Grief Dreams Podcast

E149 - Janna Lopez - Midlife Identity Loss and Grief

Janna Lopez has over 25 years in media, communications, and editorial endeavors. She has spent the last ten years as owner, publisher and editor of several regional magazines. As a word enthusiast, she's helped multi-million dollar companies craft their stories, and currently leads workshops and coaches clients about midlife identity loss and grief. She is the author of the new book, Me, My Selfie, & Eye: A Midlife Conversation about Lost Identity, Grief, and Seeing Who You Are.

 

In this episode we talk about midlife identify loss and grief, her midlife issues (grandmother loss, divorce, and job loss), reflecting on her own mortality, who are we beyond roles, her new book, a grief dream of her grandmother, and a dream during her midlife issues.

 

To know more about Janna visit www.jannalopez.com

E148 - Dr. Sarah Neustadter - Surviving the Suicide of a Beloved

Dr. Sarah Neustadter is a licensed psychologist based in Los Angeles, specializing in suicide prevention, loss, and grief, including those grieving the suicide of a loved one. She has over a decade of professional experience identifying and treating those at risk of suicide, especially teenagers. She holds a PhD in clinical and transpersonal psychology from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in Palo Alto, California. She is the author of the Love You Like the Sky: Surviving the Suicide of a Beloved. 

 

In this episode we talk about the suicide of her boyfriend while in grad school, grieving his death, her book, suicide prevention, and grief dreams.

 

You can learn more about Sarah here: https://sarahneustadter.com/

 

E147 - Guest Update - Dr. Christopher Kerr

Dr. Christopher Kerr is the CEO and chief medical officer at Hospice Buffalo. Born and raised in Toronto, Kerr earned his MD as well as a PhD in neurobiology and completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Rochester. His research has received international attention and has been featured in The New York Times, Atlantic Monthly, and the BBC. His new book called Death Is But a Dream: Finding Hope and Meaning at Life's End is being released February 11, 2020.

 

In this episode we talk about his new book being released, his research at Hospice Buffalo on end-of-life dreams and visions, his documentary, giving a voice to the dying and the bereaved, end-of-life dreams and visions of horses?, and grief dreams.

 

You can find more about his new book here: https://www.drchristopherkerr.com/

 

Here is the link to his TEDx Talk “I See Dead People: Dreams and Visions of the Dying?” https://youtu.be/rbnBe-vXGQM 

 

Link to the research page at Hospice Buffalo: https://www.hospicebuffalo.com/healthcare-providers/research/

 

Rerelease: E73 - Dr. Christopher Kerr - End-Of-Life Dreams and Visions

We rereleased this episode (E73) as our next episode features an update on the guest.

 

Dr. Christopher Kerr is the Chief Executive Officer & Chief Medical Officer for Hospice Buffalo. Dr. Kerr’s research examines patient’s dreams and visions at the end of life. The results of his studies generated enormous response in the non-medical community, both nationally and internationally. Dr. Kerr has overseen the integration and expansion of palliative care into local hospitals and developed one of the nation’s largest home-based palliative care programs, Home Connections, and Essential Care for Children. In this episode we talk about his journey becoming a doctor, dreams and visions at the end of life, the death of his father, and a dream he would like to have.

 

Here is the link to his TEDx Talk “I See Dead People: Dreams and Visions of the Dying?” https://youtu.be/rbnBe-vXGQM 

 

This link is to Hospice Buffalo https://www.hospicebuffalo.com

E146 - Kay Makavel - Believe in Yourself

Kay Makavel is a recording artist from the Bronx who raps and sings. Her music is raw, real, and lyrical. She speaks her truth through her music and speaks for those who don’t have a voice. In 2019 she graduated Buffalo State College, released her second mixtape called “The Minute Mixtape Reloaded”, had several music videos released, and was featured in the show Rhythm & Flow on Netflix which is a hip-hop competition show judged by T. I., Cardi B, and Chance the Rapper. During the competition she also preformed in front of Jadakiss, who was one of her brother’s favorite rappers before he died when she was 13.

 

In this episode we talk about believing in yourself, being authentic, putting yourself first, being on Rhythm & Flow, majoring in Sociology, her grief journey, and grief dreams of her brother before and after his death.

 

You can follow Kay on Instagram @KayMakavel

 

Her mixtapes and other music can be found here: https://linktr.ee/KayMakavel

E144 - 2019 Grief Dream Recaps - Part 1

In this episode (Part 1) we recap some of the dream conversations we had with guests in 2019.

Rerelease: 2017 Grief Dream Recaps - Part 2

As 2020 is fast approaching, we have decided to rerelease our past Grief Dream Recap episodes as we make our 2019 ones. In this episode we recap some of the dream conversations we have had with guests in 2017 (originally episode 56). 

E142 - Debi Wobbe - Life After Organ Donation

Debi Wobbe recently retired from 35 years as a Dental Assistant in Northern California. She currently speaks about her experience as the mother of a heart and kidney transplant recipient, and as a survivor of the wildfire destruction of her home and her town, Paradise.

 

In this episode we talked about waiting for organs for her daughter, the realization of getting organs through a death, meeting the mother of the donor, her house and town burning down, dreams of her old home, and grief dreams of her parents and the organ donor.

 

E141 - Suzanne Falter - My Daughter The Healer

Suzanne Falter is an author, speaker, blogger and podcaster who has published both fiction and non-fiction, as well as essays. Her essays have appeared in O Magazine, The New York Times, Elephant Journal, Tiny Buddha and Thrive Global among others. Her newest book is titled The Extremely Busy Women’s Guide to Self-Care. Suzanne speaks about self-care and the transformational healing of crisis, especially in her own life after the death of her daughter (Teal).

 

In this episode we talk about life before and after the death of her daughter, her daughter, learning to slow down and be patient, donating Teal’s organs, the importance of self-care over the holidays, and her multiple grief dreams of her daughter.

 

You can find more about Suzanne at www.suzannefalter.com and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest.

E140 - Marlie Rowell - 'Night School' After A Suicide

Marlie Rowell is a sassy word/mixed media artist, author, & lecturer. Her life changed after she became a suicide widow. She is now the self-proclaimed queen of suicide widow etiquette reformation.

 

In this episode we talk about her life with her husband, her husband’s depression, the stigma around mental illness, her husband’s suicide, the stigma around suicide, finding proper support, and her multiple grief dreams during 'night school'.

 

You can find more about Marlie here: www.suicidewidowetiquette.com  

E139 - Ryan Weaver - Military Aviator to Country Music Artist

Ryan Weaver is an All-American, rockin’ country music artist who proudly served as an active duty Black Hawk Helicopter Aviator in the United States Army. Weaver began his music career in 2005 while still on active duty, playing the club and festival circuit throughout the southeast. In 2017, Ryan signed on with the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) replacing Steven Tyler as the headlining act for the PBR World Finals at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. His music and speaking engagements are highly influenced by his journey through grief. Ryan has suffered the death of his brother (Aaron) and his brother-in-law (Randy) while they were on active duty. Both of his brothers’ ultimate sacrifices continue to fuel Ryan’s fire to accomplish his dreams in music.

 

We talk about being in the military, the death of his brother and brother-in-law, starting his music career, using his music to honor their memories, his song “what you think of me”, challenges after military loss (e.g., survivors remorse), and grief dreams of his brother.

  

You can find more about Ryan and his latest EP (Celebrate America) at

https://weavercountry.com/ and on IG @ryanweavercountry

 

Check out his two songs on loss

Never forgotten - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQs8khhWsro

What you think of me - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sua3nWfR4LE

 

E138 - Samantha Pasut - MonaLisa Healing

Samantha Pasut is Authentic, Living Magnetism in a powerful package. She is an accomplished artist and art historian, a spirit guide, chakra healing clairvoyant, and an Abundant Love and Courage Facilitator. A healer and an empath, Samantha is Canada’s youngest Reiki Master. She is also one of the leading CBD educators in the country and part owner of the Hemp derived CBD Company called MonaLisa Healing.

 

In this episode we talk about being authentic, creating boundaries, loving yourself, CBD, MonaLisa Healing, the death of her grandfather, and a grief dream of him before he died.

 

You can find more about Samantha at IG @daughterofpicasso

 

You can find more about MonaLisa Healing at monalisahealing.com, IG and Twitter @monalisahealing

E137 - Dave Marteau - The English Book of the Dead

Dave Marteau is a mental health professional and a writer who has worked for 30 years with and for those close to death in hospital, rehab, prison and hospice settings. Between 2000 and 2012 he was clinical drug adviser to the UK government, and more recently he has worked for the European Union and the United Nations. Dave is the author of The English Book of the Dead, a personal and scientific exploration of mortality. Dave's sister Elizabeth took her own life at 31, and his son Jack was killed crossing the road aged 21, hit by a speeding driver. 

 

In this episode we talk about working in the mental health field, mental health issues of his sister, the death of his sister and son, issues faced after both types of loss, grief dreams of his sister and son, his wife’s grief dream of their son, and his new book.

 

You can find more about Dave at www.englishbookofthedead.com

E136 - Mirabai Bush - A Loving Rock

Mirabai Bush teaches, practices, and develops programs through the application of contemplative principles and values to organizational life. She is a cofounder of the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society, founding board member of the Seva Foundation, and authored many books. Her most recent book (coauthored with Ram Dass) is called “Walking Each Other Home: Conversations on Loving and Dying”.

 

In this episode we talk about her new book, moments with Ram Dass, being a loving rock for the dying and bereaved, the death of her guru (Neem Karoli Baba) and her friend (Bokara), and a grief dream of Neem Karoli Baba

 

You can find more about Mirabai at www.mirabaibush.com

E135 - Lindsay Ciulla - Peaks and Valleys

Lindsay Ciulla is an artist and musician who grew up in Medina, Ohio. Her father was her high school band director and also one of her very best friends. Also known as DJ laChewla, Lindsay hosts her own radio show on WGRN 94.1LPFM in Columbus, Ohio. She is also involved in activism through her volunteer work at the community radio station and with Vegan Shift. 

 

In this episode we talk about being a musician, her radio show, her life with her father, his death, and her many grief dreams.

 

Her show, Peaks and Valleys streams live every Sunday night at 9pm EST on www.wgrn.org. 

 

Here is her father conducting his jazz band the Stardusters on his last band trip to Disney World in 2015 ( https://youtu.be/VqYReDOU5A8 ) and this is footage from his last year as the marching band director ( https://youtu.be/01SVXxRVoF8 ).