Where's The Grief?

In this episode, I sat down with ANOTHER fellow grief podcaster, Dr. Joshua Black, from the Grief Dreams Podcast! After dreaming about his late father, Joshua began studying the effects of dreams on healing trauma and moving through loss. Through his work and his podcast he is able to connect with people on a deep level about understanding the nature of life and death. Follow Joshua's podcast and...

In this episode I talk with fellow grief podcaster Tawny Platis! Before Tawny's husband George passed away in their home in November 2019, the two had a popular podcast together. After his untimely death, Tawny coped with the trauma by starting a podcast where she was able to talk with other creative types who use dark humor and jokes to combat their grief. We talk about the difficulties of being...

In this episode I sat down IN PERSON! with my friend Tim Lavigne, whose band ToshioBand new album, Lock Your Doors, comes out June 25th. The album was partially inspired by the Tim's mother who instilled a love of music in him, and who continues to inspire years after her untimely passing. We talk about how freeing it can be to own who we are and find ways not to let our past dictate our future. F...

In this episode, I interview author Eric Hodgdon about his book, A Sherpa Named Zoi, about his journey back into the light after the death of his daughter, Zoi. In the years since her passing Eric has managed to find more meaning in her life than in her death, and helps others to harness their inner strengths to overcome adversity. We talk about the importance of moving forward while continuing to...

In this episode I interview writer Briana Lawrence! When she was just 13, Briana's brother Glenn died at 26, and since then she has found a lot of impactful ways to honor him and her grief. As a writer for The Mary Sue on pop culture, she was able to write about the ways that WandaVision on Disney + tackled grief head on. (spoiler alert - the whole season is about her grief!) We also talk about ho...

In this episode, I interview comedian Rich Kiamco, whose partner Sandy died from Covid just 3 weeks before we recorded this. Having spent years already working on himself and finding mens groups to tackle his feelings head-on, I was incredibly impressed by just how articulate Rich was about his grief so early in the process. We talk about how loss of the people in our lives upend the very structur...

This episode is Exta-Jordanary! This first in-person interview I did in over a year is with my good friend Jordan Hawkes, who lost both of her parents in a car accident when she was just 3 years old. We talk about what it was like to grow up in the shadow of grief that permeated the rest of the family that helped raise her. We also talk about how we find our identities after trauma. Follow Jordan...

This interview was a long time coming! After several years of talking about having him on, comedian James Alexander finally had time to talk with me about a variety of losses, including one of his best friends years ago, as well as his father and other family members over the past year. We talk about how different each loss hits us, and the importance of staying true to ones self in spite of circu...

In this episode, I talk with Author Dawn Newton about her new book, " The Remnants Of Summer ," a coming of age novel about a young Michigan girl who loses her brother in a tragic drowning accident.  Beginning this book before the death of both of her parents, Dawn put it on the back burner while working on other projects, including " Winded: A Memoir in 4 Stages. " We talk about the different way...

In this episode I talk with NYTimes bestselling author Adam Mansbach about his new book, "I Had A Brother Once. A Poem. A Memoir." Shortly after Adam's brother died by suicide, his first book became number one in the world, creating something of a double life - One who was mourning the loss of his brother and another whose public persona was on a global media tour. We also talk about how artists f...

In this episode I interview comedian and writer Genevieve Joy! We talk about a diverse number of friends that she has lost over the years, and how our relationship to our own mortality changes over time. We also talk about how important it is to give ourselves permission to actively deal with our emotional hurdles. Follow Genevieve on IG @CatFightJoy Check out http://www.genevievejoy.com/  to lear...

In this episode I talk with comedian Mick Diflo about a number of losses he has experienced over the years, including both his parents, two siblings, a niece and a nephew. Coming from a family that didn't always express their feelings to one another, Mick has managed to find new ways to acknowledge the difficulties and use humor to negotiate an ever adapting approach to life and death. Follow Mick...

In this episode I talk with comedian and fellow podcaster Andrew Steiner! We talk the difficulty we can have in feeling as though we are properly expressing our grief, and how to deal with our struggles when everyone we know only shares their successes. We also talk about the ways in which we prioritize content creation versus promotion, and the power of passion projects. Check out Andrews podcast...

Huzzah! This is the first episode I actually recorded after a 3 month hiatus, and also the first episode I've done where we don't deal with the loss of a person, but rather the loss of a whole way of life, of BEING. It felt appropriate to start up again by talking with my good friend Michael Wasserman, a teacher (among other things) who had already been trying to put his life back together when th...

In this episode I interview comedian and fellow podcaster Jenn Welch! After the death of her father, Jenn found her own ways of coping by being open and creative about her loss. We talk about her Dead Dad Tinder account, and the impact it can have when we take ownership of our own issues. We also talk about how great it is to have a community that welcomes expression, even when it's not funny. Che...

In this episode, I interview Author and fellow bereavement speaker Allison Gilbert! After losing both of her parents at a young age, Allison found solace in being able to tell her story of overcoming the depths of her grief, and in helping others find their own path as well. We talk about the importance of community, and how just being genuine with people, even when dealing with them on a professi...

Hello to 2021! What a crazy year it has been for all of us. In addition to the pandemic fatigue we are all collectively feeling, life and death continue to go on. I wanted to take this opportunity to check in on myself and bring you up to speed on how the podcast is going, and the resources that are out there should you need more.  After a brief hiatus, and dealing with some fresh personal grief o...

Huzzah! In this episode, I finally sat down for a full hour with my good friend Luciana Rossi!  A registered nurse, and a fellow bereaved sibling, Luci and I met over a decade ago at The Compassionate Friends (TCF) national conference. Luci lost her brother Doug when she was a baby, and her other brother Tony in 2009. She has become a much needed voice in the bereavement community, a leader in the...

In this episode, I interview comedian and improv performer Ronny Pasquale! It's been 15 years since Ronny's mother died at the age of 39, when Ronny himself was just 20. He has since managed to combine parts of his pain with his love of dead-mother jokes as a way to cope with the difficult parts of life without her.  We talk about how important being about to have tough conversations can be, as we...

I don't know who NEEDS to hear this episode right now, but I hope it's a lot! Here's my interview with comedian Myq Kaplan, who manages to create humor out of the intersection of wordplay and philosophy. Enjoy an in depth discussion about the ways that human nature has us alternately hide/express our true feelings, and the power of truly connecting with other humans. Follow Myq at @myqkaplan acros...

In this episode, I sat down to talk with Ken Levy and Sam Feldman, two of the founders of The National Widowers Organization. Having each lost their wives, both Sam and Ken struggled to find a place where widowers (and men in general) were allowed to be vulnerable and open about their feelings, leading to them stepping up to help others while helping themselves. Check out the National Widowers Org...

In this episode, I welcome fellow grief podcaster, Jayme Ails! After the death of her mother to cancer 4 years ago, Jayme struggled to find her way, and ultimately started a podcast about grief (and how the fuck to deal with it) called Grief Unfiltered! We talk about the importance of semantics, and of cutting through the BS to get to a real conversation, especially about difficult topics. Follow...

Jason Rosenthal is a widower who became nationally known after his wife wrote a heart-wrenching column days before her death. He is now sharing his insight about love, loss and living again in his new memoir, "My Wife Said You May Want To Marry Me." We talk about the importance of family support, and the need to connect with people, as well as how to carry someones legacy forward while also creati...

In this episode, I interview comedian AMarie Castillo to talk about the difficulties of losing her best friend. After her best friend Bex was murdered last year, AMarie struggled to make sense of not just what happened, but how to find a peaceful way forward. We talk about the importance of the family we choose and the community we have to support us. Follow Amarie on all social media @Part_Time_B...

In this episode, I interview comedian Sharon Simon! A veteran of the NYC standup community, Sharon has dealt with a number of losses, including her mother 10 years ago, and more recently an aunt and her cousin. We talk about how important it is to have a space to speak your truth and claim ownership of your story. We also talk about the difficulties of having to grieve during quarantine.  Follow S...