Where's The Grief?

Huzzah! In this episode, I interviewed comedian Barry Ribs! A fixture of the NYC comedy scene for over 20 years, Barry is known for his unique style of storytelling, and a no punches pulled approach to life in general. An orphan at this point in his life, we talk about the issues we deal with in childhood, and the difficulty of being a father to an addict.

Check out Barry on IG and Twitter @Barry_Ribs

In this special episode, comedian Jay Nog returns to the podcast to talk about his upcoming one man show, "Goody." Jay was among the first guests on the podcast (Episode 4!) to talk about the death of his best friend to suicide in 1999. Even in the 4 years since we first spoke, Jay has gotten married and had a son, as well as continuing to raise awareness about suicide prevention and mental health issues. 

His one man show, "Goody" is a deeply personal story of love and friendship, and an honest and vulnerable look at the journey he has taken back into the light. 

"Goody" runs Oct. 16th, 23rd and 30th at the Under St. Marks Theater in NYC -  Get Tickets here!

Follow Jay Nog online to find out more about what he's doing. 

Listen to Episode 4!

In this episode, comedian Kristy Belich talks about the untimely death of her good friend and mentor, fellow comedian Joseph Rocha. A good friend of Jordon's as well as the Podcast, Joseph was a pillar and a staple of both the NYC and San Fransisco comedy scenes, which made the impact of his loss be felt on every level, and by so many people. We discuss how to allow ourselves to be sad regardless of our relationship to the deceased, and the importance of gratitude in a life when we truly don't know what tomorrow may bring.

Check out some of Joseph's Stand-Up!

Here's a great interview With Joseph!

Follow Kristy Belich @TrustYourGlitter

In this episode, I sat down with Yogi and Essential Oils specialist Jason Wendroff to talk about sibling grief! I met Jason on an episode of Open to Hope and subsequently got to hang out with him at this years TCF conference in Philadelphia. It's been 21 years since the death of his sister Lauren, and its taken time for Jason to find the right balance to help others along with himself. We talk about the importance of having peer support, gratitude, and the understanding that we all need to find our own path back into the light.

Follow Jason on FB (and make sure to tell him you heard him on WTG!)

Check out Jason's Essential Oils page: http://my.doterra.com//shineyogacenter

Here is part 2 my interviews LIVE from the 42nd Annual Compassionate Friends National Conference. This episode features conversations with a number of parents in my TCF Family!

I checked in with Alan Pedersen (Episode 14), musician and former director of TCF, as well as Gloria Horsely, who runs the Open To Hope Foundation with her daughter Heidi Horsely (Episode 29). Check out OpentoHope.com for more info

I got a chance to talk to Alison Rosen, who runs the MVRP foundation in honor of her son Michael. Follow what they do at MVRP.org

Finally, I had an extended conversation with Glenn Lord, TCF national board member, and Noah's dad.

The Compassionate Friends has local chapters all over the country. If you've suffered the loss of a child, a grandchild or a sibling, they can help.

Once again, Jordon is LIVE from the Annual Compassionate Friends National Conference! In this all Siblings episode, we have the Sunday closing ceremony Key Note, delivered by Katelyn and Dylan Stoskus, followed by brief interviews with each of them after the fact. We also hear from TCF Director Allie Sims-Franklin, and Peter Pajitnov.

And of course, no conference episode would be complete without a glimpse into the madness that happens in-between the tears.

The Compassionate Friends is a self help support group for families grieving the death of a child, a grandchild, or a sibling. Find out if there's a chapter near you!

COMPASSIONATEFRIENDS.ORG

In this episode, Jordon talks to author Kelly Carlin, about the ups and downs of dealing with life and loss. Her book, "A Carlin Home Companion; Growing up with George," details her upbringing and the ever evolving relationship we have with our parents and ourselves. After losing her mother rather privately, and then her father so publicly, Kelly has found a refreshing and honest outlook on how to move forward despite adversity. We also talk about the importance of community and how much it matters that we give ourselves permission to go through it however we go through it.

Follow all things Kelly at http://thekellycarlinsite.com

In this episode, Jordon welcomes comedian and author Tom Nemic. Tom's father died when he was in High School, and his mother in 2000, but the biggest loss we focus on his that of his childhood, and the adulthood of a girlfriends son. We talk about the importance of having a community, and the difficulty we all have in being honest with ourselves.

In this episode, I talked with comedian and podcaster Phil Causey, who lost one of his best childhood friends to suicide a few years ago. We talk about the difficulty of being outside the immediate friends/family dynamic and how one is allowed to grieve. We also talk about how many unanswered questions come up after a suicide, and how we can combat the thoughts that often crop up.

Phil also hosts his own podcast called The Fake OutRage Report!

Listen here!

Email me with any questions! [email protected]

In this episode, Jordon talks with Author Marisa Bardach Ramel about her newly published book, "The Goodbye Diaries: A Mother Daughter Memoir"

Marisa's mother Sally was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer and given a grim prognosis - she likely only had months to live. Instead, she managed to survive and thrive for over 2 years, which allowed Marisa to rekindle their relationship and write the genesis for this book while she went from high school to college. 

While it took a number of years to finish, Marisa shares her journey into the grey area of grief.

Follow Marisa across all platforms and order her book by checking out her website for The Goodbye Diaries.

Order it from Amazon here!