face the fear of death and then the loss of her close loved ones. Paige understands both spectrums of death and the ones left to grieve. She is a certified Death Doula and End of Life educator for those facing death or the death of a loved one providing comfort, listening, care, compassion, and understanding. She is a certified Death/End of Life Doula through the Midwest Women’s Herbal Conference, INEDLA, and National Teaching Transitions through Rainbow Hospice. She is a current member of INELDA. She also works with Rainbow Hospice in various volunteer positions which include Respite and Vigil care. Additionally, she is certified in 3 different energy healing modalities; EFT Tapping through EFT International, Therapeutic Touch through Therapeutic Touch International Association, and 2nd Degree Certified in Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki through Om Sweet Om Wellness Center; which she offers to everyone in the community. She is a current member of EFT International, TT International Association, and International Association of Reiki Professionals. She has an office out of Om Sweet Om Wellness Center in La Fox, IL. You can reach Paige at (USA) 914-772-8524

Feb 21, 202046:33

48. After Chloe: the story

Melo Garcia, a grief specialist, is assisting those who have lost what isn't replaceable by creating After Chloe, an online community and resources, providing support, resources, and assistance through the difficult journey of grief. And to find a way not only to process the pain of loss and grief but to incorporate grieving and living to find a life of meaning after loss. Melo started and cultivated After Chloe in 2015, with the idea of giving the griever a feeling of community and to know that their opinions are, in fact, not only valid but that anyone can create a roadmap to find their way after loss.
Melo created AfterChloe.com in honor of her daughter Chloe who passed away in 2011, and after losing both her parents.
And felt it necessary to help others deal with the grief and losses life present from death, divorce, identity, age, fertility, and empty-nesting by creating various types of solutions that the grieving find a life worth living and to speak your grief in your way, a way that will assist you and inspire you to live and grieving.

Feb 14, 202001:06:58

47. Reframing Suicide: a mother’s story

Claudia Crase is a mom who was comfortable entertaining life’s big questions with her kids And, for her, this interview feels like a snapshot of what it’s like to process the biggest question yet that her family has faced. Claudia is a retired middle school teacher transplanted from Chicago to the mountains of Montana. Instagram @cadocrase

Feb 07, 202001:04:43

46. A Grief Sublime: Beth Robbins

BIO: I am a writer, teacher, director, and editor. And now I am a widow. I was married for just under thirty years to Steve “Sproutman” Meyerowitz. Originally from NYC, we moved to the Berkshires in western Massachusetts where we raised our three children: Gabrielle (31 years old), Ari (29 years old), and Noah (20 years old). The summer after Steve’s death I attended Oxford University. It was there that I found my voice as a writer. Or, perhaps, rather, recognized it. I began to play with form. I discovered the permeability of once-perceived boundaries. I began to put my voice in conversation with John Keats, with Walt Whitman, with Emily Dickinson. I began to explore in my writing the liminal. The difference between an intellectual or emotional response to a work of art, and an imbibing of it––this is not only possible but necessary. In 2017, the Bread Loaf Journal published my personal essay––“Fragments in Liminality: A Lover’s Discourse.” This has since been expanded into a book, A Grief Sublime, published in December of 2019 by Keats & Company Publishers. I have been a high school English and drama teacher in a Waldorf school for the last 15 years. I have worked as an editor for a small publishing house. I have always believed in the necessity for an authentic engagement with literature and the development and validity of every one’s voice. My work with my students has been punctuated by dialogue and passionate debate, and with a focused effort on crafting writing that speaks both to the texts studied and in a voice that is true to the student. In our increasingly fragmented chaotic world, connection is ever more important. The fragmentation of our world begs for conversation, reconnection, dialogue. I have developed curriculum around the Romantics and Transcendentalists, among many other subject areas including Beowulf and Chaucer, Dante and Shakespeare, Virginia Woolf, Jorge Luis Borges, and many others. Keats and the Romantic poets have always been favorites, but after my husband’s unexpected death I entered into Keats’s poetry and the notion of liminality in a life-changing way. From that moment, romanticism and liminality have been touchstones for me, informing my work in my teaching and in the projects I’ve done at Bread Loaf School of English at Middlebury College, and subsequently. This became the way I moved from incomprehension and confusion to some sense of peace and acceptance. Or, at least, an ability to live, as Keats would say in his so-called Negative Capability letter, “in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason.” Keats helped me remain somehow if not content, well then at least okay with half-knowledge. To be with what was rather than what was not. I have discovered a vibrant living experience of literature. I have learned to quiet the self to allow the truth of the other (whether living or nonliving) to speak. Words and experiences become portals to transformation and, possibly, reconfiguration that renews and recreates. https://www.keatsandcompanypublishers.com/books

Jan 31, 202001:05:40

45. A SHORT: after Kobe Bryant: unpacking the story

Listen to this brief chat about how the news of Kobe Bryant & his daughter’s death (and the others in the helicopter crash) has devastated those with their feet still on the planet— and the way this loss can intertwine with your own and complicate your reactions. And hear why #bekind is so very important right now. www.deathdialogues.net

Jan 27, 202008:10

44. Reimagining Grief: Lisa Keefauver

Lisa Keefauver holds a Masters in Social Work and is on a mission to change the narratives of grief. She is the Founder and CEO of Reimagining grief and host of the podcast, Grief is a Sneaky B!tch. She has recently launched an incredibly thoughtful and sometimes humorous line of empathy cards to help you find language when you’re at a loss for words.

Based on decades of personal and professional experiences, research and practice, she is incredibly passionate about reimagining and reauthoring our understanding of grief and loss, something 100% of us will experience. Her “grief resume”, as it were, is substantial. Woven throughout her personal life, including losing her husband in 2011 and then a close friend shortly afterward, and in her professional life as a practicing social worker and narrative therapist for nearly 2 decades. Find Lisa’s work, podcasts and cards at www.reimagininggrief.com

Jan 24, 202058:02

43. The Fine Art of Grieving with Jane Edberg

Jane Edberg is a published writer working in poetry, flash non-fiction and memoir. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Studio Arts. She is a retired art professor who taught Art Appreciation, Photography and Design at various Universities and spent twenty years full-time at Gavilan College. Jane is currently working on a hybrid memoir of images and prose called “The Fine Art of Grieving” about how she used art to process grief and heal from the loss of her son. She authors a blog and Facebook page by the same title.

FACEBOOK LINKS:
www.facebook.com/thefineartofgrieving

www.facebook.com/jane.edberg

INSTAGRAM LINK:
www.instagram.com/thefineartofgrieving

www.instagram.com/edbergstudio

WEBSITE:
www.thefineartofgrieving.com

Jan 16, 202001:05:48

42. Lessons from a Parent’s Sudden Death: Diana was 19 when faced with the ensuing responsibility

In this episode, we hear from a young university student named Diana.
Diana shares her experience with the sudden death of her father, John,
when she was just 19 years old.

She walks us through her story of loss, from the first overwhelming
days of the “after,” to where she stands today, nearly two and a half
years onward.

In the wake of his passing, Diana shares what she has learned about
forgiveness, friendship, the strength that can stem from community,
and ultimately, herself.

Hailing from the West Coast of the United States, Diana attends
college with the goal of becoming a pediatric trauma nurse. One day,
she plans to put her skills to use helping youth on the frontlines of
the global refugee crisis.

She loves all things outdoors, and is still inspired today by her
father’s resilient spirit, and quiet, loving nature.

Jan 09, 202055:44

41. A Happy New Year Update

Just a quick check in of what our project is about, what we’ve learned and where we are heading for 2020.

Jan 02, 202005:16

40. Trans Deathcare : inclusivity in life and death

Meet our guest on this episode, Toni King-Rose: I am a 20 year old, male identifying, openly transgender funeral student currently going through an accredited Canadian mortuary Program. I work part time at an independent retirement living complex as a housekeeper and friend. I spend my free time either vegging out with my pals, singing karaoke with my seniors, volunteering with dying with dignity Canada, focusing on growing the Trans Death Care initiative and going to therapy. I believe it's never too early in life to start talking about your own death and about the deaths of others. And all genders need to be involved in the conversations. Connect with Toni at @transdeathcare on Instagram and transdeathcare@gmail.com

Dec 27, 201952:55

39. Medium Rebecca Rosen: love & lessons from the beyond

Internationally acclaimed best-selling author, spiritual medium, and speaker, Rebecca Rosen has made it her mission to open the line of communication between the spirit world and our day-to-day world. Rebecca’s spiritual journey began in 1997 as a college student struggling with depression and a debilitating sleep-eating disorder. Following months of therapy and medication, Rebecca finally, out of desperation, began to pray. On one particularly unremarkable day while sitting in a bookstore, she felt compelled to write in her journal. That’s when her deceased Grandmother Babe, answered her prayers. Rebecca was flooded with words that she involuntarily transcribed, or channeled, not even realizing what she was writing. The handwriting was Rebecca’s, but the words were her Grandmother’s. Because she, herself, was skeptical, Rebecca asked for proof that what was happening was real. Grandma Babe told her three specific things she wanted Rebecca to share with her father, Grandma Babe’s son. All three turned out to be true and were things only her father and Grandma Babe could possibly know. For the next 18 months, Grandma Babe was Rebecca’s guide, giving her life lessons and even predicting specific personal events that would later come true. At the end of this time, her Grandmother told Rebecca to fulfill her life’s purpose, and ultimately help others. Rebecca’s journey as a medium started with personal readings for family and friends, which were uncannily accurate. These experiences were shared with friends, and then friends of friends. Soon strangers began asking for readings too, and Rebecca realized she had officially arrived as a professional spiritual medium. Now, over 20 years later, Rebecca’s passion lies in transforming people’s lives by helping them connect to their deceased loved ones, angels, spirits and guides through small group readings, larger audience events, and a variety of spiritual growth products and resources. Her incredibly accurate and detailed readings have amazed and empowered clients and led Rebecca to national media appearances on The Dr. Oz Show, E! News Specials, Fox & Friends, Dr. Phil, Entertainment Tonight, Extra, Nightline and The Rachel Ray Show, among others. In addition to her two books, Spirited, published in 2012, and Awaken the Spirit Within, published in fall 2013, Rebecca’s newest book, What the Dead Have Taught Me About Living Well was released in February 2017. In her newest book, Rebecca shares the daily practices and tools that she uses to connect with support from beyond, showing readers how they can learn to recognize the signs and harness divine guidance for their everyday lives. Rebecca was also on LMN’s (Lifetime Movie Network) show The Last Goodbye. Through the show, Rebecca connected people seeking answers from their deceased loved ones, and shed light on the truth that death is not the end and love never dies. Rebecca resides in Denver with her husband and children and travels to share her gift and teach others how to receive wisdom and insight that can profoundly, and positively, impact their lives. For more information on Rebecca, her readings, large audience events, spiritual growth products and more, please visit www.rebeccarosen.com.

Dec 20, 201948:56

38. Picture Death: a father’s last 17 days are captured on film & project is born

Meet this episode’s guest— Josh Neufeld. I’m Josh, founder of Grief Narratives. I’m a photographer based in Vancouver, Canada. In 2015, death took my dad rather quickly. When they found the cancer, it had already taken up residence in his pancreas and spread to his liver. What I discovered during the process was that though I felt alone and unique in my grief, the reality is, so many share a story so similar to mine. At the time I was beginning work on a photo project around terminal illness and mortality. Suddenly, my father became the subject. Capturing moments and writing about the process allowed me to connect with so many others experiencing something similar. It created the desire to build a space for people to be able to do the same. The link to the piece about Josh’s dad: https://www.boredpanda.com/meeting-mortality-photography-father-dying-from-cancer-josh-neufeld/. His website: www.griefnarratives.com IG @griefnarratives & @joshneufeldphoto

Dec 12, 201959:52

37. Death Midwife: Lauren Morse

An introduction from our guest Lauren Morse: I’m located in Yellow Springs, Ohio and offer intersectional end of life support, death positive educational workshops, and death/grief as sacred activism through ritual and circle crafting. Although rooted in traditional Appalachian folk practices I’ve integrated trauma informed yoga therapy, counseling, and other professional and personal experiences to return advocacy and community deathcare to my neck of the woods. Find Lauren on Instagram at @exhale.midwife

Dec 05, 201957:14

36. Emily Elizabeth: she changed lives

Chris Frazier is a 34 year old stay at home mom of two beautiful girls. This last year has been a trying one for their family as they dealt with the prenatal diagnosis and eventual death of their second daughter Emily. Their story is one of sadness but also hope and miracles. Chris holds a masters degree in student affairs in higher education from Colorado state university and a bachelors degree in communication from Oregon tech. In her spare time Chris loves to read, exercise, spend time outdoors.
www.facebook.com/groups/713469669012664/?ref=share Www.courageousparentsnetwork.org trisomy.org

Nov 26, 201901:05:15

35. Zenith Virago, Deathwalker

At our podcast’s one year anniversary, it is very appropriate we would be blessed to have an interview with a person who has been one of our primary influences on The Death Dialogues Project’s mission. It was Zen’s work that empowered Becky to take a natural approach with her family— something she would have dreamed of doing, but without exposure to Zenith’s work would not have felt as confident on the journey. Zenith lives in Byron Bay, and is the EO and founding member of the NSW Charity, the Natural Death Care Centre. She is the co author of the book The Intimacy of Death and Dying, and subject of the international independent documentary, Zen & the Art of Dying. The inspirational dream of the NDCC is that every individual, community and service provider has the knowledge and capacity to do death well. Zenith has been at the forefront and a leading pioneer of dying well, family led body care, meaningful and appropriate ceremony, and informing and educating communities to reclaim and be empowered before, during and after death. Offering a hybrid of truly traditional ways blended with a more contemporary understanding, encouraging people to take their dying, death, after death care and ceremony back into their own hands and hearts, even in cases of sudden death and trauma. With a legal and community background and work history, she is a seen as a community resource, assisting people to know and reclaim their legal rights, and co-create their own social rites of passage. She has been working towards more holistic cultural change in approaches to better and continual end of life and after death care for well over 25 years. She is known as a Deathwalker, an educator and a celebrant, sharing the subtle and obvious layers involved, offering guidance, support and care to inform, enable and empower people to be as informed, open and courageous as they can, and to experience their dying and their loss in the best way they can. Simply, she accompanies and guides people in their loss. She now works, speaks and teaches both nationally and Internationally, and her work may best be summed up as assisting people to die well, and for those left behind to have a healthier bereavement, as they move into their healing with no or few regrets. Zenith Virago : Deathwalker. Celebrant. Author. Trainer. JP. (+61) 0427 924 310 Transformative Rites of Passage. Weddings & Funerals Conscious & Integrated End of Life & After Death Care Consultations zenithvirago.com Deathwalker Trainings naturaldeathcarecentre.org Co-Author of The Intimacy of Death & Dying naturaldeathcarecentre.org/publications Documentary Films zenandtheartofdying.com tenderdocumentary.com.au

Nov 14, 201901:09:35

34. Death & Divinity

Splintered by her own loss, today’s guest shares how her experience has expanded and shaken her. On this episode you will hear from Rev Melissa Harris -Interfaith Minister, Writer, Speaker, Student, Inquisitor

Melissa received her undergrad degree in Psychology from Iowa State University and an M.S. in Counseling from Wayne State College in Nebraska. Her professional career has included social services, conservatorship law, and insurance. Ordained as an Interfaith Minister in 2017 following study in Comparative Religions and Mysticism, she is currently pursuing a Master’s of Divinity through All Faiths Seminary International and serves on the Spiritual Council of Unity Center of Des Moines.
A lifelong seeker of wisdom and meaning, Melissa believes that the breath and body are expressions of God, and that the way to live fully is to intentionally and equally embrace our humanity and our divinity.

Melissa is married to Tim Harris. They live in Urbandale, Iowa, are avid sports fans, and enjoy boating, fishing, hiking, and any time spent connecting in nature.

Nov 01, 201951:25

Season 2– here we come

On this short episode you will here a wee bit about the history of the project and lessons learned from what life hurls at us as we rev up our second season of the The Death Dialogues Podcast. Contact deathdialogues@gmail.com if you have a story to share.

Oct 23, 201916:39

33. Lifestyle : Deathstyle

In this episode, Becky, creator of The Death Dialogues Project discusses the use of the word “lifestyle” in New Zealand & how we could all stand to ponder that word a bit more for our lives — and deaths. And don’t forget about our workshop coming right up: ‪A Good Death: a DIY Workshop Exploring ... http://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2019/a-good-death-diy-workshop-exploring-end-of-life/whangarei‬

Jul 18, 201917:51

32. Widowed at 30: young mother of four negotiates life after loss

Angela Mencl unexpectedly found herself a widow and single mother of four at age of 30. Angela not only lost her spouse but her sister passed away the day before. Determined to create the most beautiful plan B she moved to Utah to be close to family and raise her children with that support. Her grief was too much to bear alone so she turned outward and created a Instagram platform to work through grief and help others. Angela’s raw posts expose the untold stories of grief and create a safe place for others to feel accepted and seen. Angela is the true embodiment of a lovely lion heart.
You can find her Instagram account at www.instagram.com/lovelylionheart_/

Jul 11, 201901:07:33

31. Tricia Barker shares her Near Death Experience (NDE)

Tricia Barker experienced a profound near-death experience during her senior year of college, and this experience guided her to teach overseas, in public schools, and at the college level. Her near-death experience story has been featured in media outlets including The Biography Channel’s I Survived: Beyond and Back, National Geographic Magazine, Women’s World Magazine, Simple Grace Magazine, and The Doctor Oz Show.

Tricia’s memoir, Angels in the OR: What Dying Taught Me About Healing, Survival, and Transformation, tells the story of her near-death experience, teaching mission, and eventual triumph over trauma in her past. The book also focuses on the importance being of service and giving unconditional love to others.

Tricia is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin. She also received her MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College. Currently she teaches English at a beautiful community college in Fort Worth, Texas. She interviews other near-death experiencers, researchers, healers, and mediums on her YouTube Channel. She has partnered with Dr. Raymond Moody and Lisa Smartt to produce The Second Annual Online Near-Death Experience Summit. Tricia speaks to audiences nationally and internationally about unconditional love, healing, and consciousness. Book: www.simonandschuster.com/books/Angels-in-the-OR/Tricia-Barker/9781642931594
Website: triciabarkernde.com/
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCyIstVbBhilo1gdUmazkReQ?view_as=subscriber
Podcast: anchor.fm/tricia-barker
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TriciaBarkerNDE/?pnref=lhc
Instagram: www.instagram.com/triciabarker_nde/
Twitter: twitter.com/TriciaTeacher

Jul 02, 201901:02:37

30. Kate Manser: You Might Die Tomorrow

In this episode we hear what inspired Kate Manser to create the project You Might Die Tomorrow. Kate is just so happy to be alive. After experiencing four separate sudden deaths of friends in two years, she experienced a radical shift in perspective: Thinking about your death reminds you to live. She is now the creator of YOU MIGHT DIE TOMORROW a recognized brand with the mission to help people really live before you die. Today, YOU MIGHT DIE TOMORROW has a global following with thousands of stickers around the world, happy clients like Facebook, Inc. and the book is coming out before Christmas 2019. Get a free sticker at www.youmightdietomorrow.com.

Jun 25, 201955:36

29. Charlie’s Guys: a wee boy’s death brings gifts to grieving siblings

Hear from a mother who , after the death of her precious toddler, Charlie, channeled her energy into giving to other families experiencing a similar loss. Extraordinary. Kjerstin Davies is a southern California native, raising her family in Colorado. She has always had a heart for children. Formerly, Kjerstin was an event planner and later, a child educator. Before she had any of her own she was a court appointed special advocate for foster kids for many years. She is the co-founder of Charlie's Guys, a nonprofit she runs for bereaved siblings.
It all started with Charlie and his brother. Charlie was born 21 months after his brother, creating a close brotherly bond that they both cherished. Things they enjoyed most were playing with their transformers, pretending to be transformers, digging for dinosaur bones, playing hide-and-seek, and swimming together.

One morning when Charlie was all but 23 months old, he passed away in his sleep. While the founders didn't know it at the time, Charlie had contracted a virus that compromised his body and left him with no symptoms until it became fatal.

Terrified to begin this journey, they were showered with love and compassion in the form of gifts, clothes, books, and experiences. Even their unborn daughter (due two months after Charlie passed) was showered with gifts. This generosity made their pain more manageable and they were able to see love in the midst of their loss.

This organization is born out of all the generosity they received. Now they want to give back to those who are also changed by this type of tragedy. You can find more at www.charliesguys.org, on Instagram and FB.

Jun 18, 201955:08

28. Modern Loss: co-founder Rebecca Soffer shares her story

Rebecca Soffer is the cofounder and CEO of Modern Loss, a website and community the New York Times has hailed as “redefining mourning.” She is a former producer for the Peabody Award-winning Colbert Report, having accompanied Stephen Colbert on his quest to meet all 435 U.S. House Representatives. Rebecca coauthored the book Modern Loss: Candid Conversation About Grief. Beginners Welcome, and is one of Spirituality & Health magazine’s 10 spiritual leaders for the next 20 years. A Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism alumna, Rebecca has spoken nationally on the themes of loss and resilience at Chicago Ideas Week, HBO, and Amazon, and has been featured in outlets including NPR, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and Newsweek. Her writing has appeared in a variety of media such as New York Times, Refinery29, Elle, Marie Claire, Today.com, and various book collections. She lives in New York City with her husband and two little boys. Go to www.modernloss.com to explore more. You can find Modern Loss on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter

Jun 09, 201956:58

27. John Pavlovitz on death & grief & love

In the past two years, John Pavlovitz’s blog, Stuff That Needs To Be Said, has reached a diverse audience of millions of people across the world with his outspoken distaste for a number of President Trump’s policies and confrontation of the larger national vitriol about immigrants, guns, and many other hot button issues.

His popularity is not surprising, given that his core message is one that so many of us are yearning to hear: that hope is still possible, and that kindness, inclusion, and compassion are the way forward.

A former megachurch pastor, Pavlovitz now preaches a much less-traditional Christian message dedicated to radical hospitality, mutual respect, and diversity of doctrine that has earned him the nicknames “The Pastor of the Resistance” and “The Atheists’ Favorite Pastor.” He wants to help those of us who feel hopeless recognize ways in which we can change things for the better.

“Hope isn’t found in a celebrity, religious leader, or politician,” says Pavlovitz. “It’s found in the mirror.”

Pavlovitz fervently believes that people can change things with a little guidance. “We all have a small world that we can save,” Pavlovitz explains “Compassion, or giving a damn, is one of the most powerful weapons we have in difficult times.”

In a rousing and inspiring interview, Pavlovitz, author of the new book, Hope and Other SuperPowers:A Life-Affirming, Love-Defending, Butt-Kicking, World-Saving Manifesto (Simon and Schuster, November 2018), can discuss:

• How to find hope in the face of the discord and anger we see on social media news feeds every day
• Recognizing that personal pain can mobilize us to activism
• Specific places to start and steps to take in the face of the vast and overwhelming problems in the world
• How to balance fighting injustice in the world with caring for oneself
• One thing each one of us can do right now to be the kind of person the world needs
• And much more!

John Pavlovitz is a writer, pastor, and activist. In the past five years his blog Stuff That Needs To Be Said has reached a diverse worldwide audience of millions of people, and he is widely regarded as a leading voice in progressive faith in America. A 22-year veteran in the trenches of local church ministry, John is committed to equality, diversity, and justice—both inside and outside faith communities. In 2017 he released his first book, A Bigger Table. His second book, Hope and Other Superpowers, arrived in November of 2018.

For more information visit www.johnpavlovitz.com. Or you can find John on Twitter @johnpavlovitz, Facebook @johnpavlovitzofficial, and instagram @johnpavlovitz.

Hope and Other Superpowers is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Indiebound, and wherever books are sold

May 31, 201956:38

26. Kenn Pitawanakwat: When My Son Died

Kenn Pitawanakwat, B.A., M.A., is a professor of an endangered language. A Graduate of York University and Northern Michigan University, Kenn steps forward as people’s confidant and Algonquian language etymologist. Kenn has been featured in film, social media, and academe. Kenn currently lives, with his wife, Lorraine, in northern Ontario, Canada, where his personal search for meaning in tragedy led to the writing of this book.

Credit: Al Joyner
FIRST NATIONS FATHER RECOUNTS HIS BATTLE WITH GRIEF THROUGH LANGUAGE AND CEREMONY

Contact: Kenn Pitawanakwat
Email: kennpitawanakwat1@gmail.com

WIKWEMIKONG, ONTARIO, May 12, 2016 – Local band member, grieving father, and survivor
of Residential Day School, Kenn Pitawanakwat, of Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Reserve has
announced the publication of his personal journal of bereavement and grief following his son’s
accidental death, When My Son Died ($19.95 US/Amazon and as an Ebook $3.00). This 159-page book sheds light on
death from a First Nations perspective and aims to help others with similar experiences.

Pitawanakwat suffered the unexpected loss of his son Shannon to a snowmobile accident two
years ago. Shannon’s death triggered regrets and a landslide of traumatic family memories
suppressed since childhood. Unable to find any self-help resources on grief that rendered First
Nations realism, Kenn wandered alone trying to reconcile with this tragedy. This book is the
product of that journey.

"Raw, honest, and unafraid, When My Son Died is the story of a man’s deepest loss,
written in the tongue of his own cultural grief. It is a visceral look into a man’s pain
and his fight to thrive." (E.D.E. Bell, author of the Shkode Trilogy)

Frozen by an overwhelming sense of helplessness and confusion, Pitawanakwat, turned to
ceremony and writing. Desperately praying for protection of Shannon’s spirit, Kenn renewed
himself in the language of his ancestors and was gifted with visits from the spirit world that
brought him comfort and reassurance: Shannon’s spirit consoled him, nurtured his hunger for
insight on the circle of life, and enabled him to experience lighthearted moments once again.

When My Son Died is available from Amazon.com or can be ordered from
www.kennpitawanakwat.com.

About the Author:
Kenn Pitawanakwat, Masters in Individualized Studies, is the author of several essays, poems
and short stories depicting First Nations characters and issues of interest. He started his career
in film production and acting prior to holding various First Nations community development
positions that eventually led him to pursue his unquenchable interest in his mother tongue.
Recognized as an authority in the endangered Odawa language, Kenn helped establish a
Nishinaabe Studies Program at Northern Michigan University where he taught for eight years.
Pitawanakwat uses his Indigenous knowledge and gifts to help families, couples, and individuals
of all ages in First Nations communities and urban centres across Canada and the US to
overcome abuse, violence and trauma. Kenn was a grief counsellor to Residential School
Survivors at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada hearings and continues to use
his personal and professional knowledge and skills to promote healing. He lives on
Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Reserve, Ontario, Canada, with his wife, Lorraine, and family.
For more information, or to schedule an interview with or appearance by Mr. Kenn
Pitawanakwat, email kennpitawanakwat1@gmail.com
or visit www.kennpitawanakwat.com. Review copies are available to the media on request.

May 24, 201901:05:05

25. Down to Earth Dying: Caroline Shrank

Down to Earth Dying: Caroline Schrank became a Funeral Director after planning funerals for her parents 8 years apart. Her goal is to educate and inform that death and funerals aren’t “one size fits all”, and that there are options - you just have to ask. Caroline runs Down To Earth Funerals in New York City. www.dtefunerals.com

May 19, 201957:50

24. To Die For— listening to our hearts & whispers from the beyond

Anne O’Boyle Vlahos resides in Vermont with her husband and near their two children. She is still inspired today by her mother’s love of gardening and cooking and her father’s curiosity and love of nature. Her dog Moose is usually by her side when she’s home.
Death was never an event Anne’s parents sheltered her from as she grew up. They took her to a wake for the first time at the age of two. Though only one of two children, Anne is from a large family with an abundance of opportunities to see that many struggled with loss for many reasons. When Anne finally lost Baba, her maternal grandmother, it was the beginning of her journey to develop a personal understanding of death, spirituality, and life’s meaning. This event, when she was twenty and starting her junior year in college, started deep conversations with her friends, intensive reading, classes, and sessions with several spiritual teachers and intuitives.
As Anne explored, she was also aware that her intuition and inner guidance grew, as well. The first time she connected with someone who had passed was in 1992 at the age of thirty, following the death of Evelyn Isadore. Though not with great frequency, she has, since then, been visited by
close relatives upon and after their passing.
She learned that anything from action to acceptance to stillness can allow you to see the gifts that only a loved one’s departure can bring. She welcomes you to explore what gifts you too may find in that loss.
Anne was born in Pennsylvania and raised in New Jersey by her parents, along with her sister. She attended the University of Delaware and Hunter College, receiving a BS and MS in Nutrition, which led to a thirty-year career in sales, marketing, and business development in the food industry. You can connect with me here:
www.ToDieForbook.com
FB: To Die For book www.facebook.com/ToDieForbook/
YouTube: To.Die.Forbook www.youtube.com/channel/UCR0pACVuJde1YNzthtfISQA?view_as=subscriber
Instagram: to.die.for.book www.instagram.com/to.die.for.book/

May 09, 201901:07:54

23. The Accidental Episode

Dan Ruderman (IG loveand_death_ because) agreed to be a guest on an episode of our podcast. But as we began to chat— he felt it was maybe too early. As you will hear, his wife’s death was on Thanksgiving Day November 22, 2018: very recent. We decided to go on and just chat and it happened to be recorded— this was the technology we were using. At the end, Dan decided he was okay if our conversation was used as a podcast. Thank you Dan for the generosity of sharing your heart and your unique and love-filled experience of walking your dear Ditte home and holding such a meaningful vigil for her. Apologies for the inconsistent audio since we were not considering this an episode recording.

Apr 29, 201939:55

22. Grief is . . . with Heike Mertins

Heike Mertins is an author, blogger and speaker about grief, grieving and recovery. She is the author of “Grief is...Thoughts on loss, struggle and new beginnings” (2017) which chronicles her journey through the bizarre, frustrating and at times humourous world of incomprehensible loss. Following the death of her brother and husband, Heike began to document the process of loss, emotion and healing that accompanies a momentous life change. The Kirkus Review noted her work as compelling due to her adamant refusal to file the rough edges of her emotions in order to make readers more comfortable. In closing the reviewer wrote that the book will surely provide some comfort to those facing a similar loss. Heike likes to think of her writings as pulling back the curtain of one of the few experiences we still prefer to not think about. A taboo that leaves those who grieve isolated and those wishing to support them at a loss as to how to do so. A taboo it is her personal mission to help dismantle. Hers is a message of hope for those who grieve. Today, she is committed to improving how we perceive and manage grief. Doing so has become her heart work.

Website link: https://heikemertins.com

Blog: https://heikemertis.com/blog

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heikeauthor/

Instagram: heikemertins-griefis.com

When you order the book, if it says sold out— continue with the process and the book will arrive within 7-10 days.

Apr 21, 201901:05:42