Tag: writing 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. 490 How to Write Non-Fiction About Death, Dying and Grief with Joanna Penn

kwyattmd

Learn why and how to share your end-of-life wisdom and stories by writing a non-fiction book.

My guest Joanna Penn writes non-fiction for authors and is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers, dark fantasy, and memoir as J.F. Penn. She is also an award-winning podcaster, creative entrepreneur, and international professional speaker. Her most recent publication is the 2nd edition of How to Write Non-Fiction: Turn Your Knowledge Into Words. Today we discuss the challenges of writing non-fiction books about difficult and personal subjects like death and grief. Joanna offers her best tips and encouragement for anyone who wants to write a book but doesn’t know where to begin. Learn more about her work at her website:

thecreativepenn.com

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • Types of non-fiction books and how to choose the best format for your subject matter
  • Why you don’t have to be an expert or “great” writer to write a book
  • Why and how to identify the target market for your writing
  • Choosing the best title for your book (and why it’s important)
  • The balance between writing what you think people need vs. what people want to read
  • The challenge of vulnerability in writing memoir
  • Why you need an outside editor or proofreader for your 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, especially my newest supporters Morgan Everitt and Minda Sanchez. Also thank you to everyone who has bought me a coffee or donated on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 463 “So Sorry for Your Loss:” Learning to Live with Grief with Dina Gachman

kwyattmd

Learn about a grief book that combines personal experience with expert advice and a touch of humor.

My guest Dina Gachman is a Pulitzer Center grantee, an award-winning journalist, and a frequent contributor to the New York Times, Texas Monthly, Vox, and more. She wrote her second book So Sorry for Your Loss: How I Learned to Live with Grief and Other Grave Concerns after experiencing two deaths in her family and needing to process and learn more about her own grief. Learn more at her website:

dinagachmanwrites.com

Get the book here

YouTube Channel

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This episode includes:

  • What inspired Dina to write this book
  • Choosing the right therapist for grief counseling
  • Her family’s experience with hospice and what she wishes she had known
  • Why they struggled with accepting palliative care earlier in the course of her mother’s illness
  • “Opening the box” as a tool for initiating end-of-life conversations
  • How patient and family stories can help us make productive changes in end-of-life care
  • Tips for bringing food to a grieving friend (and why a bucket of chicken is worth considering)
  • Ambiguous loss in the face of alcohol and substance abuse
  • Responses to the 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, especially my newest donor Catherine Noble Heart . Also thank you to everyone who has donated through Paypal or bought me a coffee! 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. 378 Surviving Grief with Humor with Laurie Burrows Grad

kwyattmd

Learn how this television chef and blogger used humor to help her navigate life as a widow.

My guest Laurie Burrows Grad is a cookbook author and television chef who began blogging about grief, widowhood, and survival after the death of her husband Peter. She shares how she used humor to help her navigate life as a widow and offers some practical tips for others facing widowhood. Laurie is the author of the book The Joke’s Over, You Can Come Back Now: How this Widow Plowed Through Grief and Survived. Learn more about her work at her website:

www.lauriegrad.com

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How Laurie felt demoted socially after the death of her husband
  • How writing blogs helped Laurie get through her grief
  • Why you have to get through the pain of grief in order to come out on the other side
  • Laurie’s experiences with grief counselors and with Our House Grief Support Center
  • How finding meaning within loss can help you feel better
  • How Laurie has used humor in her writing and throughout her grief process
  • The challenges of trying to date as a widow in later life
  • The trauma of experiencing a loved one’s death while traveling in an unfamiliar place and how the Neptune Society helped
  • Top ten things not to say to someone grieving and what to say instead
  • How cooking for others was also helpful for Laurie in her grief
  • How to get through the holidays and anniversaries by preparing in advance
  • The most important things Laurie has learned on her grief journey

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 have made a donation through Paypal or bought me a coffee! Your contributions make all the difference.