Tag: grief and bereavement

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Ep. 563 Death Wings Project: Art and Storytelling for Loss and Grief with Bess Welden and Laura Cleminson

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Learn how a creative art project can help foster conversations about loss and grief and how a playwright and an end-of-life doula collaborated to develop it.

About the guests:

My guests this week are Bess Welden a playwright who wrote the play Death Wings and Laura Cleminson an end-of-life doula and the founder of Pre-Dead Social Club. Together they have developed the Death Wings Project and Toolkit to invite people to come together in community and foster open conversations about loss and grief. They share how art-making and storytelling are used in their workshops to help people navigate loss together through creativity. Learn more at the following websites:

deathwingsproject.org

predeadsocialclub.com

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

besswelden.com/death-wings

In this episode:

  • How Laura was inspired to become an end-of-life doula
  • What inspired Bess to create the play Death Wings and to make her first pair of Death Wings
  • How Laura and Bess were inspired to work together on this project
  • What Death Wings are and how they are constructed
  • How the creation of Death Wings help people create meaning and memories of their loved ones
  • Why “putting our hands into grief” allows us to open to it
  • How Death Wings might be used in schools to help children with grief
  • The value of rituals for grief
  • You don’t have to be an artist or crafter to participate in this project
  • Creativity as an opportunity to open conversation about the end of life
  • Using Death Wings as a gift for someone experiencing grief
  • How to host a Death Wings workshop in your own community

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If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu and thanks to Colin Quigg for buying me a coffee and to Trish Rux for making a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Transcript

Laura Cleminson and Bess Welden InterviewDownload
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Ep. 561 BONUS Book Discussion: 23 Dates with My Dead Dad with Corey McAuliffe PhD

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Learn from this memoir how a researcher maintained continuing bonds with her father after his death as part of her grieving process and managed to heal their relationship.

About the guest:

For this BONUS episode I’m talking with Corey McAuliffe, the author of 23 Dates with My Dead Dad, the reading selection for August 2026 for A Year of Reading Dangerously. Corey is also a researcher whose work spans mental health, disability, and the spaces where science meets lived experience. In her memoir and this discussion she shares how she maintained continuing bonds with her father after his death by intentionally scheduling monthly “dates” with him just as they used to do during her childhood and the extraordinary synchronicities that have occurred. Learn more about the book at her website:

coreymcauliffe.com

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

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In this episode:

  • How Corey chooses to stay in relationship with her Dad, even after his death
  • Using automatic writing to stay connected to a loved one
  • How this connection after his death has brought about healing and transformation
  • Bringing together science and spirituality
  • Her awareness that she is never alone – her Dad and her ancestors are with her
  • How to start connecting with a loved one who has died
  • Signs and synchronicities that contain messages for her
  • How she continues to call on the unseen world for support during difficult times

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Transcript

Corey McAuliffe InterviewDownload
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Ep. 559 Healing Grief After Homicide Through After-Death Communication with Jan Canty PhD

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Learn about the grief experienced by homicide survivors and how some have found comfort through after-death communication with their loved ones.

About the guest:

My guest Dr. Jan Canty is a psychologist, author, former podcaster, and a homicide survivor. She has written three books related to homicide and grief including her latest book: Rekindled: Healing Grief Through the Science and Experience of After-Death Communication. She shares how she became interested in studying after-death communication through her work supporting homicide survivors, including the scientific basis for these studies. She also discusses The Aftermath Conference: the first-ever national gathering for homicide survivors coming up September 11-13. Learn more at her website:

jancantyphd.com

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

In this episode:

  • How Jan became interested in after-death communication through her work with homicide survivors
  • The impact of stigma and taboos about homicide death for survivors
  • Why homicide survivors find after-death communication to be helpful and life-changing
  • How the experience of after-death communication is often pathologized
  • Why reductionistic science can’t fully study something like after-death communication because it can’t be measured
  • How to ask questions about after-death communication
  • Why grief clinicians need to know more about ADC
  • Why these experiences should not be negated or dismissed when patients bring them up
  • Suggestions for people struggling with grief after a homicide death
  • Homicide deaths are usually complicated by the presence of law enforcement and the media
  • Why listening to a homicide survivor is what is needed rather than saying the “right thing”
  • Why Jan is planning a national gathering for homicide survivors and their supporters

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Transcript

Jan Canty InterviewDownload
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Ep. 557 The Grieving Body: Loss as a Healing Opportunity with Mary-Frances O’Connor PhD

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Learn about the impact of grief on the physical body and how the stress of grief and loss can lead to healing.

About the guest:

My special guest Dr. Mary-Frances O’Connor is a professor of psychology at the University of Arizona, where she directs the Grief, Loss and Social Stress (GLASS) Lab, investigating the effects of grief on the brain and the body. Her book The Grieving Brain was included on Oprah’s list of Best Books to Comfort a Grieving Friend and was the subject of a previous interview on this podcast. Today she discusses her latest book The Grieving Body: How the Stress of Loss Can Be an Opportunity for Healing, which is being released in paperback format on August 1, 2026. Learn more at her website:

maryfrancesoconnor.org

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

In this episode:

  • How Mary-Frances was inspired to do research on grief
  • As a society we tend to ignore the body and grief can push us further in that direction
  • Why we need to pay attention to the messages from our bodies, particularly when we are grieving
  • The importances of social connectedness during grief and all of life
  • Sitting with someone who is calm can help us co-regulate when we are stressed in our grief
  • Why bereavement should be a public health issue
  • How we gradually build capacity to carry our grief
  • Why every experience of grief is different for us – and that’s natural and normal
  • How there is a lack of studies on crying in bereavement even though it has multiple functions
  • Emotional tears contain different hormones than irritant tears
  • Cardiovascular events related to acute grief
  • Strategies for managing grief holistically and growing through the process

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Transcript

Mary-Frances O’Connor InterviewDownload
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Ep. 553 Compassionate Schools: Education on Illness, Dying, and Grief for Children with Dr. Sally Paul and Bert Quintiens

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Learn how the Compassionate Schools model can foster better support for children and young people experiencing grief, illness and loss..

About the guests:

My guests Dr. Sally Paul and Bert Quintiens have developed a how-to guide for Compassionate Schools that we discuss in today’s conversation. Sally is a Senior Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland where she teaches and researches in the areas of bereavement, death education, and public health approaches to palliative care. Bert is a researcher at the End-of-Life Care Research Group at Vrije Universiteit in Brussels, Belgium. He focuses on Compassionate Communities and Compassionate Cities and how initiatives like Compassionate Schools can help normalize conversations about death and caregiving. Get the Compassionate Schools How to Guide at the link below:

Compassionate Schools How-To Guide

Watch on YouTube

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In this episode:

  • What is a Compassionate School
  • Why is it important for schools to address the existence of death and grief for students and staff
  • Children can cope with difficult situations when given age-appropriate information
  • Why culture change can happen faster with a “bottom up” approach
  • How each compassionate school is unique and meets the particular needs of a community
  • Tips for introducing Compassionate Schools to your community
  • Obstacles and resistance to this work
  • Why it’s important to start with small goals like placing books on death and grief in the school library
  • How to support teachers in having conversations with grieving children

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Transcript:

Sally Paul and Bert Quintiens InterviewDownload
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Ep. 551 Spiritual Bypassing and Complicated Grief with Dr. Terri Daniel

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Learn about a symposium on spiritual bypassing in situations of grief and bereavement and why it’s important to look at this.

Portrait of Dr. Terri Daniel discussing spiritual bypassing and complicated grief, with a microphone and colorful background.

About the guest:

My return guest this week is Dr. Terri Daniel who is an end-of-life educator, inter-spiritual hospice chaplain, and grief counselor. She is the founder of the Conference on Death, Grief and Belief and the Ask Doctor Death podcast. Over the years she has helped thousands of people learn to live, die and grieve more consciously while exploring the intersection of psychology and spirituality, and the influence of toxic theology on the experience of dying and grieving. She is the author of four books on death and grief. Today we discuss spiritual bypassing which is the focus of Terri’s upcoming online Symposium on July 25th. Learn more about the Symposium and Terri’s work at the website:

deathgriefandbelief.com

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In this episode:

  • What is spiritual bypassing?
  • There is both positive and negative religious coping
  • Positive coping involves taking action toward restoration
  • When spiritual bypassing may serve a positive purpose
  • Bereavement assessment tools and their usefulness
  • Characteristics of various types of spiritual struggle
  • Prolonged grief vs complicated grief
  • The importance of community and ritual for addressing grief
  • Instrumental vs intuitive grieving
  • Some questions like “Why did God let this happen” can never be answered

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If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu. And thanks to Donna Stafford for making a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Transcript:

Terri Daniel InterviewDownload
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Ep. 545 Organ Donation and Extraordinary Conversations at the End of Life with Toby Campbell MD

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Learn about organ donation at the end of life and how to have conversations about it and other difficult topics.

My guest Dr. Toby Campbell is a Professor of Medicine, Thoracic Oncologist, and Palliative Care Physician who is also a writer and podcaster. He is currently writing A Doctor’s Guide to Hard Conversations and created the Extraordinary Conversations Podcast, which explores the pivotal discussions that arise around organ donation and transplantation–and event at the end of one life that helps prolong another life. He discusses these challenging conversations and how they might inform other situations when we need to talk about a difficult subject. Learn more at the website:

extraordinaryconversationspodcast.com

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This episode includes:

  • How Toby’s desire to practice “slow medicine” led to his interest in oncology and palliative care
  • Challenges faced by families in organ donation situations
  • Recognizing that some healthcare decisions are more for the future than for the present moment
  • How the dying process differs when organs are being donated
  • Rituals that might occur in the setting of organ donation
  • Why our feelings about organ donation need to be discussed as part of our end-of-life planning
  • How organ donation can end up helping donor families with their grief
  • Tips for having difficult conversations including building rapport, responding to emotion, eliciting values and priorities

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If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my latest donor Joy Fletcher. And thanks to Cathy Duke for making a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 544 The Queer Grief Club and Inclusive End-of-Life Care with Jamie Thrower

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Learn how to better serve the needs of the LGBTQ+ community in grief and at the end of life.

My guest Jamie Thrower is a queer death doula, end-of-life educator and community grief tender serving the LGBTQ+ community in life and in death. She is the founder of Queer Grief Club and the co-creator of The Dementia Deck. We discuss how to offer more inclusive services in our end-of-life care and grief support spaces. Learn more at Jamie’s website:

jamiethrower.com

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This episode includes:

  • Jamie’s story of becoming parentless at age 28
  • How she discovered that grief connected her to others in a beautiful way
  • Why children need to be involved in death and funerals
  • The many layers of grief experienced by a queer person
  • How our systems need to change to become more inclusive
  • What we can do as individuals to make our care more welcoming to the queer community
  • Hidden bias in our paperwork and forms for people in the LGBTQ+ community
  • The importance of advance directives for queer people

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If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu. And thanks to Wayne for buying me a coffee and Rick DiTullio and Dawn Dayter for making a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 543 A Hospice Musical to Teach About Life’s Grief and Joy with Benjamin Kintisch

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Learn how to experience and support a fantastic musical comedy about hospice care, grief, and finding meaning in life.

My return guest Benjamin Kintisch is a trained chaplain, music teacher, and Cantor in the Jewish synagogue. He is the creator, lyricist and playwright of “Life Review: The Hospice Musical,” a musical comedy that focuses on the lessons a young rabbi learns when he is assigned to be a chaplain for patients in a residential hospice. Ben discusses the upcoming full performance of the musical and album recording on May 9th and the real life origin of the stories and songs in Life Review. Visit the website and support the Kickstarter campaign at the links below:

lifereviewmusical.com

Kickstarter Campaign for Life Review

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This episode includes:

  • What inspired Ben to write a musical about hospice
  • How Ben ended up creating a one-man version of the show during COVID
  • The story arc of the musical and what it teaches
  • Audience reaction to the musical and why it creates “teachable” moments
  • Why the arts and media are important vehicles for educating the public about death, dying, and grief
  • The upcoming May 9th performance of the musical and live album recording at Johns Hopkins University
  • How (and why) to support the Kickstarter Campaign

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu. And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 540 Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving with Shelby Forsythia

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Learn how to support a grieving person by choosing the best words to say that will actually make a difference.

My guest Shelby Forsythia is a grief coach, author, podcast host, and the founder of Life After Loss Academy, an online course and community for grievers. She is the author of Your Grief Your Way, Permission to Grieve, and her latest book Of Course I’m Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving. Her work has been featured in Huffington Post, Bustle, and The Oprah Magazine. Learn more at her website:

shelbyforsythia.com

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How Shelby became a “student of grief” who views loss as a perpetual teacher
  • Three common internal narratives that grieving people face
  • Three simple but transformative phrases to use when supporting someone
  • Why words are the most accessible tool for support of someone grieving
  • The need for grief literacy to prevent the secondary loss of friendships during times of grief
  • The “three Ds“ of grief
  • What is the “second wave of grief”
  • The lack of grief literacy on social media

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu. And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 537 Grief and the Widowed Mom with Krista St-Germain

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Learn about grief support for widows who are also raising children as they navigate loss and bereavement.

My guest Krista St-Germain is a life coach, post-traumatic growth and grief expert, widowed mom, and host of The Widowed Mom Podcast. She coaches and teaches other widows to love life again and shares with us in this conversation what she has learned. She and her work have been featured in Psychology Today, Medium, Thrive Global, Bustle, Psych Central, and Parents Magazine. Learn more at her website:

coachingwithkrista.com

Watch on YouTube

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This episode includes:

  • The challenges of grieving while raising children
  • How our limited knowledge of grief makes it more difficult to navigate
  • Coping with unexpected effects of grief
  • Myths about what is “normal” in grief
  • What Krista wishes she had known about grief
  • The dual-process model of grief
  • The importance of community in navigating grief
  • How just hearing someone else talk about their grief is helpful
  • Post-traumatic growth and grief
  • Understanding secondary losses and grief

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu. And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 533 The Legacy of Hospice in the U.S. and Around the World with Dr. Robert Buckingham

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Learn the history of the hospice movement in the US from one of the original founders.

My guest Dr. Robert Buckingham is a Professor Emeritus of Public Health at the University of Michigan and has been a pioneer of the U.S. hospice movement, having played a role in the founding of the very first hospice program in this country. In addition he has co-developed 81 hospice programs across the globe including the firs hospice for children with AIDS in Thailand. He is the author of 12 books – 7 dedicated solely to hospice and palliative care. His latest book is Understanding Loss and Grief for Women. Learn more at his website:

rwbuckingham.com

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This episode includes:

  • The birth of hospice in America
  • Current threats to the hospice movement
  • Dr. Buckingham’s involvement in developing hospice programs around the world
  • The historical philosophy of hospice care
  • The benefits of providing hands-on care to a loved one at the end of life
  • How the AIDS crisis helped fuel the growth of the hospice movement
  • Lessons learned from dying patients
  • Why he wrote about loss and grief for women and why we need to make sure we include men in grief work
  • Remembering that change takes time and taking the long view on our work

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu. And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 527 Transforming Veteran Care Through Stories, Art, and Theatre with Qwynn Galloway-Salazar PhD

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Learn about a powerful course and theatre initiative to redefine how we care for veterans at the end of life.

My return guest, Dr. Qwynn Galloway-Salazar is an Army Veteran, end-of-life doula educator, and an advocate for redefining how nations honor and support veterans and their loved ones through the end of life. She is the creator of the course Caring for Veterans Through the End of Life and a new initiative We Hold the Line, which uses applied theatre to teach about veteran care through a story monologue. Today’s conversation focuses on the history and scope of Qwynn’s work and the importance of honoring and caring for veterans through aging, loss, and the end of life. Learn more at these website:

intheirhonor.info

psycharmor.org/caring-for-veterans-through-end-of-life

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This episode includes:

  • The widespread embrace of the Caring for Veterans course
  • Qwynn’s experience as a George W. Bush Institute Veteran Leadership Scholar
  • How Qwynn was inspired to bring this material to the stage
  • Why theatre is a powerful medium for sharing a message
  • Why we need collaboration now to change the way we approach the end of life in our society
  • How Qwynn followed her intuition to create this work
  • The importance of “taking the next right step” and saying yes to opportunities even when we can’t see or imagine the outcome
  • The concerning incidence of suicide for veterans

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu. And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 525 Writing as a Lifeline Through Loss and Grief with Christina Holbrook and Jane Flynn

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Learn about a beautiful memoir co-written by friends whose correspondence helped them both navigate a year of overwhelming loss and grief.

My guests today are Christina Holbrook and Jane Flynn, co-authors of a shared memoir from a year when they were both confronting loss and grief–the diagnosis a glioblastoma brain tumor and the death of a child by suicide. Through a series of emails the two long-term friends shared not only their grief but also the little moments of life’s wonder and joy. They discuss their newly released book Antiphon: A Call and Response in a Year of Grief and Renewal and how writing together helped them navigate overwhelming grief while offering support to one another. Learn more at the website:

jane-flynn.com

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • The long trajectory of friendship between Chris and Jane
  • Their personal grief that led to a year of email correspondence
  • Why they decided to share their writings in Antiphon
  • The waterfall metaphor for grief and how it applies to each of their stories
  • How writing helps us express complex and painful emotions
  • Why sharing our pain lightens the burden for both parties
  • How writing about the ordinary events of a day helps us stay in the present moment
  • The little joys that are present even within deep grief

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu. And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal, especially Austyn Wells! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 523 Humanizing Healthcare: The Good Listening Project with Jenny Hegland

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Learn how deep listening and poetry are helping transform healthcare and provide an antidote to burnout.

My guest Jenny Hegland is the Executive Director of The Good Listening Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to humanizing healthcare through the healing power of poetry and compassionate presence. We discuss the work of TGLP and the power of sharing our stories and having them reflected back to us in the form of poetry. Learn more at the website:

goodlistening.org

Read the poem The House Medicine Built here

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This episode includes:

  • The origin story of The Good Listening Project
  • The power of poetry to reflect our deep stories
  • Why being heard by someone else is deep medicine
  • The synergy between the storyteller and the listener poet
  • How TGLP works
  • Why grief is the number one concern of healthcare providers served by TGLP
  • You don’t have to be skilled at poetry to become a “listener poet”
  • The crafts of listening to and writing poems for others can both be taught
  • The quality of listening can actually affect the quality of sharing that happens
  • How both community and mystery support us when we hold space for others
  • What it involves to become a “listener poet”
  • How “Caregiver Haven” supports caregivers

We give the gift of staying with; there is nothing to fix. -The Good Listening Project

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu. And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 522 BONUS: Introduction to Wild and Holy

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In this special episode I’m sharing with you the Introduction to my new book Wild and Holy! I hope you enjoy listening to this brief excerpt and that you’ll consider backing the Kickstarter campaign where you can receive many wonderful bonuses for your support. Wild and Holy has been named a “Project We Love” by Kickstarter, which is an amazing honor I’m happy to receive. Check it out and reserve your copy – available now only through Kickstarter!

Go to this link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2136452733/wild-and-holy

Thanks in advance if you choose to support the campaign!

Listen here:

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Ep. 521 Caring House: A Residence for Hospice Care with David Zartman and Joanna Franco

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My two guests this week are administrators of Caring House, a non-profit residence for hospice patients in Torrance, California. David Zartman is the Executive Director of Caring House having previously been a successful entrepreneur. Joanna Franco is the Director of Operations with many years of experience as both a caregiver and a residential care coordinator and manager. They discuss the history of Caring House and how residences like this are essential for communities that want to fully support end-of-life care for their people. Learn more at the Caring House website:

yourcaringhouse.org

Watch on YouTube

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This episode includes:

  • The history of Caring House
  • The long journey of establishing an Omega Home as a residence for hospice patients
  • What services are provided by Caring House and similar homes
  • Who qualifies to reside there
  • The benefits of “death in community” where several patients and families are experiencing the end of life in the same facility at the same time
  • How staff processes grief after the death of a patient
  • Rituals and traditions followed after a patient death
  • How care is paid for at Caring House

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially Deborah Ward and thank you to Kathleen Lynch, Christina Holbrook and Alan Dulit, Chantal Kersten, and Ann Kenworthy for making donations on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 520 Scattering CJ: A Mother’s Grief Shared by Many with Hallie Twomey

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Learn about an uplifting documentary film about a mother’s grief project that became a world-wide movement.

Content Warning:
This episode includes a conversation about the suicide death of a loved one. Please listen with care and take steps to protect your emotional wellbeing. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. In the U.S., you can call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 for free and confidential support, 24/7.

My guest Hallie Twomey is a grieving mother on a mission. Following the suicide death of her elder son CJ, Hallie set out to make something positive evolve from horrific tragedy. Her request for people to scatter CJ’s ashes across the world has now become a documentary film, Scattering CJ that is sparking conversations about mental health and removing the stigma associated with suicide. She discusses her own journey of complicated grief after such a tragic loss. Learn more about the film at the website:

scatteringcjfilm.com

Watch on YouTube

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This episode includes:

  • The traumatic, complicated grief that follows a suicide death
  • How the movement and the film Scattering CJ came about
  • The miraculous response from people around the world to Hallie’s request
  • Feedback Hallie continues to receive from people who participated in scattering CJ’s ashes
  • Learning to live with questions that can never be answered

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my latest supporter 4Brigid. And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 519 Dying to Live: How Death Gives Meaning to Life with Andy Chaleff

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Learn about a beautiful memoir that teaches readers how to contemplate death in order to find meaning in life.

My guest Andy Chaleff is an award-winning author, speaker, and mentor whose work explores the intersection of grief, love, and transformation. He facilitates deeply personal conversations and workshops that help people navigate life’s most challenging transitions. He is the author of 4 books including his recent memoir titled Dying to Live: Finding Life’s Meaning Through Death. He shares his insights about making peace with death and how it has shaped his life. Learn more at his website:

andychaleff.com

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • What inspired Andy to write the book
  • How our view of death changes over the arc of life
  • Why we need to have a lot of pain resolved within ourselves in order to show up for another person
  • The “little deaths” of life as a training ground for grief
  • Our need to make peace with death
  • The dual meanings of “dying to live” and why he chose it as a title for the book
  • The value of presence at the end of life
  • Why navigating mistakes makes them even more beautiful
  • The value of writing Last Letters to people we love
  • the power of forgiveness

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu and thank you to Alisha Jameson for making a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 518 What My Brother Knew: Grief After Sibling Loss with Kristina Amelong

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Learn about a memoir that discusses sibling grief and the spiritual transformation that can occur after loss.

My guest Kristina Amelong is the author of the memoir What My Brother Knew about the death of her younger brother when she was in her teens and her journey from loss and abuse to healing and spiritual awakening. She is the founder of a holistic health business Optimal Health Network and a senior board member for the Center for World Philosophy and Religion. Learn more at her website:

kristinaamelong.com

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • The story of her brother’s premonition that he would die young
  • How sibling grief is often overlooked in our society
  • How guilt can haunt us for years after a death
  • Synchronicities that have occurred since Jay’s death
  • How grief has been a portal for spiritual transformation
  • Why it can take decades to process the pain of grief
  • The importance of facing grief head-on and not avoiding it

Links mentioned in this episode:

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