Let's Talk Death! ... a HealGrief® program

In this episode, Susan shares her story of dying now that she has entered hospice for comfort care related to a progressive disease with no cure. She hopes to die peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones while sharing tall tales and laughter.Susan McCue is a licensed clinical social worker who has worked in the field of death, dying, and bereavement since 2005. Her career began first as a hospice social worker, then as a hospice bereavement counselor. After obtaining her LCSW, Susan opened a private therapy practice specializing in grief and loss, mainly focusing on bereavement needs following the immediate death of a loved one.During this time, Susan also provided grief and loss presentations at the community, state, national, and international levels on topics including the difference between the natural process of grief and more complicated grief responses.Susan's personal background includes multiple deaths in her immediate family, which led to Susan's interest and passion for the field of death, dying, and bereavement. She is one of nine children born in an Irish-American family. Her father died at age 64, her mother at age 69, and six of their nine children (Susan's siblings) died in their 50s and 60s.Susan finds her personal and professional life coming full circle now that she has entered hospice for comfort care related to her diagnosis of Pulmonary Fibrosis, a progressive disease with no cure. Susan's brother and sister also died of this disease. Susan volunteers as a Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Ambassador to participate in PF research and to share her story with other PF patients, families, and loved ones affected by the disease. She hopes to die peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones while sharing tall tales and laughter.Support the show

In this episode, Raymond shares how his interest in the afterlife began. The afterlife was very counterintuitive to his way of thinking. Yet today, he can't think his way out of it.Raymond Moody is an MD with a Ph.D. in philosophy focused on unintelligibility.Raymond, founder of the Life After Life Institute in 1975, coined the term near-death experience. Today, he is a world-renowned scholar, lecturer, and researcher, widely recognized as the leading authority on near-death and shared-death experiences. Dr. Moody's work profoundly illuminates our understanding of death, dying, and grief.Raymond is the bestselling author of many books, including Life After Life, Glimpses of Eternity, The Light Beyond, and Coming Back, and is co-author of Proof of Life after Life: 7 Reasons to Believe in an Afterlife.A counselor in private practice, Raymond received his medical degree from the College of Georgia and his Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. He has appeared on many programs, including Today and Turning Point. Support the show

In this episode, Paul is asked, when, during your research in the afterlife, did you become a believer? Paul recalls a particular woman whose experience led him to believe her consciousness truly did leave her body.Paul Perry is an author and documentary filmmaker intending to make media that matters. He has co-written several New York Times bestsellers, including The Light Beyond and Evidence of the Afterlife. He was knighted in Portugal for his film and book about Salvador Dalí, and the secret painting that changed his Life.His latest books, Glimpses of Eternity: Sharing a Loved One's Passage from This Life to the Next, Paranormal: My Life In Pursuit of the Afterlife, and Proof of Life after Life: 7 Reasons to Believe in an Afterlife are the most recent books he has co-written with Dr. Raymond Moody, the founder of near-death studies.Paul is a graduate of Arizona State University and Antioch University.Support the show

In this episode, Francesca shares how love, compassion, and intuition drew her to lean into a loved one's end of life as they transition to death and how that was the seed to becoming a death doula.Francesca Lynn Arnoldy is a community doula and death literacy advocate. She is a researcher with the Vermont Conversation Lab and was the original course developer of the University of Vermont's End-of-Life Doula Professional Certificate Programs.Francesca authored Cultivating the Doula Heart, Map of Memory Lane, and The Death Doula's Guide to Living Fully and Dying Prepared.A trusted thought leader, Francesca has been featured in articles by The New York Times, Fast Company, Newsweek, The Verge, and AARP. She regularly presents on life-and-death topics, hoping to encourage people to support one another through times of intensity.You can find her contemplating birth, death, and life with the doula heart at FrancescaLynnArnoldy.com.Support the show

In this episode, Oshri shares how his grief connected him to a lifelong friend he never met and how they coauthored When Their Bodies Leave Them.Oshri Hakak is an author, artist, and musician based in Los Angeles, CA, who creates to uplift. He especially loves creating illustrated books about unconventional topics for children and grown-ups to help people live more adaptive and happy lives.Recently, Oshri coauthored an illustrated book about grief called When Their Bodies Leave Them.Support the show

In this episode, Marie Antoinette shares about her childhood experiences with spirituality. Today, she believes death is not the end. Rather, it's a transition to the spiritual realm. It's a continuum of spirit.Marie Antoinette Kelley is an award-winning artist who has done hundreds of commissioned portraits and art for the Angel Quest Oracle. She has appeared on dozens of TV, radio, and podcast shows and has been published in such magazines as Edge and Authority. In 2019, her bison portrait in the form of woven blankets began selling throughout Yellowstone National Park's general stores.Today, Marie Antoinette comes to us as the author of Danny's Day in Heaven. Inspired by Dannion Brinkley's Saved by the Light and backed by research, Marie Antoinette dispels children's fears about the seeming finality of death by providing comfort and reassurance that life goes on through her transcendent illustrations and storytelling in this new book. This illustrated children's book, Danny's Day in Heaven, introduces the near-death experience to help kids better understand what happens when we die.Support the show

In this episode, Scott recalls the words of a hospice nurse caring for his father. During his end of life, she said, "Your father is on a wonderful adventure." That moment was so profound, it changed the trajectory of his life.After nearly forty years as a high-profile trial attorney, Scott Grossberg shifted his focus to helping people create fearless and sacred lifestyles. His mission is to guide individuals in reconnecting with their boundless confidence, creativity, love, and excitement.Drawing inspiration from various spiritual and shamanic traditions, Scott's work as a coach, trainer, and instructor is grounded in practicality, straightforwardness, and time-tested principles.In addition to his coaching and consulting work, Scott is an author and content creator, focusing on topics such as life enrichment, mysticism, and divination. Scott's new book, "the unfinished book: a journal for the end of the journey" (and perhaps for those whose road still seems endless), is available now on Amazon.Scott has a bachelor's degree in philosophy, a minor in Theatre Arts, and a juris doctorate in Law. He holds certifications in life coaching, consulting hypnosis, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), and Ho'oponopono.Support the show

In this episode, Michele shares how difficult it was to find others who understand her grief as a newly bereaved widow, how she lost her sense of self, and the challenges she faced finding her new self.Michele is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Soaring Spirits International, a non-profit organization providing peer support programming for widowed people worldwide, and is the author of Different After You: Rediscovering Yourself and Healing after Grief or Trauma published by New World Library in February of 2022. Her passion for supporting widowed people and the power of integration fuels her presentations and community activism.Michele has received local, state, and national recognition for her work in founding Soaring Spirits, including a letter of recognition from then Vice President Joe Biden. In addition, Michele was named a 2021 Top Ten CNN Hero and was honored to share the stage with Wonder Woman, Lynda Carter.Michele's work is featured in an upcoming AppleTV docuseries and will be the focus of a PBS documentary available for streaming in 2023.Michele resides in Simi Valley, California, and shares her life with her three amazing kids, their awesome partners, her grand-cats, and one very Australian husband. Support the show

In this episode, Amanda shares how, as a teenager, art became her way of coping. Yet it was only later in the years that she realized it and developed it into a tool of expression.After losing her father at the age of twelve, Amanda turned to art and writing as an outlet. It became her voice. A way to cope. A way to escape. And a way to tell her story. She was thus inspired to teach art and pursue her passion for writing and illustrating children's books.Today, Amanda Davis is a teacher, artist, writer, and innovator who uses her words and pictures to light up the world with kindness.Through her work, Amanda empowers younger generations to tell their stories and offers children and adults an entryway into a world of discovery. A world that can help them make sense of themselves, others, and the community around them.Amanda is the author of the award-winning picture book 30,000 Stitches: The Inspiring Story of the National 9/11 Flag. She is a recipient of the Ann Whitford Paul—Writer's Digest Most Promising Picture Book Manuscript Grant.When she's not busy creating, you can find her sipping tea, petting dogs, and exploring the natural wonders of The Bay State with her family and her rescue pup.Support the show

In this episode, Colin brings us back in time to the tragic day when his two children died in a car crash after being hit by a drunk driver. He shares how instrumental community was and continues to be in his journey to live life.Colin Campbell is a writer and director for theater and film. The short film, Seraglio, which he wrote and directed with his beautiful and talented wife, Gail, was nominated for an Academy Award. Campbell teaches screenwriting at Chapman University and theater at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. He has a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and an MFA from Columbia University.Yet, for this episode, Colin comes to us as a bereaved father. Colin and his wife were in a car crash with a drunk driver and lost their teenage children. Years after, Colin has written a beautiful and helpful book from the ashes of that profound loss titled, Finding the Words: Working Through Profound Loss with Hope and Purpose. In addition, he is developing a solo performance piece titled Grief: A One Man Shit-Show. Support the show

In this episode, Alexandra shares how as a writer, she had no words to express the grief she experienced after her husband's death. Yet today, she looks back and finds the beauty and love her experience brought to her "new self."Alexandra Vassilaros is a Pulitzer Finalist, Playwright, Mother, and Founder. Alexandra's work in the theater is extensive. Her plays were commissioned and premiered at American theatres On and Off-Broadway, as well as in featured international festivals. She was the winner of a Jefferson Award for Best New Play at Steppenwolf Theatre Company and was a co-finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the play Omnium Gatherum. In addition, she's been a guest artist at premier theater institutions such as Juilliard and New York University.In 2016, one year after the passing of her husband of 23 years, Alexandra pivoted from writing for the theater and founded the Make Meaning Workshop.Alexandra continues to develop her work with hundreds of women, men, and young adults facing the challenges that loss, crisis, and change inevitably bring.She is the mother of 3 wonderful young men.Support the show

In this episode, Marni, a lawyer responsible for her mother's advanced directives, shared her emotional block around completing paperwork that had to do with her mother's death.Marni Blank is a trained death doula, mediator, lawyer, and female-founded small business owner. Marni's goal is to create a safe space to learn and talk about death, dying & grief, including one's accountability in completing advance care directives & end-of-life planning, creating legacy projects, and helping with pre and post-death logistics. She brings deep compassion, active listening, practical resources, and a healthy dose of humor to her work.Death and grief affect us all. The more we connect with our families, communities, and ourselves, the less fear plays into these critical discussions and decisions.She has written articles for Trust & Will and Lantern.Support the show

In this episode, Matthew shares the story of his mother's long journey with addiction to medically prescribed opioids and the trauma and the relief of her death.Matthew Kennedy is a self-taught ceramic artist whose professional career has spanned more than 25 years. Matthew set himself apart from others as one of the first who began using a tattoo machine as a carving tool on ceramics. Today his artwork is featured in many offline & online galleries.Matthew says he has a mission to serve people with his creative ability. He helps memorialize loved ones by giving them a special, unique resting place with his one-of-a-kind urns.Custom Military UrnsSupport the show

In this episode, Daniel shares his experience about his time spent with his dying mother. During her last year, he spent hours with her weaving together the life stories of his parents.Daniel Kenner holds a Master's in Educational Theatre from NYU and a BA in Theater from George Washington University and is a proud member of Actor's Equity, SAG-AFTRA, and National Players Tour 60.In the Spring of 2017, and within a month of each other, Daniel became an orphan after both parents died. However, they left behind their legacy, Daniel, who spent hours with his mother during her last year weaving together their life stories. Room for Grace is a love story of family and community told by a mother through her son, detailing the 60 years of a life well lived.In the spring of 2022, Daniel facilitated a five-week storytelling residency that utilized the power of storytelling as a processing tool to cope with the demanding stress of caregiving.Through Daniel's experience, he's created art-based research projects titled, Tuning In, A Window at the Moment, and Branching Out.Support the show

In this episode, Dean shares memories of his time with his son hours before his son's suicide. Dean shares his experience finding his son's body and the blessings he found in the tragedy.Dean Lambert has worked with funeral professionals for nearly 30 years to help them connect and serve the families facing one of the most challenging moments of their lives: the loss of a loved one.As a father who has experienced the loss of a child, he knows firsthand the grief that clouds the vision needed to honor a life well-lived. Dean is leading The Love Always Project with a team of experienced subject matter experts and people committed to its purpose: encouraging people to think more positively and proactively about end-of-life issues and funeral prearrangement.Support the show

In this episode, Michael speaks about how the intimate care of his father's body and the planning for his father's funeral led to forgiveness. He talks about how the experience altered his life in a positive and meaningful way.Michael Wohl is best known for his role as one of the original designers of Apple's legendary film editing tool Final Cut Pro. He is also an award-winning filmmaker with two decades of experience across genres, styles, and formats.Michael has maintained a parallel career as an author, professor, and educator, serving eight years as an adjunct professor at UCLA's Graduate School of Film and TV.Michael is a father of two small children, a champion bird watcher, an armchair humorist, and principal baker at Burlesque Buns. Yet today, Michael joins us as the author of In Herschel's Wake, which he describes as a darkly funny examination of faith, funerals, and fucked-up fathers, but most of all, it's about forgiveness.Support the show

In this episode, Zander shares how going through his father's photos created a new relationship with his father, almost a co-dependency. For Zander to tell his father's legacy, he needs his father's photographs. And his father needs Zander to share his story.Zander Masser is an occupational therapist, husband, father, musician, and author of the narrative photography book Unburying My Father.Zander's father, Randy, contracted HIV from contaminated blood products to treat his hemophilia and died in 2000 from AIDS-related illnesses. Zander, at the time, a young fourteen-year-old boy. Twenty years later, Zander unburied ten thousand slides from Randy's career as a professional photographer, which prompted him to dig deeper into his father's life. What started as a photography project evolved into a transformative exploration of living with, and healing from, grief.Support the show

In this episode, John speaks about his personal story and how writing his book led to many conversations with others who shared similar experiences about one's conflict over assisted suicide.John Byrne Barry is a writer, designer, actor, pickle ballplayer, and crossing guard. He is the author of When I Killed My Father: An Assisted-Suicide Family Thriller, which is fiction but is informed and inspired by his family's journey with their mother, who died in 2018 after ten years of dementia.When I Killed My Father, his third novel, is a "page-turner with a conscience" about a man caught between what is compassionate and what is legal. First, psychologist Lamar Rose's father, who has cancer and dementia, asks his son to help him die. Lamar refuses, but his father keeps asking, and he relents. Then, at his father's memorial, Lamar's sister accuses him of murder from the church's pulpit.Support the show

In this episode, Karen shares her journey following the overdose that led to her son's death and how it transformed her own path  to growth and spirituality.Judge Johnson is a Georgetown Law Center (J.D.) graduate, a former Fulbright Scholar in Afghanistan, and holds master's degrees in public health and Public and International Affairs (MPH, MPIA). Karen is a retired federal administrative law judge who has practiced criminal and energy law for more than 30 years. She also is a former U.S. Army officer, Major, USAR.Karen is also a grieving parent of a son, forever 27 years old, who is now trained extensively in the techniques of Illumination, Soul Retrieval, Extractions of Energies and Entities, Divination, and Death Rites. Personally trained by Alberto Villoldo, Karen is faculty at the Four Winds Society and a Master Practitioner of Energy Medicine, and the author of Living Grieving: Using Energy Medicine to Alchemize Grief and Loss.Karen writes, “You may be feeling stuck in your grief and wondering why you can't seem to get over it. I felt the same way until I realized we do not get over grief. It's not like catching the flu; we aren't sick. There is no cure, and we can't medicate it away. Instead, grief is a state of being that carries energy that you can tap into to create a new life. Just as we use the energy of other newly acquired states of being like marriage or parenthood to transform our lives, we can likewise use the energy of grieving to transform.”You can learn more about Karen here.Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Robert shares how his personal grief experience led him to write a guide that helps others navigate through the steps necessary after someone has died.Robert Kabacy has been a lawyer in the estate planning and wealth transfer industries for more than twenty-five years.After his mother's death, he experienced firsthand the difficulties of navigating the legal complexities of her estate and doing so while grieving. As a result, he wrote and developed About Me: Information You Will Need When I've Passed.Robert enjoys reading, stage/parlor magic, outdoor activities, and swims almost daily in his spare time.Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Scott shares his grief and how, through his experience, he hopes to offer comfort to the unanswered questions grieving parents often face.Scott Huffaker is a diverse businessman who is an entrepreneur, banker, investor, and musician. Born out of the death of his son, Scott is also an author of his newly published book, Lost Arrows: Coping with the Death of a Child.Scott considers himself an ordinary guy who has had some extraordinary experiences that have allowed him the insight he shares to questions such as, why do I feel so alone? How long will I be broken? Will I ever be myself again? to name a few.Scott, his wife Tammy, and two youngest children live on the Gulf Coast. He is the father of six children and three dogs.Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Michelle shares her passion for helping those through trauma and speaks about the differences between grief counseling versus grief coaching.Michelle Post is a licensed mental health provider, consultant, coach speaker, retreat leader, international life strategist, business coach, and grief coach. She has specialized in grief, loss, trauma, anxiety, and stress management since 2002.Today, through her business, Post International, Michelle specializes in helping people identify and achieve their personal goals by coping with the issues causing them distress, stress, burnout, or compassion fatigue. Michelle uses transparency, vulnerability, and personal experience in her teaching. She recently innovated and integrated basic "desert-island" effective techniques and tools into her practice to help you #IgniteYourLife.Michelle enjoys gardens; she paints, cooks, and records her weekly podcast "Keeping Your Sh*t Together in a Stressed World" with her colleague, Scott Grossberg, Esq.Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, David shares his experience moving from despair to hope while at the same time his sister is transitioning from hope to death, dying from a terminal disease, and how that changed his life's meaning.David Richman 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. Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Philip shares how all his medical degrees might have helped his family and daughter through her life's transition to death, it never prepared him for his grief as a bereaved father.Dr. Philip Lister is an adult and child psychiatrist in private practice in New York City. He received his medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine and moved to New York to enter psychiatric training. Trained in adult and child psychiatry at the Payne Whitney Clinic of Weill Cornell Medical Center, Dr. Lister joined the voluntary faculty there supervising residents and teaching medical students. Overlapping with residency and fellowship, he trained in adult and child psychoanalysis at the Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research. He then joined the faculty at the Psychoanalytic Center, participating in the basic course surveying the work of Freud.Most recently, he has trained with MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies). That training prepared him to be a team of therapists offering research participants MDMA-assisted psychotherapy in a Phase 3 study to determine whether MDMA will provide a new, more effective treatment for entrenched, treatment-resistant PTSD [Post Traumatic Stress Disorder]. The research is currently underway.Dr. Lister is here with us today as a father and author of A Short Good Life, and he shares Liza's story of facing death.Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, William shares about his near death experience, and talks about how his accident shattered his hopes and dreams. Yet the experience led him to a path of hope as he witnessed desperation in others.William Peters holds degrees from Harvard's Graduate School of Education and UC Berkeley and is a practicing grief and bereavement specialist. William has worked as a hospice volunteer with the Zen Hospice Project in San Francisco and as a teacher and social worker in Central and South America. Recognized in the field of shared death studies, he has spent decades studying end-of-life experiences. William is the founder of the Shared Crossing Project and director of its Research Initiative. He is the author of At Heaven's Door: What Shared Journeys to the Afterlife Teach About Dying Well and Living Better.His work on end-of-life is informed by his therapeutic work with individuals and families, personal experiences with death and dying across cultures, and his family's own end-of-life journeys.Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Tracy speaks on why grief and loss became her specialty and focus in her practice. She talks about the importance of empowering people to grieve honestly.Tracy Chang, MA, LMFT, is a licensed psychotherapist in private practice in Los Angeles who works with individuals throughout California. She specializes in working with high-achieving adults who are navigating personal and professional existential challenges. In addition, she supports individuals grieving a death loss and those coping with life changes and transitions. Tracy has had specialized training and experience working with grief and loss and is passionate about empowering people to grieve honestly. As a strengths-based therapist, Tracy blends her clinical knowledge with meaning-based exploration to help clients expand their awareness, boldly reimagine the status quo and live in alignment with their true selves.Tracy earned her BA in Psychology from Mount St. Mary's University and MA in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University. For over ten years, she has been in practice, working in inpatient and outpatient settings with clients of diverse backgrounds and ages. In addition, she is a Clinical Supervisor who provides supervision to Associate therapists in California and private consultation to professionals and companies worldwide.Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Gina shares about her grief and how it transformed her creative path. She now believes that everyone you miss is waiting inside you. Gina Harris is a singer/songwriter and actor who has performed in theaters and jazz clubs in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. A protégé of Columbia Recording Artist, Lilian Loran, and a veteran of the Groundlings, Gina had a lead role in Peter Ustinov's Broadway and national touring productions of Beethoven's Tenth.“The Magic of Ordinary Things” came to Gina in a series of dreams and recovered memories after the deaths of her parents and beloved singing teacher.  It provided a glimmer of hope in a dark time when she thought her life was over. It tells of how missed moments and things once taken for granted become the steppingstones to a new life – even when things seem hopeless.Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Theresa shares why she chose to reopen the wounds of grief as she wrote My 13th Station, a memoir to her son whose life was lost to suicide.Theresa Anthony is the author of two books and has a twenty-five-year career as a freelance writer. In the mid-nineties, Ms. Anthony began writing as an op-ed guest column contributor, sharing her musings about parenting, education, cultural issues, and much more.In 2019, Theresa changed genres and tackled a very personal and emotionally difficult project, culminating in the memoir, My 13th Station, the story of her son Matthew's battle with depression and alcoholism during the final years of his life. As painful as it was to reopen the wounds, she has found that writing an honest accounting of his struggle has benefited many people.Theresa continues her writing with her newest book, Hope Springs from a Mother's Broken Heart, capturing 11 stories from other mothers on how they survived the loss of a child.Theresa is a devout Catholic and credits her strong faith for her resilience and optimism. In addition to her beloved son, she is blessed with two wonderful and accomplished daughters and four beautiful grandchildren. When not writing, she enjoys the outdoors, spending time with friends and family, Zumba classes, and creating Catholic-inspired artwork and jewelry for her Etsy shop, SoulStirringsGifts.Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Amanda addresses the vital need to care for lactating mothers whose child did not survive.Amanda Alvarez, a graduate of the University of South Alabama and Spring Hill College, is an IBCLC, International Board of Lactation Consultant dedicated to helping families achieve informed, safe, and comfortable lactation and infant feeding goals.Amanda currently works at Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas as an Education and Enrichment Manager. She provides clinical lactation care, manages a multi-site Baby Cafe Cluster, and directs other educational programming for the organization.She represents Mothers' Milk Bank of North Texas and Tarrant County Breastfeeding Coalition through leadership and participation in multiple local reproductive health coalitions, including Texas Breastfeeding Coalition, United States Breastfeeding Committee, and the United States Lactation Consultant Association.Amanda lives with her husband, their three children, and a menagerie of pets. She enjoys running, cooking, travel, and volunteer work in social justice.Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Mark shares his childhood experience as a psychic medium and what it was like being the child of psychic medium parents. He also shares the importance of signs and how we should trust them as messages from those who have transitioned.Mark Anthony, Psychic Explorer (also known as The Psychic Lawyer), is a fourth-generation psychic medium who communicates with spirits. He is an Oxford-educated attorney licensed to practice law in Florida, Washington D.C., and before the United States Supreme Court.This Psychic Explorer travels to mystical locations in remote corners of the world to examine Ancient Mysteries and Supernatural Phenomena. Mark appears nationwide on TV and Radio, including CBS TV's “The Doctors” and Gaia TV's “Beyond Belief with George Noory.” In addition, he is the co-host of “The Psychic and the Doc” on the Transformation Network. He is a featured speaker at conferences, expos, and universities, including Brown, Columbia, Harvard, and Yale. Mark Anthony is a columnist for “Best Holistic Life Magazine” and the bestselling author of Never Letting Go and Evidence of Eternity. His high anticipated cutting-edge new book, The Afterlife Frequency, will be released in October 2021.Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Bryan shares his story remembering back to nine when his father was shot and then confusion over his death just before his 11th birthday.Bryan Jung is the Founder of 'This is Why,' a creative platform for individuals who have lost a parent as a child or teenager. His goal is to provide a safe space for individuals of all ages to share emotions, thoughts, and experiences with the option of anonymity. In turn, a community can be built with others who've undergone similar experiences. Bryan was born & raised around the Seattle area. He graduated from the University of Washington with a focus in Information Systems at the Michael G. Foster School of Business. He continues to live and work in Seattle.In his free time, Bryan likes to produce and perform music. He also enjoys playing a variety of different sports, especially golf.Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Julie shares how her career as a medical device industry inventor sparked her interest in energetic healing and how that led her into the psychic world. Julie Ryan is an inventor, entrepreneur, and author who learned to be a psychic and medical intuitive more than 25 years ago. Julie can sense what medical conditions and illnesses a person has and facilitate energetic healings. She can tell how close someone is to death and can communicate with spirits, both alive and deceased. Julie can communicate with and medically scan animals, access people's past lives and remove spirits from homes and buildings.Julie has authored Angelic Attendants: What Really Happens As We Transition From This Life Into The Next, Angel Messages For Kids, and Angel Messages For Dogs. She is a podcast host for, Ask Julie Ryan, with listeners from all over the world, many of whom call in to partake in Julie's "buffet of psychicness."Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Barbara shares how she witnessed her friend, after being diagnosed with a terminal illness, living her fullest life. It was that experience that Barbara began to learn how to live with the end in mind.Barbara Becker is the founder of EqualShot, a strategic communications consultancy specializing in strengthening the voice of the non-profit community, a writer, and an interfaith minister who has dedicated over 25 years to partnering with human rights advocates around the world in pursuit of peace, spirituality, and everyday mindfulness. She has worked with the United Nations, Human Rights First, the Ms. Foundation for Women, and the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh. She has participated in a delegation of Zen Peacemakers and Lakota elders in the sacred Black Hills of South Dakota.Barbara lives in New York City with her interfaith family and is the author of Heartwood, the Art of Living with the End in Mind.Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Kara speaks about the importance of diving deeper than just questioning what's wrong? Instead, she encourages an answer to the question, what happened to you? In that answer, healing begins.Kara Bowman is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in grief and trauma. Years after achieving an MBA and a career in finance, Kara returned to school to earn a Master's in Counseling Psychology. She did her internships primarily in hospice grief counseling. Today, Kara is a Certified Grief Counselor, a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, and a Certified Thanatologist. Her passion is to help create a more compassionate and helpful culture toward those who are grieving.Kara is dedicated to her career and community through her practice and volunteer work. Although she always uses empathy as a foundation for her grief work, she tries to individualize her approach to give each client what they most need at that moment in time. Her method includes ritual, poetry, meditations, and visualizations, along with talking.Kara has a private practice in Scotts Valley, California. In the summer of 2020, the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists honored Kara's practice with a Spotlight in The Therapist magazine.Kara is author of Heartbreak to Hope, Poems of Support for Grief and Loss.Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Martha shares how her witnessing the terminal diagnosis and the end-of-life of her husband was an experience that was a mindful one. She shares her intimate story to show others how the conversation of death can be meaningful and powerful.Martha Calihan is a Board Certified Integrative and Holistic Medicine Physician and a Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner. She studied Mind-Body Medicine at the Center for Mind-Body Medicine in Washington, DC, and she studied acupuncture at UCLA. Dr. Calihan is currently the Five Stones Healing Arts and Wellness Center owner and CEO in Leesburg, VA. She has a robust clinical practice and runs the not-for-profit Five Stones Institute, providing training and education in the balanced care of body-mind and spirit.Dr. Calihan has a particular interest and experience in end-of-life care and is the author of the recently released book, A Death Lived. Through her unique vantage points of both physician and wife, she chronicles the story of her husband, Charles' final illness and death, focusing on the incredible power and need to have the difficult conversations about death.Dr. Calihan brings an element of the Spiritual to her work, both as an author and physician. She blends medicine with the mystical and science with the spiritual. She teaches meditation and offers workshops in both the US and Ireland.She maintains a blog on her website, www.fivestoneswellness.com. And has an active social media presence.Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Coach Mercer shares how he thought his father was coming back at the age of six. It wasn't until he was ten that he realized he wasn't, and grief set in, and how then, sports became his grief therapy.Anthony Mercer directed the Eastern North Carolina Basketball Exposure Camps for college basketball prospects from 2000 to 2010. In addition, he has directed the “Total Skills” Basketball Instructional Camps since 2003. These camps, conducted with NBA All-Stars Carmelo Anthony, Bradley Beal, Kemba Walker, John Wall, and many other professionals. Camps have been held in Eastern North Carolina, Northern Virginia, Washington D.C., and Maryland. He has trained players from middle school to the professional level.In 2020 Coach Mercer published his book “Sports Heaven: Why sports is a haven for the fatherless/motherless child.” The book explains at age six after his father died how sports helped him succeed.Anthony is a Desert Shield/Storm U.S. Army War Veteran and a P.E. teacher for many years. In terms of his career paths, he says his life has been like a real-life Forrest Gump.Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Reid shares how surprised he was about the level of grief he experienced after his step-fathers death and how it brought to surface grief from his Dad's death from years earlier.Reid Peterson achieved a Masters's Degree in Transpersonal Psychology at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in 2007. He was later trained by Dr. Alan Wolfelt from the Center for Loss & Life Transition. Reid's approach utilizes Dr. Wolfelt's Companioning philosophy, emphasizing presence, nature, spirituality, and heart-centered care for the bereaved. Reid is the 'voice' of Grief Refuge: narrating Podcast episodes and The Daily Refuge on the Grief Refuge App. Reid is also the facilitator to the Grief Refuge experiences.Learn more about Reid and Grief RefugeSupport the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Jacob shares his near-death experience as a young child of three years old and how that experience led him into his career and writing.Jacob Cooper, a Clinical Social Worker, Certified Reiki Master, and Certified Hypnotherapist who specializes in Past Life Regression Therapy, works privately with clients through online services. Inspired by his childhood near-death experience and transformative experiences, he facilitates spiritual awareness and empowerment through life-changing seminars. He also works closely to provide insightful seminars assisting those dealing with issues in mental and physical health, grief, end-of-life issues, and marginalized populations.He is the author of the recent release “Life After Breath,” How a Brush with Fatality Gave me a Glimpse of Immortality. Jacob currently resides and practices in Long Island, NY.Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Grace shares how her writing, The Rector Girls, about her and her mother's life was cathartic and painful at the same time, evoking hours of tears. Grace Rector is a graduate of Georgetown University and hopes to work in the field of education and facilitation. Grace believes that dialogue is key to relationships and work. She created a dialogue series at the Beeck Center for Social Impact and Innovation to highlight vulnerability as a strength in the workplace, not a weakness.A motherless daughter since the week before her 21st birthday, Grace found writing to be a coping mechanism for her grief. At 22 years old, Grace published The Rector Girls with the hope of memorializing her mother and honoring her legacy.Her book is about the lifelong lessons and intimate bond between mother and daughter. The story reveals how life never goes according to plan but that the improvisations make it unique. Honest, heartfelt, and heartbreaking, Grace lets us into her world and her most vulnerable moments, inspiring readers to live their life with fullness and gratitude.Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Dr. Black shares how life after his father's death had no color. Until one morning, he remembered his dream of having a loving and peaceful exchange with his father. Life was full of color again.Dr. Black is a grief researcher, speaker, author, consultant, online course instructor, and host of the Grief Dreams Podcast. He has focused all his MA and Ph.D. research in psychology on investigating dreams in bereavement, also known as grief dreams, and continuing bonds from many types of loss, including prenatal loss and pet loss. Most of his academic research and publications have been explicitly on dreams of the deceased.Due to the lack of academic research in this field, Dr. Black has focused his efforts on raising awareness on grief dreams by doing talks and interviews and developing an online Grief Dreams Workshop and the Grief Dreams Podcast. Additionally, he developed a grief dreams website and hosts two Clubhouse conversations called Grief Dreams and Grief Cafe.Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Akanksha shares how a patient under her care became the inspiration for her work in palliative medicine. She shares her perspective on the need for doctors to have "the conversation" with patients facing a terminal illness and their families.Akanksha Sharma, MD, is board-certified in neurology, neuro-oncology, and palliative medicine. She is experienced in treating primary/metastatic brain tumors, neurological complications of cancer, and disease-related burden and symptoms.Her clinical and research interests lie in helping patients maximize their time and quality of life. She aims to align treatment with patient goals and provide holistic care that includes careful symptom assessment and management and support for the patient's loved ones. Dr. Sharma brings a unique perspective to neuro-oncology care in this area with her clinical experience combining neuro-oncology and palliative care. Her research focuses on understanding and improving quality of life, how we best manage symptoms, the importance of prognostication, and caregiver support. She partners with her patients and their families to develop holistic care plans that consider both mind and body health and the patient's loved ones.Dr. Sharma completed Neurology training at the University of Washington.She then completed a two-year research/clinical Neuro-oncology fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, followed by a Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellowship at the University of Washington.She is an active member of the Society for Neuro-oncology (SNO) (for whom she serves on the Women & Diversity Committee), the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), and the American Association of Hospice & Palliative Medicine (AAHPM).Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Tara explains, as she got older, she wishes she had more memories and connections to her grandmother, who died when she was nine. She shares how her children's book became that tool to create them during her mother's end-of-life.Tara Ferriola is a licensed clinical psychologist who provides compassionate therapy to children, adolescents, adults, and families. Dr. Ferriola incorporates grief concepts into her work with clients as they experience loss, transitions, and death. She has over 15 years of experience clinically and through volunteer work with Camp Erin.Dr. Ferriola is also an author. She dedicated her dissertation work to creating the Love Legacy guidebook. Based on research, the book helps families through a parent's illness and death by providing interactive activities to maintain connections, continue the parent's memories after death, and ease the transitions. Activities include gathering the parent's biography, writing memories with the parent, collecting pictures and important objects, the parent writing letters, and identifying how to celebrate holidays and other important days, amongst other things. This book aims to promote healthy grieving before a parent dies.Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Dr. Kesari talks about his 20 years of working with patients suffering a deadly disease. He speaks about how his patients and their families are like his own and how his connection to them gave him a deep understanding of living and dying.Dr. Santosh Kesari is a board-certified neurologist and neuro-oncologist and is currently Chair and Professor, Department of Translational Neurosciences and Neurotherapeutics, Saint John’s Cancer Institute. He is also Director of Neuro-oncology at Pacific Neuroscience Institute, Providence Saint John’s Health Center and Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance and leads the Pacific Neuroscience Research Center at Pacific Neuroscience Institute.Dr. Kesari is ranked among the top 1% of neuro-oncologists and neurologists in the nation, according to Castle Connolly Medical Ltd and an internationally recognized scientist and clinician. He is a winner of an Innovation Award by the San Diego Business Journal. He is on the advisory board of American Brain Tumor Association, San Diego Brain Tumor Foundation, Chris Elliott Fund, Nicolas Conor Institute, Voices Against Brain Cancer, and Philippine Brain Tumor Alliance. He has been the author of over 250 scientific publications, reviews, or books. He is the inventor on several patents and patent applications, and founder and advisor to many cancer and neurosciences focused biotech startups. In addition, he is a member of the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute.Dr. Kesari has had a long-standing interest in cancer stem cells and studies their role in the formation of brain tumors and resistance to treatment. He believes that in order to cure patients with brain tumors we first need to gain a better molecular and biological understanding of the disease. A physician/scientist, Kesari harnesses his experience in surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy and novel devices to help develop Precision Therapeutic Strategies that will advance medicine to a new stage in the battle against brain tumors and eradicate the disease.HighlightsDr. Kesari graduated from University of Pennsylvania, School of Arts and Sciences in 1992 and earned a PhD degree in molecular biology and a MD from the University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine.He completed his residency in neurology at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School and his neuro-oncology fellowship at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. He was previously assistant professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Brigham and Women’s Hospital and then professor of neurosciences at UC San Diego. He is a member of the Society of Neuro-Oncology, American Society of Clinical Oncology, Indian Society of Neuro-Oncology, American Neurological Association, and American Academy of Neurology.Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Carol shares an experience of grief. She was in her early 20's when a friend jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge. It was the first suicide or death she had experienced of a close friend. She remembers how nobody talked about it; no one talked about anything.Originally from San Francisco, Carol Schoneberg has been a hospice educator and grief counselor in Maine since 1992. She has served as an End-of-Life Educator, Bereavement Services Manager, and grief counselor at Hospice of Southern Maine—Maine's only free-standing not-for-profit hospice—since its inception in 2004. Carol provides end-of-life education to staff, volunteers, healthcare providers, universities, and the community.In 2001 Carol participated in the Respecting Choices program at Gundersen-Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, Wisconsin, where she became certified as an Advance Care Planning Facilitator Trainer. She strongly believes how helping people talk about their choices for end-of-life care can make a huge difference in the way families experience the dying process.Working with the dying and the bereaved has inspired and taught her much about the human spirit's resiliency. Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Ronnie shares about the suicide of her 21 year old step-son. She says, "when he ended his life, it was like a grenade that exploded in our household." Although she was a counselor at the time, she said nothing had prepared her.Ronnie Walker MS, LCPC is a seasoned mental health professional who lived through devastating grief after losing her stepson to suicide in 1995. In 2008, she founded the Alliance of Hope as a labor of love. It has become a leading online support source for people who have lost loved ones to suicide and the professionals who want to help them.During her grief journey, Ronnie recognized there was a void in support for people bereaved by suicide. She understood firsthand what researchers have validated in recent years: the traumatic, complicated grief experienced by suicide loss survivors puts them at higher risk. They are more likely to leave their job, drop out of school, and attempt suicide than the general public. Losing a loved one to suicide brings high-functioning people to their knees. Ronnie recognized that many loss survivors lacked access to trained counselors and support groups. So, she sat down at her kitchen island and created a website and community forum where people could access information about suicide loss, share their stories, and connect with others who understood. Her goal was to ensure that no suicide loss survivor goes without support. At the time, she did not know that approximately 45 million people have been greatly distressed by suicide in the U.S. alone. Much like the movie "A Field of Dreams," bereaved souls from across the globe made their way to this online healing space, seeking support in the complex emotional aftermath of suicide. Since 2008, the Alliance of Hope has hosted more than 10 million visits to its website. The organization's heartbeat, its community forum, transcends time and distance, operating like a 24/7 support group for more than 19,500 people, with ten new survivors joining and 500 logging on for support every day. Many have called it their "lifeline." Ronnie holds a master's degree in counseling and post-graduate certifications from the National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children and the American Academy of Bereavement. She has received several awards for her pioneering online work and ongoing tireless efforts to help suicide loss survivors. In 2020, she was named "Loss Survivor of the Year" by the American Association of Suicidology, and in 2019 she received the "Father Charles T. Ruby Award" from Catholic Charities, Chicago, for her contributions to loss survivors. Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Lynne shares her grief experience after her mother unexpectedly died when she was nine years old. Three years later, the day before junior high started, her father died, leaving her an orphan. Not wanting to be known as the girl with the dead parents, she showed up that first day of school.Lynne Hughes is a nationally recognized grief expert and has worked with adults, children and teens coping with loss and life transitions.  Lynne is the founder and CEO of Comfort Zone Camp, a national non-profit organization based in Richmond, Virginia that offers free weekend bereavement camps for children who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling or primary caregiver. She also created Camp Unplugged to help kids navigate social media, self-esteem and online safety.Hughes has been profiled in numerous media outlets, to include Wall Street Journal, Parade, People and Parents magazine, and has appeared on NBC’s The Today Show, and CBS news.  Lynne was a 2019 honoree of the Richmond Times Dispatch Person of Year, was a 2019 Hometown Hero for Allen & Allen and YWCA Outstanding Woman of the Year in April 2006.  Hughes was also honored as one of Redbook’s Mothers and Shakers 2002, awarded to 12 women (including Laura Bush) who have helped to improve the quality of life in the United States.  Her book  You Are Not Alone: Teens Talk about Life after the Loss of a Loved One, was published in 1995 by Scholastic Press. Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Barbara shares an experience from when she was a 16-year-old nurse's aide asked to sit with someone dying. Terrified to do so, she was told to let them know, meaning the nurse's station, when they died.Barbara Karnes, RN, is an internationally recognized author, speaker, thought leader, and expert on end-of-life care and dying dynamics. Barbara was recognized in 2018 as a Hospice Innovator by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and was named the 2015 International Humanitarian Woman of the Year by the World Humanitarian Awards.Barbara’s experience as a hospice care provider at the bedside of hundreds of people and as an administrator overseeing the care of thousands led to the 1985 publication of Gone from My Sight: The Dying Experience. Affectionately referred to in the industry as the “little blue hospice book,” Gone from My Sight has sold over 30 million copies worldwide, is published in 12 languages, and remains the leading resource on the market today, educating families on the signs of approaching death.In 2015, Barbara’s film New Rules for End-of-Life Care was featured in film festivals worldwide and was the recipient of 10 prestigious film awards.Barbara’s other award-winning publications and films include:The Eleventh Hour: A Caring Guideline to the Hours to Minutes Before DeathA Time to Live: Living with a Life-Threatening IllnessMy Friend, I Care: The Grief ExperienceYou Need Care Too: Self Care for the Professional CaregiverHow Do I Know You? Dementia at End of LifeA Place in My Heart: When Our Pets DiePain at End of Life: What You Need to Know About End-of-Life Pain and Comfort ManagementThe Final Act of Living: Reflections of a Long-Time Hospice NurseCare for the Caregiver, DVDThis is How People Die, DVDSupport the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Clarissa goes back in time and shares her experience after her father died from cirrhosis of the liver and kidney failure when she was 11 years old and became an orphan at age 12 when her mother lost her two-year battle to cancer.Clarissa Thibeaux had dreams of becoming an entertainer from a young age. She studied Theatre Arts with an emphasis in Performance at San Diego State University. Upon obtaining her degree, she had a slew of short films and regional commercials already under her belt.Now living in Los Angeles, Clarissa is fulfilling her dream as a successful actor. When she isn’t on set, she enjoys spending time with her dog Elphia, watching movies, hiking, and learning to knit. Clarissa also finds time to help others. With a fellow orphaned friend, she started a podcast called’ Abandonment Issues,” where she has found so much healing and growth while talking with her guests. She also finds time to be involved in the Cancer Support Community LA and Pablove, to name a few.You can find Clarissa on Instagram @Clarissa, and Twitter @ClarissaTSupport the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Jillian shares how as a teenager, after her mother died, she maintained A's in school, kept good friends, and never got into trouble. So everyone thought she was okay and a "good griever."Jillian Blueford is a Clinical Assistant Professor for the school counseling program at the University of Denver and a Licensed Professional Counselor Candidate in Colorado. She has a history of leadership in grief outreach programming for K-12 youth.Over the years, Jillian has provided grief counseling to individuals of all backgrounds in various settings, including schools, outpatient facilities, and private practice. Further, Jillian is a grief and loss scholar, who has conducted research and scholarship via her dissertation, peer-reviewed publications, webinars, a podcast feature, and several regional, national, and international presentations. Jillian’s current focus is enhancing counseling training and preparation in grief counseling. She is a member of several associations within the counseling and thanatology professions.Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Ta'Shay shares her memories back to when she was a nine-year-old little girl and experienced grief after her father's death. She shares about the impact suppressing her emotions had through her adult life, and as a mature woman, she is finally facing her grief. Ta’Shay Mason, a Texas native, served sixteen years in the U.S. Army, obtained her master’s degree in social work from University of Texas at Arlington, and is a licensed social worker. She currently works at a Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Center as a social worker helping Veterans with mental health and substance use issues. She is also a volunteer group facilitator at a grief counseling center for children whose parent(s) has died.Ta’Shay started writing to share inspirational stories with others and she began with the most painful event in her life, the death of her father. With the help of her family (including her military family), therapy, volunteering, and dealing with her emotions, Ta’Shay was finally able to say goodbye and wrote her first children’s book, But I don’t want to say GOODBYE! which was released this year.Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)

In this episode, Vivian shares about her grief experienced when her mother died as a ten-year-old, and then her primary care-giver, her grandmother, died as a young adult attending college. She shares how she sought support and others who would understand, but there weren't any.Vivian Nunez is a Portland-based writer, public speaker, and content creator. She is the founder of Too Damn Young, an online community and resource site for grieving young adults. Vivian writes and creates content that reminds her community that going through hard things, that navigating your mental health or your grief, doesn't disqualify you from having a happy life. Vivian has spoken at the United Nations and has been featured by Instagram, and on platforms like Forbes, Mic, and Well+Good. Vivian also hosts a podcast, What Happened After?.Support the show (https://healgrief.org/donations/)