Still Crying: Befriending Grief & Havin' Fun

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Last month the U.S. celebrated St. Patrick's Day as your host, Nat, sits down with local Librarian, Tara, to dive into some of their experiences in Ireland. The two reflect on their community of death-related events and love of the library.

In this episode you'll hear our conversations about:

• The magic, traditions, history, and nature of Ireland
• Frameworks we have learned about grieving 
• What public libraries values really mean (aka the place to go for safety and to ask your questions)
• How death care and death/grief events relate to libraries because they are both places to empower others to gain information and choose what they want
• Storytelling related to grief and loss

See you next time! 

Resources

• 5 Gates of Grief by Francis Weller

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Welcome back, Cry Babies, to Season Two! Your host Nat is joined by long-time cry baby (and boyfriend) Tucker to talk about loss and how we are perceiving grief in our lives today. In this episode you’ll hear conversation around:

• How grief orients you to a world of others and more empathy and bravery
• The uniqueness of each loss we experience
• What makes your grief valid and the proximity we have to it/where to put it
• Albums and songs of  grief songs we are listening to
• Comfort and rituals/routines for loss

Come back next week for more grief convos! Xoxo
 
 Resources / Albums Discussed

• The Moon Is In The Wrong Place by Shannon and the Clams
• A Place I'll Always Go - Palehound

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Join your host Nat in a conversation with Sky, the coordinator for a local group called Death and Grief Queer Meet-Up – a place that provides cozy spaces for queer and trans community to gather in mutual grief.

In this episode, you’ll hear about Sky's personal experience with grief and death and how that lead to creating a community group that brought joy, purpose, and meaning. Sky shares their experiences around connecting others and the honor of holding space that is vulnerable. 

We talk about how to show up how you really are, and how to understand grief in the body. Sky gives insights on facilitation and creating a group and the emphasis on empowering a community with tools and access to more.

Follow Sky on Instagram: @sky.cryinggg

Follow on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/death-grief-queer-meet-up-69266856513

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Welcome back from the one-year hiatus of Still Crying! This episode we go over a few musing from the last year including Nat's raising-a-puppy journey, death meditations from an End of Life Practitioner course, the comfort show of Vampire Diaries, and more.

• Love Is All Around (cover) by the Bad Bad Hats
• Death Doula course (I am not endorsing this course, but sharing the one I took!)
• Walking Each Other Home by Ram Dass & Mirabai Bush

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Join your host Nat in a conversation with Len Allen, (my dad!) as we talk about our family's losses including Len sharing about the loss of his brother, Freddy.

In this episode, you’ll hear about multiple family deaths, and how having a strong support system can be a vital part in making it through. Len shares his experiences around family deaths and how he fills the 'missing space in his heart' with integrating the memories, stories, physical items, and mannerisms into his day-to-day life.

We talk about how loss changes when you have a group/community/family to mourn your losses and grieve together. We talk about being there for others, and how the losses we experience change us.

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Another solo-episode where your host, Nat, talks about how to create that space for non-death losses and holding space to honor your own grief. 

You'll hear more about her thoughts on Marie Kondo-ing hard emotions around loss and grief, some personal examples from her life, and how to make sure to valid your own experiences. Just because non-death related loss is more ambigious in society, it's so so real. 

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Content Warning: Childhood Abuse

Join me in a conversation with Candice Wells, the founder of ScreamWerk, a somatic breath work technique that helps people heal and release emotions.

In this episode, you’ll hear about the duality of suffering and healing and what it’s like to hold space for both. Candice shares about her childhood abuse, what it was like to get sober, being a mom, and having cancer multiple times.

You'll hear about what it felt like to be involved in certain groups and then losing part of those communities – and how important it is to build a community that you’re looking for. She tells us how being authentic is the only way to bring true connections to your life, and the bravery it takes to do that.

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Content Warning: Suicide

Our guest is Aaron Howell – a Denver musician (MF Ruckus, White Fudge, Reptiles and Samurai, Monolith)  and creative (Nug Nation). He shares his stories of devastating losses in his life and how he is currently trying to survive one of the most difficult periods yet.

We discuss grief recovery through divorce and how having system in place have saved his life. We'll discuss surviving the heartbreak through community, feeling your anger and betrayal, and radical acceptance.

Join the conversation as we ask how it will all get better.

Resources

• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

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In this new solo segment, your host Nat explores the concept and language of "letting go". We find out how it's related to grief and how to integrate the concept of letting go so that it feels right for you. Nat shares what has been helpful to her in changing her mind in re-defining those words.

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We are joined by Nicole Yallum, an all around strong, radiant, badass who is a mother and business owner of Boundless Beings (think meditation meets Reiki-energy-healing meets talk-therapy). She shares with us her journey of motherhood and the invisible grief of miscarriage.

We talk about her feeling seen in her loss, fears and honoring them, infertility, and intergenerational healing.

Tune in to hear more about holding awe, gratitude, and wisdom, while also being misunderstood, isolated and holding pain.