Grief Dreams Podcast

Episode 111 - Monica Meade - Forgiveness After Loss

Monica Meade is currently working in private practice as a clinical therapist with Whole Balance Health, specializing in Grief, and Trauma therapy utilizing EMDR (Eye Movement, Desensitization, and Reprocessing), in Colorado Springs, CO. Monica’s pursuit of becoming a grief counselor was born out of necessity. After the death of two immediate family members, she struggled to find hope for herself in the healing process. She has made it her goal to reach out to others during their grief journey to bring love and light to the healing process. 

 

In this episode we talk about EMDR, the death of her daughter and niece, forgiveness, and grief dreams of her daughter and niece.

 

You can find more about Monica's private practice on Psychology Today. Additionally, here is a link to Monica's forgiveness speech https://youtu.be/JITIpN9WkKw

Episode 109 - Rebecca MacDonald - Even in Sadness, There is Beauty

Rebecca MacDonald is a self-taught memorial jewelry artist working and living in Ontario with her husband and dog. Since immigrating to Canada 10 years ago, Rebecca has experienced loss many times as she moved throughout the country. Her Grandpa has been a huge inspiration in her life and dealing with his passing from the other side of the Atlantic ocean has been one of her biggest struggles so far. By fostering connections with animals, she has also been able to connect with others. Through her work, she is learning how to manage her grief while helping others with their loss through her jewelry making.

 

In this episode we talk about her immigration from Ireland, her love of pets, starting her business making memorial jewelry, the death of her dog and grandpa, and a grief dream of her grandpa.

 

Rebecca’s work can be found on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook

@comfortconnects or on www.comfortconnects.com  

Episode 106 - Jay Perry - My Dad Got Sick

As a full-time photographer from Canada, Jay Perry has travelled the country and beyond to capture the moments and memories that matter. Following a photo trip to Haiti in 2010, Jay discovered his passion for helping others. He has since dedicated his time and talent to numerous charitable efforts, while founding his own establishment aptly named Friends With Hearts. Jay recently released his book “My Dad Got Sick” that talks about his experiences taking care of his dying father.

 

We talk about being in a band, becoming a photographer, starting Friends With Hearts, taking care of his dying father, writing his book, his grief, and dreams of his father.

 

For a closer glimpse into Jay’s life, check out www.jayperry.ca, www.friendswithhearts.com, www.mydadgotsick.com or his personal Instagram @jayperry

Episode 105 - Dr. Beth Allen (AKA Bif Naked) - Love All, Serve All

Dr. Beth Allen (AKA Bif Naked) is a prominent alternative artist, performer and songwriter. Throughout her remarkable career, Beth embarked on seemingly endless international tours, several feature films and multiple television roles, only to be struck down with breast cancer at the age of 37. She would discover her passion for advocacy, as a triumphant survivor and someone who helps others first. She wrote her biography in 2016 called “I, Bificus”.

 

In this episode we talk about her music career, breast cancer journey, palliative care volunteering, and death of her father, friend, and dogs.

 

Find more on her at Bifnaked.com, Facebook, instagram and twitter @bifnaked

 

 

Episode 104 - Heather Varner - Storms and Silver Linings

Heather Varner is an east-coast born and bred Canadian who moved to Ontario with her then-boyfriend (now-fiancé) after her mother died in 2014. In the 4.5 years since, Heather has dealt with her grief through therapy, faith, and plenty of writing. She has written pieces about grief and loss that have been published by Time, xoJane, and Elite Daily, and shares her grief journey through her Instagram account @stormsandsilverlinings. At the start of this calendar year she launched a blog called Storms and Silver Linings.

 

In this episode we talk about her love of reading and writing, her relationship with her mother, the death of her mother, writing her grief, and grief dreams of her mother.

Episode 102 - Pennie Hunt - Green Love & Gratitude

Pennie Hunt is a speaker, author, and the President and founder of Journey Through, LLC. Her book is titled “Love Your Life-No Matter What - 76 Tips to Live Life with Love and Gratitude.” She also writes a weekly blog called “Writings From The Corner of Spirit & Brave.”

 

In this episode we talk about a series of life changing events (including the death of her son and dog), her weekly blog, getting a memorial tattoo, and grief dreams of her son and dog.

 

You can find more information on Pennie at www.PennieHunt.com

Episode 98 - Devan Christian - Grieving Over The Holidays

Devan Christian is a Registered Clinical Counsellor in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley. After experiencing many deaths in her own life, she pursued a career path in which she could support those who were experiencing their own grief and loss. Five year ago, she started working in the Hospice Child & Youth and Adult Bereavement Programs; now, she supports those in her surrounding communities with their grief, mental well-being, caregiver stress and life transitions through her private practice in Chilliwack, BC, as well as through her local Community Mental Health Centre.

 

In this episode we talk about her many losses, continuing bonds, starting her private practice, tips for grieving over the holidays, and her own grief dreams.

 

You can find more about Devan at http://www.devanceciliacounselling.com/

 

Blog Post - Getting Though The Holidays While Grieving http://www.devanceciliacounselling.com/blog/

 

Episode 97 - Joe Agostinelli - Ultimo Gifts

While sorting through his father’s belongings, Joe Agostinelli found a letter that was written to him from his father before his battle with leukemia came to an end. The letter had a profound impact on Joe, detailing his father’s love and pride, as well as his continued hopes and dreams for him. At the time of his father’s passing, Joe and his wife had just welcomed a son into the world. These two monumental events happening so close together put Joe on a path of self, societal, and (end of) life examination, inspiring him to create Ultimo Gifts, a service that allows you to keep giving gifts and heartfelt reminders after you have passed on. 

 

In this episode we talk about his father’s illness and death, being a father himself, finding his father’s letter, Ultimo Gifts, and two dreams of his father.

 

You can find more about him at https://www.ultimogifts.com/, and on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @UltimoGifts

Episode 96 - Jan Warner - Grief Speaks Out

Jan Warner is the author of Grief Day by Day: Simple Practices and Daily Guidance for Living With Loss. When her beloved husband Artie died nine years ago, she felt as though she had died too. To give her life meaning after the loss she started the Grief Speaks Out Facebook page, that is a supportive worldwide community with over 2.5 million likes.   

 

In this episode we talk about her relationship with her husband, his death and her grief, authoring her first book on grief, differences she has noticed in people’s grief, and her grief dreams of her husband.

Episode 95 - Jess Etchemendy - Leathersmith

Jess Etchemendy formed 174 Supply Company, which is a discussion of how grief can be transformed through creativity. After the death of his brother, Jess’s trade has become the vehicle he uses to transform his grief. 174 was the motorcycle numbers of his younger brother. Jess’s mission is for the world to look past my brother’s addiction to see a kid who passionately loved living and desired adventure. 

 

In this episode we talk all about leather and being a Leathersmith, his brother’s life, addiction, how he continues a bond with his brother (e.g., riding, leathering, etc.), and grief dreams of his brother.

 

You can find more about Jess at https://www.174supplyco.com 

Instagram: @174supplyco and @companioncollective

Episode 94 - Gary Andrews - Doodle A Day

Gary Andrews is an illustrator and animator who worked on Fireman Sam and for Disney. After his wife Joy died of Sepsis in 2017, he started to doodle his grief and share it on social media. His social media now has a world wide following. In this episode we talk about his love of art, his wife joy, her death, his and his children’s grief, doodle a day, and grief dreams he has had.

 

You can find more about Gary on Instagram and Twitter @garyscribbler

 

News article on him - https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-45893376 

 

Video of his 2 minute animation of his life and loss - https://youtu.be/ViJw1vssKiU

Episode 93 - Rayne Benu - Orca Love Part 2

Rayne Benu is cinematographer of the award-winning documentary, The Hundred-Year-Old Whale and producer of Skaana- a podcast about orcas, oceans and the environment. A nationally published festival and theatre photographer, Rayne has a rich history creating digital and multimedia artworks, corporate design, interactive media and storytelling using metaphor, myths and symbolic languages, abstract/meditative painting and filmmaking (directing, editing, sound and video). She now lives on Vancouver Island, where she spends her free time filming local celebrities from J-Pod with her partner Mark (from Episode 92).

 

In this episode we discuss her love of animals, Orca filming and photography, developing a friendship with Granny (an Orca), grieving for Granny and her Pod, processing her grief through painting, her dream about Tahlequah (a grieving Orca), and a dream she wants to have of Granny and her grandmother.

 

You can find more about Rayne at:

 

1. The Hundred Year Old Whale:
   1. on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/thehundredyearoldwhale
   2. Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/thehundredyearoldwhale/?ref=br_rs
2. Skaana Podcast:

1. 1. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mobydoll
   2. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skaanapod
   3. Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkaanaPod
   4. Website: www.skaana.org 
2. Personal: 
   1. On the Web:  http://tavrayne.photos
   2. Twitter:   https://twitter.com/open2om
   3. Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/tavrayne
   4. Patreon film project: https://www.patreon.com/tavrayne

Episode 91 - Haley Harris-Bloom

Haley Harris-Bloom works as a nurse in the emergency department. She enjoys the privilege of helping treat people during their most vulnerable times. After a series of close family and friends died Haley has devoted her time outside of work to researching grief. She realized a gap in grief resources for the bereaved during this process and is currently creating GriefGuide, the first interactive-self counseling app to help people navigate grief.

 

In this episode we talk about being a nurse, the death of 2 cousins and childhood best friend while she was in school, her Kickstarter campaign to develop the GriefGuide App, and 2 of her grief dreams.

 

Her Kickstarter campaign to develop the GriefGuide App can be found here:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/griefguide/griefguide-the-interactive-self-counseling-app

Episode 90 - Sandra Roman

Sandra Roman is a Mother of 5 children, 1 of which is now an angel in heaven. Sandra has recently started a blog page called “Good Grief Relief” after losing her son Matthew, in 2016. In her blog she is offering support to other bereaved parents on their grief journey with child loss. She is currently working on her first book that details the tragic story of the loss of her son, Matthew and the renewed hope that she has discovered on her journey. Sandra has been involved in multiple women’s ministries in both USA and Mexico. Additionally, she is a member of International Cruise Victims, Inc. (a non-profit) in hopes of being a strong voice for awareness and lobbying congress for change.

 

In this episode we talk about the death of her son, rebuilding her faith, grief dreams about her son from her child and friend, her own grief dreams, and the international cruise victims organization.

 

You can find more about Sandra at www.goodgriefrelief.com and Instagram (@goodgriefrelief)

 

International Cruise Victims, Inc. - www.internationalcruisevictims.org

 

Episode 89 - Megan Devine

Megan Devine is a Pacific Northwest writer, speaker, and grief advocate. She is the founder of Refuge In Grief, a hub of grief education and outreach, where she leads people through some of the most devastating times of their lives. Megan is the author of the new book, It’s OK That You’re Not OK: Meeting Grief & Loss in a Culture That Doesn’t Understand. In this episode we talk about sitting with suffering, coping using the tango, the death of her husband, sleeping issues following the loss, and grief dreams of her husband.

 

 To find more about Megan visit https://www.refugeingrief.com