Grief and Healing Corner Podcast

Today on the Grief & Healing Corner, Episode 23, we speak with Michael Gershe. Michael is a survivor of a drunk driving crash that killed his mother and nearly himself when he was 8 weeks old. Despite breaking nearly every bone in his body and a fractured skull, he went on to become a collegiate swimmer, comedian, author and professional speaker. Touring the country for over 20 years with “The Magic of Life” impaired driving program for schools, colleges, military bases and courts; the program combines humor and his story for a powerful, emotional and inspirational message. In April 2015, Michael founded The Magic of Life Foundation, a non-profit organization that will help his mission in preventing impaired driving.

Today on the Grief & Healing Corner, Episode 22, we speak with Tonya McKenzie. Tonya is an entrepreneur, active civil servant, and principal consultant of a boutique public relations firm in Los Angeles. Tonya was witness to a murder when she was four years old, spent time in witness protection and has spent a lifetime moving beyond the incredible psychological impact of gun violence, substance abuse, sexual assault and such other incidents. Other than her mother’s death in 1999, Tonya has lost a host of aunts, uncles, cousins and most impactfully, the loss of her grandfather in 2014 and her grandmother last year in 2017.

Today on the Grief & Healing Corner, Episode 21, we speak with Ellen Landsburg Monsees. Ellen is an author, speaker, and coach. She is also an Advanced Grief Recovery Method Specialist and the Founder and Master Guide of The PPF Method, a technique for learning to live with intentional joy. Her book, “Lost and Found: Finding a Joyful Life After Loss,” was released in 2019.

Today on the Grief & Healing Corner, Episode 20, we speak with with Elizabeth Coplan, founder of Grief Dialogues. This is a project that instructs, enhances, and encourages deeper, more fulfilling conversations about dying, death, and grief in the spirit of celebration, humor, and openness. Grief Dialogues: The Play opened the Seattle Death Salon in September 2017. In July 2018 the entire cast and crew will perform in New York City. Elizabeth is President of People’s Memorial Association Board and Co-Producer of the 2017 Seattle Death Salon. She is a Grief & Loss lecturer at University of Memphis, Psychology Department, and at University of Washington, School of Social Work. She is also a frequent speaker at conferences including the ADEC annual conference.

Today on the Grief & Healing Corner, Episode 19, we speak with Lisa Ingrassia, from A Daughter’s Love and The Albert J. Ingrassia fund. Lisa is a Huffpost blogger, a Beliefnet monthly contributor and has written guest articles for the National Foundation of Swallowing Disorders, The Mighty and Her View From Home. Most recently Lisa has been nominated as a MVP Champion for CancerAid, the go-to resource for anyone affected by cancer and the #1 Cancer app currently on the Apple Store in the US, AU and the UK. Lisa enjoys spending time with her family and is obsessed with her Boston Terrier Diesel.