Good Grief with Cheryl Jones

Myra Sack and her husband Matt were very lucky. They had fallen in love with the right person, had work they were deeply committed to and had a new baby. Into the middle of their charmed life came the worst possible news; their perfect daughter had Tay-Sachs disease. She would live a very short life. A mistake in the testing they had received for Tay-Sachs blindsighted them. Reeling from the news and immersed in the question of how they could possibly live out this time, they decided they would celebrate Havi every day of her life. And every Friday they would gather friends and family in their home for Shabbirthday. They would love her and cherish her and hold her as if each Friday was both a holy shabbat and a wonderful birthday party. They had no way to imagine how they would grieve her, but they decided to live fully with her as long as they could with whoever also wanted to grace this beautiful child with their love. And with that simple promise, they found a way to put one foot after the other.

Courtney Deane knows grief from the inside out, having lost both of her parents at a young age. Determined to create something beautiful out of her losses she wrote a book exploring what happiness ever after looks like after loss. She also knows first hand that happiness is not static, it can be found and then lost. Join us to talk about her book, When Happiness Ever After Fails, and the happily ever after she has created for herself.

Every body that has been lived in will eventually need to be cared for after death. What is the most earth friendly option currently available for after death care? Recompose is arguably not just the greenest but also the most careful about honoring the entire life cycle of our bodies. By composting human remains until they become soil, the planet is enriched. Partnering with land trusts when loved ones don't want the soil ensures that the cycle can always be completed. Join us to learn more about the process and the people who have pioneered it. Already available in Washington state, they anticipate expanding into other areas and licensing other providers in the near future. Knowing that we have honored the after death process contributes to a smooth transition into grief!

Have you ever noticed that after similar traumas, at similar times of life, with so much in common, some people remain traumatized indefinitely, some recover through resilience, while others transcend and grow? Although there is a certain amount of mystery and we can't accurately predict which path a given person will follow, there are ways to favor growth and meaning after trauma. In fact, most therapy involves addressing the person's traumas in order to move forward better than before. But still, understanding the way traumas affect the brain and body, what qualifies as trauma for each person, and what might make growth harder helps each of us use our understanding as a tool for change. Through examples and suggestions to encourage post-traumatic growth, Dr. Edith Shiro shares a hopeful message of positive potential in a world containing an extraordinary level of trauma. Hear how she invites her clients and those who read her book to consider something better than simple resilience.

Faced with numerous losses and feeling deep grief, Jamie Thrower could not find grief services that understood how to support a queer griever. Struggling through the feelings and inevitable difficulty of their own grief, they became intent on doing their part to save others from what they experienced. Queer Grief Club was born! As a death doula, workshop leader, writer and artist, they have made it their mission to offer safe spaces to grieve for members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Warren Kozak thought he had prepared himself for the death of his wife. He knew he would feel sad but had no idea that he would have to invent a new Warren. In the absence of her larger than life presence, he felt unmoored and alienated. Slowly, over time, he became a new version of himself. Because he is a journalist, he chronicled every step, including the resources he accessed to understand this new territory. He met with widowers, read books, tried many things in an attempt to get a handle on the experience of losing his wife. In the end, it was only putting one food in front of the other, a step at a time, that moved him into the life he would lead going forward into the future.reinvention

Roshni Kavate and Rebecca Servoss noticed in their own grieving the lack of services to support grief, especially for people across all identities. They committed to creating a new paradigm for grief support, built on hope, joy, and the strength of the human spirit. Their organization, Marigolde, they sought to support grieving boldly, loving tenderly, and celebrating the blooming, visceral transformation that unfolds in grieving people. As two nurses trained in offering support and committed to inclusion in all their rituals, practices and writings, they are creating a vision of Revolutionary Grief Wellness!

Growing up with a father who was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer when she was seven, Laurel Braitman was taught survival skills from then on. Out of her own fears she embraced the lessons, hoping they would prevent the terrible possibility of losing her father. Of course, this isn't what happened. But Laurel would be well into her adulthood before she realized there was one key skill she hadn't learned- how to grieve. Finally mature enough to tackle her complex feelings, and unable to avoid them any longer, she set out on a hero's journey. Join us as we talk about the courage it takes to face up to our deepest fears and find a way forward.

When a horrific explosion happened in Beirut, Dalal Mawad was living nearby and felt a compelling urge to help. As a journalist she naturally searched for ways to tell the story. But what was the story? The explosion happened against the backdrop of inhumane conditions in the Middle East, a collapsing infrastructure in her country, Lebanon, and an unclear picture of what led to the terrible event. In the end, Dalal chose the tell the story through the experiences of the women affected by it; women who tried to help, women who were injured, women who lost loved ones. Through their stories and her exacting research and knowledge, we are invited into the experience of that day. Because she includes her own story, we are immersed in the dilemma faced by journalist who are are personally affected by the events they cover. In her book, All She Lost, Dalal chooses to reflect it all; her own story (which led to her moving away from the country she loves), her knowledge as a journalist who has covered the Middle East for many years, and the stories of the women who survived that day.

When a horrific explosion happened in Beirut, Dalal Mawad was living nearby and felt a compelling urge to help. As a journalist she naturally searched for ways to tell the story. But what was the story? The explosion happened against the backdrop of inhumane conditions in the Middle East, a collapsing infrastructure in her country, Lebanon, and an unclear picture of what led to the terrible event. In the end, Dalal chose the tell the story through the experiences of the women affected by it; women who tried to help, women who were injured, women who lost loved ones. Through their stories and her exacting research and knowledge, we are invited into the experience of that day. Because she includes her own story, we are immersed in the dilemma faced by journalist who are are personally affected by the events they cover. In her book, All She Lost, Dalal chooses to reflect it all; her own story (which led to her moving away from the country she loves), her knowledge as a journalist who has covered the Middle East for many years, and the stories of the women who survived that day.

When Tembi Locke spent a college semester in Italy, it changed the course of her life. Meeting Saro, the man she would love and marry, filled her with joy and also challenged them both to bridge the gap between his Sicilian farm family and her Houston Texas family of civil rights activists. Over time their persistence and courage began to connect their two families. But no struggle before it could have prepared them for Saro's ten years living with cancer, his death, and Tembi's grief. Who could have predicted that Tembi would find her way forward in grief at the table of her mother-in-law, in her small home in Siciliy. Join us to talk about the road Tembi took to find her future.

When Tembi Locke spent a college semester in Italy, it changed the course of her life. Meeting Saro, the man she would love and marry, filled her with joy and also challenged them both to bridge the gap between his Sicilian farm family and her Houston Texas family of civil rights activists. Over time their persistence and courage began to connect their two families. But no struggle before it could have prepared them for Saro's ten years living with cancer, his death, and Tembi's grief. Who could have predicted that Tembi would find her way forward in grief at the table of her mother-in-law, in her small home in Siciliy. Join us to talk about the road Tembi took to find her future.

After Ann Anderson Evan's beloved husband killed himself, she wondered what could have led him to such an end. He had not seemed suicidal, or deeply depressed, or haunted by demons. She imagined it must be some secret misery he didn't share even with her. She thought they had shared everything! Over time she came to believe that he was transgender. Could his belief that he could never share that part of himself have led to life being too painful to continue? It would take all the skills she had gained over a long lifetime to respond to this grief.

After Ann Anderson Evan's beloved husband killed himself, she wondered what could have led him to such an end. He had not seemed suicidal, or deeply depressed, or haunted by demons. She imagined it must be some secret misery he didn't share even with her. She thought they had shared everything! Over time she came to believe that he was transgender. Could his belief that he could never share that part of himself have led to life being too painful to continue? It would take all the skills she had gained over a long lifetime to respond to this grief.

When a declining parent needs help, it creates a delicate balance of care and acceptance. Marsha Gray Hill thought she had found that balance, even as her mother began to show signs of dementia. But then, COVID ripped the rug out from under her, making it impossible to support her mother as she would have liked. In the end, the pandemic was what ended her mother's life. In the process, Marsha learned too much about attitudes towards elders, inadequate support structures and a lack of understanding of what it takes to be a caregiver. In sharing the story of her mother's life, she has given us a window into the lives of so many who died, and are still dying, from that terrible illness. She implores us to believe our society can do better!

When a declining parent needs help, it creates a delicate balance of care and acceptance. Marsha Gray Hill thought she had found that balance, even as her mother began to show signs of dementia. But then, COVID ripped the rug out from under her, making it impossible to support her mother as she would have liked. In the end, the pandemic was what ended her mother's life. In the process, Marsha learned too much about attitudes towards elders, inadequate support structures and a lack of understanding of what it takes to be a caregiver. In sharing the story of her mother's life, she has given us a window into the lives of so many who died, and are still dying, from that terrible illness. She implores us to believe our society can do better!

Darnell Lamont Walker makes it his life's mission to seed joy everywhere he is. How do his callings intersect? He is a children's television writer, a death doula, a filmmaker. In every case he hopes to inform, encourage and uplift his audience. In the end, all he does is about supporting everyone he encounters to heal, to make room for joy and to love ourselves. Join us as we talk about how he sees his mission and all the things he does to further it!

Darnell Lamont Walker makes it his life's mission to seed joy everywhere he is. How do his callings intersect? He is a children's television writer, a death doula, a filmmaker. In every case he hopes to inform, encourage and uplift his audience. In the end, all he does is about supporting everyone he encounters to heal, to make room for joy and to love ourselves. Join us as we talk about how he sees his mission and all the things he does to further it!

The cause of anxiety and pain in our bodies can't be reduced to any one explanation. But in Jen Soriano's book, Nervous, she follows the threads of her own struggles to the personal, familial, cultural and intergenerational threads of her own physical pain and anxiety. Scientists are now recognizing that the traumas of our ancestors live on in us and can be felt for generations. How do we heal ourselves from all the injuries we carry. Jen makes a powerful case for the restorative properties of community building and recognition of what has happened to us and our communities. She makes a profound case for telling our stories and telling collective action. How can we begin to build a world that grieves and also heals? Join us for this powerful conversation.

The cause of anxiety and pain in our bodies can't be reduced to any one explanation. But in Jen Soriano's book, Nervous, she follows the threads of her own struggles to the personal, familial, cultural and intergenerational threads of her own physical pain and anxiety. Scientists are now recognizing that the traumas of our ancestors live on in us and can be felt for generations. How do we heal ourselves from all the injuries we carry. Jen makes a powerful case for the restorative properties of community building and recognition of what has happened to us and our communities. She makes a profound case for telling our stories and telling collective action. How can we begin to build a world that grieves and also heals? Join us for this powerful conversation.