The Mindfulness & Grief Podcast

When Faith Wilcox's daughter Elizabeth began to complain about knee pain, her doctors thought it was just growing pains and she would be fine. As her pain continued, she was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer that affects pediatric patients. Through 10 months of treatment, Elizabeth remained positive and supportive of the other patients. Ultimately, Elizabeth passed away just one year after her diagnosis. In her grief, Faith was able to find moments of comfort and peace despite the things that were beyond her control.  Nature has always been restorative for Faith. Walks in the woods and time on the beach helped restore her mind and spirit. She also leaned into her circle of friends, who provided additional support. Faith discovered one of her biggest relief strategies when she started journaling, after her therapist recommended she start writing to help get out some of her bottled-up feelings. Faith has since written multiple books, including Hope Is a Bright Star: A Mother's Memoir of Love, Loss, and Learning to Live Again and has started a journaling program to help others who are struggling with grief. 

Beth Cavenaugh shares with us her personal experience as a nurse-turned-hospice worker at the request of her mom during her mom's final stage of life. Beth talks about her love of her work with families and patients and what caregivers need to think about during such a difficult period of time.  Hospice is a service that provides physical and emotional support for someone who is in their last six months of life. Hospice is a comprehensive team of support personnel that includes family members, healthcare workers, a social worker, chaplain, and a bereavement specialist. A nurse will come in and check on the patient multiple times a week to make sure their pain and symptoms are being managed and the patient is as comfortable as possible. A social worker and bereavement specialist can help you and your family members with some of the tough questions that come along with end-of-life care.    Beth's new book, Some Light at the End, details helpful strategies for those whose loved ones have a terminal illness or have recently passed. She can speak to: Mental wellness: Strategies to counteract anxiety, panic, and depression while living in hospice care for both those dying and their loved ones. Handling grief: Lessons from a hospice expert who has seen countless people through grief, and tips for your personal journey. Hospice 101: While in the early stages of grief, it's impossible to research all of our options. Beth details the questions we don't even know we need to ask and how to advocate for ourselves. Mobilizing: Hospice care happens at lightning speed. Beth details each step to save us from becoming overwhelmed and stressed.   https://amzn.to/3pH5fGm BIO Beth Cavenaugh is a certified hospice and palliative care nurse and educator with over 14 years of experience in caring for terminally ill patients. She has been a registered nurse for over 24 years and holds a bachelor's degree in nursing from Creighton University. Beth has supported hundreds of patients and their families at inpatient units, in-home settings, and behind the scenes in hospice care. Compassion, patient autonomy, and transparent communication are at the core of her care philosophy. Beth hopes to demystify death and dying so this powerful moment will be embraced as a normalized and celebrated life event. She continues to work in hospice and has a private reiki practice to support physical, emotional, and spiritual healing for adults and teens. Beth lives with her husband in Portland, Oregon, where they have (almost) successfully finished raising their three kids. Learn more at BethCavenaugh.com.

Until he met Patty Furino, bereaved father Dave Roberts didn't believe that the signs he kept seeing were coming from his beloved daughter, Jeannine. But soon, everything changed. In this episode of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast, Dave shares his journey of love and loss and how the signs from his daughter transformed from triggering waves of grief into joy, and how they remind Dave that Jeannine is still close. Dave and Patty describe how Jeannine speaks through her father's new friend, fostering a deep continuing bond that allows Dave to live on after loss. When The Psychology Professor Met The Minister is co-authored by our two guests, and written from Dave's perspective and walks us through his evolution of putting aside his academic mind to being open to receiving messages from Jeannine. Patty has been his major supporter and guided him to honor and enjoy his memories but also be alive in the present. 

In episode 50 of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast, Reid Peterson 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 for grief education. 

In episode 49, bereaved father Eric Hodgdon explores how he leads a life of intention in the wake of incredible pain over the death of his daughter, Zoi, who died by suicide. He shares his fond memories of a loving and fun girl who was a sweet, supportive peer to those who knew her. Family, friends, and patients who traveled their mental health path alongside her all remember Zoi as a very special person. 

Ronald Mathias talks to us about his field of medical illustration: the art of taking complex medical procedures, descriptions, or concepts and turning them into something visual for ease of understanding. He spends most of his time translating traumatic injuries and building empathy for the pain someone has suffered into a visual medium for litigation. He is also tasked with the extremely difficult job of taking the unseen symptoms and turning them into visual representations.  For the cover of the book Superhero Grief, Ron designed the cover to help the reader understand the transformation that even Superheroes go through. Every person, superhero or not, goes through grief at some point in their lives. Each person has to leave something behind to transform into the new person that they have become. Superheroes are imperfect like us and can have trouble moving on from the trauma they have endured. 

The tables are turned as Heather Stang, the regular host of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast, is interviewed by guest host Audrey Hughey about the new guided journal for grief, From Grief to Peace, which releases on June 1, 2021. Heather shares how she began journaling about her grief over her Uncle Doug's death in high school and the differences between free journaling and guided writing with prompts. Audrey shares how she processed her emotions over her ex-husband's death in her first thriller/novel. ​From Grief to Peace is based on the Mindfulness & Grief System developed by Heather. It offers meditation and journaling exercises to initially help bereaved people cope with the pain of loss, and eventually rewrite their post-loss narrative, all while developing healthy lifestyle habits. The new book offers a holistic approach to life after loss, weaving in memorial and meaning-making activities with personal reflection and goals to help the reader-writer move forward, which is quite different from moving on. Heather relies on evidence-based approaches, contemporary grief research, and ancient practices rooted in yoga and Buddhism, and holds a master's degree in thanatology, the study of death, dying, and bereavement. 

In episode 46, lifelong friends Shelley Buck and Kathy Curtis share their journey of childhood friendship, staying in touch through college, and the comfort that Kathy provided to Shelley following the devastating loss of her son, Ryder. Ryder was a talented musician and world traveler who continued to live his life to the fullest even after his Stage IV cancer diagnosis.  After Ryder's death, Shelley felt extremely lost and unsure of her next steps in life. So Kathy helped Shelley write the book “Leave Your Light On,” inspired by a song Ryder wrote, to share Shelley's journey through the process. The book is filled with letters, journal entries, poems, and memories. Shelley found that writing was very cathartic for her, and she hopes her journey encourages others. 

In episode 45, Angela Kennecke shares with us her story of losing her beautiful 21-year-old daughter, Emily, to overdose. Angela and her family were just a normal family. Emily was a gifted student and cheerleader. But Emily was struggling with one of the most common problems in America — addiction. Her sudden and unexpected death changed the lives of her family forever.  Through her grief, Angela wanted to keep Emily's memory alive. She originally wanted to just display some of her daughter's artwork at a local charity center. Fast forward to today and Angela now runs Emily's Hope, a foundation that wants to remove the stigma of addiction, provide financial support for treatment seekers, and bring comfort to families who have lost a loved one to addiction.  If you're looking for resources for yourself or a family member, please check out the resources that are available on the Emily's Hope website. 

In episode 44, we talk to Author Jenny Lisk about her experience of parenting and caregiving for her husband during his aggressive form of brain cancer and eventually becoming a single parent and widow. Jenny shares how she navigated her way forward after his passing and her calling to help other people who may be losing a spouse.  In Future Widow, Jenny goes behind the scenes of her journey through those tumultuous and heartbreaking months. She reflects on the community who showed her how to be an ally in a crisis, her search for guides on how to parent grieving children, and the dual reality of having to choose—and getting to choose—what her future will look like. Jenny Lisk is an author, speaker, and host of the Widowed Parent Podcast, which has been featured in The Washington Post and ParentMap. On her “hundred dreams” list is riding a camel, milking a cow, and raising $44,000 for brain cancer research, in honor of her husband's 44 years. The author of Future Widow: Losing My Husband, Saving My Family, and Finding My Voice, Jenny lives in Redmond, Washington, with her two teenagers. She is passionate about helping widowed parents increase their family's well-being. You can download her free guides, What I've Learned About Widowed Parenting and How to be Helpful: Tips for Allies of Widowed Families.  https://jennylisk.com/memoir

In episode 43, New York Times-bestselling author Adam Mansbach talks with us about his new memoir, “I HAD A Brother Once,” which details his grief of losing his brother by suicide a decade ago. As a writer, he struggled for nine years before he was finally able to write about his brother. Although Adam is known for his very successful novels, his new book is written poetry-style with dramatic storytelling about his life. In it, he shares how his brother David felt he had to wear masks to hide his real self and the importance of removing the masks of shame and guilt to save lives.  David's death happened during a very exciting and stressful time in his life. His incredibly popular book “Go the F*** to Sleep” had just gone viral. In the midst of celebrities reading his book on social media worldwide, and conducting interviews 10 hours a day — David died. Adam suddenly found himself both struggling with loss and success at the same time.

In Episode 42, Dr. Amy Novotny shares her emotional journey of living with a mother that was bipolar and suffered from borderline personality disorder, being tutored by her throughout higher education, and eventually losing her to cancer. The grief left Amy struggling with an unexplainable physical illness that she was eventually able to overcome, and now she teaches how to ease your physical pain when grief is stored in the body.  Amy developed a method called PABR, which is a technique to help your body overcome the fight or flight response that can occur during the grieving process. During our interview, Amy walks us through her basic technique for breathing and relaxing your body position so you can start getting some relief.  Want more free resources? Email Amy Novotny at amy@pabrinstitute.com and mention this episode of Mindfulness and Grief Podcast to receive a consultation. 

In Episode 41, Daniel Hess talks to us about his struggle with losing his cousin after a long battle with cystic fibrosis. Daniel was only 9 years old at the time. The trauma of losing his best friend at such a young age created a void in his life that he has since tried to fill with creativity to keep the memory of his cousin alive.  Daniel began writing poetry as a way to cope with his feeling of loss and to stay creative throughout his young adult life. It's been a place of solace for him. A place to express his dark thoughts and feelings in a safe environment. He has recently written a book, “Just a Boy Blaming Himself,” as a reflection of looking back through the pain of his childhood experiences and how they have shaped him into the person he is today.

When two health scares hit Katherine May's family, she was forced to slow down and learn a valuable lesson — staying busy doesn't always mean you're doing something productive with your time. The idea of wintering creates the opportunity to slow down the pace of life, observe as it transitions from one season to another, and find hope in the next phase of your life.  Katherine also discusses the issue of the “get over it” societal norm we have in regard to grief and children, recalling her own experience as a parent seeking help for her son through a difficult time. She believes that building resilience includes confronting hard truths and the emotions that come with them, not pushing everything down, and concealing feelings. Wintering consists of a period of isolation where you allow the silence to teach you and prepare you for the next season. 

Neil Beresin never set out to become a chaplain. In fact, he worked in the nonprofit world for 20 years. But everything changed for him when both his parents became ill and passed away within 5 weeks of each other. This devastating loss changed the trajectory of his life. Neil is now a chaplain and counselor specializing in grief, loss, and transition, and he uses poetry in his healing work. During our interview with him, Neil shares how poetry has brought him peace and understanding even in the most troubling times. He shares with us the value of reflection. When you slow down and allow yourself to absorb the words of a poem, you are giving yourself a gift. Reflecting on the language and the metaphors used in poetry can bring tremendous comfort. The sound and music of poetry has helped Neil to provide intentional grief support to his clients, and we hope this interview helps you as well.

Sally Hill Mills learned to write children's books by writing with children, as a creative writing teacher in elementary schools in Albuquerque. She learned from kids what keeps them interested in a story – relatable characters, obstacles that have to be overcome, and action.  Her first book, Jimmy: Toughest. Dog. Ever. grew out of Mills' experience as a special education teacher. She saw that kids who left the room for “special” classes or who had visible disabilities feared being labeled and not belonging to the larger group. When her real-life dog died, Mills realized that, as hard as it would be, her dog's death offered an opportunity to take the character, Jimmy, on another, even more, difficult journey: through grief and loss into recovery and re-connection.  In her second book, Jimmy: Toughest Times Ever Mills drew upon her own experiences with childhood grief to write the book.  Kirkus called this book, “A lovely, resonant, child-appropriate tale about loss and the cycle of grief and healing.”  

It's hard to feel like a superhero while amid tremendous grief. But through her work composing Superhero Grief: The Transformative Power of Loss, Dr. Jill Harrington shows us how we are more like superheroes than you might think. Each superhero that you can think of has experienced some level of trauma that they've had to overcome. While their superpower may seem more significant than yours, the motivation to stand up and put one foot in front of the other is the same, whether you can fly or not.  Jill walks us through some of the flaws in superheros that also make them human like us. Superheroes are not always perfect. They make mistakes. Superheroes struggle with the same emotions and consequences of decisions that we as normal humans do. Each story has an element of love, survival, and reminders of our continued connection with the ones we lost.  

After 27 years of marriage, Marla Polk found herself dealing with the sudden death of her husband. Losing her spouse creating a hole in her life that she didn't know what to do with. She tried to turn to her friends, her work, books -but nothing seemed to help her. She then decided to start journaling through her grief. What started as a way to document stories of her beloved Randy for future grandchildren became a firsthand account of what it was like for her to walk through the grief process and discover herself with him. Marla writes openly and honestly about how painfully long the process of grief can be. She describes herself as a normal, middle-aged woman with a career, friends, and an average life before everything changed with Randy's death. The aftermath left her feeling uncomfortable in every situation of her life. She was easily agitated especially in the first year. So when she couldn't do anything else, she turned toward writing. She encourages anyone going through grief to give yourself grace, especially when unforeseen triggers can derail your emotions out of the blue. One thing she discusses is triggers. You never know when something may trigger your emotions. So give yourself grace. You can be in the middle of doing something completely unrelated to grief and all of a sudden you will start crying and that's okay. During this interview, Marla also shares how surprised she was by how differently everyone experiences grief. She found herself judging others who were close to Randy for not missing him enough. Likewise, she found herself being judged as well for not meeting their expectations of grieving. She was also surprised with how many well-meaning people said uninformed things to bring comfort. Marla continues to remember Randy in subtle ways. He enjoyed painting and photography so she has a piece of his artwork in every room in the house. She commissioned someone to make a quilt from his neckties. She periodically visits his things in storage and decides which items she's ready to part with and which ones she wants to hold onto a little longer. About Marla Polk: Marla Polk is the author of Grief Survivor: A Love Story and a communications coach specializing in helping those in broken relationships heal through communication tools she developed as a mediator. She is Managing Partner for Resolution Solutions, a conflict resolution consulting company. She is the President of the Board of Directors for a nonprofit, the Abilene Palm House, that mentors at-risk individuals and works specifically with women who have been survivors of violent crimes. Her hobbies include writing authentic, raw, and funny commentaries about her grief journey.

Rabbi Steve Leder is no stranger to grief. As a rabbi, he has consoled hundreds of families over the years during their most difficult times. In his new book, The Beauty of What Remains, he walks us through his experience of losing his father. He takes us on the journey of self-discovery of how he learned to balance the conflicting emotions of losing someone who wasn't always easy to love but was still an important figure in his life.  In his book, he discusses how making peace with the fact that these feelings cannot be resolved is a resolution. Once you can make peace with the fact that you cannot change what happened in the past, you make space for the positive memories to emerge. Finding meaning in those memories is what helps you get back to living.  Caregivers often struggle with how they should show up for their loved ones, especially as they get closer to death. Rabbi Leder has some tips to help caregivers navigate one of the hardest roles in the world.  Ways to Overcome Fear As a Caregiver Tip #1 Never Underestimate the Power of Touch The power of communicating through touch, especially with a loved one who is suffering from an illness like dementia, is remarkable. Just sitting with your loved one and holding their hand can help both of you communicate when words are no longer an option. (Rabbi Leder acknowledges that this may not be possible during the pandemic.) Tip #2 Create an Ethical Will  We write our eulogies while we are alive. It's how we live that writes our story. By creating an ethical will, you leave behind a document that talks about your love, hopes, and dreams for the people you leave behind. It's important to do this during the early stages of illness, if possible.  Tip #3 Take Them on a Mental Vacation Create a transcendent vacation that encourages them to think about happier times. Sit by their bed and ask questions like:  Who was your very first kiss?  What was the greatest vacation you ever took?  What was it like when you laid your eyes on your spouse for the first time? By taking people out of their physical being and into the metaphysical, both of you can experience joy without even leaving the room. It can be the best moment they have had in a long time.  Tip #4 Just Show Up Walkthrough the door as your authentic self. They want you to be who you are — not someone who is clearly holding back given the situation. For example: If you're a hugger, hug them. If you're a feeder, feed them. If you're a jokester, tell them jokes. If you are your authentic self when you walk in, then the rest of everything will unfold the way it should.  Tip #5 Take It One Step at a Time  Grief is a long road. Just take the next step forward. Take a shower. Go for a walk. Show yourself some compassion as you would others. Grief doesn't happen in a straight line and oftentimes we grieve even before our loved one has passed. Show yourself empathy through this process.  How the Pandemic Has Created Meaningful Intimacy Through Grief This global pandemic has caused us to take a global pause and reassess what we value most. A busy life and a meaningful life are not the same. This pandemic has taught us to appreciate and value each other more than ever before. Funeral services have changed in both good and bad ways. The good thing is now only the person's innermost circle is there to grieve together and tell stories with each other. It creates an intimacy that pre-pandemic funerals did not have. The bad thing is that families do miss out on condolences from their extended family and friends, food provided by people who care about them, and hugs and other personal touch that are so important to the human spirit. But we will get through this together.  Rabbi Leder's book The Beauty of What Remains is now available on Amazon.  This episode is brought to you by the Awaken: Meditation for Grief Program, which helps you cope with the heartache and pain of loss with meditation-based practices for your mind, body, and spirit. 

If you have experienced the death of a loved one from the COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic, the American Red Cross offers free support to help you through this difficult time. From spiritual care to help with planning virtual services, their Integrated Condolence Care Program is staffed by compassionate professionals and volunteers through their Virtual Family Assistance Center. In this episode Valerie Cole shares how this program can help you navigate grief during these unprecedented times. 

If you wonder what happens to your loved one after they die, you are in good company. Wanting to know they are OK, that they are not suffering, that they may even be happy, is a universal feeling rooted in the love that is the root of our grief. In her book Becoming Starlight, Surviving Grief and Mending The Wounds of Loss,  Dr. Sharon Prentice shines a light on where your loved one goes after they die. She has visited the other side - not through a near death experience - but a shared death experience. In this episode of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast, Dr. Prentice reveals her “peek into foreverness” that occurred at the precise moment of her husband's death. She describes how this experienced impacted her grief over time, and how it informs her work with people who are dying in her role as a psychotherapist and spiritual counselor. The question of life after death is one of the first questions I asked when my uncle died by suicide when I was just 7 years old. In my teens I found a book called Life After Life by Dr. Raymond Moody, which detailed the phenomenon of the near-death experience. This is a very special interview. It dives into the mysteries of life while leaving space for us to still grief, still mourn, still question. If you are wanting to know if your loved one is OK, this podcast may just provide you with some answers – and even hope.  

Pets are not just animals that live in our house, they are our chosen family. When they die it is heartbreaking because we love them so much! The key to surviving the death of our beloved cats and dogs is to first acknowledge that it hurts, and acknowledge that our grief is real and understandable. As with the loss of anyone we love, it is helpful to find ways to honor their memory and the imprint they leave on our heart. In this episode of the Mindfulness & Grief podcast Dave Roberts and I continue the conversation we began in an earlier episode on Pet Loss & Grief. Since then, both Dave and I have both experienced major pet losses, and we discuss the myriad of feelings that pet owners face - from feelings of guilt surrounding euthanasia, wondering how you will survive without your best friend, and even navigating the decision to welcome another furbaby into the house. We also talk about constructive rituals and memorial spaces you can set up to remember your companion animal. For many of us the death of a pet is one of the hardest losses to navigate because of the unconditional love. You are not alone, and I hope this episode will help you like it helped me.

If you have been blaming yourself for the death of your loved one, or feeling guilty that you didn't do something you "should" have done, you are not alone. Whether your special person died by suicide, an overdose, long-term illness or suddenly, self-blame often appears. Guilt and shame are heavy burdens to bear, and add more suffering on top of our broken heart. In the 31st episode of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast, award-winning author of When Their World Stops, Certified Grief Recovery Specialist and founder of the Grief & Trauma Healing Network shares her insights into working with guilt, regret, and self-blame in the face of traumatic grief, mental health struggles, addiction, suicide, and other types of loss. She also offers valuable insights into how friends can help their grieving friends, which will give you insight into getting what you need from those around you. Anne-Marie is a compassionate healer, and I hope you will get as much from this podcast as I did interviewing her! Be sure to check out the downloads below, including an excerpt from her book. Downloads From Anne-Marie Lockmyer Free Book Excerpt: ​Chapter 1 of When Their World Stops 5 Things Every Griever Needs to Know  5 Ways to Help A Grieving Friend Do Not Forget List If You Have a Grieving Friend About Anne-Marie Lockmyer Anne-Marie Lockmyer was far removed from pain until she got the call no one ever wants to get - her beloved husband of 26 years had suddenly died while she was out of the country. Everything changed for her at that moment and the emotional pain crushed her. Nothing prepared Anne-Marie or those around her for this life-shattering experience. As Anne-Marie struggled to understand herself and what she needed, she also had to help her friends understand. Out of necessity, she became a student of grief and during this process, her only child was struggling with mental health issues, another excruciating loss as she watched him suffer. She went on a journey to find meaning in her grief, to meet with it, embrace it, heal and find purpose. And it was transformational! Her experience, research, education and training in grief, loss and trauma has equipped her to work with grieving people in a powerful way.  She wrote an award-winning book called When Their World Stops: The Essential Guide to Truly Helping Anyone in Grief. Anne-Marie is an Advanced Grief Recovery Specialist, Certified in Critical Incident Stress Debriefing, a Certified Trauma Integrative Practitioner, a Grief and Mental Health Advocate and Founder of the Grief and Trauma Healing Network.   Her greatest joy is to take people on the same healing journey she experienced - to allow them to remember their loved one well but without suffering the excruciating pain. She creates a safe place to heal any unresolved grief with a six-session private or 2-day intensive program. She provides crisis support for businesses and training to therapists and counselors on grief and loss. She presents church workshops on Creating a Culture of Hope and Healing to equip churches to support the grieving in their congregation and community. She loves what she does and welcomes opportunities to help others understand grief and the grieving. Anne-Marie is living proof that you can go from barely surviving to thriving. Her message is one of hope and healing after a heartbreaking loss.  You may have changed. Your life may be changed, but life can still be good - and so can you.   

Dreams and sleep are understandably impacted as we all try to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. Those of us who are already grieving carry an extra load of anxiety in addition to an already aching heart. In this episode, returning guest Dr. Joshua Black shares helpful insights that will empower us to take care of our emotional needs during the waking hours so we can find peace at night, and explores how our dreams give us insights into how we are really doing. A timely follow up to our first interview in Episode 15 Grief Dreams: Continuing Bonds & Awakening Insights, Joshua and I have a candid conversation about how we are coping personally and professionally.  We discuss a range of topics - from Joshua's own grief dream that involves his father and childhood home, to what is in our pantry to eat during the pandemic. This interview left me feeling calm and hopeful. I hope it does the same for you!

Grief is hard at any age. As a queer young adult ​​in the south, Shelby faced the worst four years of her life as both of her parents were diagnosed with life-limiting illnesses. When her mother died "the stuff really hit the fan," as she put it. At first she resisted her pain, but it was in the giving in to her grief that real wisdom was found. Shelby has evolved into a compassionate young woman that helps people of all ages learn how to face their grief with radical self-compassion.  In this candid interview, the author of Permission to Grieve shares her experience and the wisdom gained from navigating the death of her mother from breast cancer. Tending to your own pain is a radical act of self-compassion. Shelby offers inspiring guidance that will help you grieve authentically no matter where you are on your life's journey.

"Hope is not fragile; just hard to find when the lights go out." This quote from bereaved mother Kim Peacock's book, Victorious Heart resonates with so many people who have suffered and survived a traumatic loss. Kim knows this intimately, as her beloved daughter Nicole died in an ATV accident just a few days after Christmas in 1998. In episode 28 of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast, Kim shares how she pulled herself out of the void that was left in her world so she can grieve and still live life fully. She shares how she and her husband navigated their different styles of grieving, her relationship to God and faith, and self-care practices that you can use to care for yourself when your world feels like it has fallen apart. She also offers wise guidance to anyone who is not sure what to say or do when someone they care about has suffered a devastating loss. This inspirational and generous interview offers an overview of what grief can look like over twenty years after the loss, and is a guiding light that will help you through the darkness. While Kim's experience is rooted in child loss, this is a good listen for anyone who is grieving a loss.

Coping with grief after a loved one has died from an overdose has a unique set of challenges. All too often the focus is on the circumstances of the death, not the life, of a very special person who loved, lived, and most likely tried to overcome their addiction. Often exhausted by the worry, caregiving and anticipatory type of grief that precedes this type of loss, friends and family members of someone who died by overdose need compassion, self-care, and each other. In the 27th episode of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast, grief counselor Dave Roberts shares ways that you can cope with overdose grief and refocus the lens through which this loss is viewed on the person, not the addiction.

The death of a brother or sister can be devastating, but all too often it goes unacknowledged or at least minimized. Social cues direct bereaved siblings to "be strong for your parents," but how can you be strong when your world is shattered by loss? Heidi Horsley is no stranger to this kind of pain. Her brother, Scott, died in an automobile accident, alongside her cousin. This life changing experience inspired her to be a champion for grieving siblings and earn a doctorate in psychology. In this episode of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast, Heidi shares her story of love and loss and hope, and shares tips and insights to help you cope with sibling loss. She explores the strained parent/child dynamic that often occurs after this type of loss, and why parents might think their surviving children are "over" their grief when they are anything but. Dr. Heidi closes the show with an invitation for grieving siblings to join her in the crusade to shine a light on this disenfranchised grief. 

Widows, widowers, and anyone who has lost a partner knows just how hard it is to cope with grief on Valentine's Day. Claudia Coenen, widow and creative grief counselor, shares creative ways to cope with grief and heartache on Valentine's Day, as well as activities and practices to honor and celebrate you love that undeniably very much present. She also shares tips from her upcoming book release, The Creative Toolkit for Working with Grief and Bereavement: A Practitioner's Guide. Heather Stang's guided meditation, a Journey To Your Heart Center, follows the interview. Both Heather and Claudia hope this special Valentine's Day edition of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast will bring you some peace. Recommended Reading & Listening Shattered by Grief: Picking up the pieces to become WHOLE again The Creative Toolkit for Working with Grief and Bereavement: A Practitioner's Guide Karuna Cards: Creative Ideas to Transform Grief and Difficult Life Transitions The Karuna Project: Compassion & Creativity for Grief with Claudia Coenen on the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast About Claudia Coenen, CGC, FT, MTP Claudia Coenen became a certified grief counselor after she was widowed suddenly. She focused on creativity in her Masters in Transpersonal Psychology program at Sophia University and holds an Advanced Grief Counseling Certificate from Brooklyn College. Claudia has been certified in Thanatology for 9 years and is now a Fellow in Thanatology, through the Association of Death Education and Counseling.  Claudia's lifelong experience as a performer and creative person provided her with techniques to process her own grief which in turn led her to help others through expressive modalities. In private practice, Claudia helps bereaved clients find resilience in the midst of their losses - through compassionate presence, creative process, somatic and expressive therapy techniques. While working with dying patients and family members in a hospice program in New Jersey, she developed the Karuna Cards, a deck of creative ideas for grief and difficult life transitions. Claudia presents workshops on Grief, living with illness as well as the use of creativity in counseling. She has delivered in-service training on vicarious trauma in the workplace at conferences, hospice agencies, and mental health clinics.  Claudia is the author of Shattered by Grief: Picking up the pieces to become WHOLE again. Her newest book, The Creative Toolkit for Working with Grief and Bereavement: A Practitioner's Guide, explores some well-researched grief models and 30 creative activity sheets that can be reproduced to use with bereaved clients.

Richie Pryor's son and namesake, Richard, sadly died in his sleep a few weeks after a family vacation to Hawaii. Naturally, Richie felt great heartache after the loss of his son, but has found a way not only to live again, but to live fully and in honor of his son while helping others find their path through grief and life.  In the 24th episode of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast, Richie shares his story along with valuable insights about compassion and communication for partners who have lost a child. He reflects on what worked - and what didn't - for himself and his family, and recommends valuable books and community resources for the grieving family.  Richie models how you can develop mental toughness while maintaining a kind heart, and offers ways to refocus your attention and cultivate new meaning in life.  He really inspires hope for all of us who are grieving. Recommended Reading Warriors Of Life by Richie Pryor When Bad Things Happen To Good People by Harold Kushner 41 Signs of Hope by Dave Kane Everything Happens for a Reason: Finding the True Meaning of the Events in Our Lives by Mira Kirshenbaum About Richard "Richie" Pryor Richard Pryor is a Parent Counselor & Author. After losing his son 5 years ago his world ended and he saw no purpose to keep moving forward. He eventually discovered his warrior and found his true self by developing his mental toughness, changing his focus and giving a new meaning to his loss which helped him RISE out of the ASHES of his grief with more love, empathy, compassion and a burning desire to change the world. He then wrote “Warriors Of Life” as his first step in serving the people in the world that have losses in life and struggle with grief. Richard also servers people in  prisons, shelter's, substance abuse clinics to help them find hope and meaning in life, regardless of their situation and provide them with an opportunity to take advantage of second chances in life. He has also created a growing community of educational and coaching programs for parents where he helps them by Serving, Supporting, Inspiring, Empowering and Transforming them so they can discover their  WARRIOR, find themselves and Move Forward through any life challenge that they encounter. “We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.”

Let's face it, the winter holidays can be particularly tough on us when we are grieving.  What is supposed to be the happiest time of the year is anything but, as we are constantly reminded that someone is missing. During this episode author and thanatologist Heather Stang shares her favorite tips for coping with grief during the holidays to help you reduce your suffering, weave in the memory of your loved one, and approach this holiday season mindfully.

Grief is a natural and healthy reaction, but if you are like most people, healthy is not a word you would use to describe how you eat or sleep when in the throes of loss. The stress of grief disrupts our sleep cycle, incites cravings for comfort food, and does not usually inspire physical activity. While this is normal behavior in the early period of loss, the sooner we can start taking care of our physical body, the sooner it will become our ally in our mental and emotional health. In this episode of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast, yoga teacher and wellness expert Jason Wendroff-Rawnicki shares how the death of his sister, Lauren, inspired him to live more fully and honor his lifelong mission of helping others. He offers helpful tips on how to get more sleep, work wholesome foods into your diet, movement into your day, and how smelling something good via aromatherapy can radically shift your mood. We even discuss how media - social and otherwise - can help or hurt your ability to regain emotional balance after loss. Don't let all this talk of health and wellness scare you off - both Jason and I know grief is hard! But if you pick just one or two things to try from this episode (which is chocked full of health tips for grief), you will be taking the first and most important step to helping yourself reengage with life after loss. There is no one-sized-fits-all solution for health and well-being, but there are some time-tested tips and tricks that work. Jason closes by sharing a little about being a bereaved sibling, as well as some insights he gained from presenting with his wife at the Compassionate Friends Conference. If you have questions or comments, or would like to connect with Jason, use the links below! Jason closes by sharing a little about being a bereaved sibling, as well as some insights he gained from presenting with his wife at the Compassionate Friends Conference. If you have questions or comments, or would like to connect with Jason, use the links below! Or visit him at the Shine Yoga Center in Cliffside Park, NJ. Reach out to Jason Wendroff-Rawnicki: Email with Questions or for a Free 30 Minute Wellness Consultation with Jason! Connect with Jason on Facebook Jason's Essential Oils Website Shine Yoga Center Facebook Page Twitter Instagram

Coping with your own grief when a spouse dies is hard enough. But what do you do when on top of that you need to raise a grieving family, get everyone to school on time, pay all the bills, and run the household all on your own? These are just some of the challenges widowed parents face. While grief professionals may offer helpful insights, our guest and psychologist Dr. Justin Yopp explains why peer support groups for widowed parents may be one of the most helpful resources for bereaved fathers and mothers. This episode is for widowed parents who are looking for inspiration and practical advice on parenting after loss. Based on insights gained by facilitating widowed parenting groups and academic research, Dr. Yopp offers compassionate guidance that respects each individual's journey. His book, The Group: Seven Widowed Fathers Reimagine Life, is based on the “Single Fathers Due to Cancer” project, a group facilitated by Dr. Yopp and his colleague Donald L. Rosenstein at the University of North Carolina. They now collaborate with other colleagues at UNC to run The Widowed Parent project, which is committed to supporting widowed mothers and fathers with children in the home. Proceeds from The Group are all donated back into the project in order to benefit the families. Learn More about Justin Yopp and the Widowed Parent Project: Widowed Parent Website Widowed Father's Facebook Page Widowed Parents on Twitter Widowed Parent Story on YouTube

Learn how the yogic chakras can help you navigate grief and trauma, whether you believe in them or not! In the 20th episode of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast, Karla Helbert explains how the chakra system can act as a model (or metaphor) to help us understand the energetic response to grief and trauma. She also shares tips to find balance during this chaotic time, and even closes the podcast with a guided meditation you can try at home (but not if you are driving please!). Just like having a map or GPS can help you when you are lost in the woods, a system to help you cope with grief can help you feel less overwhelmed and frightened when the tsunami hits. Going beyond the outdated prescribed stages of grief, the Chakras in Grief and Trauma can help you learn to grow through, rather than heal from, your loss. Rooted in her own experience of being a bereaved mother, as well as her yoga training and years of helping others through loss as a licensed professional counselor, Karla Helbert is the author of the Chakras In Grief and Trauma,  Yoga for Grief and Loss, and Finding Your Way To Grieve: A Creative Workbook for Kids and Teens on the Autism Spectrum. Learn More about Karla Helbert: Author/Speaker Website Facebook Twitter Instagram

In the 19th episode of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast, R. Glenn Kelly (Ron) shares on the job self-care tips, as well insights into how business leaders and colleagues alike can cultivate a grief-literate work environment. A bereaved father and business leader, Ron is the author several books, including Grief in the Workplace and Sometimes I Cry In The Shower. For some, work can feel like a safe haven, a normal experience in the midst of the worst time in your life. But for most of us, the two or five days of  bereavement leave just isn't enough. The reality is that most of us have to earn a paycheck whether we feel like it or not. After a major loss, work may feel like the last place any of us wants to be. There are many challenges that were not present before, including debilitating brain fog, uncontrollable emotional swells, preoccupation with our loved one and the business of grief, not to mention the unskillful platitudes offered by well-meaning but ill informed colleagues. Over 4 Million active U.S. employees experience the death of a spouse, life-partner, or child every year. Research indicates that in addition to the pain the employee feels, companies are losing an estimated $100 billion in direct and indirect costs due to staff bereavement. But this statistic does mean there has to be a battle between employee and employer. In fact, with Ron's help, organizations like Delta Airlines have found ways to support their bereaved employees that benefit both company, employee, and the people they serve, and cultivating compassion and care along the way. Learn More about R. Glenn Kelly: Author/Speaker Website Facebook Twitter Grief in the Workplace: Recover Hidden Revenue and Productivity Loss Driven by Employee Bereavement and Grief Sometimes I Cry In The Shower: A Grieving Father's Journey To Wholeness And Healing

Kim Colegrove is the founder of the PauseFirst Project, which offers Mindfulness for First Responders, and was founded in honor of her husband, Special Agent David M. Colegrove, who died by suicide in 2014. Kim learned the practice of transcendental meditation at the age of ten. After her husband's death, Kim used her practice to cope with her own grief and loss. Now, with more than 40 years of practice under her belt, she is helping police, firefighters, EMS, paramedics, dispatchers, corrections officers, and other first responders cope with the daily stress and trauma of the job.  Whether you are a first responder or not, we all experience personal and public tragedies that can leave our assumptive world shaken if not completely destroyed. This conversation explores how mindfulness can help us all build resilience and take one step closer to a more peaceful society. Thank you Kim for doing this true Warrior Work!  PauseFirst Links Facebook Twitter Website Publishizer (Book)

At the age of 38, Claire Hoffman became a widow when her husband experienced a drug overdose. A mother of one, Claire describes this event as having a butterfly effect over her entire world. In an effort to cope with the loss and gain wisdom and insight, Claire has gathered together grief experts from around the world for the Liberate Your Grief Spotcast, a 5 day event offering hope and healing to anyone who has experienced a major loss. Learn more about Claire at http://liberateyourgrief.com.

Pet loss is often a grief dismissed by people who have not formed a deep bond with an animal, but those of us who have non-human best friend know the love and heartache that comes when a special pet dies. In the sixteenth episode of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast we explore our deep love for our pets, why we mourn them,  and how they can help us feel connected to our deceased loved ones when they are alive. Guest Dave Roberts, LMSW, shares how two cats, Bootsy & Angel, helped him cope with the death of his daughter, and the impact their deaths had on him.   About Dave Roberts, LMSW Dave Roberts, LMSW, is an author and founder of Bootsy & Angel Books, LLC, and most importantly, the father of Jeannine, who died of a rare form of cancer when she was 18. Dave supports other grieving parents through his work with The Compassionate Friends, in his private practice, and through writing, speaking, and teaching in the psychology department at Utica College. Learn more about Dave at Bootsy & Angel Books, LLC., where you can also purchase his book on pet loss and holiday grief. Read David's Article, 3 Reasons Why Pet Owners Repeatedly Visit the World of Grief, and find him on Facebook and Twitter.

In the fifteenth episode of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast, we dive deep into the world of grief and dreams with author and grief dream researcher Joshua Black, Ph.D. If you have ever wanted to know more about your grief dreams, or have wondered why you have not had one yet, this episode is for you. Dr. Black shares the three different types of dreams that occur after loss, plus the different themes that have emerged in his studies of spouse/partner loss, pet loss, and prenatal loss related dreams. You will also learn tips and techniques that can help both children and adults use their grief dreams - or desired grief dreams - to do very important grief work.  Learn more about Grief Dreams at http://griefdreams.ca, and be sure to listen to the Grief Dreams Podcast, hosted by this week's guest, Joshua Black, Ph.D. Grief Dreams Website Grief Dreams Podcast Grief Dreams Facebook Page Dreaming of Owl Book

In the fourteenth episode of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast, I interview Jan Warner, author of Grief Day by Day: Simple Practices and Daily Guidance for Living With Loss. During this episode, Jan shares how her deep love for her husband Artie lives on, how to deal with people who just don't understand, and how Grief Day by Day can help you become your own "grief whisperer." What I love about this interview with Jan is her honest and unfiltered view of life after loss that balances the reality of the pain of loss with the love and levity that helps you continue to live on - with their memory right by your side. The book itself is a fantastic resource - easy to read and offered in small, daily bites that will help you take the next best step for you. About Jan Warner When my husband died I thought I would sadly miss him. Instead I was devastated. After the first chaotic year I began to rebuild my life by honoring him. I became available to grieving people the way he, as a recovering alcoholic, was available to alcoholics and addicts. I wrote a blog. Five years ago, I started a FB page, Grief Speaks Out at www.Facebook.com/GriefSpeaksOut. It is a loving, supportive international community of 2.4 million people. My book, Grief Day By Day: Simple Practices and Daily Guidance for Living With Loss has been called a soothing balm for a wound and an outstretched hand in friendship.  I have a Master's in Counseling Degree and have studied NLP, and hypnotherapy. In becoming fully alive with grief I have produced documentary films and an off-Broadway play. I'm a vagabond who has been to all seven continents. I love being a grandmother.    

In the thirteenth episode of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast, I interview Molly Hicks, music therapist and bereavement counselor with Penn Wissahickon Hospice in the Philadelphia, PA area, where she serves adult bereavement clients through individual counseling and support groups. During this episode, Molly shares the principles of music therapy, and how music can help you cope with grief and express how you really feel. 13:22 minutes in, you will also get to hear Molly's original recording of Call in the Light, a song, in Molly's words that is "about darkness and light, which is very common in a lot of music and a lot of songs....the person who is grieving can call in a source of light from themselves and also from the memories that they share with their loved one and the bonds that they still have with that loved one." The lyrics are available below! Along with music therapy interventions, Molly also uses her background as a yoga teacher to incorporate gentle poses and mindfulness techniques into her sessions. Additionally, she supports bereaved children and teens each year at Camp Erin Philadelphia, through the visual and performing arts. Molly holds bachelor's and master's degrees in music therapy from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. She earned her Hospice & Palliative Care Music Therapy (HPMT) certificate in 2011. Molly has presented at regional and national conferences of the American Music Therapy Association, on such varied topics as clinical songwriting, cultivating therapeutic presence, and addressing compassion fatigue. Since 2012, Molly has been a member of the Allied Therapies Steering Committee of the National Coalition of Hospice and Palliative Professionals (NCHPP).

In the eleventh episode of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast, I interview Laurie Cameron, author of The Mindful Day, founder of Purpose Blue, and certified meditation teacher. She shares mindful ways we can navigate the emotions that accompany grief, reconnect with ourselves, and continue to relate to the people in our lives that we mourn. Learn more about Laurie Cameron and join her community at at http://www.lauriejcameron.com. Show Notes from Heather Grief can make us feel like our loved ones have been ripped from our life. It can also make us feel like we are no longer even sure of who we are now that this great loss has occurred. And while it is true that our loved ones are no longer physically present in the same way they were before, and we often yearn for them to be back by our side, the relationship continues. Just in a very different way. How often to we think of the imprint someone we loved has left on our heart? Or imagine what they would have thought, done or said as we gaze at a new child, get our first acceptance letter, or learn how to drive a car. One of the things we can to do help ourselves navigate grief is to relearn how to connect with our self and our departed ancestors and loved ones. It is important for us to find a way to continue our story, even though the plot-line has changed dramatically. Mindfulness can help with that, and Laurie Cameron has some compassionate insights and practices that can help us do both. I first found out about Laurie Cameron when my Local Book Store, Curious Iguana, asked me to introduce her at a book signing event for her new release, The Mindful Day. The book itself is designed to help you weave mindfulness into your normal, everyday life, even as you commute, go to work, and interact with friends and family. A lovely premise in and of itself, and the book is well written and a fun read. But what really drew me to the book is her story of love and loss, that is offered right up front in the introduction. And what draws me to her is the way she relates to her losses, and to her life. Laurie is no stranger to loss. She witnessed her father's death by heart attack when she was a junior in high school. About fifteen years later, she became a student of Thich Nhat Hahn, the beloved Vietnamese Monk. I started going on retreats and deepening my practice and when I was nine months pregnant with my only child, Ava Grace, my brother Johnny suddenly died. Within the space of three weeks, I lost Johnny and experienced the most searing grief I'd ever known. And then at the same time, the most exquisite joy I've ever experienced. So I had the depth of the love both ends of the continuum mixed together. Later, her other brother died, followed by her mother just seven years ago. Laurie uses her mindfulness practice, as well as practices to help her stay connected to her loved ones to cope with an overwhelming amount of personal loss. She uses what we often call embodied mindfulness to pay attention to the physical signs that a wave of grief is about to arises: So by practicing over time tuning into my body, just really having a sense of the sematic signals or the body signals I can feel the grief coming or the sadness coming and then I, and then I can do something about it. So often what I would do is just simply breathe or take a walk. I love being in nature really grounds me and almost nourishes me like a mother Earth Hug. So really what I've experienced is that a step one is accessing an inner calm. That doesn't mean that I'm pushing away the emotion or denying it or avoiding it. It's just almost like an oxygen mask on myself. Just feeling the breath tuning into my body and just allowing myself, meeting myself with kindness in that moment and just generating calm. And then mindfulness helped me to relate to my experience with kind of a wider perspective. Despite the great losses she has faced, Laurie herself is still very much fully alive and awake to this one precious life: These losses continue to remind me of the beauty and the fragility of life. And I also really deeply appreciate my mindfulness practice in helping me navigate that. I am grateful for the wisdom Laurie shares with us in this podcast. I hope you find her words as helpful as I do!

In the tenth episode of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast, I interview Maria Mora, a Certified Eating Disorder Registered Dietitian. She shares ways we can help our body help itself by giving it the proper nutrition, and how we can use self-compassion to work with an eating disorder or disordered eating during grief.  When we have had a major loss, nourishing our body can feel like a struggle. Many of us will feel nauseous just at the thought of food, while others will use food to distract from difficult emotions, or swing back and forth between the two. If you are dealing with an eating disorder or disordered eating, it can be critical that you give your body the food and self-compassion you need to create a solid foundation for healing. Learn more about Maria Mora at http://www.integratedeating.com/.

In the ninth episode of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast, we learn helpful and compassionate ways we can help children cope with grief. More importantly, we learn how to help them help themselves, so they can build coping skills that will last a lifetime.  Jana DeCristofaro, LCSW and Community Response Program Coordinator of The Dougy Center shares her wisdom on Children & Grief, including how peer support can empower children, and the many ways we can help at home and at school. Find resources for Children & Grief at The Dougy Center's Web Site , and be sure to listen to their Grief Out Loud Podcast, hosted by this week's guest, Jana DeCristofaro.

Hope Zvara has turned her suffering into a mission: Help Others Purposefully Excel by using the three Bs: Breathe, Body, and Belief. In this episode, you will learn how Hope turned to yoga and mindfulness to help her overcome her struggle with bulimia as a young woman, and manage the pain after her first born daughter Faith died only twenty minutes after her birth. Listen and then learn more about Hope & her work at http://hopezvara.com.

Meditation for grief can help you cope with the pain and overwhelming emotions of loss, provide much needed self-care, as well as find new footing in your very changed world. It may even lead to posttraumatic growth. Author Heather Stang discusses the second edition of her book, Mindfulness & Grief, with guest host Karla Helbert. Learn more about Heather & her work at http://mindfulnessandgrief.com.

When her husband died unexpectedly while on vacation together, Claudia Coenen felt as though she was hovering above herself, thinking "Your life has radically changed, now what?" She used every resource - journaling, poetry, crafts, dancing and moving meditation - and eventually studied grief theory and counseling. In the sixth episode of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast, Claudia, offers creative and compassionate practices from her new book, Shattered by Grief: Picking Up the Pieces to Become WHOLE Again, and the Karuna Cards deck, which contains 52 exercises and prompts to help you cope with grief and difficult life transitions. Claudia is a Fellow in Thanatology, Certified Grief Counselor, and offers private sessions online and in Hudson, NY. Learn more about her at https://www.thekarunaproject.com.

Learn inspiring ways to celebrate family & friends and the importance of actively engaging in your grief-work from Allison Gilbert, author of Passed & Present: Keeping Memories of Loved Ones Alive and Emmy Award Winning Journalist. Learn more about Allison and subscribe to her newsletter at http://allisongilbert.com.

Renee Nickell, Author of Always My Hero, shares how equine therapy & evening devotions help her find hope & healing following her brother's death in Afghanistan. Learn more about her at http://reneenickell.com.

Yoga for Grief & Loss author Karla Helbert, LPC, shares how the yogic practice of non-violence, called "ahimsa," can help us be our own best friend during the difficult days, months and years after a major loss. Drawing from her own experience as a bereaved mother, a yoga therapist, and specialist in traumatic grief, Karla shares how she applies the principle of "ahimsa" to her own waves of grief over a decade after her loss, and how you can start your own practice in just minutes a day. Learn more about Karla at http://karlahelbert.com.