Breathing Wind

What is the focus, is it grief plus change, or change plus grief?

This is the first episode of Season Two (technically, though, it’s 1.5), and Sonia Loredo Traviesa and I have a conversation about her work, as well as change, grief, and our parallel struggles during 2020. To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

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What role does wonder have in grief? How do we change when grief affects us so young?

This is the last episode of Season One and I’ve chosen Surya Ohara to represent the conclusion, as she also represents the beginning of this podcast. We met at The Everything Conference in 2019, at a time when I really needed to have a community of others pursuing nontraditional paths to inspire me to keep going. In this episode, we touch on her story. We talk about her memories of her father, her father’s funeral, and how grief and wonder didn’t come to her until later in life. She also shares an excerpt from her blog titled “The Role of Wonder in Surviving Grief.”

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

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How does who we are carry on from who our parents are? Christopher Williams’ dad, Donald, passed away suddenly when he was in his late thirties. In this episode, we talk about his dad, his family and upbringing, his values around family, and even his plans for his dad’s barbeque sauce.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

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How might death shape us as compassionate and connected human beings, and how do we hold our community and allow our community to witness us during the hardest times of our lives? Daisy’s mom, Kim, passed away from breast cancer when she was 30. In this episode, she talks about how she made it through that loss and how she continues to honor her today.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

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What role does our gender play in grief? Paul Sockett is from England and has been developing his career as a professional actor and performer for 15 years. Paul considers himself an empath and, during the time of this recording, he was with his partner, supporting her through her loss. His feelings related to grief, even anger, came forward in this recording. In this episode, we talk about Paul’s experience and how grief shows up in his life today, as a man, actor, and partner.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

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As grievers, I think we can all relate to hearing something like, “At least they didn’t suffer,” or “Well, they had a good life.” These cringe-worthy glass-half-full clichés are etched into how our American culture processes loss. So, what do you say to someone who’s grieving? This is what Laura specializes in.

In this episode, I interview Laura Jack, a Mastery Level Transformational Life Coach, speaker, and compassionate leadership trainer. Laura talks about her mom and how her mom’s death catalyzed her growth from being a silver linings person to someone who feels all of her feelings authentically, her relationship with grief and happiness, and how she came to understand compassionate communication was her gift to the world.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

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What do you prioritize in life and why? In this episode, I interview Andrew Kaufteil, a marketing executive and friend of mine. When he lost his dad, he shifted his approach to prioritizing relationships over success and status. Andrew discusses his dad’s memory, his loss, and how he focuses now on his mom.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

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What effect does trauma have on our bodies? How does grief fit in? Joie Seldon is a trainer, coach, and specialist in the field of Emotional Intelligence. In this episode, she talks about the type of parent loss and trauma situation that Saam faced (Episode 18) and goes beyond this to focus on grief and parent loss in general, in context of how our body processes emotions, the lost expectations that can cause grief, and microtraumas surrounding parent loss. Though our conversation was recorded during pre-Covid times, it still holds relevance today.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

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Can genetics determine our future? What do we do when permanent loss creates mixed feelings and outcomes? Saam Barringer explores some of these ideas and how losing his dad shaped how he parents his children today.

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What does it mean to tend to our grief? Alica Forneret is a writer, facilitator, and Grief Guide who creates spaces for people to explore their grief. She is fiercely committed to making sure that we have more conversations about grief, death, and dying - whether that’s at home, at work, or with strangers on the bus. This episode was recorded live in collaboration with the “Reimagine: Life, Loss, & Love,” virtual festival, a response to COVID-19. 

In this episode, we talk about Alica’s mom and how grief has shaped her work today.

Alica talks about:

• Her mom and family life growing up
• Planning her mom’s funeral and the advice she gives for those in similar situations
• Learning about and tending to her grieving process
• How her work has helped her process

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.

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