Episode #12
Speaking of Loss
Guest: Barri Leiner Grant – founder of The Memory Circle
On this episode we are speaking loss with my friend Barri Leiner Grant, founder of The Memory Circle. Barri lost her beautiful mother Ellen 27 years ago and her desire to make the grief cycle a shared experience inspired her to create a platform where people can gather, remember, and celebrate the people we’ve lost and love. The Memory Circle is a place to share stories and memories and grow together.
Like everything Barri does, The Memory Circle is beautifully curated. Barri combines all her roles as stylist, designer, writer, vintage collector, public relations executive, yoga and meditation teacher – and delivers the very thing we all need, a shared space to grieve. If you have lost someone you love and are struggling, listen to this episode and learn how you can find comfort in your grief. Barri is very special and as I say in the podcast, she just feels right to me. I know she will feel right to you.
Listening notes:
1:06 Meet Barri from Jersey
2:25 How is love speaking to you today?
2:58 Vulnerability is where the learning lies
3:45 It is a privilege to call my mom
4:01 Barri’s mom Ellen
7:00 Ellen invented job sharing
8:00 How does your mother guide you now?
10:00 Ask for signs
11:05 My phone calls my dad
11:43 The Memory Circle
14:00 Change the vernacular around grieving
15:00 Writing exercises
16:06 Be in community with your grief
16:50 Writing is healing
17:58 Imagine what your loved one might say
18:30 Tap into your intuitive
19:20 How can people benefit who don’t live in Chicago?
20:16 Remorse and regret
21:50 Barri’s 50th birthday
22:19 How does your work serve you in your relationship with your mom
today?
23:00 Don’t make it sad
23:46 Barri’s love for vintage
25:16 Ellen’s jewelry
25:56 Do you see your mom in your girls?
26:46 Let’s talk about death
28:45 Mother yourself
29:13 Is there something of your mother’s you love the most?
30:00 Two word: memory & circle
33:47 Explore what works for you
35:08 Barri’s sister’s loss
35:22 Emma Jayne named for Ellen
35:52 Mona Conrad – Barri’s grandmother
37:07 If you weren’t running The Memory Circle what would you want to do?
37:20 Favorite Broadway show?
38:00 Bob Garrett
38:25 Emma Jayne
39:42 @V.goodvegan by Quinn
40:05 New flavor alert!
40:25 Family of women
41:16 Write a book! I want to know more!
41:40 Mother Trucker
42:19 Do you have a daily prayer?
42:43 What’s the one thing people can do who are suffering from loss?
43:30 Find a community
44:29 When you get quiet you can hear
44:37 A better listener
45:03 What smell reminds you of your mom?
46:06 Looking with new eyes
46:26 Goosebumps are the truth
47:50 I love you more than the whole wide world
48:22 Tattoos (*Correction - My niece Kelly has a tattoo of my father’s initials!)
49:23 Barri tells her dad stories about him
50:00 The power of writing
50:44 Being present in loss. Plan now. How do you want to be remembered?
52:35 Favorite word
53:45 Favorite Jersey Shore
56:05 What do you love the most about yourself?
57:30 You feel right to me
58:16 Where can we find you?
58:50 What’s exciting you right now?
1:00:05 Your favorite borough?
1:00:45 On trend with our paperclip chain necklaces
1:02:12 Message of hope
Resources
