Monday Morning Conversations with Nancy and Dan

Lynn B. Stone is an international author, workshop facilitator, podcast host, and engaging guest speaker who brings warmth, honesty, and practicality to conversations many people avoid—planning for the inevitable. As the author of ’Til Death Do Us Part: A Practical Guide to Preparing for the Inevitable, Lynn helps open the door to meaningful discussions about death planning through the lived experience of widowhood.After navigating the emotional and logistical realities that come with loss, Lynn recognized how unprepared many families are—not because they don’t care, but because they don’t know where to begin. From a widow’s perspective, she reframes death planning as an empowering act of love rather than a fearful topic to be postponed. Her approach blends compassion with clear, practical guidance, helping people feel informed, confident, and in control of their future.Lynn has facilitated impactful workshops and appeared as a guest speaker on podcasts and at in-person events both nationally and internationally. She also created the Resistant Conversation Toolkit, which is intended to guide people through difficult conversations surrounding death planning.At the heart of Lynn’s work is a simple but powerful belief: preparation brings peace. By normalizing conversations around wills, documents, and end-of-life wishes, she empowers families to protect themselves and the people they love—long before it becomes necessary.

Living Well with Autoimmune or From Diagnosis to ThrivingAnnie Toro Lopez is a cookbook author, chronic illness advocate, and inspirational voice in the celiac and autoimmune communities. Her current cookbook, Simply Gluten-Free: Real Ingredients for Everyday Life, reflects her passion for approachable, nourishing recipes that empower people living with chronic conditions to reclaim joy in the kitchen. Annie speaks candidly about navigating health challenges, transforming mindset, and finding strength in community, inspiring audiences to embrace possibility, even in the face of adversity.

Maddie dedicates her life not only to her own recovery, but to creating healing spaces for others. Through her advocacy, peer support work, and nonprofit leadership, she’s helping reshape how we understand mental health, resilience, and what it means to rebuild a life with purpose. Death by suicide is one of the most difficult and awkward conversations to have with those faced with the loss of a loved one. The stories we tell to ourselves and those we share with others are based upon our experiences. The confused blend of emotions that is our grief needs to find expression. It is by our words and in our actions that we attempt to build a meaning for ‘why’. Closure is difficult because the answer to this question continues to evolve and can never be known because it s a quantum experience destined to change upon taking its measure.

Our friend, Heather Hill is a funeral director and the hostess of the Raleigh Death Cafe. Heather shares the story of her journey in a deeply personal way. The song she selected was The Sweetest Gift by Sade. Talking about death and how this is a gift to your loved ones when you are gone. Inviting people to have these conversations is an important gift that you can give.

Sibling loss with our guest Jessica FryBio: Jess is a single mom to a teenage son. She works full time and part time with the homeless population. She started her podcast in June of 2022 called Unapologetically Overcoming. It discusses topics that usually have a negative stigma associated with them. Her hope is that by talking about such topics, people will see that they too can overcome difficult situations and hopefully the stigmas can be eliminated.

Response ability, the capacity to take action. We take on responsibility when we are faced with meaningful choices. The freedoms we enjoy depend upon how we view and act upon them challenges we are faced with. We are the creators and artists of our own life creation. Making the daily decisions that guide our path as we amble through our day.Knowing you are capable and our ability and resilience to holding on in the event of devastating loss. When loss arrives we choose how we will respond. The choice to get unstuck and live the life you were meant to live. What motivates us to act in our own best interest? Our capacity to change is where our freedom comes into the light. Owning those choices is our response ability to make your life better and fuller.

Our guest today is Carrie Schlegel, a realtor and friend who will share insights and her experience helping people find a home. When traumatic circumstance adds stress to the sale of your home, it good to have someone with experience guide you through the process.

This episode is a dialogue about how hope and grief coexist. We can rise while still bearing the marks of loss. The scars we carry do not disqualify us from purpose joy or calling. Dr. Marilyn Pendelton joins us as she relates her work bridging education, health and grief recovery. Your Voice Heard is is dedicated to equipping leaders, schools and workforce members with tools to address grief related to trauma, loss and major life transitions.

Disenfranchised grief with our guest Brittany Squillace, Brittany Squillace, MA, LMFT is a mental health therapist and founder of Best Self Therapy. Brittany’s mission through Best Self Therapy is to instill hope in grieving adults to change the way they view, talk about, and navigate grief. This allows them to live a better life as their best self. Through her specialty of grief and loss, Brittany guides clients in making meaning of their losses. Brittany’s grief specialization also includes guiding clients in healing ambiguous/ living losses (such as the losses experienced through divorce, loss of identity, grieving a loved one who is still physically present but emotionally/mentally absent, loss of job, losses that may come with being a new parent, etc.). Brittany values creating a safe and welcoming space, allowing clients to discover how to continue living as their best selves while honoring your unique grief journey

Philip Gracia, President/CEO, Frogtown Tuned-In, Inc.At WFNU-LP 94.1 FM Frogtown Radio, Philip is a community leader and a family man who has nurtured a feeling here at the station that everyone belongs. That we are an extended family of people interested in the health and welfare of our community. Leading an effort like running a radio station is no small task. Sharing the stories that make an impact.Telling stories that educate and entertain is a tradition that developed out of our need to communicate and connect. Today’s topic is a personal tale and we’ll share perspectives as we explore how“Something not said in the family isn’t always best for family members.”

Our Journey continues…We are currently in the 25th portal of Leah’s death. It began on November 3rd, the date of the accident, and continues through November 13th, the date of her funeral. How this anniversary reminded us of our humanness.How our grief journey makes us, reminds us, makes us more humanWhat being human means and how it has evolved as we’ve grieved.Check out Brandi Carlyle’s Song Being Human to complement this episode.

One of the things that isn't often discussed are all the effects of grief. We hear about depression and the effect of grief on our mental health however, there are also physical manifestations of grief. It certainly was not something I was aware of after Leah died. Losing a loved one is extremely stressful, and can take a toll in unexpected ways. According to the National Institutes of Health, grief can cause everything from bodily pain and a weakened immune system to stomach upset and fatigue,

Many of our aging parents grew up in an era in which people didn’t discuss their various ailments or personal struggles much — even with their own family members. As such, they were taught that suffering in silence was a virtue and that discussing their issues with their children showed too much vulnerability and might lead to disrespect. In reality, they’re likely desperate to talk to you about the things listed below, but either don’t know how to broach the subject or are terrified of what may happen if they do.

Topic: The Sweet Burden: Grief as a Teacher to Weave BelongingBio: From her youngest days, Kate Towle has been an advocate for racial equity. As a child, she worked alongside her father and his Black friend to build a vibrant interracial community center in Michigan City, Indiana. She has organized and delivered numerous talks and workshops to help people start a racial and ethnic healing process where they live, work, and learn, often co-leading sessions with colleagues of color.She lives in Minneapolis, MN, where racial tensions after the murder of George Floyd swept across the nation. She was the winner of the St. Paul Foundation’s Facing Race Idea Challenge in 2011 and wrote about her groundbreaking interracial work with high school students in Talking About Race: Alleviating the Fear (2013).With her friend Rose McGee, she engaged young leaders in building the organization Sweet Potato Comfort Pie, which wraps cross-community dialogue and healing around baking and delivering the pies that symbolize caring and connection in Black culture.Kate’s novel Sweet Burden of Crossing about interracial friendship has helped people of all ages speak candidly about their life experiences and biases in peer conversations, as discussed in a recent Democratic Visions interview. She helps communities see how sharing stories, service, and honoring each person’s gifts can heal longstanding divides. She co-leads the Weave Peace and Justice subcommunity

Being stuck in grief is an uncomfortable place to find yourself. When you have experienced a loss and can’t seem to find a path forward, you pause to consider your situation. Are you in grief?Getting unstuck from grief involves :Acknowledging your painPracticing self-care,Finding social support, and Taking purposeful action to process the lossHow do you find meaning again? This can include therapy for complex grief. Be gentle with yourself, understand that healing takes time, and explore activities like creative expression, exercise, and connecting with your loved one's memory to move forward.

This episode is about the how you can help someone by asking questions. You can do this to create a comfort zone that allows true communication. When you face the loss of someone or something important to you, you may tend to isolate. By simply asking a question you can make the experience of loss a little easier to handle.

Amy Weglarz is a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach who helps people build strength, confidence, and sustainable healthy habits. Amy explains how grief affect the body- energy, sleep, even appetite- and why is it important to recognize this? As a physical trainer understanding how habits like exercise and building up our skill and tools for life's challenges can be made into a sustainable practice with presence and dedication.

Searching but not finding understanding is the line I sometimes dwell on. This episode explores the masks that disguise or dissuade us from recognizing the pattern of grief that we are wearing. What do we mean by disguises of grief? After doing this work for some time, and walking my own grief journey for almost 25 years, I've come to realise that some of the actions we use disguise our grief. We do it to suppress grief because we don't like to feel the feelings that arise when we meet our grief.

Having good boundaries is important, especially when you are grieving. This episode discusses some tips and shares the lessons we have learned as we struggled with the death of our daughter. Good boundaries can help you manage your energy after a loss.

Jenn Closi’s husband, Phil died of COVID related complications while serving in Southern Nevada. Jenn describes her efforts to get her husband recognized for his sacrifice. She faced opposition to honoring his heroism. Her work with the Southern Nevada Concerns of Police Survivors is highlighted as she assists those who face similar recognition for the sacrifice of their spouses. Jenn’s story is moving and thought provoking when those who serve us pay the ultimate price to keep us safe.

Karen Peloquin joins us in a difficult conversation about the story of her brother, David who died by suicide. Karen’s work involves assisting others who have experienced this devastating loss of a family member and the associated grief that accompanies it. Her brother’s heart felt letter and his struggle is compassionately expressed in her words. This episode contains a disclaimer and refers to 988 the National Crisis Hotline for anyone who feels triggered by this episodes content.

Traumatic events like the plague of school shootings continues to confound us as we struggle to make sense of the events and motivations of individuals involved in these heinous crimes. Gun violence and the grief that it causes to families where children have been lost grows out of the soul grief that occurs when people are taught to believe in one thing and then are confronted with the realization that their lives expose them to much different circumstances. It creates a tension that some can’t handle and they explode in violent acts.

In this episode we asked returning guest, Joe McCullough to talk about the latest Lyceum Movement topic that will feature an examination of the crisis of male loneliness in our culture. How young men need to be mentored and initiated into society and made a part of the community. These conversations need to be ongoing and focus on the types of solutions that are possible as we look at new ways to interact.

The Lyceum Movement is an organization that promotes an exchange among different viewpoints and opinions. It has historical roots back as far as Roman times but in the United States it took hold in the 1860’s as a way for townsfolk to become informed through conversation and dialogue. It was recently been reconstituted in the Midwest to engage people in conversation about topical subjects that need to be examined discussed and new pathways charted. We welcome Joe McCullough into the studio to share his thoughts on current topics.

Season 2 starts with a guest who offers insight into how conflict is managed and why it takes resilience in our relationships. How this affects community and how accountability plays a role in developing sustainable communities with honesty, trust and knowing how to show up.

Our series on grief in Season One concludes with this episode. When we change an unwanted pattern of behavior we open ourselves to the possibility of change and thereby healing. Listen in as we explore the ramifications of changing patterns and what opportunities arise from it.

As we discuss the difficulties of experiencing loss, however large or small your loss might be. It is important to discuss the resources that will help you get through the unfamiliar feelings and emotions. Talking about the process that you go through can allow you to move forward in your life, even if it is one step at a time. This involves a transformation of thought and feeling that is the goal of getting unstuck from the pain you are experiencing

In our conversations we focused on the places and situations where grief might show up for you and how you can recognize and approach the pain you will experience when grief enters.

Monday Morning Conversations with Nancy and Dan explore why having difficult conversations can help you when you are dealing with grief and loss.

We dive into the story of the loss of our daughter and how it affected our lives going forward. Find out how we were able to handle a loss that no parent ever wants to consider.

A few years ago we started a radio program about Being with Grief and having the difficult conversations we tend to avoid. How to get better at having them and what grief can do that prevents us from living the life that we were meant to. We invite you to listen to our story about the journey that grief took us on after we lost our 17 year old daughter and how we found meaning purpose and joy again.