Podcast

In this week's episode, I explore the positive benefits of joining a bereavement group as well as helping you to consider engaging a counselor. Support and help, when dealing with a significant loss, can come from many sources. For myself and my family, our community, our friends, and our vast families have been our primary support system. Supporting us during the diagnosis of my wife's breast cancer through the difficult decision to stop treatment, our support was incredible. But there are times when even that support may not seem to be quite enough. Discover why a bereavement group may be a priceless resource for you, especially throughout the holiday season. When it comes to counseling, the stigma that used to exist is long gone and its benefits could be just the added support you are missing. Take a listen as I dive into these options as well as some life lessons from friends I hold dear to me even today.

Through each experience in life, there are times when our own perspective could use a boost or a second look through different eyes. This episode offers a glimpse of just that, a new point-of-view from my daughter, Karen. Although a shorter episode of the Growing Through Loss Series, Karen and I touch upon her perspective of the support of others while on her own grief journey. A viewpoint not only from another person but from a different generation provides a priceless opportunity and insight in a younger generation that deserves more credit than they receive.

Let me be clear, the title of this episode doesn't relate to an experience I've had or a specific experience from anyone I know. Instead, it's the subject of a written piece by John Roedel that a good friend shared with me this past week. It is so good and on point, I felt I had to share it. It's a lengthy piece, so I've decided to read excerpts with some thoughts sprinkled in, sharing why a particular passage may have touched me. I'm certain if you are new to your grief journey or if you are years into it, this episode will reveal things about grief that will make you nod your head. To those trying to better understand a friend going through grief, this will give you the insight you need to understand where we are and what it looks like from our perspective.

As Journey to Grateful grows its community I realized some may not fully understand why the title of this podcast has been chosen. I explain the thought process behind the name of the podcast and encourage everyone, no matter their experience, to find the grateful in their lives. Grief is a lengthy journey, one which can become an integral part of your life for the foreseeable future. Finding your "grateful" through your journey can help to ease the pain while providing you with solace and comfort. Listen as I explain how looking to gratitude has helped me and my wife before me. 

When experiencing and navigating grief there are times when you might wonder if you're doing it right. This Growing Through Grief Series episode quickly addresses that question not only with a direct answer but also explores the many additional aspects of how your grief will be different than someone else's grief. Join me as I discuss my experience with this exact question and what I've heard from many others. As we walk down our path of grief, there will be times you wonder how everyone else is dealing with specific areas of their journey, today we examine a few and open a discussion for you to share yours.

Welcome to Part 2 of the Ten Surprises of Grief episode. As I've said before, through my grief journey, I've experienced many aspects of grief that have surprised me. I've also discovered more surprising experiences others have had with family or friends which became a large reason I began this podcast. It has been important to demystify the grief journey and shine a spotlight on misconceptions related to grief which I believe is important for every one of us to understand. Join me as we discuss the last 5 items of the Ten Surprises of Grief that will, for some, come as no surprise and for many will be enlightening as they navigate their grief journey.

During this new weekly series, I will share with you details of my grief journey as it's happening this week. Today I share with you my thoughts on Ups and Downs during grief, something I've been experiencing a bit more lately. Downs are not obviously external and they often don't feel the same way every time. I explain what I've been feeling this week, why I believe I'm a bit down lately, and things you can do to support someone who might be down because of their grief journey. 

Through my grief journey, I've experienced many aspects of grief – internal and external – which have surprised me. During early meetings with my bereavement group, I discovered more surprising experiences others have had with family or friends which became a large reason I began this podcast. It has been important to demystify the grief journey and shine a spotlight on misconceptions related to grief which I believe is important for every one of us to understand. Join me as we discuss Ten Surprises of Grief that will, for some, come as no surprise and for many will be enlightening as they navigate their grief journey.

When trying to help a friend or family member through their loss journey it's important to remember not to try too hard. The simplest of gestures will make as much of a difference and often times more. Don't try to compare your experience, instead, show understanding what they may be feeling and offer to be there for them as they need. Make your offers of help specific and easy for your newly grieving friend to more easily accept. Make it less of a chore for them to think of how you can help and more of a helpful gesture that is easily accomplished. 

As with living life for most anyone with a house and children, things tend to pile up. Responsibilities, issues, repairs, and school. When you add the process of grief into the mix, many small, inconsequential things have a way of having a larger impact on you. In this episode I explain my current grief journey as it reflects on every-day-life and offer words of encouragement for those who are finding the simplest things in life to be a struggle.