A conversation about life, loss, grief, and grief dreams with one of the leading academic researchers on the topic, Dr. Joshua Black. Visit www.griefdreams.ca for more information on grief dreams.
Episodes
Friday May 30, 2025
Friday May 30, 2025
Earla Legault advocates for adult sibling grief peer support and using creativity to process grief. She co-wrote and illustrated the book Living With Sibling Grief: Imagining a Way Forward with her sibling grief buddy Monica Murphy. Earla is the 2024 recipient of The Compassionate Friends Karen Snepp Outstanding Sibling Award, given to those making significant contributions to fostering and furthering the philosophy of sibling programs. She currently co-hosts the monthly online Canada Sibling Sharing Circle, a peer grief support group for adult siblings. You can find more about Earla on Instagram @sibling.grief.buds or here
In this episode, we talk about her grief after the death of her sister, the importance of support for adult siblings, her new book, grief dreams she had of her sister and dad, and her niece’s grief dream.
You can find more about Grief Dreams here:
Website – www.griefdreams.ca
Instagram and Twitter - @Griefdreams
Facebook – Grief Dreams Podcast Page and Grief Dreams Group
Looking for ways to support the podcast?
You can help support the Grief Dreams Podcast in a few ways:
1) Subscribe to the podcast (on the platform you listen) and give a review. This improves its online visibility.
2) Support the topic by sharing the podcast or website. I appreciate any support that contributes to raising awareness on the topic.
3) Become a Patreon supporter (monthly financial support)
https://www.patreon.com/griefdreamspodcast
4) Buy me a Coffee (one-time financial support)
Sunday Apr 27, 2025
Sunday Apr 27, 2025
Lindsey Whissel Fenton is an Emmy award-winning filmmaker, international speaker, and grief educator. In her current role as a senior producer and director at PBS/NPR affiliate WPSU, Lindsey focuses on projects related to grief, trauma, and mental health. She is the creator of Speaking Grief and its sister-initiative, Learning Grief, and serves on the board of directors for the National Alliance for Children’s Grief (NACG). Lindsey is the founder of Empathic Media, a company that works with clients from non-profit organizations to provide thoughtful and compelling content creation services. She’s also the creator, producer, and host of The Apologies Podcast. You can find more about Lindsey on Instagram @lindseywhisselfenton or at https://lindseywhisselfenton.com/
In this update episode we talk about her new losses since being on the show over 4 years ago (episode 168), including the death of her dog. We discussed her relationship with her dog, her grief, and her grief dreams. We also chatted about the Learning Grief website.
You can find more about Grief Dreams here:
Website – www.griefdreams.ca
Instagram and Twitter - @Griefdreams
Facebook – Grief Dreams Podcast Page and Grief Dreams Group
Looking for ways to support the podcast?
You can help support the Grief Dreams Podcast in a few ways:
1) Subscribe to the podcast (on the platform you listen) and give a review. This improves its online visibility.
2) Support the topic by sharing the podcast or website. I appreciate any support that contributes to raising awareness on the topic.
3) Become a Patreon supporter (monthly financial support)
https://www.patreon.com/griefdreamspodcast
4) Buy me a Coffee (one-time financial support)
Saturday Dec 07, 2024
Saturday Dec 07, 2024
Alison Garwood-Jones is an award-winning magazine writer and a former editor at Elle Canada. She now heads up Pen Jar Productions, an art shop and publishing imprint. She also teaches writing and digital strategy at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies, where she won the 2021 Excellence in Teaching Award. Alison’s new picture book, titled “I MISS MY MOMMY: 150 Portraits of Orphaned Adults”. You can find more about Alison at https://alisongarwoodjones.com/.
In this episode, I talk with Alison about the death of her parents, her grief journey, her new picture book, and grief dreams of her parents.
You can find more about Grief Dreams here:
Website – www.griefdreams.ca
Instagram and Twitter - @Griefdreams
Facebook – Grief Dreams Podcast Page and Grief Dreams Group
Looking for ways to support the podcast?
You can help support the Grief Dreams Podcast in a few ways:
1) Subscribe to the podcast (on the platform you listen to) and give a review. This improves our online visibility.
2) Support the topic by sharing the podcast or website. I appreciate any support that contributes to raising awareness on the topic.
3) Become a Patreon supporter (monthly financial support)
https://www.patreon.com/griefdreamspodcast
Sunday Jun 02, 2024
Sunday Jun 02, 2024
Dr. Saul Ebema brings over 20 years of spiritual care experience to his role as President of Hospice Chaplaincy and Director of Bereavement Services for a leading home health and hospice provider in the United States. Ordained as a minister in South Africa, he served in various pastoral roles supporting congregations and outreach. Dr. Ebema completed his Doctor of Ministry focused on advancing hospice chaplaincy practices. He has over a decade of experience as a healthcare and hospice chaplain providing compassionate end-of-life support. Recognized as a leader in his field, Dr. Ebema’s mission is transforming care for diverse communities. In addition to patient services, he advocates for education and research on inclusive, meaningful end-of-life experiences. Through his podcast, online training, and publications, Dr. Ebema is helping prepare providers to foster healing for those coping with terminal illness, grief, and bereavement.
In this episode we talk with Dr. Ebema about the murder of his parents when he was a child, being kidnapped by rebels, the murder of his brother, nightmares throughout his healing journey, finding his faith, and working with those who are at end-of-life and bereaved.
You can find more about Dr. Ebema and The Hospice Chaplaincy Show at https://hospicechaplaincy.com/clinical-practice/
You can find more about Grief Dreams here:
Our website – www.griefdreams.ca
Instagram and Twitter - @Griefdreams
Facebook – Grief Dreams Podcast Page and Grief Dreams Group
Looking for ways to support the podcast?
You can help support the Grief Dreams Podcast in a few ways:
1) Become a Patreon supporter (monthly financial support)
https://www.patreon.com/griefdreamspodcast
2) Subscribe to the podcast (on the platform you listen) and give a review. This improves our online visibility.
3) Support the topic by sharing the podcast or website. We appreciate any support that contributes to raising awareness on the topic.
Friday Apr 05, 2024
Friday Apr 05, 2024
Dr. Enrique A. Mundaca is a Biologist graduated from the University of Concepción (Chile), holds a Master of Science in Conservation Biology, and a PhD in Ecology from Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand). He has a wide range of research interests including taxonomy and ecology of insects; natural history of marine organisms; sustainability in agricultural ecosystems; agro-biodiversity as cultural heritage; human-nature relationship, and environmental education. On a personal level, he has studied classical and jazz percussion, and has participated as a guest drummer in numerous musical events and radio programmes specialised in jazz. After the passing of his lifetime best friend, Dr. Mundaca had two grief dreams that changed his life profoundly. This opened his mind into new perspectives about death and the process of dying, which has significantly expanded the horizons of his understanding of life.
In this episode we talk with Enrique about being an atheist, his friend’s battle with cancer, the grief after his death, dreams of his deceased friend, and how his dreams changed his grief and his belief about an afterlife.
You can find more about Grief Dreams here:
Our website – www.griefdreams.ca
Instagram and Twitter - @Griefdreams
Facebook – Grief Dreams Podcast Page and Grief Dreams Group
Looking for ways to support the podcast?
You can help support the Grief Dreams Podcast in a few ways:
1) Become a Patreon supporter (monthly financial support)
https://www.patreon.com/griefdreamspodcast
2) Subscribe to the podcast (on the platform you listen) and give a review. This improves our online visibility.
3) Support the topic by sharing the podcast or website. We appreciate any support that contributes to raising awareness on the topic.
Monday Feb 19, 2024
Monday Feb 19, 2024
In this episode we recap some of the dream conversations we had with guests in 2023.
You can find more about Grief Dreams here:
Our website – www.griefdreams.ca
Instagram and Twitter - @Griefdreams
Facebook – Grief Dreams Podcast Page and Grief Dreams Group
Looking for ways to support the podcast?
You can help support the Grief Dreams Podcast in a few ways:
1) Become a Patreon supporter (monthly financial support)
https://www.patreon.com/griefdreamspodcast
2) Buy us a Coffee (one-time financial support)
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/griefdreams
3) Subscribe to the podcast (on the platform you listen) and give a review. This improves our online visibility.
4) Support the topic by sharing the podcast or website. We appreciate any support that contributes to raising awareness on the topic.
Saturday Sep 30, 2023
Saturday Sep 30, 2023
Nikki Wilson is a model and the owner of Mira Denim. Mira Denim is a small batch, ethically made, sustainable fashion company. You can find more about Nikki on Instagram @nikkiwilso or at https://www.miradenim.com/
In this update episode we talk about her grief journey since joining us 4 years ago on the podcast (episode 128), building confidence, learning about her emotions, ambiguous loss of her birds, and dreams relating to her deceased uncle and of her birds.
You can find more about Grief Dreams here:
Our website – www.griefdreams.ca
Instagram and Twitter - @Griefdreams
Facebook – Grief Dreams Podcast Page and Grief Dreams Group
Looking for ways to sup port the podcast?
You can help support the Grief Dreams Podcast in a few ways:
1) Become a Patreon supporter (monthly financial support)
https://www.patreon.com/griefdreamspodcast
2) Buy us a Coffee (one-time financial support)
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/griefdreams
3) Subscribe to the podcast (on the platform you listen) and give a review. This improves our online visibility.
4) Support the topic by sharing the podcast or website. We appreciate any support that contributes to raising awareness on the topic
Sunday Jul 09, 2023
Sunday Jul 09, 2023
Emily Bevan is a writer and actor, perhaps best known for her role as spirited zombie Amy Dyer in BAFTA winning series ‘In The Flesh’. She is soon to appear on Disney plus/Hulu in the hotly anticipated tv series of the much loved film, The Full Monty. Other credits include Funny woman, Doc Martin, Temple, GRANTCHESTER, Domina and many more. In the run up to her father’s untimely death in 2014, Emily kept a diary of thoughts, feelings, anecdotes and poems as a way of keeping sane. These diaries were published by Unbound in 2022 in the form of ‘The Diary of Losing Dad’ and releasing them to the world has been a hugely cathartic exercise. You can find more about Emily on Instagram and Twitter @EmilyGraceBevan.
In this episode we talk about her experiences of keeping a diary when her father was dying and some moments that occurred, writing her book ‘The Diary of Losing Dad’, her grief journey following his death, connecting with her father through the senses and activities, and grief dreams of her deceased father that she had, as well as ones that her husband and mother had.
You can find more about Grief Dreams here:
Our website – www.griefdreams.ca
Instagram and Twitter - @Griefdreams
Facebook – Grief Dreams Podcast Page and Grief Dreams Group
Looking for ways to support the podcast?
You can help support the Grief Dreams Podcast in a few ways:
1) Become a Patreon supporter (monthly financial support)
https://www.patreon.com/griefdreamspodcast
2) Buy us a Coffee (one-time financial support)
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/griefdreams
3) Subscribe to the podcast (on the platform you listen) and give a review. This improves our online visibility.
4) Support the topic by sharing the podcast or website. We appreciate any support that contributes to raising awareness on the topic
Friday Jun 09, 2023
Friday Jun 09, 2023
After teaching poetry as an academic for over 20 years, Cathy Sosnowsky started writing poetry herself in response to the sudden death of her teenaged son. Two lines of poetry came to her in a dream on the very night he died. She had to get out of bed and write them down. From then on, in her grief journey, writing poetry saved her. Eventually, many of these poems were published in the book, Holding On: Poems for Alex. Cathy has since published two more books: Snapshots: A Story of Love, Loss, and Life, and, more recently, Finding Heartstone: A Taste of Wilderness. As a chapter leader of The Compassionate Friends, a support group for bereaved parents, Cathy often gives “Writing as Healing Workshops.” You can find more about Cathy at www.cathysosnowsky.com
In this episode we talk about the death of her 17-year-old son, how she used poetry to process her grief, poems she wrote, and a grief dream of her deceased son.
You can find more about Grief Dreams here:
Our website – www.griefdreams.ca
Instagram and Twitter - @Griefdreams
Facebook – Grief Dreams Podcast Page and Grief Dreams Group
Looking for ways to support the podcast?
You can help support the Grief Dreams Podcast in a few ways:
1) Become a Patreon supporter (monthly financial support)
https://www.patreon.com/griefdreamspodcast
2) Buy us a Coffee (one-time financial support)
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/griefdreams
3) Subscribe to the podcast (on the platform you listen) and give a review. This improves our online visibility.
4) Support the topic by sharing the podcast or website. We appreciate any support that contributes to raising awareness on the topic
Sunday May 21, 2023
Sunday May 21, 2023
Krishma Arora immigrated to the United States from India when she was five years old, and grew up on Long Island and then attended New York University. She is a poet, writer, and public speaker. For a few years, she was the author of “Free Spirit,” a monthly column in her hometown magazine, Brookville Living. She has an MS in Education, as well as an MS in Marketing. She has also worked as a high school social studies teacher for 11 years. She lives in New York with her husband and four children. Krishma’s newest book is called “From Ash to Ashes”. She began writing From Ash to Ashes seventeen years ago, after the death of her first child. His loss was the inspiration for her book, and she has dedicated it to his memory. In addition to From Ash to Ashes, she is also writing a nonfiction book, titled Brown Girl’s Guide, a collection of essays on womanhood and motherhood as seen through the eyes of a woman of color. You can find more about Krishma at www.krishmatuliarora.com, Instagram and Twitter: @krishmawrites
In this episode we talk about her grief experience following the death of her first child, writing her new book, the challenges in coping with her grief, learning to surrender, challenging cultural norms through Sikhism, and dreams of her deceased child, grandmother, and friend.
You can find more about Grief Dreams here:
Our website – www.griefdreams.ca
Instagram and Twitter - @Griefdreams
Facebook – Grief Dreams Podcast Page and Grief Dreams Group
Looking for ways to support the podcast?
You can help support the Grief Dreams Podcast in a few ways:
1) Become a Patreon supporter (monthly financial support)
https://www.patreon.com/griefdreamspodcast
2) Buy us a Coffee (one-time financial support)
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/griefdreams
3) Subscribe to the podcast (on the platform you listen) and give a review. This improves our online visibility.
4) Support the topic by sharing the podcast or website. We appreciate any support that contributes to raising awareness on the topic.
Tuesday May 02, 2023
Tuesday May 02, 2023
Dr. Donna Stoneham is the author of The Thriver’s Edge: Seven Keys to Transform the Way You Live, Love, and Lead (SWP, 2015), and a contributor to the anthology, Art in the Time of Unbearable Crisis: Women Writer’s Respond to the Call (SWP, 2022), and the new book Catch Me When I Fall: Poems of Mother Loss and Healing (being released May 9, 2023). Additionally, over the span of her thirty-year career in leadership development, she has coached hundreds of leaders, teams, and executives, guiding them to live more fulfilling, authentic lives while expressing their gifts in the world. She has also worked for twelve years part-time as a chaplain and a hospice chaplain, providing spiritual and end-of-life care in nursing homes, and assisted living facilities. You can find more about Donna at https://donnastoneham.com/
In this episode we talk about her near-death experience after a suicide attempt at age 15, her relationship with her mother before and after her death, her new book, coping with her grief, honouring her mother on Mother’s Day, and dreams of her deceased mother.
You can find more about Grief Dreams here:
Our website – www.griefdreams.ca
Instagram and Twitter - @Griefdreams
Facebook – Grief Dreams Podcast Page and Grief Dreams Group
Looking for ways to support the podcast?
You can help support the Grief Dreams Podcast in a few ways:
1) Become a Patreon supporter (monthly financial support)
https://www.patreon.com/griefdreamspodcast
2) Buy us a Coffee (one-time financial support)
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/griefdreams
3) Subscribe to the podcast (on the platform you listen) and give a review. This improves our online visibility.
4) Support the topic by sharing the podcast or website. We appreciate any support that contributes to raising awareness on the topic.
Saturday Oct 15, 2022
Saturday Oct 15, 2022
Raymond Moody, M.D., Ph.D. is a world-renowned author, lecturer, and psychiatrist whose seminal work, Life After Life, changed the way we view death and dying. He is widely acknowledged as the world’s leading expert on near-death experiences. Visit Dr. Moody online at www.lifeafterlife.com
In this episode we talk about his research on near-death experiences (NDEs), similarities of NDEs to grief dreams and end-of-life dreams and visions, his grief after the death of his mom and friends, taking on the characteristics of his deceased friend, and his grief dreams of his grandmother and friend.
You can find more about Grief Dreams here:
Our website – www.griefdreams.ca
Instagram and Twitter - @Griefdreams
Facebook – Grief Dreams Podcast Page and Grief Dreams Group
Looking for ways to support the podcast?
You can help support the Grief Dreams Podcast in a few ways:
1) Become a Patreon supporter (monthly financial support)
https://www.patreon.com/griefdreamspodcast
2) Buy us a Coffee (one-time financial support)
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/griefdreams
3) Subscribe to the podcast (on the platform you listen) and give a review. This improves our online visibility.
4) Support the topic by sharing the podcast or website. We appreciate any support that contributes to raising awareness on the topic.
Saturday Jan 22, 2022
Saturday Jan 22, 2022
In this episode (Part 2), we recap some of the dream conversations we had with guests in 2021.
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You can find more about Grief Dreams here:
Our website – www.griefdreams.ca - where you can find links to the podcast.
Instagram and Twitter - @Griefdreams
Clubhouse - @Griefdreams (Note: we have 2 clubs you can join - Grief Dreams and Grief Café)
Facebook – Grief Dreams Podcast Page and Grief Dreams Group
To support the podcast on Pateron visit https://www.patreon.com/griefdreamspodcast
Sunday Dec 12, 2021
Sunday Dec 12, 2021
Dr. Karen Wyatt is the bestselling author of the book 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying, which contains stories of patients she cared for as a hospice doctor and the spiritual lessons she learned from them at the end of their lives. Dr. Wyatt also hosts End-of-Life University Podcast, which features conversations with experts who work in all aspects of end-of-life care. She is widely regarded as a thought-leader in the effort to transform the way we care for our dying in the U.S. In addition, she is valued for her application of spiritual principles to illness and healthcare.
In this episode we talk about her podcast, working as a hospice doctor, the death of her father by suicide, difficulties processing the death, and grief dreams of her father.
You can find more about Karen at www.eoluniversity.com and on Instagram @kwyattmd
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You can find more about Grief Dreams here:
Our website – www.griefdreams.ca - where you can find links to the podcast.
Instagram and Twitter - @Griefdreams
Clubhouse - @Griefdreams (Note: we have 2 clubs you can join - Grief Dreams and Grief Café)
Facebook – Grief Dreams Podcast Page and Grief Dreams Group
To support the podcast on Pateron visit https://www.patreon.com/griefdreamspodcast
Saturday Sep 18, 2021
Saturday Sep 18, 2021
Heike Mertins is an author, blogger and speaker. She is the author of “Grief is...Thoughts on loss, struggle and new beginnings” (2017), which chronicles her journey through the bizarre, frustrating and at times humorous world of incomprehensible loss. Following the death of her brother and husband, Heike began to document the process of loss, emotion and healing that accompanies a momentous life change.
In this episode we talk about the death of her brother, husband, and mother, the little things in grief that are not talked about, her book about grief, sleep changes and triggers after loss, humorous aspects in grief, and grief dreams of her husband.
You can find more about Heike at https://heikemertins.com/
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You can find more about Grief Dreams here:
Our website – www.griefdreams.ca - where you can find links to the podcast.
Instagram and Twitter - @Griefdreams
Clubhouse - @Griefdreams (Note: we have 2 clubs you can join - Grief Dreams and Grief Café)
Facebook – Grief Dreams Podcast Page and Grief Dreams Group
To support the podcast on Pateron visit https://www.patreon.com/griefdreamspodcast