Grief Dreams Podcast

Dr. Leslie Ellis is a teacher, author, and psychotherapist. She is currently offering online dream work instruction based on her book, A Clinician’s Guide to Dream Therapy (published in 2019). She also offers individual dream work sessions and training in somatic approaches to psychotherapy. Leslie has a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology and a Masters from Pacific Graduate Institute. She is vice president and a Certifying Coordinator with The International Focusing Institute.

 

In this episode we talk about her interest in dreams, the benefits of dream work, how dreams reflect waking life, pandemic dreams, grief dreams, possible dreams over the holidays, pet loss, her ambiguous loss with the disappearance of her cat, and the dreams she had of him afterwards.

 

You can find more about Dr. Ellis here https://drleslieellis.com/

 

Her blog post of grief dreams can be found here https://drleslieellis.com/how-your-dreams-help-you-grieve-2/

 

 

FAVVKES (pronounced "fox") is a Canadian artist and songwriter. FAVVKES brings you 90s nostalgia with a 2020 attitude. Her alternative, rock-pop style is reminiscent of artists like Courtney Love and Garbage, while bringing charisma and fresh fashion like Gwen Stefani. FAVVKES is preparing her solo debut, and she unapologetically touches on sensitive subject matter surrounding mental health. Her songs deliver strong messages on what it means to deal with social anxiety, depression, acceptance and inclusivity. Through her music and platform, FAVVKES' goal is to become a strong advocate for mental health and the LBGTQ+ community, while she takes on the world with her magnetic and meaningful music. Her new song "Black Dove" is now out.

 

In this episode we talk about finding her love for music, using music as a way to cope, mental health challenges and self-care over the holidays, her new song Black Dove, living your truth, the multiple deaths in her life, and grief dreams of her grandmother.

 

You can find more about FAVVKES at http://favvkes.com/ and her new music video for Black Dove can be found here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4m4feler_s

Allison Gilbert is an Emmy award-winning journalist, author, workshop leader, and keynote speaker. She is the author of Passed and Present: Keeping Memories of Loved Ones Alive, and the critically acclaimed books Parentless Parents: How the Loss of Our Mothers and Fathers Impacts the Way We Raise Our Children, and Always Too Soon: Voices of Support for Those Who Have Lost Both Parents. She is also co-editor of Covering Catastrophe, the definitive historical record of how broadcast journalists covered 9/11. Allison’s work has been featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Huffington Post, and on NPR, CNN, FOX, MSNBC, CBS, and ABC. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the National Alliance for Grieving Children and the Advisory Board for the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, the preeminent national organization providing grief support to families of America’s fallen heroes.

 

In this episode we talk about grieving during the holidays during the pandemic, being supportive for a friend who is grieving, the importance of word choice, holiday activities for children to remember those who have died, her new online courses, the death of her mom and dad, and grief dreams.

 

You can learn more about Allison here: www.allisongilbert.com.

Holly Barker is the founder of Grief Anonymous, an online and group support organization developed to support those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. Her husband of 14 years and the father of her son died in 2014 at the age of 41 after an eight-year battle with malignant melanoma skin cancer. Holly’s mission is to continue to see Grief Anonymous be a national support organization.

 

In this episode we talk about being a caregiver for her husband while he had cancer, the dreams she started to have, writing about her experience, the death of her husband, establishing Grief Anonymous, the death of her grandmother, and grief dreams of her deceased husband and grandmother.

 

You can find more about Holly here:

https://www.griefanonymous.com/

At the age of nine, Matthew Bocchi’s father died in 2001 on 9/11 in the World Trade Center. He began an obsessive quest to find out exactly how he died. Now, twenty-eight and sober, he teaches a clear and intricate lesson: no matter how far you fall, you can always rise again. No matter how far you stray, you can always find your way home. And no matter how wide you sway, you can always pick up the pieces and stand tall. His new book "Sway" is a unique story full of heartbreak and despair, grief and uncertainty, but most importantly, happiness.

 

In this episode we talk about the death of his father on 9/11, issues trying to process the death as a child (e.g., trying to figure the cause of death at the same time being a victim of sexual abuse), using drugs to cope, the experience of overcoming his addictions, finding happiness again, writing his new book "Sway", and grief dreams of his father.

 

You can find this podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Podbean.com (https://griefdreamspodcast.podbean.com), and many other podcasting platforms.

Sherrie Dunlevy is a best selling author, speaker, podcaster, inspirationinsta, and grieving mom. Her best selling book is called “How Can I Help?: Your go-to guide for helping loved ones through life’s difficulties.” Sherrie is the host of the “Graduating Grief” podcast. Sherrie has also designed a Graduating Grief program and community for women.

 

In this episode we talk about her career as a TV news anchor, the death of her 29 day old child, the difficulties reporting the news while grieving, her secondary losses after his death (e.g., friendships ending), why she wanted to write the book “How Can I Help?”, how we can help others after a loss, and grief dreams.

 

You can find more about Sherrie here: www.SherrieDunlevy.com

Tamsin Grainger is a touch therapist based in Edinburgh, Scotland, and has worked in this area for 30 years. She specializes in Shiatsu, a Japanese acupressure massage modality. In 2000, Tamsin opened The Shiatsu School Edinburgh (training professional and post graduate practitioners, and beginners). She was the Chair and a board member for the Shiatsu Society (UK) and is a member of the Complementary and Natural healthcare Council (UK). Additionally, she teaches Shiatsu internationally. Tamsin just released her first book, Working with Death and Loss in Shiatsu Practice, a guide to holistic bodywork in palliative care.

 

In this episode we talk about her journey into Shiatsu, grief and Shiatsu, giving Shiatsu to her father before he died, her new book, her miscarriage experiences, the continuing bond with her father and challenges with forgiveness, and grief dreams of her father and unborn children.

 

You can find more about Tamsin here:

Website: http://shiatsu.ryoho.co.uk/

Blog: https://shiatsu690.com/

Facebook: TamsinShiatsu

LinkedIn: Tamsin Grainger

Twitter: @tamsinshiatsu

Pinterest: Tamsin Grainger

 

You can find a qualified Shiatsu practitioner here:

Canada - http://www.shiatsupractor.org/aboutshiatsu.html and https://www.shiatsutherapy.ca/

USA - https://aobta.org/ 

UK - https://www.shiatsusociety.org/

Gregor Collins is an author, speaker, actor and contributor living in New York. He started his career in Los Angeles producing reality TV before shifting gears to acting, performing on stage, on television and in independent feature films. His writing and acting have been featured in “The Los Angeles Times,” “The Guardian,” “Huffington Post,” “Publishers Weekly,” “Cinema Editor Magazine” and others, as well as on Off-Broadway stages across New York. Collins travels the globe with his memoir ”The Accidental Caregiver: How I Met, Loved and Lost Legendary Holocaust Refugee Maria Altmann,” sharing with audiences his experience caring for Altmann, who was portrayed by Helen Mirren in the movie ”Woman in Gold.” (2015). His newest book released this year is The accidental caregiver Part 2: Saying YES to a world without Altmann. Collins also created and curates ”Humans in My Phone,” an ongoing micro-documentary series featuring the humans in his phone.

 

In this episode we talk about how he became a caregiver, caregiving for Maria Altmann, developing a memorable bond with her, grieving her loss, travelling to Austria in her memory, writing his two books, finding hope again after loss, and grief dreams of her.

 

You can find more about Gregor at www.gregorcollins.com or follow him on Instagram (@gregorgcollins)

In this guest update episode we talk with Shelby Forsythia from episodes 52 and 130. Shelby is the author of Your Grief, Your Way and Permission to Grieve and podcast host of Coming Back: Conversations on Life After Loss. After the unexpected death of her mother in 2013, she became a “student of grief” and set out on a lifetime mission to explore the oft-misunderstood human experience of loss. Through her books, podcast, and live events, she helps grieving people reclaim their power and peace of mind after devastating loss. Shelby is also a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist®, Reiki Level II Practitioner, and Intuitive Grief Guide. Her work has been featured on Huffington Post, Bustle, and The Oprah Magazine.

 

In this episode we talk about her new book “Your Grief, Your Way”, the process of writing it during the pandemic, specific entries in the book, and the topic of grief dreams.

 

You can find more about Shelby at https://www.shelbyforsythia.com/

Patricia de Picciotto was born in Hong Kong from Lebanese parents, and raised in Geneva, Switzerland until she graduated from college with a BA in Marketing and Communication. She then spent a couple of years in London to study for her GIA (graduate gemologist) and worked in Jewelry. Patricia then lived in Sao Paulo, Brazil, for ten years, where she met her husband, had three kids and founded a jewelry line, Pasha Joias. She moved to New York over five years ago, where she became an art guide in the City. Since her mother’s passing after a two year battle with pancreatic cancer, she is dedicated to normalize grief and raise grief consciousness through her @neshamajourney project on Instagram and beyond. 

 

In this episode we talk about living in multiple places, being in Brazil with her mother, her love of art history, her mother and stepfather getting sick, the death of her stepfather and mother, the Jewish funeral and mourning process, grief dreams of her mother, and her Instagram account.

Jason Wendroff-Rawnicki is a certified yoga educator and dōTERRA Essential Oil specialist, who has a MA in psychology. He co-founded Shine Yoga Center in New Jersey and travels nationally & internationally leading classes, workshops, retreats and educating about the benefits and powers of essential oils. In June of 1998, his sister Lauren died in a car accident. Knowing that he needed more than talk therapy to deal with his grief, Jason turned toward a body-centered approach. Yoga, meditation, mindfulness, healthy lifestyle and essential oils became that path towards recovery.

 

In this episode we talk about essential oils, the power of smell after loss, the death of his sister, volunteering with compassionate friends, and grief dreams of his sister.

 

You can find more on Jason here:

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/jason.wendroffrawnicki

FaceBook: Sibling Support - https://www.facebook.com/groups/tcfsibs/?ref=share

Website: https://www.mydoterra.com/shineyogacenter/

Instagram: OilmanJason

Twitter: @ShineYogaNJ

Email: jason@shineyogacenter.com

Barron Steffen is a longtime student on the spiritual path of Siddha Yoga, a big band crooner, and a widower. He has been a big wave surfer, a 1980s Italian pop singer, and an award-winning elementary school teacher. Steffen has now fully transitioned from the elementary school classroom to his company, The Yoga of Mindset, where he teaches children and adults how to use their thoughts so they're not used by them. Barron recently published the book The Final Gift of the Beloved: Her Disappearance-13 Days 

 

In this episode we talk about his interest in Siddha Yoga, the death of his wife, the 13 days after, finding meaning after the loss, his book, and grief dreams of his wife.

 

You can find more about Barron here https://www.barronsteffen.com/

Lindsey Whissel Fenton is a senior producer at WPSU, the PBS/NPR affiliate station in Central Pennsylvania. She’s an Emmy award-winning storyteller who is passionate about using public media to build empathy. Lindsey produced, directed, and wrote the documentary Speaking Grief and continues to produce content for the initiative’s website and social media presence. 

 

In this episode we talk about Shotokan karate, how karate relates to grief, the Speaking Grief documentary, learning to speak grief, holding space for grief, grief dreams mentioned within the documentary interviews, and her own grief.

 

To view the Speaking Grief documentary (starting August 30, 2020) visit https://speakinggrief.org/

 

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Facebook: @wpsugrief

Instagram: @wpsugrief

Julie Rennie has done Accounting and Income Tax for most of her career primarily as a self-employed individual and currently runs a law practice as a Licensed Paralegal out of Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Julie married Mark Black (Dr. Joshua Black’s father) in 1977 spending the next few decades as Julie Black. The positive blessings and outcomes from this marriage were building her faith in God and being a mother to her 4 children: Rebecca, Nathaniel, Joshua and Rachel. The marriage suffered challenges based on Mark’s excessive consumption of alcohol and poor coping skills. After the marriage ended, Julie remarried John Rennie. 

 

In this episode we talk about the death of her grandmother, meeting Mark, their relationship, her health issues, being more open about her struggles, processing her emotions, and Mark's death.

 

 

You can find more about Julie’s paralegal practice at http://julierennieparalegal.com/

Dr. T.J. Wray is a Professor of Religious Studies at Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island where she teaches a diverse array of classes, ranging from grief and loss to women of the Bible. A prolific writer, Dr. Wray is the author of many articles and books, including the best-selling “Surviving the Death of a Sibling: Living Through Grief When an Adult Brother or Sister Dies” and “Grief Dreams: How They Help Heal Us After the Death of a Loved One”. A popular biblical scholar, she has also written: "The Birth of Satan: Tracing the Devil's Biblical Roots; "Good Girls, Bad Girls: The Enduring Lessons of Twelve Women of the Old Testament"; "Good Girls, Bad Girls of the New Testament"; "What the Bible Really Tells Us: The Essential Guide for Biblical Literacy". Dr. Wray has appeared on National Public Radio, several documentaries on the History Channel, and various other television and radio programs across the country and abroad. An intrepid traveler, she has lead tours to biblical lands, studied at the Tantur Ecumenical Institute in Jerusalem and participated in archaeological excavations in Israel.

 

In this episode we talk about becoming a biblical scholar, dreams and grief in the Bible, the birth of the Devil in the Bible, the death of her brother, grief after the death of an adult sibling, and grief dreams of her brother.

 

You can find more information about Dr. T.J. Wray at

www.tjwrayauthor.com and www.thegrievingsibling.com

 

Here is the Next Avenue article we discussed on the podcast: What Are Grief Dreams? https://www.nextavenue.org/what-are-grief-dreams/