Bereaved But Still Me

HUG Podcast Network
  • 5.0 (8)
  • HEALTH & FITNESS
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

"Bereaved But Still Me" is a podcast for the bereaved community that was formerly known as "Heart to Heart with Michael." As we entered Season 5, we decided to rebrand our podcast to make it easier for the bereaved community to find us. We are happy to announce that "Heart to Heart with Michael," was nominated for a 2020 WEGO Health Award. "Heart to Heart with Michael" was a finalist in the Health Podcast category. This was a great honor for our podcast. "Bereaved But Still Me" is a product of the Hearts Unite the Globe Network of Podcasts. Our Host is Michael Liben, our Producer is Nancy Taylor Jensen, and our Executive Producer is Anna Jaworski. Our monthly program has been designed to empower, educate, and support the bereaved community. New episodes are broadcast every 1st Thursday of the month. For more information about the "Bereaved But Still Me," please check out our website: www.heartsunitetheglobe.org and look at the "Bereaved But Still Me" tab. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bereaved-but-still-me--2108929/support.

  1. The Acceptance Ladder: Climbing From Curse To Gift with Stephen Nawotniak

    2D AGO

    The Acceptance Ladder: Climbing From Curse To Gift with Stephen Nawotniak

    (00:00:00) Authenticity, Grief, And Purpose (00:00:55) Meet Stephen: Trek, Diagnosis, And Work (00:02:04) Hospitalization And The Two Lies Of Depression (00:04:52) Medication, Perspective, And Self-Talk As Opinion (00:06:00) Daily Function: Rest Breaks And Zero Days (00:08:23) Fulfillment Over Happiness (00:09:01) Identity Shift: I Have It, I’m Not It (00:12:01) Reframing Negative Self-Talk For Everyone (00:14:59) From Stigma To Self-Acceptance (00:17:20) The Acceptance Ladder Explained (00:20:19) Children’s Books And Finding Self Within (00:23:10) Speaking, Resources, And Perspective Shift (00:25:21) Closing Reflections And Takeaways We explore how perspective turns pain into purpose, from hospitalization and stigma to practical tools that make tough days workable. Stephen Nawotniak shares the Acceptance Ladder, reframing self-talk, and small habits that change how we move through depression and bipolar. • two lies of depression and how to challenge them • medication as intensity-softener, not magic cure • negative self-talk as opinion rather than fact • fulfillment over happiness as a daily aim • zero days, rest breaks and night-before prep • identity shift from I am to I have • community stigma vs self-stigma and selective disclosure • the Acceptance Ladder from curse to gift • turning pain into purpose through service and craft • children’s books that guide an inner journey • personal growth vs illness management framing If this conversation resonates, share it with someone who needs real, usable tools. Subscribe for new episodes, leave a review to help others find the show, and tell us: which rung of the Acceptance Ladder are you on today? Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bereaved-but-still-me--2108929/support.

    33 min
  2. Belonging and Healing: An Adoptee’s Mental Health Story

    OCT 2

    Belonging and Healing: An Adoptee’s Mental Health Story

    What if the story of adoption held both rescue and rupture at the very same time? We sit down with Ayrton Beatty, who was placed for adoption after three months in foster care, to talk candidly about identity, attachment, and why language like “placed” instead of “given up” can change how a life is understood. Ayrton walks us through learning the painful truth of their origins, navigating sealed records, and reaching out to a birth mother who carried her own trauma—and how compassion sometimes means choosing not to force contact that others may not be ready for. Across our conversation, we unpack the science of early attachment and the higher risk of mental health challenges among adoptees, including borderline personality disorder and PTSD. Ayrton shares what therapy has looked like in practice, from “all inclusive” counseling to surreal nightmares, and how trust becomes a skill rebuilt over time after abuse. We also explore the reality of medical unknowns: what happens when a clinician asks for family history you don’t have, how a medication triggered Long Q-T Syndrome, and the vigilance required when genetic information is missing. Along the way, DNA testing complicates and enriches identity—German and Jewish ancestry within an Irish-rooted adoptive family—proving that belonging can be layered without being false. This is a nuanced, humane portrait of adoption that holds joy and grief together. You’ll hear why Ayrton still believes adoption saves lives, even as it leaves scars—and how humor, clear words, and steady support can help an adoptee feel seen. If this conversation resonates, share it with someone who needs nuance, subscribe for more thoughtful stories, and leave a review to help others find the show. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bereaved-but-still-me--2108929/support.

    29 min
  3. Beyond the Myths: Understanding Hospice Care

    SEP 5

    Beyond the Myths: Understanding Hospice Care

    What happens when we strip away the fear and misconceptions surrounding hospice care? In this illuminating conversation with Rosa Hernandez, a pre-planning specialist with over four decades of healthcare experience, we discover that hospice represents not an ending, but a different way of continuing life's journey with dignity, comfort and personalized support. "The limitation is not hospice," Rosa emphasizes throughout our discussion. "The limitation is the illness." This powerful distinction frames our exploration of what hospice truly offers - comprehensive medical care that addresses the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of both patients and their families. Far from hastening death, hospice care often extends life when introduced early, creating space for meaningful connection during challenging times. We tackle persistent myths head-on: hospice isn't just for cancer patients or those on death's doorstep; it doesn't mean giving up treatment; patients aren't sedated into unconsciousness; and families aren't abandoning their loved ones by choosing this path. Instead, hospice represents an intensely personalized approach to care that meets patients wherever they call home, with services available 24/7 and crisis response typically faster than traditional emergency care. Perhaps most compelling is hospice's commitment to family support through education, respite care, and bereavement services. As Rosa shares poignant stories from her years of service, we glimpse the profound difference hospice makes in helping families navigate difficult decisions with confidence and grace. Whether you're facing these choices now or simply want to understand your options for the future, this conversation offers valuable insights into embracing life's final chapter with compassion and clarity. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bereaved-but-still-me--2108929/support.

    31 min
  4. Falling Forward: Andy Campbell's Conversation about Cancer, Loss, and Resilience

    AUG 7

    Falling Forward: Andy Campbell's Conversation about Cancer, Loss, and Resilience

    (00:00:00) Life's Lessons From a Mother's Fight (00:00:00) Life's Lessons From a Mother's Fight (00:00:00) Life's Lesson's From a Mother's Fight (00:06:20) Andy's Journey Through Multiple Traumas (00:12:10) Finding Freedom in Letting Go of Control (00:12:10) Finding Freedom in Letting Go of Control (00:16:39) How Core Beliefs Shape Resilience (00:22:50) Building Your Default Network for Crisis (00:27:47) Transforming Pain Into Purpose How do you keep going when everything has been taken from you? Andy Campbell's story will stop you in your tracks. After surviving childhood sexual abuse, losing his mother to cancer, battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer (which he has now survived for nearly seven years against all odds), and enduring the devastating loss of his son to suicide, Andy has earned the right to speak about resilience in a way few others can. The most profound moment in our conversation comes when Andy describes his cancer diagnosis. Having watched his mother and three aunts die from cancer, he had spent years preparing for what he thought would be inevitable, only to be blindsided by pancreatic cancer instead. In that moment of complete helplessness, Andy discovered something unexpected: freedom. "The recognition that I had no control over it was probably the most freeing moment in my life," he shares. What sets this conversation apart is Andy's practical approach to resilience. He describes developing "core beliefs" that function like a computer's BIOS - fundamental operating instructions that kick in when all else fails. These beliefs, which he's compiled in his book "Overcoming Life's Toughest Setbacks," serve as a default network during times when clear thinking is impossible. Perhaps most moving is Andy's reason for sharing his story. Not to showcase his strength, but to reach someone who might be contemplating giving up. "I have been broken, I have been beaten, I have been down on my knees. Honest to God, some days I don't know how I'm still here, but if I can do it, you can do it." Visit askandycampbell.com to learn more about Andy's journey and his approach to transforming life's greatest challenges into opportunities for growth and connection. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bereaved-but-still-me--2108929/support.

    34 min
  5. Tigers on Hilltops: Facing Fear When Cancer Changes Everything

    JUL 3

    Tigers on Hilltops: Facing Fear When Cancer Changes Everything

    When faced with the devastating news of his wife's cancer diagnosis, Tony Stewart's world imploded. "It was just sort of mind-blowing, earth-shaking, the end of life as we had known it together," he shares with raw honesty. That fateful phone call launched Tony and his wife Lynn into a five-year journey that would transform their understanding of love, fear, and what it means to truly live. The memoir's beautiful title "Carrying the Tiger" emerged from a friend's Tai Chi practice—the ritual of symbolically lifting your fear (the tiger) and placing it on a distant hilltop where it seems less threatening. This powerful metaphor became their touchstone as they navigated the complex medical landscape while simultaneously trying to appreciate each precious moment they still had together. What makes Tony's story exceptional isn't just his vulnerability in sharing the medical odyssey, but his willingness to discuss the uncomfortable truths of caregiving. He candidly reveals moments of breakdown when exhaustion overwhelmed him, the complicated feelings that arose during Lynn's decline, and the guilt he experienced when finding new love shortly after her death. "I had thoughts that made me ashamed," he admits, normalizing the complex emotional landscape that caregivers often navigate silently. Perhaps most remarkable is Tony's discovery that even in profound grief, joy remains possible. The hospice period, which lasted just two weeks, became paradoxically "the two most beautiful weeks" of his life—filled with deep connection, meaningful conversations about mortality, and the privilege of caring for someone he deeply loved. This counterintuitive finding—that beauty can coexist with heartbreak—offers hope to anyone facing loss. Now studying to become a certified grief educator, Tony emphasizes the deeply personal nature of grieving: "Everyone grieves in their own way, at their own time and speed." His journey from devastated spouse to someone who can embrace new love while still honoring Lynn's memory demonstrates that moving forward isn't abandoning the past but carrying it with you as you create a new future. Listen now to be inspired by this transformative story of resilience, love that transcends death, and the possibility of finding joy even in life's darkest moments. Then explore Tony's book "Carrying the Tiger: Living with Cancer, Dying with Grace, Finding Joy While Grieving," available wherever books are sold. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bereaved-but-still-me--2108929/support.

    32 min
  6. Grieving Someone Who's Still There: Lessons from Pick's Disease

    JUN 5

    Grieving Someone Who's Still There: Lessons from Pick's Disease

    (00:00:00) Introduction to Ronda's Story (00:02:10) Understanding Pick's Disease Symptoms (00:05:04) Mother's Previous Health Battles (00:07:30) Living With Someone With Dementia (00:11:41) Anticipatory Grief and Life Lessons (00:15:25) Ocean Dream Fulfilled (00:19:12) Final Reflections and Closing Watching someone you love transform before your eyes while they're still breathing creates a unique form of grief that few discuss openly. In this deeply moving conversation, Ronda Adamo shares her family's journey through her mother's battle with Pick's disease, a rare form of frontal temporal dementia that claimed her just ten months after diagnosis. Before receiving that life-changing medical news, Ronda and her sisters faced a painful confusion as their mother's personality shifted dramatically. The godly woman they'd always known began exhibiting uncharacteristic behaviors - falling frequently, speaking in uninhibited ways, and seeming cognitively distant. Having watched their mother previously battle multiple forms of cancer, the family mistakenly attributed these changes to potential medication abuse, a misunderstanding that still weighs heavy on Ronda's heart years later. "Not everything is as it seems," Ronda reflects. The diagnosis revealed their mother's brain was being altered by an accumulation of tau protein, transforming the woman they knew while her heart still beat. The family pivoted quickly from disappointment to determined support, learning what it means to grieve someone who hasn't yet died. Despite the rapid progression of the disease, they created a precious memory by fulfilling their mother's lifelong dream - walking in the ocean wearing a flowing white dress, even though winter's chill meant abandoning their original spring timeline. Ronda's story offers profound wisdom for anyone supporting a loved one through dementia: allow yourself to grieve throughout the journey, practice patience and forgiveness, and consciously choose to let positive memories burn brighter in your mind than the difficult moments. Her vulnerability reminds us that in our most painful human experiences, we can still find moments of beauty that sustain us through grief and beyond. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bereaved-but-still-me--2108929/support.

    21 min
  7. When Loss Becomes a Gift: Finding Meaning in Grief

    MAY 1

    When Loss Becomes a Gift: Finding Meaning in Grief

    Grief is not simply the absence of someone we love—it can also be the absence of what we deserved but never received. In this profound conversation with counselor and trauma specialist Fonda Miller, we explore the often-overlooked dimensions of loss and healing that shape our emotional lives. Fonda shares a perspective on grief that transforms how we understand our deepest sorrows. Using the striking image of a balanced teeter-totter, she explains how the weight of our grief directly corresponds to the depth of our love—making grief itself a testament to how deeply we connected with what we've lost. "It's a gift," she says, "because what it says is I loved deeply and I was loved deeply." But what about the grief that comes from never having what we deserved? Fonda guides us through understanding childhood trauma as a form of hidden grief that follows people into adulthood, often without recognition. Through powerful metaphors like pressure cookers and release valves, she offers insights into how we can support those carrying these invisible burdens. As a certified Mental Health First Aid trainer who's worked with trauma victims across various contexts, Fonda brings extraordinary wisdom to everyday situations we all encounter. She explains how to notice when someone might be struggling with unprocessed trauma and provides practical guidance for creating safe spaces where healing can begin. The conversation touches on everything from talking to children about death to supporting survivors of trafficking and abuse. Whether you're processing your own grief or supporting someone through theirs, this episode offers compassionate perspectives that honor the complexity of human suffering while providing pathways toward healing. Because as Fonda reminds us, "Everyone is facing something"—and understanding this truth is the first step toward greater kindness in our world. Join us in exploring how grief, in all its forms, connects to our deepest capacity for love and resilience. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bereaved-but-still-me--2108929/support.

    36 min
  8. Carrying Grief Forward Doesn't Mean Leaving Love Behind

    APR 10

    Carrying Grief Forward Doesn't Mean Leaving Love Behind

    (00:00:00) Carrying Grief Forward Doesn't Mean Leaving Love Behind (00:00:47) Introduction to Host and Guest (00:02:09) Mother's Cancer Diagnosis and Family Hope (00:04:16) The Hospice Experience (00:10:10) Announcement and Disclaimer (00:10:56) Sister Jackie's Struggle with Alcoholism (00:17:37) Understanding Ambiguous Loss (00:21:31) Finding Joy Amid Grief (00:27:35) Writing About Grief and Loss (00:28:48) Closing Thoughts and Resources Award-winning journalist Dina Gachman takes us on a profound journey through the landscape of loss, sharing how the deaths of her mother from cancer and sister from alcoholism transformed her understanding of grief. With remarkable candor, Dina reveals the unexpected realities of home hospice care—administering morphine every few hours with minimal professional support, experiencing moments of dark humor amidst heartbreak, and feeling the conflicting emotions of not wanting a loved one to die while being exhausted by their prolonged suffering. The conversation explores the concept of "ambiguous loss"—grief experienced not from death but from relationship changes—which Dina encountered during her sister's years-long battle with alcoholism. She articulates how this differs from the anticipatory grief she felt watching her mother's cancer progress, offering valuable insights for anyone navigating complex family relationships affected by addiction or illness. Most powerfully, Dina challenges the common misconception that grief follows five neat stages before we "move on." Instead, she describes learning to integrate grief permanently into her life: "I'm now a person forevermore that carries grief with me every single day, but I have a ton of joy." This reframing offers tremendous hope to listeners feeling overwhelmed by loss, demonstrating how we can honor our departed loved ones while still embracing happiness. Dina's book "So Sorry for Your Loss" emerged from recognizing how uncomfortable most people are discussing grief. She combines personal memoir with journalistic exploration of topics like pet loss, hospice care, and the connection between food and mourning. Her work reminds us that acknowledging grief openly doesn't diminish joy—it creates space for authentic healing and deeper connection with both the living and those we've lost. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bereaved-but-still-me--2108929/support.

    30 min
See All (114)

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

"Bereaved But Still Me" is a podcast for the bereaved community that was formerly known as "Heart to Heart with Michael." As we entered Season 5, we decided to rebrand our podcast to make it easier for the bereaved community to find us. We are happy to announce that "Heart to Heart with Michael," was nominated for a 2020 WEGO Health Award. "Heart to Heart with Michael" was a finalist in the Health Podcast category. This was a great honor for our podcast. "Bereaved But Still Me" is a product of the Hearts Unite the Globe Network of Podcasts. Our Host is Michael Liben, our Producer is Nancy Taylor Jensen, and our Executive Producer is Anna Jaworski. Our monthly program has been designed to empower, educate, and support the bereaved community. New episodes are broadcast every 1st Thursday of the month. For more information about the "Bereaved But Still Me," please check out our website: www.heartsunitetheglobe.org and look at the "Bereaved But Still Me" tab. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bereaved-but-still-me--2108929/support.

Information

More From HUG Podcast Network