As I Live and Grieve®

Send us some LOVE!

Summary:
Some people leave a note to be read after their death and these notes are treasured. Melissa Pennel's mother died unexpectedly and there was no note. As questions came to mind, Melissa compiled them into a book which she published, Questions You'll Wish You Asked: A Time Capsule Journal for Mothers and Daughters. She joins us today to tell us more about this book as well as the soon to be released version for Mothers and Sons.

Episode Notes:
Questions in her book serve as writing prompts and range from inquiries about mom's life as a young to her wishes and dreams for her daughter. Melissa Pennel is a writer, podcaster, and life coach living in Northern California. She has a keen interest in understanding the human condition and communicating how we can navigate a world that is at once beautiful and terrible. Her written work has been featured in publications such as Tiny Buddha, Elephant Journal, and Her View From Home. She’s the author of  “Questions You’ll Wish You Asked: A Keepsake Journal for Mothers and Daughters” which stemmed from the grief of losing her mother before asking important questions.

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 you lose your life partner to death, the devastation seems endless. If they were ill for a period of time, you may have been their caregiver, their advocate, their entire world - sacrificing yourself bit by bit without realizing it. Such was Marie's experience, which became her reason to become a Grief Coach. Listen to her story and how she helps others whose lives run parallel to her own.

Episode Notes:
As you start to heal, reality strikes a blow and you may not even know who you are anymore. Your life as previously known is no longer there. Your calendar is empty, as is your address book. You must redefine yourself. If you feel you need help or support, it might be that the best person to help is another who has walked that same journey. Marie is a Grief Coach and End-of-Life Specialist who walks the path of healing with women who have suffered a profound loss. She specializes in creating brave spaces for women to be seen, heard and witnessed in the fullness of their experience of loss. Her approach is based on the assumption that you are the expert of your own grief and my work focuses on guiding you back home to yourself so that you can find meaning in your life in the “after”. Having lost her partner to cancer, her guidance and coaching comes from both education and personal experience which allows her to deeply relate to her client’s experience of grief and loss. She is the founder of Empowered Through Grief, a coaching practice and community that provides a safe space for healing and post-traumatic growth for women grieving all types of loss.

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

To Contact Marie:
Website:  www.empoweredthroughgrief.com
Email:  [email protected]
Instagram: /empoweredthroughgrief

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:
Jason Dyke started his grief journey traumatically when his 11-year old son died from suicide. He saw the differences in the impact of grief on his wife and other two sons, but when his "bus family" stepped in to help, their support made a tremendous difference for Jason. Carson's Village is a legacy to Jason's son and serves those families devastated by a sudden loss. Jason shares with us today and this is an episode to not miss.

Episode Notes:
In June 2017, Jason Dyke founded Carson's Village, a first-of-its-kind nonprofit organization that provides free support and resources to families who have experienced the sudden loss of a loved one.  After the loss of his son, Jason realized that there is not an organization in the United States that is dedicated to supporting families from passing to the funeral and then through the first year after a loss to ensure healthy grieving.  Carson's Village was created to fill that gap and to address the stress and challenge of that period of time. As of March 1, 2021, Carson’s Village has helped nearly  800 families and was named the Organization of the Year (small) by DCEO.  In addition, Carson’s Village was selected by the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas to be in the 2020 cohort of the Social Innovation Accelerator program.  

Jason holds both a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering as well as a Masters of Business Administration from Texas A&M University. He works as a Business Development Manager on AT&T’s connected car team.  In the past, he has owned and operated two restaurants in the Austin area as well as an auto repair shop in north Dallas.  Jason serves as a board member on the Coppell Education Foundation.  His wife, April, is a diagnostician at Coppell Middle School North and together they have two sons, Alex who is freshman at Texas Tech University and Ryan who is a senior at Coppell high school.

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

To Contact Jason or Carson's Village:
Website:  www.carsonsvillage.org
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Carson's Village 

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:
Dealing with the death of a loved one is tough, but having to explain that death to a child is sometimes traumatic for both the adult and the child. Join us today as Kendall Lanning introduces her book, The Fox and the Feather, a children's book for the grieving heart.

Episode Notes: Fox and Cardinal are best friends. One day the Cardinal explains that he, “is sick and dying.” Although, the Fox is sad and crying, the Cardinal reminds him to look for signs.  Kendall is both the author and illustrator of this book that shows a child how to remember and remain connected to that person who is no longer here. The book includes resources such as developmental stages of grief to guide your discussion and directs to her website that has activities that accompany the story.

Kendall Lanning is a Certified Child Life Specialist, Certified Yoga Instructor, Energy Worker, Artist and Author/Illustrator. She finds her creative outlet through painting and artistic expression. She was intuitively guided to write and illustrate a children's book that will help children cope with death and grief. With an integration of her gifts, she listened to her calling to create The Fox and the Feather. The intention of this book is to enhance conversations of remembrance, in the hopes to give peace to the grieving heart in knowing that their loved one is still with them. Kendall is currently working on several children's books that open conversations to address difficult topics, while strengthen emotional and spiritual intelligence. She also facilities individualized therapeutic sessions though many unique healing modalities. 

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

Website:  www.padmalight.com
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @padma.light 
Facebook: Padma Light 

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!

Anxiety is the focus of our discussion today with guest Claire Bidwell Smith, author of Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief. We can understand anxiety easily in that initial phase of grief with the myriad of activities, tasks and the bustle of visitors, cards and calls. However, anxiety can remain and can also have a more troublesome impact further along in your grief. Claire helps us understand how anxiety plays a part in our grief and how we can allay the effects of this anxiety.

Claire Bidwell Smith is a therapist specializing in grief and the author of three books of nonfiction: The Rules of Inheritance, After This: When Life is Over Where Do We Go? and Anxiety: The Missing Stage of Grief. Claire offers numerous online programs for grief in addition to working with people one-on-one. Led by her own experiences with grief, and fueled by her work in hospice and private practice, Claire strives to provide support for all kinds of people experiencing all kinds of grief. In addition to having given dozens of talks on grief, Claire has written for and been featured in many publications including The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Scientific American, The LA Times, MSNBC, The Chicago Tribune, Goop, Oprah Magazine, and Psychology Today. She deeply loves her work and is devoted to expanding the conversation about grief and loss.

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

To reach Claire:
Website:  www.clairebidwellsmith.com
Instagram: @clairebidwellsmith
Facebook : @clairebidwellsmith
Twitter: @clairebidwellsmith

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:
Our guest is Amanda Ferrat, founder of Value Yourself Counseling, returns to offer insight into the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Tapping. This technique is frequently recommended by therapists to help grievers find stabilization and focus, especially during the intense emotions of initial grief.  

Episode Notes: 

Today Amanda guides us through a sample of the EFT Tapping. This simple technique combines affirmations with light touch on acupressure points and is most effective when taught by and followed by a Certified EFT practitioner, such as Amanda. Stephanie and I immediately understood how it could be useful for anxiety and other instances, and with guidance from Amanda learned how to accomplish the technique discreetly so it could be helpful even when in public. 

Thanks for listening! 

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

To reach Amanda:
Application for Coaching: https://bit.ly/vycapplication
Email: [email protected]
Instagram Handle: @valueyourselfcounseling
Facebook Business Page: https://www.facebook.com/valueyourselfcounseling
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/badasswomenbreakingbarriers

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:
Our pets, regardless of species, often become very near and dear to us with their unconditional love and soulful eyes. The death of that pet can be devastating to the owner, yet not fully understood by other's who have never experienced a similar loss. Wendy helps us understand disenfranchised grief and also speaks about how children respond to the loss of a pet, which is usually their very first experience with death and grief.

Episode Notes:
Wendy Andrew is founder and owner of The Scottish Pet Bereavement Counselling Service in Glasgow, Scotland, and the author of How To Recover from Pet Loss: Supporting You on Your Journey to Acceptance. Our discussion covers how disenfranchised grief can be hurtful to someone grieving the loss of a pet and then moves on to children, with suggestions on helping your child deal with this experience.

Contact Us: 

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

 Contact Wendy:

Website:   www.thescottishpetbereavementcounsellingservice.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thescottishpetbereavementcounsellingservice
Instagram: www.instagram.com/the_spbcs
Twitter: www.twitter.com/The_SPBCS
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-andrew-0963231b9 

 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:

Today we chat with Stevie Fedele, a Certified Life Coach, who helps us understand how partnering with a Life Coach might prove beneficial if you struggle with your grief, even walking us through a brief exercise she frequently uses with her clients.

 Episode Notes:

There are times in our grief that we feel stuck, not moving forward, and even not caring whether we do or not. It is at these times that loved ones might utter the word ‘therapy’ or suggest you get some help. One of our goals is to offer alternatives that might you might not even be aware of in an effort to help you sort out what appeals to you, what you think might help you. Today, Stevie Fedele explains what a Life Coach is and how working with one might be your solution to working through your grief.

 In Stevie’s own words: ”Family is the most important thing in my life, especially the ones I spend all my time with, my 5 year old daughter, my 8 month old son and my husband. I was raised by the most amazing parents I could ever ask for, one that now lives in heaven and the other that now goes by Papa. I have two older protective sisters that I love very much. My mom was Italian, so my extended family is a huge part of me and I love that about my life. Second to family is my passion to help people! Help them heal, grow and reach their own personal definition of success. This is my work as a life coach, a place where I have never felt more aligned. A place you’ll find me most, outside of my home, is at Breathe yoga, where I teach and practice yoga. This is a major source of my healing, growth and inspiration in life! As I said relationships with people is very high on my list of things I value, and with that said, I have some of the most amazing friendships and a community of beautiful people that support me daily. I live for quotes and one of my favorites is ‘I have found that if you love life, life will love you back.’ I’m learning and practicing how to love life every day, every moment.” Email Stevie to arrange for a FREE 45-minute call to learn more.

Contact Us:

Website:  www.asiliveandgrieve.com 

Email:  [email protected] 

Facebook:  As I Live and Grieve 

Instagram:  @asiliveandgrieve 

Contact Stevie: 

 Email:  [email protected]

Instagram:  @Solcoaching27

Facebook:  Stevie Fedele

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:
Author Beth Castrodale shares how her grief actually interrupted progress on her novel and what she did to move past this. She offers suggestions for how you might benefit from putting thoughts and feelings in words and writing them down, even if you think you can't write.

Episode Notes:
Writing can often be cathartic and is frequently suggested by therapists, as well as in bereavement groups. There are additional advantages to writing as sometimes these memories can be shared with other members of the family, even generations later. Whether it is in a journal or a computer-generated document, putting your thoughts on paper may well help you free them and allow you to continue on your grief journey.

Beth Castrodale worked as a newspaper reporter until her love of books led her to the publishing field. She was a senior editor at Bedford/St. Martin’s and is the founding editor of Small Press Picks. Her short fiction and essays have appeared in numerous publications, including Live Write Thrive, Printer’s Devil Review, the Smoky Blue Literary and Arts Magazine, and Writing and Wellness, which featured her article “How to Write Your Way Through Loss and Grief.”

 Her debut novel, Marion Hatley, was a finalist for a Nilsen Prize for a First Novel from Southeast Missouri State University Press, and an excerpt from her second novel, In This Ground, was a shortlist finalist for a William Faulkner – William Wisdom Creative Writing Award. Her latest novel, I Mean You No Harm, is forthcoming from Imbrifex Books.

If you sign up for Beth’s email newsletter, you’ll get a free copy of her novel Gold River.

 To Contact Beth:

Website: www.bethcastrodale.com

Email: [email protected]

Contact Us: 

www.asiliveandgrieve.com 

[email protected] 

Facebook:  As I Live and Grieve 

Instagram:  @asiliveandgrieve 

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 are delighted today to learn about Rocky, a goldendoodle who serves at Bartolomeo & Perotto Funeral Home in Rochester, NY. Rocky charmed his owner, Mike Perotto, into speaking with us and we invite you to listen in.

Episode Notes:
Dogs have an incredible way of breaking through those invisible barriers that hold people back when it comes to comforting those in pain. Much training was involved, but Rocky is often the first to identify the griever most in need of comfort and, will even accompany a reluctant child to the kneeler and assume a prayerful position. Listen to Mike Perotto’s recollections of Rocky’s successes and the immeasurable comfort a therapy dog can offer the bereaved.

Rocky

Rocky was born June 2015 and resides in Greece (suburb of Rochester, NY) with his “father” Mike, and “brothers” Michael & Jon. At home he enjoys playing tug of war and watching the critters in the back yard, though he is not a squirrel fan. He loves to sit on the lap of anyone who thinks they are going to watch TV and actually watches the TV himself. Like other dogs, he enjoys playing fetch and is always under foot.

Rocky’s goal at work everyday is simple. He enjoys bringing comfort to those who have lost a loved one. He has quickly become the most popular member of the Bartolomeo & Perotto team. He has been “working” at the funeral home since 2016 and is more well known than any other staff member.

Michael Perotto, President, Funeral Director since 1988

Mike attended Canton College for Mortuary Science. After completing his residency he earned his funeral director’s license. Since then, he’s been growing the business with his dad, Phil, and brother, David. A large part of his commitment to improving funeral care is being involved in industry-related organizations. He has previously served as president of both the Preferred Funeral Directors International (PDFI) and the local Rochester Genesee Valley Funeral Directors Association. Mike is currently serving as a board member for the Greece Rotary.

Mike has enjoyed watching his own sons, Michael and Jon grow into young men who are now creating their own distinct futures. Mike’s third “son,” Rocky is the family’s faithful companion. Aside from keeping lacrosse stats on the sidelines of his son’s games over the years, Mike is true outdoorsman who loves to hunt, hike, fish, or just sit around a campfire with friends. When he gets some spare time, he likes cooking and perfecting timing and flavors with his food smoker.

“It is our commitment to the Bartolomeo legacy, reaching back to 1922, that motivates us to continue to grow and improve.”

Contact: 

www.asiliveandgrieve.com 

[email protected] 

Facebook:  As I Live and Grieve 

Instagram:  @asiliveandgrieve 

To Reach Mike Perotto: 

Website: www.bartolomeo.com   

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.