Grief Dreams Podcast

Dr. Joshua Black

A conversation about life, loss, grief, and grief dreams with one of the leading academic researchers on the topic, Dr. Joshua Black. Visit www.griefdreams.ca for more information on grief dreams.

  1. May 7

    E243 - Vera Decena - Nutrition and Grief

    Vera Decena is the founder of ColourFull Nutrition and a grief-informed nutrition counsellor and health & wellness coach. With over a decade in food, nutrition, and health sciences, she created ColourFull Nutrition after her own spousal loss, where she noticed a gap in grief care, which had plenty of emotional support, but little guidance for the physical body in mourning. Today, Vera supports the bereaved with compassionate, whole-body care, helping people nourish, regulate, and rebuild gentle routines. She normalizes the body’s response to grief and highlights the mind-body connection so people can feel more grounded in themselves. You can find more about Vera at colourfullnutrition.com and IG @colourfull_nutrition.   In this episode, we discuss her journey into valuing nutrition, her relationship with her partner, the loss of her partner from substance use, the changes in her body that she went through, nutrition and grief, and the grief dreams she has had about her partner.   You can find more about Grief Dreams here: Website – www.griefdreams.ca  Instagram and Twitter - @Griefdreams Facebook – Grief Dreams Podcast Page and Grief Dreams Group   Looking for ways to support the podcast? You can help support the Grief Dreams Podcast in a few ways: 1)  Subscribe to the podcast (on the platform you listen to) and give a review. This improves its online visibility. 2) Support the topic by sharing the podcast or website. I appreciate any support that helps raise awareness of the topic. 3) Become a Patreon supporter (monthly financial support) https://www.patreon.com/griefdreamspodcast

    53 min
  2. 12/21/2025

    E240 - Marney Thompson - Canadian Grief Alliance

    Marney Thompson is the Director of Bereavement Services at Victoria Hospice and an executive member of the Canadian Grief Alliance. She is the recent recipient of the King Charles Coronation Medal in recognition of her contribution to the field of bereavement care. She is an experienced conference presenter, clinical co-lead of the BC Psychosocial ECHO project, and a counsellor in private practice. In addition to these roles, she is also co-author of the award-winning book, “Transitions in Dying and Bereavement,” and a number of peer-reviewed articles related to psychosocial palliative care, medical assistance in death, and prolonged grief. In 2012, she was part of the international “Train the Trainers” pilot project with the Center for Prolonged Grief at Columbia University and has continued to work and study in this area of grief.   In this episode, we discuss her journey into the field of bereavement care, the Canadian Grief Alliance’s “Next Steps Action Plan”, their new website aboutgrief.ca, AI and grief, and grief dreams in her practice.   You can find more about Grief Dreams here: Website – www.griefdreams.ca  Instagram and Twitter - @Griefdreams Facebook – Grief Dreams Podcast Page and Grief Dreams Group   Looking for ways to support the podcast? You can help support the Grief Dreams Podcast in a few ways: 1)  Subscribe to the podcast (on the platform you listen to) and give a review. This improves its online visibility. 2) Support the topic by sharing the podcast or website. I appreciate any support that helps raise awareness of the topic. 3) Become a Patreon supporter (monthly financial support) https://www.patreon.com/griefdreamspodcast

    50 min
  3. 12/07/2025

    E239 - Michael Mackenzie & Luke Lapas - Supporting People with Intellectual Disabilities

    Michael Mackenzie has worked in Developmental Services, supporting people with intellectual disabilities, for more than 35 years. His areas of focus have included person-directed employment navigation, fundraising, staff training, advocacy and rights, decision making in health care, palliative and Hospice family support, and legacy work through storytelling. Michael is also a volunteer at Bereaved Families of Ontario (Toronto), where he facilitates peer grief groups for people with intellectual disabilities and another series for direct support workers who have experienced loss of those they have supported. He is joined today with Luke Lapas, who has co-facilitated the grief group with people who have intellectual disabilities.   In this episode, we discuss their grief, developing and running a grief program for people with intellectual disabilities, support staff grief, and the grief dreams they have had (grandparents, friend, and clients).   You can find more about Grief Dreams here: Website – www.griefdreams.ca  Instagram and Twitter - @Griefdreams Facebook – Grief Dreams Podcast Page and Grief Dreams Group   Looking for ways to support the podcast? You can help support the Grief Dreams Podcast in a few ways: 1)  Subscribe to the podcast (on the platform you listen) and give a review. This improves its online visibility. 2) Support the topic by sharing the podcast or website. I appreciate any support that contributes to raising awareness on the topic. 3) Become a Patreon supporter (monthly financial support) https://www.patreon.com/griefdreamspodcast

    39 min
  4. 06/29/2025

    E237 - Felicia Cardinal - Grief, Dreams, and Healing

    Felicia Cardinal manages an Indigenous clothing store in Chilliwack, British Columbia called Section 35. She is originally from Saddle Lake Cree Nation. Saddle Lake Cree Nation is a Plains Cree, First Nations community, located in the "Beaver Hills" region of central Alberta, Canada. Felicia was born in Edmonton, Alberta and raised in and around there. She moved to Chilliwack in 2009 with her grandmother, who has since moved back to Alberta. Felicia likes to spend her free time at home with her 2 cats or connecting with close friends.   In this episode, we talk about her love of dreams, the death of her parents and friend, changes in how she has dealt with grief over the years, Indigenous culture, her journey with her grandmother’s dementia, dreams of her grandmother, and grief dreams of her mother, auntie, and friend.   You can find more about Grief Dreams here: Website – www.griefdreams.ca  Instagram and Twitter - @Griefdreams Facebook – Grief Dreams Podcast Page and Grief Dreams Group   Looking for ways to support the podcast? You can help support the Grief Dreams Podcast in a few ways: 1)  Subscribe to the podcast (on the platform you listen) and give a review. This improves its online visibility. 2) Support the topic by sharing the podcast or website. I appreciate any support that contributes to raising awareness on the topic. 3) Become a Patreon supporter (monthly financial support) https://www.patreon.com/griefdreamspodcast 4) Buy me a Coffee (one-time financial support)  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/griefdreams

    38 min
  5. 05/30/2025

    E236 - Earla Legault - Living With Sibling Grief

    Earla Legault advocates for adult sibling grief peer support and using creativity to process grief. She co-wrote and illustrated the book Living With Sibling Grief: Imagining a Way Forward with her sibling grief buddy Monica Murphy. Earla is the 2024 recipient of The Compassionate Friends Karen Snepp Outstanding Sibling Award, given to those making significant contributions to fostering and furthering the philosophy of sibling programs. She currently co-hosts the monthly online Canada Sibling Sharing Circle, a peer grief support group for adult siblings. You can find more about Earla on Instagram @sibling.grief.buds or here   In this episode, we talk about her grief after the death of her sister, the importance of support for adult siblings, her new book, grief dreams she had of her sister and dad, and her niece’s grief dream.   You can find more about Grief Dreams here: Website – www.griefdreams.ca  Instagram and Twitter - @Griefdreams Facebook – Grief Dreams Podcast Page and Grief Dreams Group   Looking for ways to support the podcast? You can help support the Grief Dreams Podcast in a few ways: 1)  Subscribe to the podcast (on the platform you listen) and give a review. This improves its online visibility. 2) Support the topic by sharing the podcast or website. I appreciate any support that contributes to raising awareness on the topic. 3) Become a Patreon supporter (monthly financial support) https://www.patreon.com/griefdreamspodcast 4) Buy me a Coffee (one-time financial support)  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/griefdreams

    30 min
4.4
out of 5
34 Ratings

About

A conversation about life, loss, grief, and grief dreams with one of the leading academic researchers on the topic, Dr. Joshua Black. Visit www.griefdreams.ca for more information on grief dreams.

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