176 Sande Boritz Berger
Stories that Empower
As a mother to two young children, Sande went through a divorce. She felt disconnect. Sande sought help from a community of like-minded people. She knew she had to change herself and become strong. Sande noticed that a new part of her life was beginning. She felt fulfilled while reconnecting with her creativity, poetry and art work.
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Message to Dad - Unconditional Love
Stories that Empower
This is a special episode of “Message to Dad” about integrity. My dad lives in a dementia care nursing home. I’ve been struggling to stay connected with him. So, I figured that he might enjoy receiving these personal recorded messages from me. I hope you enjoy them too.
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175 Akshay Nanavati
Stories that Empower
As a former US Marine tasked with locating explosive devices, Akshay experienced Post Traumatic Stress, depression and drug/alcohol addiction. He studied neuroscience as he was fascinated by it. Akshay learned that he is not defined by a disorder and refuses to accept it. His divorce caused him to break his sobriety. He decided to go 'within' on inward journey.
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Message to Dad - Integrity
Stories that Empower
This is a special episode of "Message to Dad" about integrity. My dad lives in a dementia care nursing home. I've been struggling to stay connected with him. So, I figured that he might enjoy receiving these personal recorded messages from me. I hope you enjoy them too.
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174 Bonnie Hirst
Stories that Empower
When her daughter was convicted to a life sentence in prison without parole, it impacted Bonnie's life and she found herself in a dark place. However, spending time in nature and appreciating the tiny miracles of life helped her survive
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Message to Dad - Intro
Stories that Empower
This is a special episode of "Message to Dad". My dad lives in a dementia care nursing home. I've been struggling to stay connected with him. So, I figured that he might enjoy receiving these personal recorded messages from me. I hope you enjoy them too.
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173 Karen Stefano
Stories that Empower
While walking back to her university dorm building, Karen was assaulted at knife point. She managed to escape, physically unharmed. However, the assault traumatized Karen. She experienced periods of peace and power, but her life unravelled again, when her marriage was dying, she experienced financial loss and her mother was slipping into dementia. These additional sources of trauma caused her to slip back into anxiety and PTSD. Writing about it required her to excavate and evaluate her feelings.
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172 Meryl Ain
Stories that Empower
Having experienced life setbacks, Meryl chose not to allow herself to be stuck or feel like a victim. She reinvented herself multiple times and enabled herself to be empowered.
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Holiday Stories - Jill Sherer Murray
Stories that Empower
Stephanie Raffelock and I bring you another episode of “Holiday Stories” with our special guest, Jill Sherer Murray.
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171 Charlene Jones
Stories that Empower
As a child, Charlene experienced PTSD from an unhealthy home environment. She ran away from home and was attracted to the 'dark side'. Her life took a positive turn, when she began following in the footsteps of a meditation teacher. Today, she helps people understand there are powerful ways to heal, empowers those that are stuck and teaches meditation.
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Virginia looked death in the face, when she nearly lost her spouse. She also started experiencing challenges with her eyesight. Virginia realized that not being to see well helps her see better with her heart. These experiences were opportunities for their growth and for finding more joy in their lives. Virginia shares the following nuggets of life wisdom, which are so applicable in this current time:
- be fully alive and present
- be real
- whatever you're going through, look for the gift in it
- find that place of joy or kernel of gratitude
- out of desperation, we often find gratitude
- gratitude is the vine that helps you climb out of the cave
- those who have the least, then to be the most grateful
- life is wondrous
- the darker it is, that's when you can see the stars
- life gives us lessons
- find a way to work with the trauma, your body and your spirit
- embrace each day with as much joy as possible
Virginia A. Simpson, PhD, FT is a bereavement care specialist and the Executive Counseling Director for hundreds of funeral homes throughout the United States and Canada. She is the founder of The Mourning Star Center for grieving children and their families, which she ran from 1995 to 2005. She is the author of the memoir The Space Between (She Writes Press, April 2016) about her years as her mother’s caregiver and the journey to heal their relationship before her mother’s death. Simpson has appeared on numerous television and radio programs. She holds a Fellowship in Thanatology from the Association for Death Education & Counseling (ADEC), and has been honored for her work by the cities of Indian Wells, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, and Rancho Mirage. She lives in El Dorado Hills, California with her husband Bob and golden retriever Shelby.
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