In episode 49, bereaved father Eric Hodgdon explores how he leads a life of intention in the wake of incredible pain over the death of his daughter, Zoi, who died by suicide. He shares his fond memories of a loving and fun girl who was a sweet, supportive peer to those who knew her. Family, friends, and patients who traveled their mental health path alongside her all remember Zoi as a very special person.
If you have been blaming yourself for the death of your loved one, or feeling guilty that you didn’t do something you “should” have done, you are not alone. Whether your special person died by suicide, an overdose, long-term illness or suddenly, self-blame often appears. Guilt and shame are heavy burdens to bear, and add more suffering on top of our broken heart. Learn how to manage these difficult emotions in episode 31.
In the 19th episode of the Mindfulness & Grief Podcast, R. Glenn Kelly (Ron) shares on the job self-care tips, as well insights into how business leaders and colleagues alike can cultivate a grief-literate work environment. A bereaved father and business leader, Ron is the author several books, including Grief in the Workplace and Sometimes I Cry In The Shower.
Kim Colegrove is the founder of the PauseFirst Project, which offers Mindfulness for First Responders, and was founded in honor of her husband, Special Agent David M. Colegrove, who died by suicide in 2014. Kim learned the practice of transcendental meditation at the age of ten. After her husband’s death, Kim used her practice to cope with her own grief and loss. Now, with more than 40 years of practice under her belt, she is helping police, firefighters, EMS, paramedics, dispatchers, corrections officers, and other first responders cope with the daily stress and trauma of the job.
At the age of 38, Claire Hoffman became a widow when her husband experienced a drug overdose. A mother of one, Claire describes this event as having a butterfly effect over her entire world. In an effort to cope with the loss and gain wisdom and insight, Claire has gathered together grief experts from around the world for the Liberate Your Grief Spotcast, a 5 day event offering hope and healing to anyone who has experienced a major loss.
Heather Stang interviews David A. Treleaven, Ph.D., author of “Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness,” for an closer look at the intersection of grief, trauma and mindfulness, so you can understand the benefits and pitfalls before you practice. Mindfulness meditation is highly praised for helping people reduce physical, emotional, and psychological suffering. But when trauma is involved, mindfulness needs to be handled with care, modified, or outright avoided.
Guilt and grief form a ubiquitous pair. We can find countless ways to blame ourselves. For that last argument we had. For not insisting they visit the doctor sooner. For sending them on that last errand. For not discovering the right healing supplement. For not being able to cure their addiction or ease the pain