Parentless Podcast

41, Follow Your Shot

Tom Biddulph, creator of Good Grievings, discusses the many losses in his life, but mainly speaks of those closest to him. Tom will be 40 shortly, and he has lost his sister and both his parents.

Tom's mom Cathy passed away when he was 18, essentially leaving Tom to fulfill the mother role in his home for his younger sister. He ensured the bills were paid and there was food in the house. Grief was not talked about when Tom's mom and sister passed away, both in his family and just in general. Tom has since found the grief community and now just does what feels right, when it comes to his blog and his grief work.

Gene, Tom's dad, is now more fatherly in the spirit world. Tom mentions that Gene was a huge influence on his work with Good Grievings, as Gene didn't seem to show or deal with his grief, and his body ended up paying the tole.

Tom shares about the raw pain he felt all over again three months after his father's death, when his family was finally allowed to come together due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Tom is married and the dad of two girls. He uses each day as a chance to be the dad he didn't quite have in the living world.

Tom's advice: Acknowledge it, accept it, and feel it.

Instagram: @goodgrievings
Facebook: Good Grievings
Website: https://goodgrievings.com


Podcast Spotlight:

Grief is My Side Hustle

After the death of her parents within 2 years of each other, trauma therapist, writer and podcast host Meghan, found herself on the receiving end of the same treatments she used with her own clients. In complement to her writing on the popular blog "Grief Is My Side Hustle," Meghan and her guests discuss how little education and support we have been been historically given in grief and explore the question she hears most often in her office, "aside from crying, what does it mean to grieve?'

Grief is My Side Hustle is available on most major podcast platforms. Please be sure to leave a rating and review wherever you listen!

If you have a favorite grief related podcast you would like to be in the spotlight, let me know!

Host: Meghan R. Jarvis
Instagram: @meghan.riordan.jarvis
https://griefismysidehustle.com

This is a Back Home Media production, recorded and produced in Phoenix, AZ.

Music by Colen Lococo and The Revolving Birds.

Like what you hear? Helped by what you heard? Have something to share?

https://www.patreon.com/parentlesspodcast

Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @parentlesspodcast
Voicemail: 623.396.6069

You are not alone.

40, Peanut Butter (and Jelly)

Stefanie with an f, better known to her parents as Peanut, sits down and talks what it's like to be parentless by the time you're 30. Stef's parents both faced health issues over the years, to the point where Stef feels like she may be starting to forget what they were like when they were both healthy.

Both of Stefanie's parents died when they were alone. This is Stef's biggest regret and most questioned part of her story. She discussed what it's like to live with questions, and of this says, "I can't live my life...questioning what happened." She speaks the impact COVID-19 had on how she she visited and helped her mother as well.

Stefanie created a blog and an Instagram account to share her story with others. Check it out!

Stefanie's advice: It's okay to be sad and it's okay to cry.

Instagram: @grief.andglitter
@steffwitha_f
Website: http://griefandglitter.com/


Podcast Spotlight:

Peace with Pain

Peace with Pain is an inspiring new podcast that shares stories of real people finding peace with their pain. Hear stories of resilient individuals overcoming trauma, loss, illness and more.

Peace with Pain is available on most major podcast platforms. Please be sure to leave a rating and review wherever you listen!

If you have a favorite grief related podcast you would like to be in the spotlight, let me know!

Host: Brittany Grenier
Instagram: @peacewithpainpodcast
https://linktr.ee/peacewithpainpodcast

This is a Back Home Media production, recorded and produced in Phoenix, AZ.

Music by Colen Lococo and The Revolving Birds.

Like what you hear? Helped by what you heard? Have something to share?

https://www.patreon.com/parentlesspodcast

Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @parentlesspodcast
Voicemail: 623.396.6069

You are not alone.

Life Jacket Ep, Remembering Mom

Thank you to everyone that participated in this project! This was NOT easy and I appreciate your willingness to share these messages.

This is a Back Home Media production, recorded and produced in Phoenix, AZ.

Music by Colen Lococo and The Revolving Birds.

Like what you hear? Helped by what you heard? Have something to share?

https://www.patreon.com/parentlesspodcast

Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @parentlesspodcast
Voicemail: 623.396.6069

You are not alone.

39, I'm Still Here

Miki is a grief long-hauler. She lost her mother Amy when she was 13. Her mom was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer when Miki was 11, and they spent the next several years fighting and going through treatments. Even though Miki's mom was sick, no one in the family discussed or thought about the fact that her mom might not survive. So in a way, Miki's loss was very sudden, and definitely flipped her teenage world upside down.

Miki took some time before coming to terms with this thing called grief. Now that she is married and a bit older, she has really been doing some work on herself, and because of this, she is able to bring many things to the grief community.

Miki is a grief musician, author, and hosts her own weekly show, The Healing Half. We discussed the release of Miki's newest song at the time, Light a Candle For Me, and now that some time has passed since we spoke, she has just released another new song, A Cold Dark Room. Be sure to check out her music, and the great things available on her website!

Miki's advice:

All loss is hard. Don't do yourself the disservice of comparing your grief to anyone else's.

Instagram: @miki.speer
Website: www.mikispeer.com
Facebook: The Healing Half

Podcast Spotlight:

The Healing Half

Miki hosts a weekly show on Tuesdays called The Healing Half. Tune in to her Facebook page each Tuesday evening to see the magic happen. Miki has live guests and they cover all grief related topics and impart so much knowledge for us all! It's a must see!

Host: Miki Speer

This is a Back Home Media production, recorded and produced in Phoenix, AZ.

Music by Colen Lococo and The Revolving Birds.

Like what you hear? Helped by what you heard? Have something to share?

https://www.patreon.com/parentlesspodcast

Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @parentlesspodcast
Voicemail: 623.396.6069

You are not alone.

38, Forever Shelly K


Patricia de Picciotto lost her mom, Shelly, in November 2019. She had just recently lost her stepfather as well. Patricia shares with us what helped her get through those first days, and how she chooses to live her journey as a motherless mother now.

Patricia shares several stories about Shelly, and leaves a lasting impression for us. Shelly was passionate about art, glitter, and geishas just to name a few things. Patricia honors her mom currently by continuing to post her art on an Instagram account dedicated to Shelly's work. You can check this out here: @forevershellyk

Heart shaped items and peacocks are a few of the signs Patricia tells us about noticing along her journey. She finds journaling and nature walks helpful in dealing with her grief. She has a great philosophy regarding signs and explains how anyone can approach this matter:

"Decide on something that was meaningful for you and your loved one, or that could represent your loved one and take it as a hello from the afterlife, from the other side."

Patricia has her favorite resources located on her Instagram, as well as many interviews with others, helping get their grief stories out.

Instagram: @neshamajourney

Podcast Spotlight:

Pearlzrandomness as described on her website:

I hope this page brings you comfort as I share my journey, struggles, questions, and quite simply the biggest life change I never saw coming. I promise it will be intense, raw and a journey that is play by play. I write as each moment comes to me and l live it out by writing it out. My hope is to share, release and for others to grow alongside me in this crazy transformational journey.

Pearlz podcast features different subjects, including those dealing with grief. Her podcast, along with her inspiration, makes this a big MUST DO when it comes to your grief resources!

Host: Pearlyn

Instagram: @pearlzrandomness
website: https://www.pearlzrandomness.com/


This is a Back Home Media production, recorded and produced in Phoenix, AZ.

Music by Colen Lococo and The Revolving Birds.

Like what you hear? Helped by what you heard? Have something to share?

https://www.patreon.com/parentlesspodcast

Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @parentlesspodcast
Voicemail: 623.396.6069

You are not alone.

37, Wheelchair Junkie

By age 23, Emily Smith was ushered swiftly into the worst club on the planet.

When Emily was a toddler in California, her life was happy with her mom and dad. Her dad got a great job in Pennsylvania, and the family moved. Lori had a turning point and after that she was unable to give Emily much motherly love and compassion. Over the years, she struggled with addiction and mental health, and eventually Mark made the decision to be a single father and care for Emily on his own.

Mark Eugene Smith was a prolific writer and was better known in some circles as Wheelchair Junkie. He had a great passion for power chairs and helping others looking to change their lives by accessing this great technology. He has books available on Amazon and a blog - please visit the links below! You HAVE to meet Mark.

Emily spent many of her years as a caregiver to her parents, and this has followed her into her career. She's currently a MSW student and is looking forward to working in the grief/trauma field after she graduates.

The rest of Emily's interview is available to everyone for free here:

https://www.patreon.com/parentlesspodcast

Recommended Resources:

https://www.thedinnerparty.org/
https://modernloss.com/

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk


Emily has created a support group for Young Grievers ages 18-30 experiencing the loss of a parent or parental figure. Contact her via Instagram or contact Parentless Podcast.

Instagram: @griefbyemily

Emily's Blog: https://transitionalwritings.wordpress.com/

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Too-Fast-Selected-Madman-WheelchairJunkie-com/dp/0595321984/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=mark+e.+smith+wheelchairjunkie&qid=1616872562&sr=8-1

Mark's Blog site: https://powerchairdiaries.com/

Poem: Open thy heart by Mark E. Smith

This is a Back Home Media production, recorded and produced in Phoenix, AZ.

Music by Colen Lococo and The Revolving Birds.

Like what you hear? Helped by what you heard? Have something to share?

Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @parentlesspodcast
Voicemail: 623.396.6069

You are not alone.

36, No Room for Grace

"Ya know, pal...."

Tylor Montgomery's grandpa spoke these words often to Tylor, in a voice and with a manner that Tylor can duplicate well, by his own admission.

Tylor's grandma and grandpa, Lois and Bruce, raised him for a significant amount of his life, and he considered them his parents. His mother and father were not in the picture. During this time, Tylor was the perfect Baptist, attending services, going to Bible College, you name it, Tylor was there. He got quite the imprint of Christianity from his grandparents.

Once, a medium told Tylor that if he finds pennies in his apartment, that was his grandfather showing up, in part due to Bruce's love of the song "Pennies in Heaven". Tylor gives us his perspective on the ever after, and remembers the lessons he learned from his grandparents during their lives.

Tylor talks about so many things in our interview - there wasn't room to fit it all in here! If you'd like to hear the rest, you can head over to the Patreon link listed below to get the juicy bits for free!

Tylor's take away: Try to find some kind of ritual that helps you with remembering them in a positive way, but won't turn into an unhealthy obsession.

Instagram: @religionrecover
Website: https://www.religionrecovery.com

This is a Back Home Media production, recorded and produced in Phoenix, AZ.

Music by Colen Lococo and The Revolving Birds.

Like what you hear? Helped by what you heard? Have something to share?

https://www.patreon.com/parentlesspodcast

Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @parentlesspodcast
Voicemail: 623.396.6069

You are not alone.

35, Danny Boy

"Keep doin' your thing."

This was just one of the pieces of advice that Mingo Aranda's mom, Chris, told him in their last serious talk. She was referring to Mingo's black horse, and his love for the family horse racing empire. She had several other requests for him, which pushed Mingo to be the tough one for his family, and that attitude of grit and resilience shows here as Mingo shares his story with us.

Mingo Rey Aranda speaks with host Derek, and the episode originally aired on The Elkhart Tapes, a podcast about those from Elkhart, Kansas.

The Aranda family lost several family members in a relatively small amount of time.

We join Mingo and Derek as they discuss how the Aranda cousins banded together for each other during a time a great loss for all.

This is a Back Home Media production, recorded and produced in Phoenix, AZ.

https://www.patreon.com/parentlesspodcast
https://www.patreon.com/fatkidaz

Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @parentlesspodcast
Voicemail: 623.396.6069

You are not alone.

34, You're Gonna Be Okay


"Go do somethin' and be good at it."

That's what Jeff's dad always told him. And Jeff has done just that. He has created a little corner of the world for others to gain Dad wisdom while enjoying beautiful scenic Italy through bike rides with Jeff at the wheel.

Buck, as everybody called him, was Jeff's motorcycle riding, bee keeping, tomato selling dad. Buck had a love of adventure as well as for his family. He helped Jeff realize that he was going to an okay dad himself when Jeff was a young man expecting his first child with his wife. Now Jeff strives to give the same kind of Dad advice to his own kids, as well as inspire anyone that comes across him on social media.

Jeff's advice to himself in his early grief days: You're gonna be okay.

Instagram: @rideswithdad
Youtube: Rides With Dad

Recommended Book: Grit - Angela Duckworth

Read Jeff's article about his dad, and browse the site here:

https://supportivefathers.com/coping-with-the-loss-of-aparent/

Podcast Spotlight:

Grief Out Loud

Remember the last time you tried to talk about grief and suddenly everyone left the room? Hosted by Jana DeCristofaro and produced by Dougy Center, Grief Out Loud is opening up this often avoided conversation because grief is hard enough without having to go through it alone. We bring you a mix of personal stories, tips for supporting children, teens, and yourself, and interviews with professionals. Platitude and cliché-free, we promise!

Hosts: Jana DeCristofaro

Instagram: @thedougycenter
website: https://www.dougy.org/

This is a Back Home Media production, recorded and produced in Phoenix, AZ.

Music by Colen Lococo and The Revolving Birds.

Like what you hear? Helped by what you heard? Have something to share?

https://www.patreon.com/parentlesspodcast

Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @parentlesspodcast
Voicemail: 623.396.6069

You are not alone.

33, I Could Hear Her Voice



Mother. Wife. Daughter. Motherless Daughter. Author. Public Speaker. Cancer Thriver.

Dara Kurtz is all of these things and so much more. She has had many experiences in her life that have brought her to a low point, however her Thriving spirit has enabled her to face each challenge head on and eventually get through to the other side of each experience.

Two weeks after Dara gave birth to her first daughter, her Mom passed away from cancer. Dara tried to distract herself from the grief, pain, and loss by throwing herself into motherhood and her job. She had her best year in her career that year.

Dara has since left her career and given herself the space, time and opportunity to make peace with her mothers death and to talk with others about it as well.

Dara also had cancer herself, which sent her into a new journey of grief and learning.

Advice from Dara: Write letters to your loved ones now, while you can. The handwritten word holds a lot of power for Dara.

There are 3 kinds of letters: Just Because, Special Occasion, and The Legacy letter.

Dara has written several books and has several tools available for those dealing with cancer, grief and loss.

Books:
I Am My Mother's Daughter: Wisdom on Life, Loss and Love
Crush Cancer: Personal Enlightenment From A Cancer Survivor
Crush Cancer Workbook

Books can be found on Amazon, or through her website.

Instagram: @crazyperflife
Facebook: Crazy Perfect Life
Website: https://crazyperfectlife.com/

Podcast Spotlight:

Thrive The Podcast with Garth and Dara

Part of life is facing and overcoming challenges. This podcast helps listeners overcome whatever challenges they might encounter. Join Dara and Garth as well as inspirational guests who are change leaders in the world.

Hosts: Garth Callaghan and Dara Kurtz

Instagram: @napkinnotesdad @crazyperflife

This is a Back Home Media production, recorded and produced in Phoenix, AZ.

Music by Colen Lococo and The Revolving Birds.

Like what you hear? Helped by what you heard? Have something to share?

https://www.patreon.com/parentlesspodcast

Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @parentlesspodcast
Voicemail: 623.396.6069

You are not alone.