As I Live and Grieve®

Send us some LOVE!

Summary:
Do you believe we can communicate with those we have lost? Can they send messages? And do we need a medium to be the connection for this communication? Psychic medium Ada May Brown visits with us today to shed some light on this mystifying ability and talent. Tune in to hear what she has to say.

Episode Notes:
Ada has been a professional Psychic Medium for over a decade and a half working with individuals both in the United States and abroad.  Having been highly intuitive all of her life, it wasn’t until her mid-thirties that one of those little life altering moments happened and she realized what her abilities were.  This discovery started her quest in learning and studying as much as possible about this intuitive world we all live in, whether we know it or not. Now, twenty years later and nearly a decade and a half of being a professional psychic medium Ada is still impassioned and inspired to help others understand spirit communication, intuition, metaphysical events and more. 

Contact: 

www.asiliveandgrieve.com
[email protected] 
Facebook:  As I Live and Grieve 
Instagram:  @asiliveandgrieve 

To Reach Ada May: 

Email:  [email protected]
Website:  https://naturallistening.com

 Credits: 
Music by Kevin MacLeod 

Copyright 2020, by As I Live and Grieve

The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. 

Send us some LOVE!

Summary:
Complicated Grief has been a topic in previous episodes. Join us today as we hear from Rita Schulte, author of  Surviving Suicide Loss Making Your Way Beyond the Ruins, who not only had to endure grief after the suicide of her husband, but was also the person who found his body in their home. In using the word "Ruins" in her title, she captures the devastation of this horrendous discovery and her journey through grief afterward.

Episode Notes:
In her words, Rita says, " The pain of suicide loss is indescribable. It seems beyond survival. Yet with faith, perseverance, and the tools of brain science, there is a way through. It will take time. It will take struggle. But hope is real, for there are things you can do to make it to the other side."

 RITA A. SCHULTE is a licensed professional counselor who specializes in the treatment of mental health disorders. In 2011, she created Heartline Radio, a broadcast show that addresses cutting-edge mental health issues and provides content to educate and equip listeners in how mental health affects our culture. Rita is frequent contributor to many publications and is the author of Shattered: Finding Hope and Healing through the Losses of Life; Imposter: Gain Confidence, Eradicate Shame and Become Who God Made You to Be, and Think This Not That: Rewiring Your Brain to Eliminate Toxic Thinking. She speaks around the country on mental health-related issues. She received her B.S. in psychology and her master’s degree in counseling from Liberty University. Rita is no stranger to loss and suffering. In 2013, she lost her beloved husband to suicide and her world was decimated. She speaks candidly about this loss at her national workshops in the hope of helping others heal. Rita makes her home in the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.

Contact: 

www.asiliveandgrieve.com
[email protected] 
Facebook:  As I Live and Grieve 
Instagram:  @asiliveandgrieve 

To Reach Rita: 

Email:  [email protected]
Website:  https://ritaschulte.com/

 
Credits: 

Music by Kevin MacLeod 

Copyright 2020, by As I Live and Grieve

The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. 

Send us some LOVE!

Summary:
Personal stories touch us in many ways. Sometimes they help us feel we have gracefully avoided issues, and other times they help us realize we are not alone, nor crazy, nor odd. Hermès relates his journey through grief due both to loss of someone by death and also a devastating loss through a broken relationship.

Episode Notes:
Today’s guest, Hermès Auslander, is not your stereotypical griever. His words are selected carefully, his emotions controlled as he relates his story. It is his choice to be almost a mystery guest, yet you feel very connected to his narrative. His bio says, “An alien, just visiting Earth for awhile, and maybe decorating the place with some artwork while here. Successfully infiltrated and currently undercover in the U.S. military, creator of The Scuttlebutt Podcast, artist of countless canvases, but biographer NOT. “

Contact: 

www.asiliveandgrieve.com
[email protected] 
Facebook:  As I Live and Grieve 
Instagram:  @asiliveandgrieve

To Reach Hermès:

https://linktr.ee/hermesauslander

Credits: 
Music by Kevin MacLeod 

Copyright 2020, by As I Live and Grieve

The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. 

Send us some LOVE!

Summary:
We have all experienced that lump in our throat as we attend calling hours or a funeral. The lump you get when you know you should say something, as silence is awkward and uncomfortable. Andre Roupp, funeral director and supervisor at Roupp Funeral Home in Mifflinburg, PA. Andre offers his thoughts for words that are sincere and appropriate.

Episode Notes:
Andre is well-established in his community and has been in service to Mifflinburg for nearly 15 years at his funeral home. He has heard many sentiments uttered and seen the discomfort  for many attendees at calling hours. Add these comments to your repertoire and no longer experience that awkward silence.

Contact: 

www.asiliveandgrieve.com
[email protected] 
Facebook:  As I Live and Grieve 
Instagram:  @asiliveandgrieve 

To Reach Andre: 

Website:  https://www.rouppfuneralhome.com
Phone:  570-966-2402
Email:  [email protected]

Credits: 
Music by Kevin MacLeod 

Copyright 2020, by As I Live and Grieve

The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. 

Send us some LOVE!

Summary:
When your partner is given a diagnosis of terminal illness, your grief journey starts. You may move through your days providing care for your loved one, driving them to a myriad of appointments and treatments or back and forth from the hospital. As you lose your own identity, your routine, you tend to focus on the things you can do something about. Providing care, updating friends and family and spending every available precious minute with your loved one, knowing that in an undetermined, but finite period of time, you will be alone. Today's guest, Kathy Nawojczyk, knows this journey well, and speaks with us today about her final days with her husband.

Episode Notes:
Kathleen Nawojczyk (pronounced now-a-check) grew up Kathleen Prillo in Elizabeth, NJ.  She is the third of four children born to Anthony and Josephine Prillo.  After graduating from Mother Seton Regional High School in Clark, NJ, she began working for a major pharmaceutical company. However, after ten years she was given an opportunity to go into sales. Selling window treatments on the wholesale end felt right to her, as she is very much a people person. It was during this time she was setup on a blind date with Dan Nawojczyk, they hit it off and were married two years later. After fourteen years in sales the driving was beginning to take its toll. She was given an opportunity to return to the same pharma company she left years earlier.  She continues to work there to this day as an Executive Assistant. She has also acquired her Mad Dogg Spin Instructor Certification as well as ACE Strength and Conditioning Certification and now teaches spin and weight classes. She has always enjoyed writing short stories and poems for her own pleasure.

Contact:
Website:  www.asiliveandgrieve.com
Email:  [email protected] 
Facebook:  As I Live and Grieve 
Instagram:  @asiliveandgrieve 

Purchase Kathy's Book:
You're Not a Burden, by Kathy Nawojczyk

Music by Kevin MacLeod 

Copyright 2020, by As I Live and Grieve

The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. 

Send us some LOVE!

Summary:
When a couple is grieving the same loss at the same time, things can get complicated. We already now grief is different for everyone - and this fact can change the dynamics substantially. Today, Dan and Nancy Loeffler share their story, including how they each handled their own grief, and then the dynamics of being a couple.

Episode Notes:
Dan and Nancy Loeffler are the founders of Being With Grief. As parents who lost their 17-year-old daughter, Leah, in a car accident in November of 2000, they fully understand the territory of grief. Their daughter’s death provided a doorway to their transformation that they never expected. They now help others to navigate grief.  Dan is an Advanced Grief Recovery Specialist, and Nancy works intuitively, using mindfulness practices, as well as other strategies that assisted her on her journey.  She is also the Author of The Alchemy of Grief, Your Journey to Wholeness, an account of her grief journey as well as wisdom she discovered along the way. Their passion is changing the conversation around grief, and helping their clients find meaning, purpose and joy again so they can fully participate in their lives.

Contact:
Website:  www.asiliveandgrieve.com
Email:  [email protected] 
Facebook:  As I Live and Grieve 
Instagram:  @asiliveandgrieve 

To Reach the Loefflers:
Website:  https://beingwithgrief.com/
Nancy Loeffler, Samyama Practitioner, Grief Journey Guide, 919-500-3848

Music by Kevin MacLeod 

Copyright 2020, by As I Live and Grieve

The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. 

Send us some LOVE!

Summary:
Wouldn't it  be nice if there was a book we could turn to with answers to our deepest feelings, fears and emotions of grief? Let me re-introduce Gary Roe, whose book, The Grief Guidebook: Common Questions, Compassionate Answers, Practical Suggestions (Good Grief Series) has just hit the shelves of your favorite bookstores. Join us today as Gary introduces us to his newest book of 71 common questions about grieving.

Episode Notes:
Gary Roe is the multiple award-winning author of more than a dozen books including Comfort for the Grieving Spouse’s Heart, Shattered: Surviving the Loss of a Child, and Aftermath: Picking Up the Pieces After a Suicide. Gary’s books have won three international book awards and have been named as finalists eight times. He has been featured on Dr. Laura, The Daily Positive, Wellness, BeliefNet, Thrive Global, and other national media. A trusted and compassionate voice in grief recovery, Gary currently serves as a hospice chaplain and grief counselor for Hospice Brazos Valley in central Texas. Known for his engaging style and sense of humor, he is also a popular speaker at a wide variety of venues. 

 Contact: 

www.asiliveandgrieve.com
[email protected] 
Facebook:  As I Live and Grieve 
Instagram:  @asiliveandgrieve 

To Reach Gary Roe: 

Website:  https://www.garyroe.com/ 

 
Credits: 

Music by Kevin MacLeod 

Copyright 2020, by As I Live and Grieve

The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. 

Send us some LOVE!

Summary:
Caregivers are unique in that they give everything they have to care for someone in need. Some provide care for loved ones, some provide care as a career and yet others provide care out of a passion to serve. They are all subject to overloading their lives and burning out so the rest of us need to be aware of this and how we might help them to help us. Join us as Nancy Light shares her experience both as a caregiver and as an employer of caregivers.

Episode Notes:
We discuss why some people are inclined to be caregivers as well as the risks of becoming overwhelmed. Caregivers grieve, but frequently find themselves unable to fully grieve one loss before being faced with the very next patient and family in need of their services. This can intensify to a point Nancy calls the "boiling frog" point.  Nancy Light , BSN, RN, MPS has worked in the healthcare field for over 45 years. She was the Chief Nursing Officer for Crouse Hospital in Syracuse, NY until joining Francis House as the Resident Care Coordinator. Nancy served as Chief Operating Officer and then as Executive
 Director until her retirement in December 2020. During her tenure, she mentored many individuals and developing homes in the area of the social model of hospice care. Nancy serves on the professional advisory committees for Nascentia Healthcare and Hospice of Central New York as well as volunteering for Francis House. 

Contact:
www.asiliveandgrieve.com
[email protected] 
Facebook:  As I Live and Grieve 
Instagram:  @asiliveandgrieve 

To Find a Comfort Care Home:
Website: www.omegahomenetwork.org/
Phone: 918-510-3661

Credits: 
Music by Kevin MacLeod 

Copyright 2020, by As I Live and Grieve

The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. 

Send us some LOVE!

Summary:
Trauma-related grief  is far more than our initial concept of grief. In addition to the devastation that accompanies the death of a loved one, situations are added that can include litigation,  PTSD, media attention, face to face encounters with a perpetrator - a myriad of issues we cannot even imagine. Sharon Willow helps us better understand the complexities that result from trauma-related grief.

Episode Notes:
We've all seen and heard the news. It's full of murder on the streets, school shootings, natural disasters and everything else to which the media give priority. We empathize, offer prayers for survivors or family left behind. Then we move on. Loved ones may remain enmeshed in litigation, media frenzy and resulting issues for years. Still others may never find their case closed and are left for the rest of their lives in a state of limbo.

Sharon Willow is a certified marriage and family counselor, bereavement counselor, reiki practitioner, authentic movement practitioner and poet. She has years of experience teaching meditation, simple tai chi movements, breath and energy techniques, visualization and writing to relieve stress and create health for a better quality of life. She assists individuals in thawing the frozen places of trauma or stressful life circumstances that have caused disease. Sharon supports those who work with her to lean in and allow their unique relationship with grief’s rhythm to ebb and flow, encouraging their personal journey with loss to be felt. Through this work resilience is built, fear lessens, and trust grows as moments of rest and peace develop and strengthen. She assists families with graveside ceremonies as well as helping stage home environments for comfort and healing for living/dying well. She is a death doula, sitting bedside with the dying and supporting families as they say goodbye to loved ones and enter the post death grief process. Destress and confusion can arise between family members as a loved one dies. Sharon’s vast experience working with families in this difficult time helps families find comfort, understanding and support. She honors each individual’s experience, knowing we all grieve differently. Forever changed by loss, Sharon believes as we grow a greater wisdom of self in our allowing grief to be a companion to renewal, we can regain our footing and manage our life’s path.

Contact:
www.asiliveandgrieve.com
[email protected] 
Facebook:  As I Live and Grieve 
Instagram:  @asiliveandgrieve 

To Reach Sharon:
Website: monarchintegrativecare.com/grief-counseling.html
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 585-880-9956

Credits: 
Music by Kevin MacLeod 

Copyright 2020, by As I Live and Grieve

The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. 

Send us some LOVE!

IN MEMORY OF CHRISTOPHER JONES

Summary:
Grief is devastating in and of itself. Imagine though losing a loved one through violence - violence on the streets, in your own neighborhood, across the street from your own house, while you watch helplessly. Sirena Cotton relives that today in our conversation.

Episode Notes:
Sirena Cotton's strength is evident in our conversation. Though this traumatic death of her son was years ago it remains vivid in her memories. Sirena has moved through her grief with increasing passion, a passion that now is living in her community as a legacy to her son. ROC the Peace was formed by Sirena and its members participate routinely in community efforts for awareness and change. In addition, Sirena spearheads a youth version for those children who have lost parents or siblings to street violence. She speaks in schools, meets with local politicians and she is involved in almost every community effort to reclaim the streets and regain a more peaceful community for everyone.

Contact:
www.asiliveandgrieve.com
[email protected] 
Facebook:  As I Live and Grieve 
Instagram:  @asiliveandgrieve 

To Reach Sirena:
Website:  www.rocthepeace.org
Email:  [email protected]
Call/text: (585) 708-9787
Donations may be sent via:
PayPal to [email protected]
Cash app $ SIRENARTP
Or mail to p o box 24084 Rochester NY 14624

Credits: 
Music by Kevin MacLeod 

Copyright 2020, by As I Live and Grieve

The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.