A fantastic interview with Deeann Graham from alopecialife.com about living with alopecia and the lasting grief from hair loss. This robust discussion covers many of the similarities between Deeann's grief being diagnosed with Alopecia Areata at age 7 and Vonne's experience in grief as a bereaved parent after the suicide of her daughter in 2005. Learn about how we really aren't that different after all!
TIMESTAMP
0:00 Intro
0.31 Vonne introduces Deeann and welcomes her to the show.
3:26 Deeann shares her story being diagnosed with alopecia areata at age seven and some of the cultural and social influences that impacted her from childhood and throughout adulthood.
5:20 Vonne addresses the expectation we have to show up in the world a certain way in our bereavement and specifically, as a bereaved parent.
7:00 Hats and bandanas! Deeann describes her journey and the struggle she felt to comfortably present herself in the world as authentically as possible amidst the cultural and social expectations.
11:28 Vonne asks about the lasting emotional impact of her parents succumbing to advice about treatment decades ago with regard to early alopecia diagnosis and the mark it can leave on children today.
13:03 Deeann talks about community, the importance of understanding social influences and communication to make informed decisions about treatment and acceptance.
17:02 Deeann explains too many options for parents and the emotional piece that presents the bigger gap in medical and other resources and support for parents of children living wit alopecia today.
19:10 Vonne shares the similarities in bereavement about the emotional gap in resources and support and asks what parents are struggling with the most today in the alopecia world?
20:16 Deeann describes the struggles but also the emerging cultural and social changes she sees in kids
24:36. Deeann shares the type of work she does and who she works with.
27:09 Deeann explains how people living with alopecia identify today.
28:08. A conversation between Vonne and Deeann about the insufficient resources in their respective worlds of bereavement and alopecia.
31:19 Deeann talks about her resources (book, online course and coaching).
39:05 Vonne explains the impact of her daughter's suicide on her son, the lack of suicide support in Canada for children, and asks Deeann what children struggle with today when their sibling appears different from others.
41:10 Deeann talks about alopecia as a chronic illness, her early childhood and how kids today mostly respond when having a sibling who appears different from their peers.
45:42 Vonne wraps up the episode.
DEANN'S LINKS:
Website:
www.alopecialife.com
Book on Amazon:
Head On, Stories of Alopecia
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXuLPpAxRdz3Ba_7EiAevQ
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2048660141909847
Brought to you by Vonne @ www.vonnesolis.com/
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