Episodes
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Sarah talks with multidisciplinary artist Alixa Garcia about Alixa's transformative experiences with art, her powerful personal stories of loss, and her impassioned work in social and climate justice. Alixa reflects on the role of imagination during times of collapse and the importance of creativity, awareness, and community in fostering resilience and healing. The episode includes an intricate exploration of grief as a ceremony and the potential for art to help heal even in the darkest places.
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Steven Tomlinson, Episcopal priest, playwright, and former economist, shares his personal journey through grief and healing after the sudden loss of his partner, David. Tomlinson reflects on how community, faith, and the process of writing his play Curb Appeal helped him navigate the complexities of loss.
With wisdom drawn from his unique career in theology, theater, and business, Steven explores the raw realities of grief, the role of love in healing, and how faith has shaped his understanding of death and resurrection. His story offers deep insights into the power of presence, the mystery of life after death, and finding peace amidst the uncertainties of loss.
This podcast is produced by Larj Media.
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In this episode of Peaceful Exit, host Sarah Cavanaugh interviews Gabi Lowe, author of Get Me to 21: The Jenna Lowe Story. Gabi shares her deeply personal journey of love, loss, and resilience. Following the devastating diagnosis and eventual loss of her daughter Jenna to a rare lung condition, Gabi discusses how writing her book became both a mission to save lives and a profound act of healing. From battling South Africa’s healthcare system to becoming an advocate for pulmonary hypertension and organ donation, Gabi’s story is one of courage, strength, and the enduring impact of love. She also opens up about her husband’s current battle with cancer and reflects on the meaning of authentic resilience, offering listeners insight into coping with unimaginable challenges.
Find more of Gabi’s work at:: https://thecoachingnest.co.za/about-gabi/
The Jenna Lowe Trust : www.jennalowe.org
This podcast is produced by Larj Media.
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Michelle Hord, author of 'The Other Side of Yet,’ recounts the devastating loss of her daughter, Gabrielle, who was murdered by her ex-husband. The conversation delves into how Michelle navigated her grief and transformed it into action, hope, and resilience. She reflects on her faith, the support of her community, and how starting the nonprofit Gabrielle's Wings has helped pain into action. Michelle also discusses the personal impact of other significant losses in her life and the importance of allowing oneself to feel joy again.
Find Michelle’s book at: https://michelledhord.com/the-other-side-of-yet
This podcast is produced by Larj Media.
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In this episode, we talk with Luke Lorentzen and Mati Engel about their intimate documentary, 'A Still, Small Voice'. The film features Mati as a hospital chaplain during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. The conversation delves into the emotional impact of chaplaincy, the challenges of burnout, and the importance of human connection in end-of-life care. Luke and Mati explore themes of witnessing, trauma, and the struggle to maintain presence and empathy during a healthcare disaster.
Find a Still Small Voice: https://lukelorentzen.com/A-Still-Small-Voice
This podcast is produced by Larj Media.
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In this episode of Peaceful Exit, host Sarah Cavanaugh interviews Carole Fisher, who shares her deeply personal journey through experiences of grief, denial, and the healing power of community in the hit podcast The Girlfriends.
Carole discusses how she and her friends processed the trauma of uncovering that her ex, Bob, was guilty of murder, and how denying harsh realities served as a temporary protective mechanism. Carole's story is one of strength and resilience, as she embraces her past, from dating a murderer to overcoming the stigma of her husband's suicide. She also shares her work with the organization No More, and in hospice care innovation.
This podcast is produced by Larj Media.
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In this episode of Peaceful Exit, host Sarah Cavanaugh interviews an anthropologist who immersed herself in the world of assisted dying in Oregon, Anita Hannig. Anita shares the methodology of participant observation, the emotional dynamics of end-of-life experiences, and the distinction between assisted dying and suicide. Her extensive research and personal reflections, highlight the differences in cultural practices and legal frameworks regarding euthanasia and assisted dying around the world. They also touch upon the death positive movement and the importance of discussing mortality openly.
You can find Anita’s book, “The Day I Die” on her website: https://anitahannig.com. You can also find her on twitter @anitahannig.
This podcast is produced by Larj Media.
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Brittani Ard, from the podcast "You Probably Think This Story's About You", shares her raw, unfiltered story of navigating loss and a manipulative relationship, revealing how personal tragedy became the catalyst for her opening up and mission to help other women. She offers a unique perspective on healing, discussing the unexpected empathy she developed for her ex-partner Kanan and what it taught her about recovery. Brittani provides an honest take on therapy, detailing what worked, what didn't, and how it shaped her journey. She explores the surprising role of laughter in dealing with grief and pain, and explains how she learned to use vulnerability as a superpower, turning perceived weaknesses into strengths.
You can listen to “You Probably Think This Story’s About You” wherever you get your podcasts. And follow Brittani on social media @brittani.ard.
This podcast is produced by Larj Media.
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Kumi Naidoo is a prominent global activist. He is the former Secretary General of Amnesty International and Executive Director of Greenpeace. Kumi shares his life story from growing up in Apartheid South Africa to becoming a global activist for social and environmental justice. He talks about how personal tragedies, especially his mother's death by suicide when he was 15, and his son's death by suicide a few years ago, have shaped his life's purpose.
Kumi reflects on his experiences as a student activist expelled from school, his time at Oxford University as a Rhodes scholar, and his return to South Africa after Nelson Mandela's release. He emphasizes the importance of "artivism" - using arts and culture to inspire change - and shares his thoughts on climate activism and giving hope to young people.
Kumi’s book is available for purchase: https://jacana.co.za/product/letters-to-my-mother/. You can follow him on social media @kuminaidoo. To learn more about his artivism work:
https://www.instagram.com/artivismcon/
This podcast is produced by Larj Media.
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Alua Arthur is an entrepreneur, death doula, and New York Times bestselling author, who recently published her book, 'Briefly Perfectly Human.' Alua shares her life story from fleeing Ghana as a child to finding her calling after an unexpected conversation on a bus. In this episode, Alua discusses the transformative nature of starting conversations about mortality, the universal wisdom found in the process of dying, and the need for cultural and racial awareness in end-of-life care.
Alua also talks about the importance of setting boundaries, the many emotions of grief, and the importance of humor and compassion in dealing with loss.
Alua’s book, “Briefly Perfectly Human” is available for purchase: https://www.aluaarthur.com/. You can learn more about her work by following her on social media @alualoveslife.
This podcast is produced by Larj Media.
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From growing up in Apartheid South Africa to helping write the country's constitution, Louisa Zondo's life story is nothing short of extraordinary. We talk about her experiences as a young mother, her high-profile career, and the heartbreaking loss of her son Rikhado to suicide in 2022. Louisa shares openly about her grief and how she’s finding healing.
You can learn more about Louisa’s amazing life and follow her on Instagram @louisazondo.
Her book, “Dearest MaRiky: A Mother’s Journey through Grief, Trauma and Healing,” can be purchased on Amazon, here: https://www.amazon.com/Dearest-MaRiky-Mothers-Journey-through-ebook/dp/B0C81LH954
This podcast is produced by Larj Media.
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Mary-Frances O’Connor is a neuroscientist at the University of Arizona where she studies the impact of grief on the brain. Her work helps explain things like why we still expect our dead loved one to walk into the living room and why grief can feel so disorienting. As Mary-Frances explains, grief is a hormonal event, and understanding how it shows up in our brains can help us make sense of our own grief experience. In this episode, we cover how grief is really the brain learning to imagine a life with the absence of a loved one. Our brains know how to grieve. In fact, resilience is the most typical brain pattern of grieving.
You can learn more about Mary-Frances’ work and find her book, “The Grieving Brain: The Surprising Science of How We Learn from Love and Loss,” at https://maryfrancesoconnor.org/
This podcast is produced by Larj Media.
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After a terminal brain cancer diagnosis, Cynthia Clark’s husband chose to have a medically assisted death when his treatment stopped working. Cynthia shares all about the grief of losing your partner while being his primary caregiver, how she parented young children who were also grieving and the nuance that comes with scheduling your death. In our last episode, we talked to Dr. Stefanie Green about her work as a MAID practitioner. My conversation with Cynthia is about what it’s like to experience MAID as a family member. She’s an advocate for families going through the MAID process and has a blueprint for how you can show up for a loved one who’s dying.
You can Cynthia’s advocacy work and find her book, “The Many Faces of MAID: What to Expect When Someone You Know Chooses Medical Assistance in Dying” here: https://www.dyingwithdignity.ca/blog/the-many-faces-of-maid/
This podcast is produced by Larj Media.
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Stefanie Green, MD, was one of the first providers of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) in Canada, when it became legal in 2016. Her book, This Is Assisted Dying: A Doctor's Story of Empowering Patients at the End of Life, chronicles her first year working in the field of MAID. In our conversation, Stefanie reflects on what has changed in her work in the past eight years, the people she’s met and how she created a national organization for physicians working in this field. She also shares how this work has shaped her own life and thoughts about death.
You can learn more about Stefanie’s work and her book at https://www.stefaniegreen.com/
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Claire Bidwell Smith knows grief well. When she was 14, both of her parents were diagnosed with cancer at the same time. Her mom died when Claire was only 18, and her dad died when she was 25. After getting her master's degree in clinical psychology and becoming a therapist, she worked with hospice. She's also written five books about grief, including her latest, Conscious Grieving: A Transformative Approach to Healing from Loss. In a culture that avoids sad feelings at all costs and where bereavement leave is severely inadequate, Claire gives us the tools and a map for embracing grief and incorporating it into life.
You can learn more about Claire’s work and her books at https://clairebidwellsmith.com/
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Julie Metzger has been teaching families about puberty for over 30 years. Her book, “Will Puberty Last My Whole Life?” and her course, Great Conversations, are amazing resources to help teens and families recognize and navigate the important transition to adulthood. In conversation, Julie and I draw parallels between puberty and death. Both are sacred experiences and periods of great transformation for our bodies and communities. We dig into the use of ritual, the importance of language when it comes to talking about the sacred, and a really fascinating thought exercise about what it means to be an adult.
You can learn more about Julie’s work at https://greatconversations.com/
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ALS is a heartbreaking disease. Just ask my guest Rachael King. Her husband, health care activist Ady Barkan, recently died from complications of ALS at age 39. They have two young children. Despite all that ALS took from Rachael and her family, they navigated the constant change and setbacks and found a way to live and be together for the six years that Ady lived with ALS. Rachael’s grief is still really fresh, yet she’s telling her story to carry on Ady’s legacy. She hopes to help other caregivers who are feeling overwhelmed and facing the impossible.
You can learn more about Rachael’s work and her forthcoming book at: https://rachaelsking.com/
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This episode is all about how to talk to kids about death. Experts Elena Lister and Michael Schwartzman both have decades of experience working with kids and families, in schools and private practice, to navigate conversations about death, dying and illness. Their book, “Giving Hope: Conversations with Children About Illness, Death, and Loss,” is both a practical how-to guide filled with tangible advice and a north star for open, honest conversations with kids about hard topics. This episode is not just for parents, it’s for anyone with kids in their life – from neighbors to coaches and teachers, aunts and uncles, etc. If you've ever been with a kid in your life and just know there's something big you want to say, and don't know how to say it, this episode is for you.
You can find their book and more about their work at:
https://michaelschwartzmanphd.com/
https://www.elenalistermd.com/
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Leslie Gray Streeter tells it like it is. Her husband, Scott, suddenly died one night when he was just 44 years old. Leslie chronicles that heartbreaking experience and the depths of her grief in her book, “Black Widow: A Sad, Funny Journey Through Grief for People Who Normally Avoid Books with Words Like ‘Journey’ in the Title.” We discuss why humor is so essential for navigating grief, how you can’t take anything too seriously, what NOT to say to a grieving person and how she found catharsis in Keanu Reeves movies.
You can find Leslie’s book and more about her work at https://lesliegraystreeter.com/
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Sunita Puri is a palliative care doctor who chronicles her journey through medical school, fellowship and finding her specialty in her book, “That Good Night: Life and Medicine in the Eleventh Hour.” Sunita has an accomplished medical career and she’s also a brilliant writer. We talk about how her love of poetry and language directly serves her as a palliative care doctor, whose job it is to have hard, direct conversations with people at the end of their lives. If you or a loved one are navigating the medical system, this episode is for you. Her book is a must read if you’re considering medical school – Sunita’s candor and nuance about the grind of becoming a doctor and the opportunity to help people is refreshingly honest.
You can find Sunita’s book and other work at https://sunitapuri.com/
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