Little Losses Everywhere (and some big ones too)

Jan's guest in this episode is Kristina Kaiser, pastor, author and spiritual companion/guide and educator. Together they discuss collective (or communal) grief. Collective grief is a shared emotional response that occurs when a large group of people—such as a community, nation, or even the global population—experiences a significant loss, trauma, or crisis simultaneously. Examples are natural disasters, acts of violence, the recent pandemic and political unrest. Unlike personal grief, which stems from the loss of a private relationship, collective grief is felt communally, often triggered by events that impact many people at once.Jan and Kristina discussed collective grief by exploring its manifestations in contemporary society and uplifting ways to process and manage it. They examined the role of community and creating a sense of connection during times of shared distress. Kristina shared her experiences with peace circles and the power of music and movement in expressing and releasing collective grief. They emphasized the importance of self-care and grounding techniques, such as deep breathing and compassionate touch, to maintain emotional balance while engaging with communal sorrow. The conversation highlighted the need for gentle activism and the practice of Metta, or loving-kindness, as ways to align one's heart with those suffering while also finding moments of rest and hope.ABOUT OUR GUEST:In addition to being the author of Abundant Joy, Kristina is a certified Spiritual Guide & Supervisor with a Doctor of Ministry in Interfaith/Interspiritual Guidance and is certified in Sound Healing and Sound Bathing. She serves as a faculty member at Spiritual Guidance Training Institute and offers retreat and speaker services as well. Social Media/Website LinksWebsite: https://www.tendingme.com/Tending Me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565159454217Tending Me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tendingmespirituality/

This podcast episode focuses on the concept that the body has a story to tell, particularly in grief, with Cami Beecroft-Mann discussing her approach to grief companionship and the upcoming Center of Sorrow in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Cami explained how the body communicates through sensations and gestures during grief, emphasizing the importance of gentle invitation rather than expectation when working with clients. She described her work with both death and non-death losses, noting distinct differences in how the body manifests grief in each case. The episode concluded with details about Camille's new Center of Sorrow initiative, which will offer individual and group sessions, drop-in cry sessions, and sorrowing ceremonies, with virtual services also available.GUEST BIO:Cami Beecroft-Mann joins us with 28 years of pastoral care experience in one-on-one, group, and organizational settings. For the past 11 years, Cami has been practicing soulcare companioning. While being trained in a classical, contemplative model of spiritual direction, and Grief Companion Training through The Metta Center, Cami has enhanced her practice through additional trainings in trauma-informed care, somatic practices, and breathwork facilitation. She is currently in the process of founding a public service non-profit, The Center of Sorrow, to offer individual and communal experiences of attending the sorrows of non-death, as well as death losses. She resides in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Creator, Physio Divina Sacred Body Method  physiodivina.com

Join host, Jan Lundy, as she shares her perspectives and practices on how to navigate the difficult emotions of grief. She shares three mindsets and practices which help us "tend" the strong feelings that come with grief and loss. These practices are rooted in mindfulness, neuroscience and compassionate care. She stresses that any and all emotions are normal in grief; the importance of having a "trusted other" to speak your grief story to; and a desire to attend to your grief emotions with wisdom and kindness. She also offers that if you are experiencing extremely difficult emotions due to complicated grief, traumatic grief or grief that feels stuck, to see professional guidance. 

Join host, Jan Lundy, as she explores a powerful question that grievers can ask themselves to bring relief and more ease to their days. "The Kindest Thing" question is a surefire way for anyone experiencing loss:1. to begin a process of deepening self-awareness2. to learn how to listen deeply to the voice of inner guidance (intuition)3. to uncover what self-compassionate choice may be needed in the moment to bring greater peace of body, mind, heart and spiritIn this episode, Dr. Lundy also guides us through a 5-step process to choose "the kindest thing" for ourselves while in grief. BIO:Dr. Jan Lundy (Psy.D, DMin) is a grief educator and Grief Support Specialist whose work supports and empowers grievers to access their inner wisdom and to employ boundless self compassion during the most difficult times. She is also a spiritual guidance counselor in private practice. Twice a year, she leads Grief Companion Training certification courses through The Metta Center which she founded in 2003. Her book, Living Gently with Myself, in which The Kindest Thing question is explored, can be purchased through her website. Learn more at Jan Lundy's website: https://www.janlundy.com/Learn more about Grief Companion Training:http://www.mettacentertraining.com/

Divorce often brings unexpected grief. In fact, feelings of loss because of divorce are a form of disenfranchised grief which is unrecognized, unacknowledged and unsupported grief.Our special guest expert is Lauren Moore, founder of Sacred Living Arts, whose healing arts specialty is guiding and supporting women as they navigate the potent losses and life changes that come with divorce. Jan and Lauren talk about how divorce grief is unique and what kind of spiritual care a woman might need while moving through it and reorganizing her life. Lauren takes a spiritual approach in her work and helps women see divorce as a "sacred rite of passage," one which will ultimately allow them to be strengthened, clarified, and aligned with new skills, focus and purpose. Her new program, beginning in January 2026, is "The Five Sacred Rites of Divorce," and on the podcast she explains the life-changing pillars and practices that make up this transformational journey. Guest Bio:Lauren Kimberly Moore is an interfaith spiritual director, certified grief companion, elemental somatic guide, and ordaining minister through Feminine Healing Ministries. As a Rose Lineage initiate, she companions women through the most tender thresholds of life—grief, divorce, identity shifts, and seasons of profound rebirth.Her work blends contemplative wisdom, nervous system healing, and feminine spirituality. Lauren guides women through her programs 5 Sacred Rites of Divorce & Separation, Embodied Grief™, and Sovereign Rhythms Reset—seasonal attunement practices that restores the body’s natural rhythm and inner sovereignty.She supports clients in meeting their grief with compassion, reclaiming their cyclical truth, and crossing into their next evolution through sacred remembrance.Links:5 Sacred Rites Webpagehttps://sacredlivingarts.com/5ritesFacebook Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Cov3XsR2Y/?mibextid=wwXIfrComplementary 5 Sacred Rites Mini Devotionalhttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1WgroWBu-oQr9yMLNWW4zDxjwG5PiUyd4/view?usp=drivesdkAll social platforms@sacredlivingartsMain websitehttps://sacredlivingarts.com

In today's podcast, we welcome two special guests, Rev. Annalouiza Armendariz, an Interfaith Chaplain, and Rev. Wakil David Matthews, MA, an interfaith minister, who are hosts of the popular podcast, "End of Life Conversations." Listen in to this insightful conversation about their mission—life work and podcast—what it was from the very beginning, normalizing conversations about death and dying. Together, they also explore the many ways our conversations open up pathways for others to do the very important work of planning for the end of life, and help others to do so as well. They discuss their hope that their work and podcast will help to ease the fear of death.ABOUT:Annalouiza and Wakil offer classes on end-of-life planning, grief counseling, and interfaith (or no faith!) spiritual direction. If you are interested in any of these, please don't hesitate to contact them via email at [email protected] TO THEIR PODCAST:End of Life Conversations https://www.buzzsprout.com/2257447

Guest Bio:In this episode, we feature Nancy Philpott who serves as the Research Manager for the Shared Crossing Project and the Shared Crossing Research Initiative. She shares her expertise and personal experience with what is known as a Shared Death Experience. The term “shared crossing” (or Shared Death Experience) "broadly refers to an experience that one or more people may have before, during, or after a death. A shared crossing typically includes receiving information about dying or the continuation of consciousness, and it may include the appearance of the dying and/or deceased loved ones, which provides comfort and support. Experiencers report that they have received a healing gift, crafted especially for them, that has resulted in a significant shift in their grief.  They also report being wholly transformed by the experience." Source: https://www.sharedcrossing.com/about-shared%20crossingsBoth Nancy and host, Jan Lundy, share a bit about their own SDE(s) and how experiencing them changed their lives, their relationship with grief, and their spiritual understanding of life. They also discuss why research into this phenomenon is vitally important in these times of spiritual skepticism, unprocessed grief, despair or hopelessness. SDEs offer us an opportunity to examine our hearts, looking more deeply at our beliefs, including what we believe about life after death. Doing so empowers us to live our lives with dignity, purpose and meaning. GUEST BIO:Nancy Philpott, R.N., M.S., currently serves as the Research Manager for the Shared Crossing Project and the Shared Crossing Research Initiative. Nancy holds a B.S. in Nursing from West Texas A&M University and an M.S. in Health Administration from Southwest Texas State University.While practicing as a health professional for 30+ years, Nancy experienced multiple Shared Death Experiences (SDEs) with patients and family members. She is passionate about assisting health professionals in understanding, applying, and integrating knowledge of SDEs to enhance their end-of-life care.Learn more about the Shared Crossing Project: https://www.sharedcrossing.com/

In today's podcast, Dr. Jan hosts two very special guests who have been with us on the podcast before: Kelly Guest and Christine Hiester. Each is a spiritual director/companion/guide, and also a Grief Companion.Living gently with ourselves is generally not a message we receive from our modern Western culture—and this is where our conversation begins. We explore why and how we can overcome the messages to push through grief, to get over it and "back to normal" as quickly as possible. We explore ways that we can begin to live more gently with ourselves, despite what others might say or expect, and tend to our bodies, minds, emotions, and spirits in ways that foster healing. We also discuss the importance of gentle routines, grief rituals, and activities that help us be in touch with our loss (and all the feelings grief entails) while taking steps toward integration and meaning. Each of our contributors shares touching, personal stories about how she has navigated grief with more kindness toward self, through setting healthy boundaries, making loving choices, and much more. For further information on Grief Companion training, visit:https://www.GriefCompanionTraining.comAbout Our Guests:Christine Hiester is a spiritual companion, supervisor, and grief companion; a retreat leader, teacher, and creative. A native of the Christian contemplative tradition, a lover of Taoist and Buddhist practice, and deeply reverent of all wisdom traditions. Christine offers Soul Companioning, offering a place where your most authentic and whole Self has room to emerge and grow. At its most nourishing, the companioning relationship provides both a felt experience of safety and an invitation to growth, using questions, creative and contemplative practices, and a compassionate listening presence. Spiritual companionship is a form of community, a place where your soul is most welcomed, a place where relationship and awareness of Divine Compassion in daily life is nurtured. https://www.shapingtheriver.com/aboutKelly Gest is a spiritual companion/guide and a Grief Companion. Learn more about Dr. Jan Lundy at her personal website:https://www.janlundy.com/

Join host, Jan Lundy and two very special guests, each a wise woman in her endearing years, pondering her own aging and giving voice to the feelings of grief that emerge during the aging process. Elizabeth Ritz, PhD, and Rebecca Serpe, both spiritual directors and grief companions, share tender thoughts about how it feels to age and the many changes that arise as one's body-mind experiences the impact of years. Discussion surrounds these questions: •How are you uniquely experiencing some grief around your aging process? •Can you name the loss and describe the grief around it? •How do you handle this? How do you care for yourself when you feel this way? Do spiritual practices help? •How do you honor the losses in your life? •What are the deeper invitations of this grief? Each guest offers constructive ideas and practices that can contribute to a meaningful experience of life during one's endearing years; to the possibilities of expansion (rather than diminishment) and spiritual deepening. Dr. Jan quotes Joan Chittister, OSB, author of the groundbreaking book, The Gift of Years:"The secret of life is to let every segment of it produce its own yield at its own pace. Every period has something new to teach us. The harvest of youth if achievement; the harvest of middle-age is perspective; the harvest of life is serenity.""Freedom, in childhood may be the right to be totally self-centered. But freedom in old age is the ability to be the best of the self I have developed during all those years."GUEST BIOGRAPHIES AND CONTACT INFO: ELIZABETH RITZ is a retired therapist whose specialties include: Grief work with seniors, Creative arts contemplation, Interspiritual, Spiritually Independent​Individual and groups. In-person or virtual. Website:www.ritzcounseling.comREBECCA SERPE offers spiritual direction primarily drawing from the Christian tradition and Buddhist meditation practices. Her areas of special interest include Interfaith, Times of Transition, Aging and Spirituality.Website: https://www.sacredgroundchicago.org/copy-of-spiritual-directors

In today's podcast, meet the co-creator of the world's first virtual Near Death Experience, Daniel Ryan. "The Virtual NDE" can be viewed through virtual reality technology to help those who have not had a near death experience better understand them, and develop positive views about life, death and what comes next. The Virtual NDE was created in collaboration with "The International Association for Near-Death Studies (IANDS). The experience uses virtual reality technology to synthesize common elements in near-death experience (NDE) reports, offering the world a highly visual look at the transition from life to bodily death. The Virtual NDE may be viewed through virtual reality technology, which offers the fullest experience, or through this also compelling and more widely available YouTube version.  Daniel and Dr. Jan also discuss the wider topic of life after death, past life regression (including client accounts), and other topics that can mitigate our fear of death, enabling us to develop nuanced understandings around our own mortality, and what comes next. ABOUT THE VIRTUAL NDE: Artist and digital technologist Virgil Wong, MFA, and artist and hypnotherapist Daniel Ryan, BFA, MS, collaborated with IANDS leaders in creating the video based on IANDS’s extensive collection of reported NDEs. Near-death experiences have been reported by 4 to 15 percent of the general population and by an estimated 18 percent of cardiac arrest survivors. These reports have occurred over time and across cultures, and among people with and without religious beliefs." WATCH THE YOU TUBE VERSION OF THE VIRTUAL NDE HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwYF8fE9OuIABOUT OUR GUEST: Daniel Ryan BFA, MS is an expert and specialist in the art and science of Hypnosis and Regression Therapy. He has maintained full-time private practice since 2012 in New York City working with individuals, businesses, and groups. He has an MS from Columbia University in Narrative Medicine and a BFA from Emerson College in Writing and Literature. He received board certifications in Hypnotherapy, Regression Therapy, and Neuro-Linguistic Psychology. He studied and trained in techniques of meditation at the School of Practical Philosophy in New York City from 2007 to 2014 while exploring Vedic philosophy and east/west mysticism.http://www.danielryancrt.com/http://www.passedlivesclub.com/Insta: @danielryan___

Many people believe when it comes to loss and the grief that follows happiness and joy cannot, maybe even should not, be experienced. Today's guest invites us to reconsider this misconception and plants the seeds for joy, even during times of grief. Dr. Kristina Kaiser, author of the new book, Abundant Joy: A 90-Day Journey towards Sustainable, Authentic, Life-Changing Joy, offers unique insights and gentle practices that help us honor our sorrow and still leave the door open for moments of joy to enter—practices which strengthen us, enliven us and give us courage for the difficult journey ahead.  GUEST BIO:In addition to being the author of Abundant Joy, Kristina Kaiser is a certified Spiritual Guide & Supervisor with a Doctor of Ministry in Interfaith/Interspiritual Guidance and is certified in Sound Healing and Sound Bathing. She serves as a faculty member at Spiritual Guidance Training Institute and offers retreat and speaker services as well. Possible Social Media/Website LinksWebsite: https://www.tendingme.com/Tending Me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565159454217Tending Me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tendingmespirituality/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristina-kaiser-73a00337/SDI: https://www.sdicompanions.org/sdi-profile/kristina-kaiser/

Do you know what to say to someone who has suffered a significant loss? If you don't, you're not alone. Many people struggle with how to respond and realize they aren't equipped with the proper tools. Meet Catherine Hodge, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor from Tampa, FL who has authored a beautiful little book on the subject. "What Do I Say: How to Support Others in Grief" is a treasure trove of timeless advice on what to say and what not to say to someone who is grieving. Join us for a deeply meaningful and practical conversation that will help you get more comfortable and gain the confidence you need to support others when they need it most. In the podcast, we also discuss these very important points:• Why encouraging the griever to tell the story of their loss is important• The answer to the question, "Is  listening enough?"• How to know what is helpful and not helpful to a grieving person• How to lend your unique support to the bereaved that is sensitive and respectful of their unique path of grief Guest Bio:Catherine Hodge is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor based in Tampa, Florida, with a focus on grief, trauma, and addiction. She holds an M.S. in Mental Health Counseling from Nova Southeastern University and opened her private practice in 2016, following years of experience in substance abuse treatment centers and hospital settings.Catherine takes an integrative approach to therapy, blending traditional talk therapy with evidence-based modalities such as Internal Family Systems (IFS), Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), and therapeutic yoga. Her compassionate, collaborative style supports clients on their journey toward healing and growth.She is also the author of What Do I Say?: How to Support Others in Grief, a practical guide for those looking to offer thoughtful, meaningful support to people experiencing loss.Through her work, Catherine empowers individuals to process pain, build resilience, and reconnect with a sense of purpose. Learn more at www.catherinehodge.com.

Be prepared to feel your heart fill with wonder and gratitude as our conversation unfolds today with special guest, Sarah Hill. Sarah is an end-of-life doula who brings keen insight and profound presence to an individual's dying time. Sarah unpacks for Dr. Jan and listeners how she prepares and companions the dying and their families to approach this sacred time of life. Just as doulas have been present at the birth of babies for eons, so have loving companions, known as death doulas, been present as a beloved human leaves the physical world. Our conversation includes these highlights: • the basics about who can be a death doula, what they do, how they serve• how Sarah was drawn to this work, even as a child• how the loss of her own mother at a young age impacted her views of death, dying and bereavement care• what a doula does while companioning the dying Sarah shares some meaningful stories too from her bedside experiences, describing how this work is life-giving even amidst the reality of death. This inspiring interview invites us to re-think how we might approach our own dying time to have it be focused on a more gentle and meaningful parting where Love surrounds all.  Bio: Sarah Hill, East Bay Doula for the Dying As an end-of-life doula, Sarah provides support to those who are dying, and their constellation of caregivers. She approaches her work from an emotionally engaged and intuitively aware place, while also tending to the pragmatic essentials needed at the end of life. Sarah’s path to becoming a doula began in early childhood, but she resisted its pull until her forties. At the height of her consulting career supporting large-scale change management efforts in the corporate sector, the call to pivot to what is arguably the greatest change we each will undergo had become too loud to ignore. Sarah is humbled each day by those she encounters in her work and often marvels at the expansiveness of the human heart. Taking the path less traveled has helped her round out her own edges, too: exchanging achievement for fulfillment is among the best decisions of her life. Sarah began her private practice, East Bay Doula for the Dying, LLC in 2019, and is a founding member of the Bay Area End of Life Doula Alliance (ELDA).Visit her website: https://www.eastbaydoulaforthedying.com/

Liza Hyatt is our return guest, this time sharing her perspectives on "Earth Grief," something she experiences along with millions of others around the world. In this heart-touching podcast, we explore what Earth Grief is, and how it's showing up individually and in the collective. We also explore compassionate ways to tend this kind of grief, including how each of us can creatively engage with it in the imaginal realm. Besides serving as a Grief Companion and Art Therapist, Liza is a dreamwork practitioner and discusses how Earth Grief may even show up even in our dreams; as well as how dreams help us tend to our collective grief. A fascinating and important topic!

Today's podcast focuses on how our intuition may serve us especially well during times of grief and loss. Our special guest is Betty Kovacs, Hospice and Grief Companion.  During grief, when feelings can be most strong, we may experience "nudges" or prompts to make particular choices. Betty calls these "God Winks" and shares how she has learned to pay attention to these and how, as a result, her experiences with grief where intermediated by the Divine. With heartfelt intention, we can access serendipitous moments, as well, where we feel the presence of something greater than ourselves at work in the situation. As a Hospice volunteer and Grief Companion, she has witnessed this in others too, sharing wonderful "stories of how the Great Mystery works" from her lifetime of serving the bereaved. Dr. Jan and Betty also talk about how we can enhance our intuition which enables us to pay greater attention to the presence of the Sacred in our encounters with death and dying. GUEST BIO: Betty Kovacs taught special needs children for 25 years.  During this time she befriended an assisted living home in her area and visited residents over a thirty year period, often journeying with them through their final days.  She’s been a Hospice companion and bereavement counselor for the past nine years and is trained in the “Befriender” program as well as a certified Grief Companion through the Metta Center.

In this episode, we meet Courney Ronca, a hypnosis and healing arts practitioner and a grief companion with years of experience in the mortuary field. A unique combination of gifts and skills for a care provider! Courtney and Dr. Jan discuss the many ways that hypnosis can be helpful when it comes to not only grief, but all kinds of loss and life transitions, death and dying, end-of life-anxiety, pain management, and fear about "what's next?", i.e. the afterlife. GUEST BIO:Courtney Ronca is a hypnosis and healing arts practitioner. She has a background in grief education, companionship, and mortuary science. Courtney combines her experience in deathcare, grief and healing arts to help those navigating significant moments of transition such as end of relationships/divorce, job loss, death and moving. She also assists those navigating end of life transitions and persons struggling with death anxiety. You can get in touch with her and find out more about her work at www.threshold-hypnosis.com

Dr. Jan welcomes Dreamwork Practitioner, Liza Hyatt, to discuss the ways that engaging in Dreamwork can be helpful and healing to people experiencing grief. They discuss:•What led Liza to become a dreamwork practitioner and how she uses it in her own life• What role Dreamwork can play in spiritual direction/companionship• How talking about dreams with a trained Dreamwork practitioner can help someone who is grieving. Liza provides concrete examples from her own life that contributed to her healing journey after the loss of her mother and her father. ABOUT LIZA HYATT:Liza Hyatt is a spiritual companion, grief companion, dreamwork practitioner, art therapist and mental health counselor with almost 40 years of experience serving others with advanced skills for assisting trauma survivors. She offers virtual individual and group sessions in dreamwork, and creative arts as spiritual practice, She brings interspiritual and eco-spiritual perspectives into all her work. A published poet, her 5th book, Wayfaring (Fernwood Press), celebrates ordinary moments of spiritual awakening. Her website is https://lizahyatt.com/You can also learn more about Dreamwork here:https://www.thenaturaldream.com/

If you are someone, or you love someone, who lives with chronic illness, this podcast is for you because grief is likely present. Our special guest is Maddy Marr, a wise spiritual guide and someone who lives AWAP ("As Well As Possible") with chronic illness, addressing with transparency, humility, and kindness, what it means to have grief around your illness. In this podcast, we explore how Maddy coped with her grief and how she helps others do this too. We discuss what the hardest part about chronic illness grief is; what makes this different from other grief experiences; and how loved ones can support their chronically ill griever.About Maddy Marr:Maddy is a Spiritual Director, Grief Companion, and Angelic Reiki Master Teacher. In real people words, this means: she supports people on their unique spiritual journeys through compassionate listening, developing spiritual practices and connections with The Divine and deeper self, and holds space for energetic healing/channeling. She practices with an interspiritual lens, and has a heart for people who are: deconstructing, navigating a faith shift, looking for their own path, queer, neurodivergent, and grief & trauma survivors. You can book her for virtual and in person sessions. When she’s not doing local vendor events or seeing one-on-one clients, you can usually find her either somewhere in the woods, eating gluten free ramen and watching horror movies with her partner, or curled up with her current hyper-fixation hobby. Website: www.maddymarr.comInstagram: @griefghoul

In this episode, we explore how creative expression helps us process and navigate loss in a meaningful way. Dr. Jan hosts special guest Christine Hiester, a spiritual director and grief companion, and the creator/teacher of a new class offered by The Metta Center, Translating Our Grief: Creativity as a Language for  Exploring Experiences of Loss.*  Christine is a musician and self-taught artist who has guided creative and contemplative workshops and retreats for 15 years. Topics of discussion include:-Why we might want to tap into our creativity when we are grieving or while in mourning-Why creativity be more effective than other methods of catharsis-What forms of creative expression are helpful-Why you don't need to be an artist to be creative- Why words have limits that other creative languages move beyond-How the languages of color, shape, form, movement, sound, and imagery, each employ a unique vocabulary of expression for our grief and pain-How each of us can begin to tap into our unique creativity to better express our feelings of grief and loss*This course is offered each January through The Metta Center. For updated information visit: https://www.mettacentertraining.com/upcoming-trainings.html

What does it mean to open to grief? To allow the reality of loss and the feelings of grief to sink into our experience? Dr. Jan hosts special guests Christine Hiester and Kelly Gest, both spiritual directors and grief companions, to the podcast to discuss this important topic.  Together, we explore what allows us to open to our grief, and what prevents us from opening up to this potentially this transformative experience—on a personal level as well as a societal level. Each guest shares what encouraged her to open up to grief (instead of turning away from it or avoiding it), and how doing so became a beautiful journey of healing and growth. A transformation so unexpected that each now finds themselves serving others as grief companions, and helping others open to the deeper invitation of grief and loss too. Some of the key concepts explored are:• Why authentically entering into grief appears so difficult • What we might fear about grieving • The role of self-care and self-compassion in this process• How and why standing together in our grief is so helpfulFor further information on Grief Companion training, visit:https://www.GriefCompanionTraining.com Learn more about Christine Hiester here and how she supports others through Soul Companioning:https://www.shapingtheriver.com/aboutLearn more about Kelly Gest here and how she supports others by being an Interspiritual Guide and Grief Companion:https://www.intheopenfield.com/Learn more about Dr. Jan Lundy at her personal website:https://www.janlundy.com/

Premier episode of the podcast, "Little Losses Everywhere (and some big ones too)" with Dr. Jan Lundy of The Metta Center and special guest Ashley Davis Bush, author and grief counselor. Their conversation focuses on the varieties of non-death losses that people experience throughout their lives; shedding light on the current losses so many people struggle with in these challenging times. Bush proposes a model of care and attention to assist people in recognizing these losses, attending to them with compassionate care, and re-engaging with life in empowered new ways. Learn more about The Metta Center which specializes in the training of Grief Companions, preparing compassionate companions to serve a world in need. www.griefcompaniontraining.com