Tag: suicide and grief

EOLPodcast

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

kwyattmd

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.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 522 BONUS: Introduction to Wild and Holy

kwyattmd

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:

EOLPodcast

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

kwyattmd

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

Listen here:

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.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 423 Writing as a Tool for Grief with Karen Wyatt MD and Larry George MD

kwyattmd

Learn about an inspirational books of stories, poems, essays and reflections that teaches how to use writing during a time of grief.

In this episode I’m joined by my dear husband, Dr. Larry George who is a family physician (now retired) and an expert in Integral Medicine, an application of Ken Wilber’s Integral Model. We engage in a thoughtful discussion about how writing was an essential component of my personal grief journey and the newly published book Stories from the Dark Night, which is a compilation of varied types of writing that helped me survive during the long years of grief after my father’s suicide death. Learn more about the book:

www.eoluniversity.com/books

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • Our shared experience of grief after my father’s suicide death
  • How I got started writing during my time of grief
  • How writing can benefit grief
  • Types of writing that are helpful
  • How writing transformed me and how my grief transformed my writing
  • How readers can benefit from this book

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 to those who’ve bought me a coffee! Also many thanks to all of you who joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 402 Grief After a Suicide Death: My Personal Story with Karen Wyatt MD

kwyattmd

Learn the story of my journey with grief after my father’s death by suicide and how it may differ from other grief experiences.

In this solo episode I share the story of my own grief experience after my father died by suicide 34 years ago. This is an ongoing journey that has shifted and changed over the years, teaching me a great deal about life, death and grief. The week this episode airs is the anniversary of Dad’s death, so I’m currently processing it once again and thought I would share the story with you. Hopefully this will be helpful to others who are dealing with grief after suicide or trying to help someone who is grieving. I want to decrease the stigma and shame that surround suicide so that we can get better about asking for, receiving, and giving help to those who are suffering. (Note: There are slides that accompany this talk if you watch on YouTube.)

Get my book 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • The shock and numbness of my first year of grief
  • What I needed from others during my early grieving process
  • Why I couldn’t talk about my father’s death for a long time
  • How hospice opened me to finally begin embracing my grief
  • Why allowing myself to feel anger was difficult but pivotal in my grief process
  • Why it didn’t really matter what other people said to me during my grief experience
  • Why I have compassion for people who couldn’t be there for me
  • How I used rituals and travel to help me with my grief
  • The devastating guilt that accompanies grief after suicide
  • How my grief has changed over the years

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 to Mark and Cheri McClure for buying me 5 coffees! Your contributions make all the difference.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 310 It’s OK to Talk About Suicide: Finding Safety and Hope Amidst Pain with Kevin Hines

kwyattmd

Learn how Kevin Hines survived jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge to become a global speaker on suicide, mental illness, and finding hope in life.

My guest Kevin Hines is a storyteller, best-selling author, global public speaker, and award-winning documentary filmmaker. In the year 2000 Kevin attempted suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge and miraculously survived the injuries from his fall. He has dedicated his life to telling his story and helping others survive pain with true resilience. He is the author of Cracked Not Broken: Surviving and Thriving After a Suicide Attempt and co-author of The 3rd Rail: [In My Mania I Became]. He has also produced a documentary called Suicide: The Ripple Effect. Learn more about his work at his website:

www.kevinhinesstory.com

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • Kevin’s story
  • Why suicide is a taboo subject in our society
  • Why it’s important to talk about suicide
  • Overcoming our fears of discussing suicide
  • What to say to someone who might be contemplating suicide
  • Information about the Crisis Text Line
  • The NotOK App – a digital panic button
  • Tips for coping with the guilt that follows the suicide death of a loved one

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 newest supporter Richard Widmark Jr.! Your contributions make all the difference!

EOLPodcast, Grief

Ep. 205 Surviving the Suicide of a Loved One with Sarah Neustadter PhD

kwyattmd

Listen to a personal and intimate conversation about suicide death and how to cope with the aftermath as a survivor.

PodcastNeustadter

My guest Sarah Neustadter PhD was studying psychology in graduate school when her boyfriend, a fellow student in the program, chose to end his life. Ten years later she has written a book to guide others through the complicated grief that follows suicide. In this conversation we share our own stories of grief and find insights together that we hope will be helpful to others on this path. Learn more about Sarah’s work at her website:

www.sarahneustadter.com

Neustadterbook

Get the book here.

Listen here.

 

This interview includes:

  • Why no amount of training can prepare you for the suicide death of a loved one
  • How grief after suicide differs from other types of grief
  • The stigmatization of suicide death in our society
  • How devastating guilt and regret follow a suicide
  • Why suicide survivors need to work on self-forgiveness
  • What might help on the journey of post-suicide grief:
    • Community
    • Physical touch or holding
    • Support with mundane tasks of daily life
    • Frequent check-ins from friends
    • Presence from others rather than words
    • Acknowledgment of the pain – even months and years later
  • Grief has its own timeline and can’t be rushed through
  • How writing can help us process grief and other difficult emotions
  • Sarah’s 3 categories of her own grief process:
    • Despair
    • Shifting
    • Beauty

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 Patreon.com/eolu – your contributions mean everything to me!