Healing Bloom: A Safe Space to Grieve

Dr. Katrina Nguyen is an award-winning, board-certified pediatric gastroenterologist, an international best-selling author, and founder of a nonprofit to fight childhood obesity. She is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Rockford. She has shared her expertise via the EWTN Global Catholic Network, the YMCA podcast, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Nguyen lives in Illinois with her husband, Marconi. She enjoys being a dog mom, gardening, and traveling. Dr. Nguyen shares the multiple losses she has experienced in her life, including the passing of her beloved dog, Corky, in October 2021.

Mark Craven's life took an unexpected turn when he met his dad at the age of 22. In this podcast episode, Mark takes us on a journey through his experiences of grappling with his identity after meeting his father and discovering a new paternal figure on the horizon. This transformative adventure inspired Mark to pen "Dad's Kiss Your Sons," a poignant exploration of the fears and uncertainties that come with fatherhood, especially for those who lacked paternal guidance. Mark shares his personal narrative and his unwavering commitment to being the father he never had. In addition to being an author of several books and running a self-development blog on his website www.SuccessUpAhead.com, Mark is also the host of the podcast "The Craven Effect." His professional background includes roles as a Math Instructor, Student Success Coach, and Senior Academic Advisor at the college level. Mark holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology and a master’s in Higher Education Management.

Leah M. Forney is an 8x published author, Sexual Assault Thriver turned Advocate and Activist, Filmmaker, and Transformative Speaker. She's spent the last 4.5 years intentionally healing after burying five loved ones in one year. On her healing journey, she discovered the power of refining her life after loss. The focus of this episode is on Cumulative Grief, which is the process of grieving multiple losses simultaneously.

In this episode, Tawanna Wolfolk, a Clinical Social Worker, discusses how she uses an embodied, experiential, and indigenous approach to guide her clients through resourcing in the context of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and grief. Tawanna Woolfolk is passionate about truly connecting with your heart and mind from a holistic and strength-based approach. She strives to incorporate experiential and mindfulness approaches to wellness and healing and offers a spectrum of support to clients with diverse needs. ​ Her experience includes adolescents through adults, dealing with life transitions, anxiety, trauma, and loss. Tawanna's practice is LGBTQIA+ and gender-affirming, welcoming a culturally, economically, racially, and ethnically diverse clientele.

Meet Marlena "Zen Ase" Johns - a mother, teacher, and renowned writer who has overcome divorce to become a better version of herself. Her journey through marriage, divorce, and singlehood inspired her to delve deeper into self-discovery and identify the innate tools that helped her heal. Her creativity paved the way for remarkable achievements such as live music, comedy, poetry shows, anthologies, motivational journals, and authoring books. Learn more about Zen's Amazon best-seller books and other inspirational merchandise here.

During a recent interview, Jeff Kay, the creator of My Digital Memories, shared how losing his grandmother at the tender age of 7 had a lasting impact on him. He began digitizing cherished keepsakes, like photographs and birthday cards, as a way to preserve the memory of his loved ones. Over time, this passion evolved into a career in which he leverages Reminiscence Therapy (RT) to help individuals with dementia and other cognitive impairments improve their cognitive skills and emotional well-being. Jeff utilizes prompts such as photographs, videos, and music to facilitate meaningful conversations about cherished memories.

Carolyn Wallace, Psychotherapist, Spiritual Director, and Archetypal Consultant, shares with the audience how the use of archetypes, innate potentials that are expressed in human behavior and experiences, help bring people to transformative spaces in life to "stand in their authority with unapologetic, radiant confidence." Carolyn shares how archetypes were pivotal in her grief journey through leaving her marriage and stepping into courage and independence.

Part 2 of 2 Following her passion for honoring her son's legacy, affectionately known as Vari, Lekesha Benson left her position as Children's Program Director at a local non-profit to create The NOLA Network. Co-founded with her son, Jacory, The NOLA Network is actively advocating for and creatively crafting change within the healthcare and educational systems by highlighting disparities in the caregiver and services received, training and educating families, and working with educators and providers to recognize and dismantle implicit bias within those systems.

Part 1 of 2.  Lekesha Benson, mother, child advocate, entrepreneur, and non-profit founder shares the story of how she and her family was impacted by the sudden death of her son, Javaris Benson, as the result of a sudden cardiac arrest.  From this experience, Lekesha is now leading a community, along with her son, Jacory Benson, to rally behind programming to highlight equity concerns around health and education.  

Tywanah Evett has been on a journey of profound resilience and self-discovery. From facing a life-threatening situation at birth to enduring a tumultuous marriage and a debilitating car accident, she persevered. In 2020, the pandemic was not the only adversary she faced, as she found herself entrenched in an emotionally abusive relationship that was the catalyst of a desperate attempt to end her life. Empowered by the resilience passed down through ancestral lineage, Tywanah was driven to inspire others to embrace their true selves. Her story is one of courage, strength, and unwavering authenticity; she is wholeheartedly committed to sharing it with the world through the Black Butterfly Goddess, a source of hope and comfort for those seeking unconditional love and support. She is an alchemist, intuitive healer, and metaphysical practitioner through the Black Butterfly Goddess. TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackbutterflygoddess?_t=8l9dwIXHRAB&_r=1 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@blackbutterflygoddess888?si=r0C90EiwYRJEhLx- Email: Tywanah@blackbutterflygoddess.comInfo@blackbutterflygoddess.com Website: www.blackbutterflygoddess.com

J. Lewis III is a Grief Empowerment Coach, renowned motivational speaker, and the innovative mind behind the Grief Empowerment Theory. Following the passing of his wife and father, J. Lewis embarked on a journey in grief coaching and support. Drawing from his own experiences, he has carried forward the legacies of his loved ones by providing invaluable support to individuals and organizations, helping them navigate various forms of loss. In this episode, J. Lewis will candidly share his personal narrative of loss, sorrow, and strength. For more details about J. Lewis and the array of services he offers, you can explore the following links: Website email: jlewis@jl3motivation.com Grief Empowerment Coach YT