Shows
Bereaved But Still MeBelonging and Healing: An Adoptee’s Mental Health StorySend us a textWhat 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...
2025-10-0329 min
Bereaved But Still MeBeyond the Myths: Understanding Hospice CareSend us a textWhat 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...
2025-09-0532 min
Bereaved But Still MeFalling Forward: Andy Campbell's Conversation about Cancer, Loss, and ResilienceSend us a textHow 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...
2025-08-0734 min
Bereaved But Still MeGrieving Someone Who's Still There: Lessons from Pick's DiseaseSend us a textWatching 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...
2025-06-0521 min
Bereaved But Still MeCarrying Grief Forward Doesn't Mean Leaving Love BehindSend us a textAward-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...
2025-04-1030 min
Bereaved But Still MeNavigating Trauma and Resilience: Strategies for Hope in Uncertain Times with Hanny Sidis and Toni AlexanderSend us a textImagine living in a war zone, where the constant threat of rocket attacks shapes daily life. This is the reality for Hanny Sidis, an occupational dance and mind-body therapist from Israel. In our conversation, she shares her unique therapeutic approach to processing emotions through movement, even amidst air raids. Alongside her, Toni Alexander, an American author and inspirational speaker, brings her insights into maintaining respectful dialogues across political divides in the U.S. Together, they explore the profound impact of national events on personal and community well-being and offer strategies for resilience through...
2025-03-0630 min
Bereaved But Still MeFinding Resilience After Heartbreak: The "Still Loved" MissionSend us a textWhat if the most devastating experiences of your life could become a beacon of hope for others? Autumn and Brandon Cohen join us to share their profound journey through loss and resilience, starting with the stillbirth of their son, Bastion, in March 2020, and extending to the loss of Brandon's brother in December 2022. They open up about the heart-wrenching task of helping their daughter Adeline cope with her brother's death, and how these experiences led Autumn to establish "Still Loved," an organization dedicated to honoring babies who left too soon.Autumn and...
2024-12-0529 min
Bereaved But Still MePodcasting as a Pathway to Healing and HopeSend us a textWhat if a shared journey through loss could spark an inspiring platform that brings healing to countless others? Welcome to the eighth season of "Bereaved But Still Me," where our personal stories intertwine with hope and resilience. Join me, Michael LIben, alongside my dear friends and colleagues, executive producer Anna Jaworski and producer Nancy Jensen, as we explore the birth and evolution of our podcast. The bonds we formed years ago, nurtured through parenting children with congenital heart defects, have created a sanctuary for bereavement support. Together, we honor the memories of our...
2024-11-0941 min
Bereaved But Still MeWriting Through Loss: Two Heart Moms' Stories of Healing and ConnectionSend us a textCan a story of loss become a beacon of hope for others navigating the difficult journey of bereavement? Join us as Sheri Turner and Desiree Vaught share their poignant personal experiences with congenital heart defects and the profound impact on their lives. Sheri opens up about the loss of her firstborn, Thomas, and the challenges of raising her surviving children amid grief, including the emotional turmoil of a miscarriage. Desiree reflects on her son Logan’s brief yet meaningful life and the incredible strength she found in creating a support group for bereaved pa...
2024-10-1728 min
Bereaved But Still MeHonoring a Beacon of Strength: Uri Lahav's Life and LegacySend us a textHow do you measure the impact of a life well-lived, especially when that life is cut short by illness? Join us as we uncover the incredible journey of Uri Lahav through the heartfelt stories of his parents, Elisheva and Michael. From their daring move from the United States to Israel to raising a family in a foreign land amid the backdrop of war, this episode paints a vivid picture of resilience, community, and the enduring power of a passionate spirit.In our conversation, we reflect on the profound experiences of the...
2024-09-0530 min
Bereaved But Still MeBalancing Love and Reality in Dementia Caregiving: Insights from Karmon HillSend us a textHave you ever wondered how to navigate the emotional maze of caring for a parent with dementia? Join us as Karmon Hill opens her heart and shares her poignant journey of moving her mother across states and ultimately finding her a memory care facility. We discuss the delicate balance of respecting her mother’s past as an esteemed educator while confronting the painful realities of cognitive decline. Karmon’s story is a testament to the power of community support and the deep emotional resilience required in caregiving.In our conversation, Karmon emph...
2024-08-0130 min
Bereaved But Still MeAddressing an Emerging Need: The Autism and Grief ProjectSend us a textGuests: Dr. Ken Doka, Senior Vice President of Grief Programs at the Hospice Foundation of AmericaAmy Tucci, President and CEO of the Hospice Foundation of America Alex LaMorie Advisory Board Member of the Autism and Grief ProjectOverview of the Autism and Grief Project:Website launched in September 2022 to provide grief resources for autistic adults, their families, and professionalsFeatures testimonials, social stories, animations, and information on death and non-death lossesGoals are to help autistic individuals navigate complex emotions and contextualize griefImportance of addressing autism and grief: Emerging are...
2024-07-0430 min
Bereaved But Still MeHonoring a Mother’s Strength and Love: The Liben Family StoriesSend us a textCan a mother’s love shape an entire family’s destiny? Join us for a deeply moving tribute to Zipporah Liben, the resilient mother of host Michael Liben and a beacon of strength for her family. Alongside Michael are his siblings, Shirah Ozery and Rabbi Dan Liben, and guest host Anna Jaworski. They come together to share intimate stories and memories that celebrate Zipporah’s life, her unique upbringing between New York and Tel Aviv, and her vital contributions to the Zionist movement. Journey with us as we hear about Zipporah’s unwavering love for...
2024-06-0639 min
Bereaved But Still MeA Parent’s Tale of Grief, Special Needs and the Healing Power of WritingSend us a textJoin us in this episode as our host Michael Liben opens up about the complexities of explaining death to his children and welcomes the insights of James Robinson who did likewise with his little ones. Together, they'll explore James' son Nadav's impactful life, marked by a congenital heart defect, and the unwavering spirit it revealed. His story, though filled with vulnerability, is a testament to the remarkable endurance of love and the human soul.Parenting children with special medical needs is unique, often requiring parents to balance transparency with the preservation...
2024-05-0234 min
Bereaved But Still MeMelinda's Encore: Phil Proctor's Tribute to Life, Love, and LaughterSend us a textReturning guest, Phil Proctor, is a man who needs no introduction. An actor, voice actor, writer, producer, comedian, podcaster and founding member of the Firesign Theatre quartet. Phil has been in the entertainment industry for 50 years, and In this episode, he talks with host, Michael Liben about the love of his life -- his soulmate, Melinda Peterson, who died suddenly after more than thirty years of marriage. In this episode, Phil discusses his love, his loss and how he found, in his words, laugh after death.Links to “Bereaved But Sti...
2024-02-2949 min
Bereaved But Still MeCompanion Pet Loss - From Grief to Inspiration with Erica MesserSend us a textErica Messer talks with Bereaved But Still Me host Michael Liben about pet loss and how she wasn’t able to find resources to help her cope with her grief. After losing her beloved cat, Wolfgang, she discovered a need for pet-loss resources. With her mother’s encouragement, she started Wolfie’s Wish, a company providing resources for those who are grieving the loss of a pet.Erica’s website: https://wolfieswish.com/To subscribe to our program on Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/123208/supportSuppor...
2024-02-0132 min
Bereaved But Still MeThe Selfish Griever on Messages from Loved OnesSend us a textWhen we grieve the loss of a loved one, we try our best to keep them with us, to hold them close in our hearts and to tell their stories to others. But can our loved ones reach out to us? Can we open our minds and our hearts to the possibility that they somehow need us as much as we still need them? Can they comfort us in our time of need?Whitney Samorano is the mom of twin boys, Orion and Maverick who were born...
2023-09-0732 min
Bereaved But Still MeWidowhood, Wisdom, and RemorseSend us a textWhat happens when we lose our spouse after decades of being together? What is caregiver guilt and how do you recover from that? Why would someone decide to go from being a lawyer to becoming a creative writer?Debbie Weiss is a writer, a former lawyer, and a widow. Her mother passed away when she was 42 and then her husband passed away in his 40s. Debbie and her husband were together for 32 years – they had been high school sweethearts. He was a huge part of her life and he wanted to pr...
2023-06-0129 min
Bereaved But Still MeJewish Aging, Loss of Community, and Anticipatory GriefSend us a textThis episode of "Bereaved But Still Me" features Rabbi Richard Address.Rabbi Address was ordained from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1972 and began his Rabbinic career in Los Angeles congregations. He also served as a part-time rabbi for Beth Hillel in Carmel, NJ while regional director and, after his URJ tenure, he served as senior rabbi of Congregation M’kor Shalom in Cherry Hill, NJ from 2011-2014.Rabbi Richard Address is the Founder and Director of www.jewishsacredaging.com. Rabbi Address served for over three de...
2023-05-0430 min
Bereaved But Still MeLosing my Identity After a Neck AccidentSend us a text How does a person react to feeling worse after a therapeutic appointment? What happens when a person almost dies? How does this Christian handle losing her identity as a nurse?Julie Hedenborg was a nurse for 24 years until she had a life-threatening injury to her neck in 2015. At one point, she was in an ambulance and wondered if she was going to survive. That experience changed her life and helped her see her priorities more clearly. Shortly after that, her scoliosis caused her to be too disabled to perform h...
2023-04-0630 min
Bereaved But Still MePhyllis Renfrow and Amy’s HouseSend us a textWhat is Amy’s House? Where can someone needing a place to stay while receiving a transplant in Central Texas? What can you do to help someone receiving a transplant?Phyllis Renfrow is the executive director of Amy’s House. Amy's House is a Medical Lodging Facility in Temple Texas, just minutes away from Baylor Scott and White Health Center. Transplant recipients are able to stay at Amy’s House free of charge.Phyllis graduated from the University of Central Texas with a graduate degree inCounseling in Dec...
2023-03-0231 min
Bereaved But Still MeTara Reynolds and the Wings of LoveSend us a textWhat are the Wings of Love? How can someone help a loved one when they’re diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening condition? Can we still enjoy life after dealing with cancer?Tara Reynolds developed Wings of Love, a 48-card oracle deck featuring butterflies and moths, to help terminally ill patients and their families come to terms with an impending death. As a two-time cancer patient, she was struck by the lack of support materials available for end-stage patients. Before she leaves this earth, she’d like to change that.Tara...
2023-02-0227 min
Bereaved But Still MeLandscape of LossSend us a textHow can a mother handle losing a baby? What happened to Jen Burgard after she lost her son, Henry? Why did Jen start a podcast? This episode features Jen Burgard... A native of the upper Midwest, Jen Burgard is a mom to two living children and one who lives solely in her heart. Her titles include loss mom, living mom, wife, founder, podcaster, director, and most proudly - survivor. Upon the death of her second child, she set out to fill a gap in accessibility to resources, suppo...
2023-01-0532 min
Bereaved But Still MeFinding Meaning Through LossSend us a textHow can a bereaved father introduce his daughter to the world so that she inspires people who never met her? How long should a father grieve the loss of his precious baby? What methods can a person use to overcome the grief of losing a child?Hans Kullberg is a father, an author, specializing in children’s books and parenting books, an entrepreneur, and a survivor. Hans is a loving father of 4 children – Hansito, Sofia Lolita, Aviva, and Liliana– and prides himself on being a father first and foremost, cherishing every...
2022-12-0131 min
Bereaved But Still MeWhen Faith Doesn’t Erase GriefSend us a textWhat pushed Kate Meyer into becoming an ordained minister? How did being a minister channel her into becoming a hospice counselor? What inspired Kate Meyer to write a book?Kate Meyer is an ordained minister, licensed professional counselor, and author who is passionate about grief awareness. Kate Meyer strives for support for all people, specifically in the Christian community due to the miseducation of grief the Church has perpetuated. Kate Meyer is also an author. The Red Couch is her fiction novel that follows Toni as she embraces new l...
2022-11-0330 min