All the Grief

In this heartfelt conversation, Andrea, Rebecca, and Deborah explore the complexities of grief, self-worth, and creativity. Deborah shares her personal journey through loss, the challenges of navigating the medical system, and the importance of self-love and support. The discussion highlights the healing power of creativity and connection, emphasizing that even in the depths of grief, there is potential for growth and transformation. The episode culminates in a reflection on how to honor the departed while embracing the journey of life.Find Deborah:On Instagram @deborah.weedFaceBookLinkedInChaptersHeartfelt Beginnings: Embracing Change and New HabitsCelebrating Connection: Rituals and CommunityNavigating Grief: Deborah's Journey Through LossThe Quest for Answers: Medical Misdiagnoses and PainCreativity as a Lifeline: Finding Purpose in PainThe Importance of Belief: Support Systems in GriefPolishing Souls: Lessons from Grief and LoveThe Power of Kindness: Small Acts of CompassionReflections on Caregiving: Learning Through LossThe Legacy of Love: Lessons from a Partner's JourneyNavigating Grief and PresenceThe Power of Music and ConnectionBalancing Grief and CreativityKeywordsgrief, self-worth, creativity, healing, loss, support, personal stories, emotional journey, resilience, empowerment

In this episode, Jessica Maguire, a TEDx speaker and nervous system educator, joins hosts Andrea and Rebecca to explore the intricate relationship between grief, emotional resilience, and the nervous system. Jessica shares her personal journey through grief, the impact of losing her brothers, and how these experiences have shaped her professional work in helping others navigate trauma and stress. The conversation delves into the science of neuroplasticity, the importance of understanding our body's responses, and the societal narratives around grief.Find Jessica Online: https://www.jessicamaguire.com/On Instagram @repairing_the_nervous_systemOn Facebook https://www.facebook.com/repairingthenervoussystem/On LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-maguire-vagus-nerve/Keywordsgrief, emotional resilience, nervous system, neuroplasticity, trauma, stress, Jessica Maguire, TEDx, emotional capacity, neuroscienceTakeawaysGrief is a complex emotional experience that affects the nervous system.Understanding neuroplasticity can aid in emotional regulation and healing.Societal narratives often misrepresent the grieving process.Personal experiences of loss can lead to professional growth and empathy.The nervous system plays a crucial role in how we process emotions.Grief doesn't follow a linear path and varies for each individual.Education on the nervous system can reduce the stigma around mental health.Emotional resilience involves accepting and moving through difficult emotions.Support systems are vital in navigating grief and trauma.Cultural expectations can hinder the natural grieving process.ChaptersIntroduction to Jessica MaguireUnderstanding Grief and the Nervous SystemPersonal Journey Through LossThe Role of NeuroplasticitySocietal Narratives and GriefBuilding Emotional ResilienceConclusion and Reflections

In this heartfelt conversation, Andrea and Rebecca talk with husband and wife director team Jason and Blue Gerber. Together they explore the intricate relationship between grief, art, and storytelling. The directors discuss their personal experiences with grief as well as the process of creating a documentary about artist Chelli Look, and the transformative power of forgiveness. The episode weaves through themes of healing, the impact of nature, and the importance of reflection, culminating in a deeper understanding of how art can serve as a medium for processing complex emotions. The documentary and the conversation explore the cyclical nature of grief and the hope that can emerge from it.Connect with Jason and BlueOnline https://www.jasonandblue.com/Instagram @jasonandblueAnd watch Dusk Dawn https://www.dawnduskfilm.com/Chapters00:00Heartfelt Connections: Morning Reflections02:53Introducing the Creative Duo: Jason and Blue05:53Navigating Grief: Personal Stories and Reflections11:56The Journey of Filmmaking: Discovering Shelley's Story17:43Forgiveness and Healing: A Deeper Dive into the Narrative26:20The Journey of Forgiveness29:45Understanding the Complexity of Forgiveness32:26The Role of Grief in Healing36:20The Filmmaking Experience: Listening and Processing38:57Shelley's Growth and Transformation in Italy44:48The Unexpected Twist in Filmmaking45:24The Intimacy of Storytelling46:37Finding Truth Through Grief48:15The Healing Power of Florence50:04Returning to Joy and Creation51:58The Journey of Self-Discovery54:03The Significance of Dawn and Dusk57:59Hope and Healing in Grief59:20Sharing the Film with the World01:00:07Personal Reflections on GriefKeywordsgrief, storytelling, documentary, forgiveness, healing, art, filmmaking, personal stories, emotional journey, relationships

In this episode, Andrea and Rebecca interview Hannah Rumsey and explore the profound (and often unacknowledged) pain associated with the loss of a friend. Hannah shares how her experiences of being unmet and unseen in her grief taught her the importance of acknowledgment in the healing process. As Hannah moved through her grief, she decided to act on the absence she found when looking for support, creating a one woman play, a podcast, and now launching a community for support in friend loss. Hannah is committed to those suffering the disenfranchised grief of friend loss through her beautiful creation of Friends Missing Friends.TakeawaysIt's really hard to move through certain phases of grief if you're not witnessed.Feeling stuck is common in unseen and unmet grief.Acknowledgment is a key element of supporting grief.Emotional disconnection in grief can lead to deeper pain.Deep healing requires both acknowledgment and connection.Connect:Online: https://www.friendsmissingfriends.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/friendsmissingfriendsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/friendsmissingfriendsMeet Up with Friends Missing Friends https://www.meetup.com/friends-missing-friends/Chapters00:00 Heartfelt Reflections on Grief and Connection00:52 The Healing Power of Storytelling

In this conversation, Andrea & Rebecca interview Tony Stewart, about his memoir Carrying the Tiger. Together they explore the complexities of grief, caregiving, and the emotional journey of living with a loved one's illness. They speak candidly about denial, the impact of missed moments, and the significance of support systems. This episode highlights the importance of acknowledging the caregiver's experience and the intertwining of love and grief that accompany them on the journey. Connect with Tony On Instagram @tonystewartnyFacebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570889459153LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonystewart/and Online https://www.tonystewartauthor.com/booksKeywordsgrief, healing, family dynamics, nature, vulnerability, community, emotional complexity, cancer, personal stories, support, grief, caregiving, cancer journey, memoir, emotional support, love, loss, healing, relationships, personal growth

How do we make space for grief amidst the holiday season expectations of love and joy? Andrea and Rebecca explore this topic with Brianna Rose (creator of the Hack Your Nervous System deck) who shares insights on the nervous system, emotional regulation, and the importance of honoring what we're experiencing. The discussion includes practical tools and exercises for both adults and children to learn to be with our grief and explore practices that foster emotional resilience.TakeawaysGrief can coexist with joy during the holidays.It's important to honor and feel our emotions, including sadness.The nervous system plays a crucial role in how we process grief.Mind-body connection is essential for emotional regulation.There are tools to help facilitate that connection.Children can learn to regulate their emotions through co-regulation with adults.Nature can be a powerful source of healing and connection.Meeting your nervous system with compassion is key to healing.Grief work is a personal journey that can also involve community support.Creating a safe space for emotions allows for deeper healing.Keywordsgrief, healing, nervous system, emotional regulation, holidays, connection, Brianna Rose, mindfulness, self-care, mental healthOrder Brianna's Nervous System Decks:https://hackyournervoussystem.org/collections/allFind Brianna on Instagram:@ hackyournervoussystem 

For our two-year anniversary, Andrea chose this episode to re-release. This conversation on how trauma, resilience, and healing shape us resonates with Andrea's practices during Día de Muertos. We hope your heart finds some note of sweetness for your grief in this rebroadcast.Original show notes:In this episode, Andrea and Rebecca welcome Dr. Ramona Beltrán to talk about ancestral grief and the ways that we carry the trauma - and the love and strength - of those who came before us. Dr. Beltrán reminds us to invite complexity, be open to shifting in the ways we see ourselves and others, and to continue to evolve in our understanding of self, our ancestors, and one another.

For our two-year anniversary, we are re-releasing episodes that speak to our grief. Today's re-release is chosen by Rebecca. It's our conversation with poet, Andrea Gibson. Original episode description:In this episode Andrea and Rebecca welcome poet and spoken word artist, Andrea Gibson to talk about love, mortality, embracing the chaos and when fear turned into grief, which became awe. Andrea shares their "stage 4 wisdom" and the three wind through hyperbaric chambers and the cosmos with laughter, insights, and of course, poetry. You can find Andrea Gibson's work at www.andreagibson.orgon Instagram @andreagibsonFacebook https://www.facebook.com/AndreaGibsonPoetry/More About Andrea:Andrea Gibson is one of the most celebrated and influential spoken word artists of our time. Best known for their live performances, Gibson has changed the landscape of what it means to attend a “poetry show.” Gibson’s poems center around LGBTQ issues, spirituality, feminism, mental health and the dismantling of oppressive social systems. Andrea is the author of seven books, most recently “You Better Be Lightning.”

In this deeply moving episode, Andrea and Rebecca speak with Lindsay Stanton whose husband passed away but whose love story continues beyond the physical world. Before his death, the two shared a powerful agreement: to stay connected, no matter what.What followed was nothing short of extraordinary. From unmistakable signs to quiet moments of guidance, Lindsay shares how her husband remains an active part of her life.We explore:The spiritual pact they made before his passingThe ways he communicates with her from the other sideHow she distinguishes signs from coincidenceThe ongoing relationship that transcends deathWhat it's taught her about grief, trust, and loveFind LindsayOn Instagram @thehealinggriefguideOn Facebook @lindsay.w.stantonAnd her book: The Enduring and Everlasting https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C2J8PJ4S

In this episode of All the Grief, we talk with author Margie Zable Fisher about The Cabernet Club, a novel her mother (Rona S. Zable) started, and one Margie made a promise to complete after her death. Guided by her mother's spirit, Margie shares the story of how finishing the book became a way to honor her mother’s voice, navigate grief, and bring this shared creative project into the world. Book available wherever you get your books. Find Margiehttps://margiezfisher.comOn Instagram @margiezablefisher

Rebecca and Andrea welcome therapist and poet, Moudi Sbeity to the podcast. Moudi shares how he lived outside of his peers - and even his family as a boy growing up with a severe stutter, in a country locked in external and internal wars, and his eventual move to the United States. Though always searching for stability and a place to call home, it is through poetry that he has written his story in his own voice - and has found home within himself. A touching, poetic, and memorable episode.Find MoudiOn Instagram @moudi.sbeitySubscribe to Moudi's Substack www.moudisbeity.substack.com

In this episode Rebecca and Andrea talk with licensed clinical social worker, Kristy Howlett. Kristy shares the wisdom gained after over two decades of working with children as a play therapist.She offers us - any of us with kids in our lives, not only caregivers  - encouragement on how to talk about grief with children and how we can best meet them where they are.Find out more about Kristy:https://www.kristyhowlettlcsw.com/Resources:Sesame Street clip: Sesame Street - "Goodbye, Mr. Hooper" ExcerptsBooks: The 10th Good Thing About Barney by Judith ViorstThe Hare Shaped Hole by John Dougherty and Thomas DoehertyThe Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld

Rebecca and Andrea invite the mystic and poet, Wendy Havlir to All the Grief to talk about the complexities of life's choices and the courage, excitement, and grief that come with following your path. For the past seven years Wendy has been walking with grief as she left a career, a marriage, and the place she called home - but ultimately found herself.Find WendyOn Instagram @theschoolofwildandholyOn Facebook www.facebook.com/wendyhavlircherry/Online: www.shegathersbeauty.comHer Book can be purchased on Amazon: https://a.co/d/i79ATDhOr Woman Craft Publishing: https://womancraftpublishing.com/product/the-mistress-of-longing/

Rebecca and Andrea watched Good Grief, written, produced, directed by, and starring the incredible Dan Levy. It’s a film about an artist grieving the loss of his famous writer husband. As his grief unfolds he takes his two best friends on a trip to Paris, where much is revealed about loss, relationships, and their friendships. Watch now on Netflix. 

Rebecca and Andrea chat with Diandra Ford-Wing about her first book, Red Bird, a memoir detailing the tragic losses of her beloved aunt and her mother in less than a year and a half. The stunning and mysterious death of her aunt, and the heartbreak it created for her mother, caused Diandra to set her grief aside as she worked to lay her aunt to rest on the other side of the world. Her mother's subsequent loss sent Diandra searching for answers and signs from her mother.Find Diandra:On Intsagram @diandrafordwingOnline: www.booksbydiandra.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diandrafordwing

Rebecca and Andrea talk with Carolyn Flyer who was succeeding as “Corporate Carolyn” before she knew world shattering grief was told by not one, but two, psychics that she would be of service to others in grief as a psychic medium herself. When her baby girl, Delaney, was born still everything changed. Now she helps others connect to love ones across the veil. Find CarolynOnline at: https://www.carolynflyer.com/In Instagram: @cflyerintuitiveOn YouTube: https://youtube.com/@carolynflyer7054?si=l1DBMRSXm7EEqusT

In this episode, Andrea and Rebecca are joined by author Kristina Amelong who shares about her new memoir, What My Bother Knew, a fascinating story about Kristina's younger brother, Jay, and his prediction of his own tragic death. Kristina shares her eye-opening journey, recounting how searching for answers to Jay's death became an integral part of her healing from abuse to her spiritual awakening.Book available now wherever you get your books.Find Kristina:https://www.kristinaamelong.com/on Instagram @optimalhealthnetworkwww.facebook.com/kristina.amelong

In this episode, we chat with Cera Marquez, creator of CC Oddities by Cera. Cera channels her grief into art using ethically sourced bugs, bones, and natural elements—pieces that speak to both the fragility and resilience of life. With a deep respect for the cycles of life and death, Cera reminds us how even in endings, there is profound beauty to be found.Find CeraIn Instagram @ccodditiesbyceraFacebook https://www.facebook.com/ccodditiesbyceraOn her Website shopccodditiesbycera.comPodcast https://deathchatswithcera.buzzsprout.com/

Jonathan Niziol, model, athlete, trainer, and speaker joins Andrea and Rebecca for a conversation about how addiction was a distraction from grief. He shares how a series of losses put him on a self-destructive path until forgiveness, acceptance, and sharing his truth set him free.Find Jonathanhttps://www.jonathanniziolofficial.com/On Instagram @jonathanniziolFacebook https://www.facebook.com/people/Jonathan-Niziol-Official/TikTok @jonathanniziolYouTube www.youtube.com/@jonathanniziol

Rebecca and Andrea talk with Aurena Green and Brianna Rose, sisters and co-creators of the incredible and beautiful card Deck - Planet Grief. Both trauma therapists, yoga instructors, and fellow grievers. They lost their bright, vibrant, vivacious mom after an 8-month battle with uterine carcinosarcoma. Her loss catalyzed an achingly profound and transformational grief journey for both of them. leading them on a path of unity, deeper connection, and creation. Planet Grief was released this year and this conversation explores all that the loss and creation has brought forth for them.Find Planet Grief on:https://www.instagram.com/planet.grief/Get your own Planet Grief Card Deckhttps://hackyournervoussystem.org/products/planetgrief