Grief Gratitude & Greatness

In this final episode of Grief Gratitude & Greatness, Sarah speaks with her father about how he met her mom, their young romance and their lives as immigrants to the United States. Sarah and her Dad also reflect on the importance of family, the difficulties of existing as a Jew in Iraq, stark cultural differences and life continuing after Sarah’s mom’s death. Trigger Warning: This episode refe...

This week we share the second of three intimate conversations with people close to Sarah. In this episode Sarah speaks with Sabine, her mother’s best friend growing up in rural Romania, and a longtime family friend. They discuss the reality of being a US immigrant and the mental health challenges some immigrants face. Trigger Warning: This episode references suicide. Suicide is a permanent solutio...

When Sarah started the Grief Gratitude & Greatness podcast about 6 years ago, people asked why she was embarking on a project about grief. During the podcast’s run, she was asked about her own personal grief story, and realized that while she was helping other people tell their stories, she ended up sharing little of her own. This week we share the first of three intimate conversations with pe...

When her life partner died suddenly, Tiana Hill had to confront some difficult truths. She discovered that the man she thought she knew was not all that he seemed. Faced with these revelations, she chose to take ownership of the part she had played in their relationship. Sarah speaks to Tiana about losing her daughter's father, being rejected by his family and how she healed by facing the truth ra...

When we look at history, we see Western culture's invasive influence spreading around the world, replacing local beliefs and customs. Dr. Agya Boakye-Boaten grew up in a village in Ghana, where he was educated in a Methodist all-boys school beginning at the age of 10. Upon coming to the US, he found that many of the things he’d been taught were problematic and required dismantling. Sarah speaks to...

A native Hawaiian, David Komeiji’s Japanese Buddhist heritage informs his life of service. In his career as a healthcare professional, David has worked to address the needs of the houseless. He now teaches ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, to the incarcerated. Sarah speaks to David about sacred space, his rituals of honoring ancestors, and how he works to humanize those who often go u...

At the height of Black Lives Matter movement, Andre Middleton finds his passion for music and mentorship intersecting with his experience as a Black man. He finds purpose in helping underserved youth discover their voice, honing their skills in the technical and business aspects of live music production. Sarah speaks to Andre about his childhood in Brooklyn, the racial dynamics of living in Oregon...

In the immediate aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, protests against police brutality sprung up in cities across the country, and there has been a reckoning about the continued inequality that exists in our society. Beth Blumklotz grew up African-American and white, raised in a white adoptive household. She observed the duality of how people are treated due to the color of their skin, even in a s...

Ill with terminal pancreatic cancer, Susanne Schumann let her family know that she would be choosing Death With Dignity. Her son Ben Orion spent his mother's last day with her and had the incredible experience of supporting her when she made the choice to end her life. Sarah speaks with Ben about his mom and the gift of being present for her death. Ben Orion lives on the West Coast with his wife a...

In this special edition, Sarah speaks with Seann McKeel, Virginia Gewin and Renee Gorham about their unique experiences with grief during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Seann McKeel is a visual artist, mom and music coordinator for the Children’s Cancer Association ’s music program, MyMusicRx . She was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2020 and has been undergoing chemotherapy. Virginia...

A victim of child sexual abuse, Nathan Langston published his story, I Need You To Tell Me Everything , as a web-based multimedia experience. Sarah speaks to Nathan about PTSD, the perspective he brings to his parenting, and how sharing his story is part of his healing journey. Nathan Langston is a poet, musician, and software designer, living in Seattle with his two young boys. His new book, whic...

When Leslie Barber’s husband was ill and died of cancer, she became aware of the inconsistent and inadequate response that many companies have to supporting their grieving employees. Sarah talks to Leslie about the economic challenges of widowhood and the necessity to make significant changes in the workplace for the bereaved. Leslie Barber is the founder of Grief Warrior . She is a business and p...

Following the deaths of several people close to her, Chelsea Granger began openly engaging with her online community about her grief and mental health. Her love of zines and postal mail led her to compile a monthly subscription newsletter full of resources for the grieving. Sarah speaks with Chelsea about how her grief triggered suicidal depression, the manic episodes she experienced, and the artw...

As a long-term survivor of HIV, Jennifer Jako continues to advocate for prevention, empowering and informing the community about the virus that has killed many of her peers. Sarah speaks to Jennifer about her experience living with HIV, how she became a mother despite her diagnosis, and how the fight against HIV/AIDS continues. Jennifer Jako is an activist, mother, media creator, maker and designe...

Confronting a lifetime of anxiety, Courtenay Hameister spent a year stepping far out of her comfort zone to try some new things, then wrote a book full of stories about the experience. Sarah speaks to Courtenay about her feelings concerning the nature of her father's death, how grief broke up a relationship and the opportunities she's passed by due to death, shame, fear, and mental health. Courten...

Years into a successful career, Michael Namkung realized that he was unfulfilled. Having been discouraged from pursuing his interests and dreams as a child, he found himself grieving the hope and passion he’d lost. Sarah talks to Michael about giving up on security to rediscover himself, while reinventing his career as an artist, athlete, and poet. Michael Namkung is what happens when Bob Ross bec...

Hey There — Happy New Year! We’re taking a New Year's break and reflecting on all the amazing guests, conversations and things we’ve learned over this past year. Thanks for listening and supporting our work to bring these discussions out of the shadows and help to change our culture around grief! We’ll be back January 14th with a new season and a new episode. We look forward to sharing more conver...

When Christy Wopat was pregnant with twins, she suffered from complications of PPROM, leading to her babies being born prematurely and dying shortly after. Sarah speaks to Christy about how she navigated the difficult interactions that she had to contend with afterward, and how she found community in writing about her experience. Christy Wopat is the author of the award-winning memoir, Almost a Mo...

As a young woman, Mary Zinkin survived a random act of gun violence and lived for years with undiagnosed PTSD from the incident. Sarah speaks with Mary about how her pursuit of mental wellness healing led to her work in conflict resolution, facilitating conversations between victims and their perpetrators. Mary Zinkin, Ph. D., is a Buddhist chaplain and the founder of the Center for Trauma Support...

Sarah speaks with singer/songwriter Jen Myzel about the unexpected, debilitating and life-altering experience of pursuing her family history, later finding recovery and healing through shamanism. Jen Myzel is a singer/songwriter, elementary school music teacher, author and activist in Oakland, California. She is the author of the children's sing-along book, Yellow Lotus Flower , and a song-leader...

During a spring break family vacation, Annie Adams' 15-year-old became ill, was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with leukemia. Before the end of the week, Zenzi died in a hospital far from home. Sarah speaks with Annie about the surreal experience of this happening while on vacation, and how she and her husband were tasked with bringing their child's body home. Annie also discusses the signif...

Frances Badalamenti's debut novel I Don’t Blame You tells of the instability a young girl experiences when her mother’s mental and physical health decline after divorce. The novel closely reflects Fran’s own experience of a lost childhood. Sarah speaks to Fran about the grief she felt losing her mother, which was coupled with the joy of becoming a mother herself. Frances Badalamenti lives in Portl...

Sarah speaks to scholar Carol Ferris about how we can look to Astrology to understand grief, our relationship to the natural world and coming to terms with our own mortality. While Carol believes that our culture and our country are dying, she offers hope of a return to living in sync with natural cycles of life. Carol Ferris, M.A. , practices astrology in Portland, Oregon, where she consults with...

Having experienced the pregnancy, birth and loss of a medically fragile infant, Heather Campbell went on to pursue a career in nursing. Sarah speaks to Heather about juggling parenting a young child alongside all the responsibilities and outcomes of caring for a baby with CHARGE syndrome. Heather Campbell is a registered nurse with over 20 years in women's health and infertility. Through her work...

An accomplished singer-songwriter, Logan Lynn overcame childhood sexual abuse and addiction to advocate for himself and others. Sarah speaks with Logan about his music and his passion for LGBTQ rights. Logan Lynn is a musician, writer, producer, mental health advocate, LGBT activist, filmmaker and a former host on the Logo TV network. Grief Gratitude & Greatness is hosted by Sarah Shaoul and i...