Grief Club: The Podcast with Addison Brasil

In this special episode on the 11th Anniversary of my father, Henry Brasil's passing by suicide,  my dear friend, Chris Caron, and I invite you to share a poignant journey with us, as we navigate the complex terrains of grief and memories, particularly the heartache and growth we've experienced since our fathers passed away. We hope our candid conversation of getting to know each other's fathers illuminates the diverse faces of grief, extending beyond the common association with funerals, and serving as a comforting echo for those who find themselves walking a parallel path.

Our reminiscence takes us through some of the fondest memories of our fathers and the life lessons they left behind. Chris paints a vivid portrait of his father, Richard Edmond Caron, capturing the essence of his creativity, his hobbies, and the pride he exuded in Chris's journey. From jovial tales of singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" to the somber realization of the silent struggles our fathers shouldered, we peel back the layers of their personalities and humanize rather than eulogize these  fully feeling, fully flawed humans we called Dad. 

As we delve deeper, we reflect on the fatherly advice we carry in our hearts, the embarrassing moments that still trigger a chuckle, and the void their absence has carved in our lives. Addison offers a unique perspective on grief, sharing how he manages his post-traumatic response (after finding his father from suicide loss) and views his father's memory as a source of peace and comfort. Together, we share our insights on coping with loss, making sense of memories, and finding a glimmer of hope in the overwhelming darkness of grief. Walk this journey with us as we honor our fathers, our heroes, in an episode that promises to be as raw as it is comforting.

This is based on Week in the book First Year of Grief Club: A Gift From A Friend Who Gets It. Where we normalize a way to work past survivors' guilt and set up a format to use with a grief peer to talk about our lost loved ones.

Where Can I Find More of Chris?
@chriscaron

Hosted By: Addison Brasil
Author of First Year Of Grief Club: A Gift From A Friend Who Gets It
www.mygriefclub.com
@sharemygriefclub
@addisonbrasil

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Have you ever found solace in music during times of heartbreak and grief? Jenifer Merifield returns to the show and starts by sharing the song that helps her honour her grief. This episode sees is all  about navigating the emotional landscapes of non death related grief, loss and heartbreak. 

Delving into the intricacies of relationship and dating grief, we tackle the unique perspectives of the one grieving and the one initiating the break-up, a topic seldom explored with such depth. This conversation presents a roadmap of the heart, taking us through strategies to cope with inundating emotions, rumination, ghosting and the necessity of maintaining self-worth irrespective of others' actions. Want to know how to weather challenging moments and remain present and at your best? We've got you covered.

We didn't stop there. We also unfold the power of connecting with emotions and the body for physical relaxation and healing. Emphasizing the significance of intuition and communication in relationships, we unlock secrets to navigate modern dating and relationship challenges. From setting boundaries to seeking support and even ending friendships, we share it all.

Where Can I Find More of Jen?
www.jenifermerifield.com

Hosted By: Addison Brasil
Author of First Year Of Grief Club: A Gift From A Friend Who Gets It
www.mygriefclub.com
@sharemygriefclub
@addisonbrasil

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Navigating grief is a journey we all must face, but it doesn't always have to be a solemn path. Amie Enriquez joins us and in this deep conversation, we explore how we can turn our utmost vulnerabilities into a source of strength, laughter, and connection. Starting with a heartfelt introspection of our own emotional, mental, and physical states, we reveal our personal interactions with grief and the powerful role comedy has played in our healing.

Comedy is not just about drawing a curtain over our grief; it's about embracing it, living with it, and channeling it into a tangible form of catharsis. What if we could laugh at difficult situations instead of pushing them away? Join us as we examine the ever-changing form of grief and the unique ways we can approach it, even with a child. Through Amie's inspiring story, we further illustrate how comedy and laughter can become a lifeline in the darkest of times, even when dealing with anorexia, addiction, and loss.

In our shared journey, the Groundlings comedy school was a pivotal point in allowing us to transform our traumas into powerful narratives. Here, we learned the power of saying 'yes and', of embracing every situation, and how it can make life more enjoyable. Yet, it's not just about learning to laugh at our experiences. It's also about understanding the importance of gratitude and finding joy amidst our losses. So, let's embark on this heartfelt journey of grief, comedy, and healing together, one step, one laugh at a time.

Where Can I find more of Amie Enriquez/ See Lightweight Show Off Broadway?
www.lightweightshow.com
IG: @lightweight_show


Hosted By: Addison Brasil
Author of First Year Of Grief Club: A Gift From A Friend Who Gets It
www.mygriefclub.com
@sharemygriefclub
@addisonbrasil

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When we least expect it, grief and trauma can completely upend our lives. Join me for a raw and powerful conversation with Litsa Williams, a compassionate guide in the grief community, as she shares her own grief journey and the importance of understanding trauma and grief. We explore how Litsa's childhood losses shaped her, the impact of her father's death when she was 18, and how grieving her sister's heroin addiction taught her that one can grieve someone who is still alive.

Litsa offers her valuable insights on the differences between traditional grief support and trauma-specific support, as we delve into the complexities of trauma and unexpected loss. We also discuss the power of creative expression in processing emotions, the importance of supportive grief communities, and how even the tiniest joke can provide comfort during difficult times. 

Lastly, we explore self-care and coping with overwhelm in the face of grief. Discover the importance of granting ourselves permission to switch gears and take a break when emotions become too intense. Learn from Litsa's own experiences with meditation and finding balance during moments of turmoil. Tune in for this heartfelt and insightful conversation with Litsa Williams, and learn how understanding trauma and grief can help us build self-compassion and navigate life's challenges.

Whats Your Grief's mission is to promote grief education, exploration, and expression in both practical and creative ways. We achieve this mission by providing:

• Resources related to understanding and coping with grief and loss
• Guidance on how to help a grieving friend or family member
• Online courses about grief and supporting someone who’s grieving
• Resources, education, and training for grief counselors, grief volunteers, and other professionals working in fields related to grief and loss.
• A podcast about grief
• A supportive community

This week's episode is inspired by Week 29 in First Year of Grief Club about community and pro-social shame. 

Where Can I find more of Litsa/ Whats Your Grief?
IG: @whatsyourgrief
www.whatsyourgrief.com

Hosted By: Addison Brasil
Author of First Year Of Grief Club: A Gift From A Friend Who Gets It
www.mygriefclub.com
@sharemygriefclub
@addisonbrasil

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Do you ever feel like a "grief Olympian," constantly facing the challenges of loss and heartache? Join us as we welcome Laurel BraItman, author of What Looks Like Bravery, to share her profound insights on navigating the complex terrain of grief. Our conversation explores the importance of understanding our motivations behind overachievement and how it may be a hidden form of self-harm. Laurel also shares her story of growing up with a dying father and the lessons she's learned along the way.

As fellow 'grief Olympians', we recognize the value of asking children for their own definition of grief to better understand this complex emotion. Laurel's unique perspective will resonate with anyone who has experienced loss. Together, we discuss finding moments of reflection and ritual that feel effortless, allowing us to grieve in a way that's authentic to us, rather than following societal expectations.

Laurel's journey is both inspiring and relatable, reminding us that despite the pain, we can still find moments of joy and gratitude amidst our grief. Her wisdom teaches us the importance of staying open to love, even when it's frightening. So join us for this enlightening and emotional conversation as we learn valuable lessons from Laurel on love, loss, and finding peace in the midst of grief.

We explore the idea of Flow vs Force in honouring a grief journey, daily life, and everything in between. Spoiler alert we also discuss Season 4 of HBO's Succession.  Also, Justin Michael Williams leaves a message on the Grief Club voicemail with some free meditations and resources! 

Laurel Braitman PhD is a writer, teacher and secular, clinical chaplain-in-training. She is the author of the brand new memoir What Looks Like Bravery: An epic journey through loss to love (March 13th, Simon & Schuster) and the NYT bestselling book Animal Madness: Inside Their Minds. She received her doctorate in History and Anthropology of Science from MIT and is the director of Writing and Storytelling at the Stanford School of Medicine’s Medical Humanities and the Arts Program where she helps clinical students, staff and physicians communicate more clearly and vulnerably for their own benefit and that of their patients. Laurel is also the founder of Writing Medicine, the global community of writing healthcare professionals. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, The Guardian, Wired, California Sunday, National Geographic, Radiolab, National Public Radio and many other places. She splits her time between rural Alaska, her family’s ranch in Southern California and Northern New Mexico.

Where Can I Find More of Laurel?
www.laurelbraitman.com
@laurel_braitman

Hosted By: Addison Brasil
Author of First Year Of Grief Club: A Gift From A Friend Who Gets It
www.mygriefclub.com
@sharemygriefclub
@addisonbrasil

Support the show

How do I know if my grief was traumatic? What is traumatic loss? How can tell my story of grief in a way that feels good for me? What do I do when all I can think about is the past? What are some tools to come back to the present moment when I get triggered by my trauma? What's funny about grief and loss?

Reflecting After Loss can feel therapeutic to some and paralyzing for others. In this week's episode we speak with Karen Goldfinger Baker, coach and host of The Traumahiders Podcast, about approaching the past with perspective and navigating trauma when it shows up in waves.  As Karen herself will say "I've Been to The Shithole and Faced Considerable Darkness, When it comes to the darkest moments of your life, I will never shy away from supporting you."  And she means it- tune in for an hour with a true friend who gets it. We talk coping with grief, healing from trauma, gallows humor and more.

Where Can I find more of Karen?
https://www.karengoldfingerbaker.com/about

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What is your inner voice? How can I find more clarity? How do I learn to trust my intuition? How can I learn from grief and loss? How can I reconnect with my own inner voice? How do I know what I really want? 

This week we have the one and only Justin Michael Williams- Author and Grammy Nominated Musician. We discuss the importance of connecting with our inner voice for vitality, healing, and being able to communicate what we really need and want in our grief journeys. This episode is jam-packed with helpful and actionable tools that will help you cope and honour not just grief but all life has to offer. 

From growing up with gunshot holes outside of his bedroom window, to sharing the stage with Deepak Chopra, Justin Michael Williams knows the power of healing to overcome. He is an author, top 20 recording artist, and transformational speaker whose work has been featured by The Wall Street Journal, Grammy.com, Yoga Journal, Billboard, Wanderlust, and South by Southwest. With over a decade of teaching experience, Justin has become a pioneering millennial voice for diversity and inclusion in wellness.

Where Can I find more of Justin?
@wejustwill
https://www.justinmichaelwilliams.com/
The Kingdom Podcast with Justin Michael Williams
Stay Woke: A Meditation Guide for The Rest of Us on Amazon

Hosted By: Addison Brasil
Author of First Year Of Grief Club: A Gift From A Friend Who Gets It
www.mygriefclub.com
@sharemygriefclub
@addisonbrasil

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What's the difference between thoughts and feelings? How many thoughts do we have a day? How do you stop over thinking after loss? What are some helpful ways to process emotions and feelings? How do I know what I'm feeling? How can I calm down and quiet my thoughts?

In this week's episode, one of our most beloved (and fun) guests, Rachel Kaplan (M.A., M.F.T, a licensed psychotherapist practicing in the San Francisco Bay Area for almost two decades) returns to talk out the difference between thoughts and feelings. This episode is one to share with all as it is not grief specific but will serve us in honouring our grief and beyond.  We also hear a preview from next week's guest, Justin Michael Williams, and his favorite tool for identifying thoughts vs. feelings.

Listen to Rachel's first episode on Grief Club: The Podcast with Addison Brasil about  Emotional Potty Training and Anger - https://griefclubthepodcast.buzzsprout.com/2060607/12846521-what-s-the-difference-between-thoughts-and-feelings-grief-club-asks-therapist-rachel-kaplan

Rachel Kaplan, M.F.T. joins us to discuss the importance of emotional potty training and how to navigate anger in a healthy way. Rachel shares her expert insights on recognizing triggers, honoring emotions, and finding safe and healthy ways to express ourselves. Whether you're dealing with anger in your personal or professional life, this episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to take control of their emotions and improve their overall well-being. Tune in to learn practical tips and strategies for navigating anger and a free hour of emotional potty training. This episode is a deeper dive from Week 24 experiment in First Year of Grief Club by Addison Brasil.

Where can I find more of Rachel?
Website: https://www.thefeelingsmovement.com/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/healingfeelingshitshow/
Podcast: http://healingfeelingshitshow.com/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thefeelingsmovement

Hosted By: Addison Brasil
Author of First Year Of Grief Club: A Gift From A Friend Who Gets It
www.mygriefclub.com
@sharemygriefclub
@addisonbrasil

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What is hope? Can you run out of hope? How do I find hope again after loss? Why do I feel so hopeless? Does grief kill hope? How can I make hope a part of my daily life and business?

In this week's episode, we have Catherine Hammond, coach and author of Hope(less). Catherine shares with us that studies show the single best predictor of a life well-lived is hope. Hope gets us through the pain, and helps us deal with the realities of life. It can also get us out of bed in the morning, empower us to have a difficult conversation, or pursue our dream when things get challenging. We don’t always use the word hope. You may call it well-being, happiness, confidence, inner joy, contentment, peace of mind, serenity, faith, trust, or use other similar words. Hope Monsters unite! This powerful episode full of helpful tools for resilience and reconnecting with hope is a must-have in our grief support toolkits. 

Many people know Catherine as the award-winning estate planning attorney (Hammond Law Group), author, and transformational coach who serves her community from the heart, building relationships that make clients feel like family. What most people don’t know about her is that she started the law firm at her kitchen table in 2005 while as a single mother. Catherine refinanced her house to create just $12,000 of seed money in order to start it. Everybody told her she was undercapitalized, but she was on a mission to help people. And she hasn’t stopped since. What you also may not know is she had a traumatic childhood, being a caregiver for her mother with dementia starting at age 22, divorce, the loss of people dear to her, foreclosure proceedings on her house while being a single mom, and caring for multiple loved ones with terminal and life-threatening challenges. Now she is known as the Hope Whisperer.

Where can I find more of Catherine?
www.catherinehammond.life
IG: @catherinehammond.life
Buy Hope(less) on Amazon

Hosted By: Addison Brasil
Author of First Year Of Grief Club: A Gift From A Friend Who Gets It
www.mygriefclub.com
https://www.instagram.com/sharemygriefclub/
@addisonbrasil - https://www.instagram.com/addisonbrasil/
https://www.tiktok.com/@thegriefg

Support the show

What are boundaries? How do you set boundaries to help with grief? What do I say when someone says something unsupportive of my healing? What is the difference between grief and complicated grief? How do I become emotionally fluent? How do we know when to stop talking about grief and loss? How can businesses support people grieving? What can HR do to help employees with grief and loss? What is an executor of an estate? How long is bereavement leave?

Thriving After Loss: Navigating Grief, Setting Boundaries, and Supporting Employees with Meghan Riordan Jarvis - A Must-Listen Episode for HR Professionals and Leaders.

Join us as we kick of Mental Health Awareness Month! This week we have Author, Podcast Host, TedX speaker, and Psychotherapist Meghan Riordan Jarvis. We talk about how it's unfair to feel like there is more work to do after loss while grieving, and yet we need to learn what boundaries are and how to set them if we are going to thrive. Navigating loss, condolences, struggling to find support, and learning to be honest with ourselves and others about where we are at in our grief. We also discuss how companies, hr professionals, and leaders can support employees in grief and loss. A short Bereavement leave s just the beginning, and its time we show up to that.  Learn what help texts are and how they can support your team.

 Specializing in trauma and grief and loss. After experiencing PTSD following the deaths of both of her parents, Meghan founded Tacking Point Partners to support companies address complex emotions like grief in the workplace. Meghan’s podcast “Grief is My Side Hustle” and writing through trauma workshops can be found at her website www.meghanriordanjarvis.com She is currently at work on “Can Anyone Tell Me Why: Essential Questions About Grief and Loss” publishes with Sounds True Media in 2024.

This week's episode is inspired by Week 22 of First Year of Grief Club, which is all about Boundaries.  Honouring a grief journey gets to come with personal boundaries with both ourselves and others. Are there times when you felt as if you had set a boundary? Maybe you avoided becoming overstimulated, unnecessarily upset, or ending up too far down the rabbit hole of an existential crisis by managing this? 

Where Can I find more of Meghan?
https://meghanriordanjarvis.com/about
IG: @meghan.riordan.jarvis
TedX Talk:  The Danger of Neglecting Grief In The Workplace

Hosted By: Addison Brasil
Author of First Year Of Grief Club: A Gift From A Friend Who Gets It
www.mygriefclub.com
https://www.instagram.com/sharemygriefclub/
@addisonbrasil - https://www.instagram.com/addisonbrasil/
https://www.tiktok.com/@thegriefg

Support the show