Ep 72: Sibling Loss and the Forgotten Grievers with Annie Sklaver Orenstein
Release Date: 12/04/2024
EP 82: A Discussion of Historical and Intergenerational Trauma and Healing with Serena Cardoso, PhD, LMHC
Grief in Brief
These terms and concepts are part of our vernacular but what do they mean and what do they look like? Further, we know that things like identity, language, and stories can get lost from generation to generation. However, they may also hold some of the roots to healing. We can learn and heal from our past and how our ancestors lived. How do we navigate and shift from post traumatic stress to post traumatic growth? In this lively discussion, Ken and Serena discuss these critical concepts.
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EP 81: A Lifetime of Bereavement Education with Deborah Rivlin
Grief in Brief
In this episode Ken sits with one of his first grief educators to discuss her remarkable career working in the field of grief and bereavement. Deborah’s work spans decades and venues – hospitals, cancer units, the Good Grief program, 911 consultations, independent bereavement programs. What has stayed consistent through the years and locations is this: How do we talk about it? How do we help children and adults feel empowered and confident that they can manage? How do we educate communities, organizations, and the culture at large to use language that engages, acknowledges, and affirms...
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EP 80: Turning Grief into Action, The Building of Zach’s Bridge with Jon and Jenn Wall
Grief in Brief
Zach was 16 when he died of Osteosarcoma. Zach loved life, lived it to its fullest and the diagnosis left the Walls facing “pre-bereavement”. Pre-bereavement encompasses three things; 1. Anticipatory grief, these are feelings of grief and loss we may come to experience. 2. We change in relation to the loss. How we look at all things will be different now. 3. Using our limited time between diagnosis and death in ways that matter. As a way to honor their son and carry his loss forward with them, the Wall’s developed Zach’s Bridge. Zach’s Bridge helps ease the journey by providing 1:1...
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EP 79: Friends Missing Friends: A Declaration for Disenfranchised Grievers with Hannah Rumsey
Grief in Brief
When Hannah’s best friend died unexpectedly, she looked for help. Friends, family, mental health professionals could only go so far. She started an exhaustive search for friend loss support and found……nothing. Friend grief, like all grief, is a lifelong process yet there are scant resources for those who truly understand the impact of losing a trusted friend. Friend loss is neither family or romantic loss and thus isn’t always given the same level of attention and understanding that blood or partner loss does. After getting repeated messages (from herself) to do something and raise...
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EP 78: Life Books: Storytelling and the Preservation of Memories with Matt Jacobson
Grief in Brief
When Matt’s father died his world turned upside down. He was thrust into taking over the family business while grieving the loss. He was also concerned about preserving the memory of his father and learning from others through their experience of his father. All the while trying to keep him present through the story telling. What was launched from this desire was Life Books. Everyone’s story is worth telling and worth sharing. The fear of not sharing is that over time the memories will fade. Matt discusses his passion and purpose behind starting Life Books. Enjoy this episode? Please give...
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EP 77: Companion Animal End of Life Doula with Niki Vettel
Grief in Brief
Our respect, appreciation and understanding that pets are part of our family, life and social network has always been known. However, our actions did not always show this. Many of us have heard some version of, “Sorry, your dog died…. are you going to get another one?” as if pets are merely commodities. Niki brings grace, dignity and respect to end of life care for animals - just as we would humans. The vital role of an end of life doula is something to become aware of. Niki highlights the valuable position doulas play at such a difficult time for pet owners. Enjoy this episode?...
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EP 76: The Courageous Parents Network with Blyth Lord
Grief in Brief
What is a parent to do when they are parenting a child with a serious or life limiting illness? The range of supports cross over medical, mental health, palliative care and embracing anticipatory grief. Then there is advocacy for your child and managing the needs of the other members of your family. This is overwhelming. Blyth was faced with this when her daughter, and also her nephew, was diagnosed with Tay-Sachs, a rare and incurable genetic illness that ends in early death. Resulting from this tragedy Blyth founded the Courageous Parents Network in 2014 to support those trying to navigate...
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EP 75: From Stress to Success, the Answers Are in You with Dr. Maureen Magauran
Grief in Brief
Maureen is a holistic psychiatrist and soul mentor for people trying to manage their stress, anxiety, depression or whatever else is in the way of their finding the best versions of themselves. Trained in the medical model of care it wasn’t until the sudden death of her sister did Maureen start to think about the management of grief and loss in ways other than with medication. What she found amongst many things was meditation, spirituality and ways of recalibrating your nervous system. She discusses this Ken along with soul mentoring. Enjoy this episode? Please give us a 5-star rating and...
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EP 74: Widowhood and Financial Planning, Embracing the Two with Donna Kendrick
Grief in Brief
In 2013, Donna was a mother of three children and hadn’t worked professionally in a few years when her husband died suddenly. Donna was faced with an unimaginable loss and the finances started to dwindle. Not having a road map for either, she sought a financial planner and found one who really “got her” and understood the complexity that was her life. Getting the support she needed Donna was motivated to go back to school and study to be a financial planner. Soon thereafter she started Sephton Financial with a specialty practice in helping widows and newly single parents. This inspiring...
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Ep 73: Living Fully After Loss with Rachel McGonigle
Grief in Brief
How do we find hope and joy again after a devastating loss? Will I ever be happy again? Yes you will just not quickly and not necessarily from resources outside of yourself. Conventional wisdom and feedback to grievers can center around people telling us what we should be doing/feeling, not how to attain this. The answers often lie within us. We know that trauma and grief force us to change but we have the power to control how we change. Ken and Rachel discuss the process in this episode. Enjoy this episode? Please give us a 5-star rating and share with someone who could benefit....
info_outlineThe grief market may have a number of resources, guides and/or supports for the death of a spouse or parent. What about when your sibling dies? There are scant if any resources available. Annie discovered this after her brother was killed by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan. In fact, much of what is available is how siblings can care for their grieving parent. Feedback, that can be minimizing, is what siblings need to do, not how they feel. The lack of understanding and attention to sibling loss inspired Annie to write her book; Always A Sibling; the Forgotten Mourners Guide to Grief. For anyone who has lost a sibling this book is a valuable resource.
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Download Ken’s free PDF, “What to say when you don’t know what to say” HERE