The Listening Post

Grief touches every life—and every ministry. In this conversation, Bishop Ann Ritonia and the Rev. Janine Driscoll, who holds a doctorate in counseling psychology, reflect on how loss shapes the human spirit, from the battlefield to the bedside. They unpack the difference between healthy grief and complicated grief, and explore how ritual, memory, and faith can lead us toward hope. This episode reminds caregivers that tending to others’ grief begins with tending to our own.   “The Listening Post” is hosted by the Rt. Rev. Ann Ritonia, bishop suffragan for Armed Forces and Federal Ministries for The Episcopal Church.

Suicidal thoughts can emerge where pain, isolation, and moral injury meet. Bishop Ann Ritonia and the Rev. Janine Driscoll, who holds a doctorate in counseling psychology, discuss how chaplains and caregivers can respond to those in deep distress—with courage, compassion, and clarity. Together they explore risk factors, the power of connection, and how honesty and accompaniment can help bring light into the darkest moments. This conversation offers practical guidance for those walking alongside service members, veterans, and families in crisis. This episode of “The Listening Post” includes discussion of suicide, suicidal ideation, and moral injury. If you or someone you know is in crisis or thinking about suicide, help is available 24/7. Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Press 1 to connect with the Veterans Crisis Line. LGBTQ+ callers can contact the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678-678. You are not alone. Support is always available. “The Listening Post” is hosted by the Rt. Rev. Ann Ritonia, bishop suffragan for ⁠Armed Forces and Federal Ministries for The Episcopal Church⁠.

Anxiety is part of the air we breathe—especially for those serving others in high-stress environments. In this opening conversation, Bishop Ann Ritonia and the Rev. Janine Driscoll, who holds a doctorate in counseling psychology, explore the spiritual and psychological dimensions of anxiety: how our images of God shape our fears, how anxiety manifests in the body, and how simple practices—like breathing, grounding, and prayer—can restore calm. With empathy and practical wisdom, this episode invites chaplains and caregivers to tend both mind and spirit.   “The Listening Post” is hosted by the Rt. Rev. Ann Ritonia, bishop suffragan for Armed Forces and Federal Ministries for The Episcopal Church.