River's Fog

Aaron is a native to the Evansville, IN area who originally thought he wanted to be a pharmacist. Little did he know he was going to be mixing up other chemicals on a regular basis in the form of clients grief journeys as their now realtor! Aaron has accepted this being part of the role to do a good job and continues to learning something every day because he wants them to grieve well no matter where they live. He is known for his honesty, humor and down right entertainment at times. 

For real estate and market updates and links to his all social media as well as his informative and entertaining TikTock and podcast- TheArraonAdvantage, be sure to check out https://linktr.ee/TheAaronAdvantage    [email protected]

812-779-6273

Thomas Bernardin is an Evansville native and the Owner of Thomas Bernardin Films. He shares his story of how skateboarding in high school evolved into his growing passion for film and starting his own business- capturing other people’s passions and stories on film. He shares how leaning into his talent helped him cope with and heal through the grief of an unanticipated job loss and his marriage.

Ironically this was recorded late summer 2020 and since then he has actually created a documentary film to Help Fund Evansville’s Sunset Skate Park so it was the perfect timing to include this and help promo it too! Every dollar counts, especially right because they got a match grant and every dollar is matched! If you want to get the real story on how skating helps strengthen people’s character, drive and ability to face challenges in grief in their lives- then you need to watch his recent film: https://gofund.me/b0c8b333 and donate to the cause at https://gofund.me/b0c8b333 right now!

To learn more and see some of his work, be sure to visit his website www.thomasbernardinfilm.com or visit one of his social media platforms, IG @thomasbernardin

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We are so pumped to start dropping episodes soon recorded at Speak and Tell Studios- they are Evansville’s first and only podcast and voice over studio. check them out if you want to start a podcast, book your own recordings, make commercials, do some visual work- they can help with every step of the way:  www.speakandtellstudios.com

This podcast and information was brought to you by What Matters Most? Evansville, Inc. We plan dropping new episodes every Wednesday. Transcripts available upon request.

-Like and follow our page on Facebook @ WMMEVV and consider joining our private group for weekly engaging questions and greater opportunities to connect and share stories, ideas and passions related to grief.

Don’t forget about our Share Your Grief Story Project- where you can write in and share your story, anonymously, because grief heals more wholly when witnessed in som\e context. Mail to: What Matters Most Evansville, Inc, PO Box 112, Evansville, IN 47613

John F. Evans, MAT, MA, Ed.D shares his personal journey and raw grief experiences in which his love for teaching and learning has led him to becoming the founder and executive director of Wellness & Writing Connections. He is an expressive writing clinician, expressive writing researcher, and national board certified health and wellness coach who teaches groups, individuals, and health care professionals how to use writing for better physical, emotional, and spiritual health.  An author of five books, he has taught journaling and writing for self-development for over thirty-five years. he also has been certified in the Advanced Grief Recovery Method.

Dr. Evans' key books include Expressive Writing: Words that Heal (2014) co-authored with James Pennebaker. and Wellness & Writing Connections: Writing for Better Physical, Mental, and Spiritual Health (2010), a collection of essays from the Wellness & Writing Connections Conference Series. In addition, Dr. Evans has been awarded several research grants at Duke Integrative Medicine, Duke Medical School, Duke Cancer Institute, and the Duke Health and Humanities Lab focused on the positive health impacts of expressive writing for a variety of populations.

His company: https://www.wellnessandwritingconnections.com/

Books  mentioned in today's episode: 

http://www.anunfinishedproject.net.

 https://www.amazon.com/Family-Disease-Memoir-Multigenerational-Ataxia/dp/1476683182/ref=sr_1_1?crid=18IWYLA9WPMA1&dchild=1&keywords=a+family+disease&qid=1612276896&sprefix=family+disease+%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-1

John F. Evans, MAT, MA, Ed.D is a writing clinician and integrative health coach and is certified in Grief Recovery Method.  He shares parts of his own grief journey and own resiliency as a lifetime learner and teacher.  He encourages us to be curious about our own resistance and compassionate with ourselves as we explore our individual visions of optimal wellness. His work is rooted in evidence based approaches as he works with groups, individuals, and health care professionals, teaching them how to use writing for better physical, emotional, and spiritual health.  He has authored five books and has taught journaling and writing for self-development for over thirty years- connecting the mind and body, through language.   He is also a certified in the Advanced Grief Recovery Method. Much of his work since 2010 has been within Duke University's Integrative Medicine, medical school, cancer institute and health and humanities institute. He has taught, Caring for Caregivers, Legacy Writing, Transform Your Health: Write to Heal, Leading Patients in Writing for Health, and Writing as a Tool for Integrative Health Coaches. Currently, Evans blogs monthly for Psychology Today in Personal Perspectives. He co-authored Expressive Writing: Words that Heal (2014). His book, Wellness & Writing Connections: Writing for Better Physical, Mental, and Spiritual Health (2010), is a collection of essays from the Wellness & Writing Connections Conference Series (2007 – 2010).

A growing body of research shows that the heart rate lowers and people are more equipped to fight off infections when they release their worries in writing. In addition to coping better with stressful situations, writing can have a positive impact on self-esteem and result in works that can help others overcome their own obstacles.

He closes by sharing 6 steps OR 6min writing exercise:

When I think about my loss I’m aware that_____________

When I think about my loss I find myself paying attention too ______________

When I think about my loss I accept that ______________

When I think about my loss I appreciate that ________________

When I think about my loss I have affection for ________________

When I think about my loss I affirm that __________________

He is the Executive Director of Wellness & Writing Connections:  http://www.wellnessandwritingconnections.com/   His book: Expressive Writing, Words that Heal, https://www.amazon.com/Expressive-Writing-Words-that-Heal/dp/1611580463

Books mentioned: http://www.anunfinishedproject.net.

 https://www.amazon.com/Family-Disease-Memoir-Multigenerational-Ataxia/dp/1476683182/ref=sr_1_1?crid=18IWYLA9WPMA1&dchild=1&keywords=a+family+disease&qid=1612276896&sprefix=family+disease+%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-1

What Matters Most? Evansville, Inc.  Like and follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WMMEVV

Layne Miller is a local to the Evansville, IN area although he was adopted from Mexico as an infant.  He shares how leaning into his passion for music got him through various parts of his life.  He continues to play the piano, write songs and cover some of his favorites - from Frank Sinatra to Elvis and the great big bands, swing and easy listening. He speaks to how he has never looked at life and music the same since his older sister died unexpectedly in a tragic car accident. Although he remains open to recording more and performing live- he simply plays for his self care, growth and at times it helps him when people don't understand him or even his music.  Over the past 18years he's been quietly embarking on a little music journey of his own as an aspiring lyricist and composer. Every now and then he'll even share his music with an audience.  We feature some of his songs this episode.  He is single and hopeful to find love one of these days with a classy gal who appreciates kindness, and ideally his music too. 

YouTube: Layne Miller

To support and learn more about What Matters Most? Evansville- striving to be a catalyst to create community-wide mindfulness of grief in your community-  https://instabio.cc/lantzdreams  to access our facebook, Patreon, & Gofundme to donate and stay up to date on projects , or simply to share your ideas, passions and stories. Do you or someone you know have a story you want to share?   Contact us directly at [email protected] and 812-389-0182

Amy Lutzel, BA, CHWC, ACSM-CPT is the Wellness Director at Ivy Tech in Evansville, IN. She shares with us her transformational growth journey going from bottling up years of trauma and mental health challenges to becoming a certified health and wellness coach. She continues on her healing and grief journey as she encourages others to reach out, connect and take small steps in being the best version of themselves.  Amy experienced a major job loss, family with mental illness, parents with terminal diagnosis, is a survivor of suicide, and own medical health problems. She speaks to the importance of allowing yourself to feel the discomfort of grief, taking baby steps and exploring ways to better heal and grow. She is a huge supporter and advocate for self-care, mental illness, and suicide prevent- especially during this pandemic.  Check out her routine encouragement and self-care tips!

Facebook & Instagram  @ivytechwellandfit     Twitter - @ivytechwellness      YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl4W7ikOCPC9034iAxGJ5HA?view_as=subscriber     Take Good Care of YOU! Facebook : https://facebook.com/abl3773   

Letters to the Courier & Press: https://www.courierpress.com/story/opinion/2018/12/29/letter-suicide-not-answer/2442259002/  and Grief and Self-Care: https://www.courierpress.com/story/opinion/2020/12/30/viewpoint-take-care-yourself-and-others-through-struggles/4082713001/  Kindness campaign: https://www.courierpress.com/story/opinion/readers/2018/01/04/letter-focus-love-kindness-year/1004091001/  Resources: https://ivyassist.auntbertha.com/   -COVID-19 info, Resources, Mental Health, Support - https://bewellindiana.com/    

Click here to support and learn more about What Matters Most? Evansville- striving to be a catalyst to create community-wide mindfulness of grief in your community- click:  https://instabio.cc/lantzdreams  to access our facebook, Patreon, & Gofundme to support and stay up to date on projects and podcast links- including ways to share your passions, ideas or story!  Contact us directly at [email protected] and 812-389-0182 

Share Your Grief Story? As Amy mentioned, keeping your grief bottled in will only make things worse. Our most recent project knows many grief stories go unshared for many reasons, yet we also know grief needs to be witnessed in order to heal wholly. That's why we've created this opportunity for you to mail in your grief story anonymously. By doing so it gives WMM?E permission to share its entirety/parts on social media, this podcast and for possible research purposes.  Mail in to: WMM?E, PO Box 112, Elberfeld, IN 47613

Reba Riley is a spreader of hope, healing, courage, random acts of kindness & laughter. She is the author of best seller: Post-Traumatic Church Syndrome. This book is filled with humor as she decides to experience 30 religions before she turned 30. She is also a blogger, speaker, artist, healer, wine lover and loves to dance despite being terrible at it. She coined the term “Godiverse” during her grief recovery.  She shares with us her grief journey into writing her book, advocating for and managing her own chronic health conditions and tips for clinging to intense love and self-compassion while dealing with layered grief without breaks over the years. This includes getting real about her hidden unhealthy numbing and running.  She shares the goal of trying not to focus on desired outcomes, but rather how to use the power in which grief contains to become a more beautiful, wise, and compassionate soul. She believes in intense love and self-compassion. May we feel Reba’s ripple in the water to be strong enough and brave enough to sit with our grief, and those in  our community.

Check out her inspiring yet entertaining book : Post-Traumatic Church Syndrome, A Memoire of Humor and Healing;  https://www.amazon.com/Post-Traumatic-Church-Syndrome-Desperate-Religions/dp/1501125672 

or follow her on IG or fb at: RebaRileyAuthor

-Basics of Dr T's protocol-- Well worth the 48 minutes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGJiLwH1bKg

-Dr T's Website https://secure.endfatigue.com/

-His book: https://www.amazon.com/Fatigue-Fibromyalgia-Solution-Essential-Overcoming/dp/1583335145/ref=pd_lpo_14_t_0/134-0938661-0795622?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1583335145&pd_rd_r=6d5ce225-5e0d-4db4-941d-6cda5f83b437&pd_rd_w=JgYQW&pd_rd_wg=kFnUh&pf_rd_p=7b36d496-f366-4631-94d3-61b87b52511b&pf_rd_r=ZNEPNSH3RW64DDYSWW6M&psc=1&refRID=ZNEPNSH3RW64DDYSWW6M

To support and learn more about What Matters Most? Evansville's projects and work- be sure like, join, share and donate through Patreon & Facebook @WMMEVV or find access to all the links at https://instabio.cc//lantzdreams