In this episode, I have a discussion with Katie and Rebecca about "Caregiver Identity Loss."

Rebecca shared the story of her mom in Episode 17, and my friend Katie was listening to Rebecca's episode soon after her 4 year old daughter, Cassidy, finished a 15-month treatment for a rare form of Neuroblastoma. Katie was so thankful to hear that the identity loss that can occur after completion of a long treatment plan is normal! So we decided to talk about the sense of loss that can happen when the appointments, tests, surgeries and hospital visits come to an end. 

All of our stories are important! If you have a story to share, please send an email to [email protected]. You don't have to be a DWOM to share your story. All are welcome!

Do you need to talk? Sign up for a 20-minute Connection Call here.

For more information on my thoughts on grief, please visit my website, www.yourgriefjourney.com.

This is my first interview with a son without a mom! Raymond's sister, Danielle, shared in Episode 12. Raymond reached out and said that he would like to share his story. I said absolutely!! Raymond has done a lot of hard work and soul searching over the past 8 years. He highly recommends the book The Grief Recovery Handbook, which played a big part in his grieving process. I also ask Raymond about his thoughts on how our culture expects men to grieve.

Raymond's takeaway: Don't let anyone tell you when you are supposed to grieve!

All of our stories are important! If you have a story to share, please send an email to [email protected]. You don't have to be a DWOM to share your story. All are welcome!

Need to talk? Sign up for a 20-minute Connection Call here. 

For more information on my thoughts on grief, please visit my website, www.yourgriefjourney.com.

Jaime lost her mom almost 13 years ago, and instead of sharing the story of how she lost her mom, she shares 11 tips for living without a mom.

In addition to her daytime job, Jaime is a yoga teacher and you can find her at www.purebalanceandjoy.com. Jaime also shares about the club "Intentional Connectors" on Clubhouse.

All of our stories are important! If you have a story to share, please send an email to [email protected]. You don't have to be a DWOM to share your story. All are welcome!

For more information on my thoughts on grief, please visit my website, www.yourgriefjourney.com.

Maria's mom died of lung cancer in 2013. She made the decision to go on hospice and passed less than 48 hours after making that decision. Maria is so proud of her mom for choosing her path with strength and courage. Maria credits her mom's strong faith in helping her make the decision. Maria's mom has shown up with many times in Maria's life, during times of difficult decisions and uncertainty. 

You can find Maria on her website: www. mariamckeon.com, on Facebook and on Instagram. 

All of our stories are important! If you have a story to share, please send an email to [email protected]. You don't have to be a DWOM to share your story. All are welcome!

For more information on my thoughts on grief, please visit my website, www.yourgriefjourney.com.

Welcome to the first episode that is not a Daughter Without A Mom! But, it's such an important story. 

Chief Jim Leary was our local Police Chief for 10 years, until his recent retirement. In 2019, his wife Martha passed from ALS. Chief had 46 years of police service, and also served in the US Army. However, none of this training or experience prepared him for the grief after losing his wife. He's brutally honest and vulnerable about the grief experience he's had (and continues to have) and also shares tips on ways to honor yourself in the process. 

All of our stories are important. If you have a story to share, please send an email to [email protected]. You don't have to be a daughter to share your story. All are welcome! 

For more information on my thoughts on grief, please visit my website, www.yourgriefjourney.com. 

These are recordings from Instagram live videos, where I share my thoughts on using grace and grit to grow with grief. They are the foundational elements of the Permission Program, and what I use to grow in my own grief journey.

To see more information, please visit my website, www.yourgriefjourney.com. You can reach me via email at [email protected]

Jolena lost her mom when she was 13. Her mom, Joan, was a single mom, and Jolena and her brother had an extremely close relationship with her. However, due to a never-ending stream of traumatic events, Jolena never really mourned her death. But now her mom is starting to show up in her life in new ways.

Jolena's Takeaway: Grief is a wicked little beast that can come in so many forms. But I really believe that you have so much power than you know to create healing. You can change your mindset and propel your healing forward.

Jolena has created a skin care line of holistic bath and body products to support families with eczema. Her company, Love Energy Nature, supports families dealing with eczema through a thriving online membership called Healthy Habits for Eczema, educational workshops, and her all-natural skincare line made for sensitive skin and packaged using sustainable materials. You can also find Jolena on Facebook and Instagram, and her email is [email protected]. 

Part I of my Permission Program will start on May 17th! To learn more the Permission Program, please visit my website or click here to sign up. Thanks for listening!

Christine Tangishaka's mom, Sylvia, was larger than life. She was the kindest, most welcoming woman, with deep faith. Sylvia died of pancreatic cancer in 2004. Christine had already lost her dad, too. 

As Christine processed her own grief, she realized that there wasn't lots of support for motherless daughters. In 2017 she recalls thinking there ought to be a thing! And her husband encouraged her to do it. She became a certified Grief Support Specialist, and started "Remembering our Mothers."

Christine's takeaways:

You can find Christine at www.yourgriefspecialist.com. She is hosting a Remembering our Mother's virtual event coming on Saturday, May 8th at 4:00 pm EST. You can register for her event here. To reach Christine via email: [email protected]