In the Face of Death, We Laughed As AIDS ravaged my friend’s body, levity carried us through the end. by Laura Gentle, as published on MODERN LOSS Laura Gentle is a freelance writer and communication creative living her best weird life in New Orleans. Learn more about her at lauragentle.com . Read the Modern Loss article here . @modernloss - About Laura: Laura Gentle is a creative writer and freelance SEO copywriter. A 5th generation Californian, she’s spent most of her life living and working i...
Mar 03, 2022•9 min
Jesse Moss is the Community Engagement Manager at Experience Camps, a nonprofit that champions the nation’s 5.3 million U.S. children who will experience the death of a parent or sibling by the time they reach 18. Today we discuss the loss of Jesse's brother and mom. Jesse's brother died by suicide/overdose in 2012 when he was 19 and Jesse was 22. Her mom died on May 22, 2021 when Jesse was 31 and the cause is "Pending Further Study." Fun facts about Jesse: "I doodle. I'm training for a marathon...
Feb 23, 2022•1 hr 3 min
Aliee Chan is an actor and screenwriter from New Jersey who hasn't brushed her hair since 2003. She’s known for creating and starring in the series Quirky Female Protagonist, which screened at the LA Film Festival and received critical acclaim from Huffington Post, IndieWire, and WUWM. She develops TV comedies @ CBS and Safe Space @ Lakeshore Entertainment. As an actor, Aliee has appeared on TV in New Girl, The Rookie, The Middle, and Real Life (Pilot, CBS) and was part of the ABC Showcase in 20...
Feb 16, 2022•1 hr 14 min
Keep Going by Edgar Guest (Fine, I added the Queen.) Poem: When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, When the road you’re trudging seems all up hill, When the funds are low and the debts are high, And you want to smile, but you have to sigh, When care is pressing you down a bit, Rest if you must—but don’t you quit. Life is queer with its twists and turns, As every one of us sometimes learns, And many a failure turns about When he might have won had he stuck it out; Don’t give up, though the ...
Feb 09, 2022•8 min
What does a woman do when her life has fallen apart and her heart has been ripped out and stepped on twice in two months? She goes on a wild adventure, makes some bad decisions, and does a sh*t load of soul searching. But most importantly? She finds out how to love…herself. This is so not Eat, Pray, Love. This is Eat, Pray, #FML . Gabrielle Stone is an actress, author, and dancer. She is known for various movies and television series such as Speak No Evil , the movie Cut and the upcoming movie T...
Feb 02, 2022•59 min
I am no longer waiting for a special occasion; I burn the best candles on ordinary days. I am no longer waiting for the house to be clean; I fill it with people who understand that even dust is Sacred. I am no longer waiting for everyone to understand me; It’s just not their task I am no longer waiting for the perfect children; my children have their own names that burn as brightly as any star. I am no longer waiting for the other shoe to drop; It already did, and I survived. I am no longer wait...
Jan 26, 2022•7 min
Jasmin Jenkins is an Integrative Grief Guide, and the founder of Fall Up, a healing space that supports people navigating the spectrum of grief with 1:1 guidance, mentorship, community circles, and healing ceremonies. In her work, she brings her clients into the invitations within their grief journeys. Jasmin believes that healing is a co-creative process, and it is her deepest joy to support each person she works with in welcoming grief as a profound invitation to growth and transformation. Tod...
Jan 22, 2022•1 hr 13 min
Brandon Ravet is an award-winning writer/director. Today we discuss the loss of his dad to suicide, and what it's like supervising the Crisis Line at the Suicide Prevention Center. "In 2015 I lost my dad to suicide. He never left a note or gave me a chance to say goodbye. Until that moment I had lived a sheltered life. The only family members I had lost were my elderly grandparents. Tragedy was something I had only seen in movies. In 2018 a friend urged me to volunteer with him at the Suicide Pr...
Dec 16, 2021•1 hr 32 min
Paige's Candle Co was created by Paige Graham, a born & raised New Yorker originally from an inner-city neighborhood in The Bronx, NY. After losing her mother at a young age, Paige’s father involved her in various art programs as a way to find positive self-expression. Inspired by the art programs of her youth, Paige contributes to improve low-income neighborhoods through the arts by donating candle making classes to various non-profit organizations in New York City. Her candles are hand mad...
Dec 08, 2021•56 min
Today Amy Suddleson shares what it was like losing her mom to ovarian cancer while she was in high school. Amy is a professional organizer and designer. She is the owner of the Nimble Nest, Inc, a Los Angeles based boutique organizing + lifestyle brand rooted in sustainable systems and lasting design solutions. Amy and her team offer multi-level, full service professional organizing, by creatively reimagining each space with a uniquely customized one-on-one approach. @thenimblenest Their organiz...
Nov 23, 2021•1 hr 13 min
Tremeika Small is a Brooklyn based writer, actress, and creative director. Her passions are inspiring women and advocating mental health awareness. A storyteller in her own right, her main goal is to make people feel. Because when you feel, you heal. And when you heal, you change the world. Tremeika was featured in BuzzFeed's Losing a Loved One to Covid-19 in 2020, produced by Chelsea London Lloyd & Hallie Steiner. Today Tremeika discusses the loss of her brother to Covid-19 when she was 27 ...
Nov 19, 2021•54 min
Monika Crowfoot is an actress and writer from Window Rock, Arizona. She recently finished writing her memoir of growing up on the Navajo Reservation that documents her childhood experiences with her dead brother, and the aftermath of dealing with the grief as a teenager. For fun she likes to spend time with her husband and four children. Today we discuss the unexpected loss of her brother when she was 15 years old. Tik Tok / IG: @monikacrowfoot Say hi! @dyingoflaughter_podcast / DyingOfLaughterP...
Nov 10, 2021•58 min
Hi! I’m Danielle Tropsa and I’m a young breast cancer survivor. I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma ER/PR + HER2 - at 30 yrs old and my whole life changed. Now I advocate to the younger generations to take their health into their own hands by sharing my experiences, and knowledge I’ve learned from amazing medical professionals. I hope to inspire, educate, help, and motivate young people to feel confident in taking care of their health and know they aren’t alone in how much health anxi...
Oct 28, 2021•1 hr 1 min
Today we discuss how For The Breast Of Us is empowering women of color affected by breast cancer through education, advocacy and community. This is Part 2! Check out last week's episode for Jasmine and Marissa's personal stories. @forthebreastofus Jasmine Souers, a breast cancer survivor from Jacksonville, FL, was diagnosed with stage I breast cancer at the age of 26. Diagnosed just two days before the new year in 2016, Jasmine thought the results of her biopsy would determine the trajectory of ...
Oct 21, 2021•51 min
For The Breast Of Us' mission is to empower women of color affected by breast cancer to make the rest of their lives the best of their lives through education, advocacy and community. @forthebreastofus Jasmine Souers, a breast cancer survivor from Jacksonville, FL, was diagnosed with stage I breast cancer at the age of 26. Diagnosed just two days before the new year in 2016, Jasmine thought the results of her biopsy would determine the trajectory of the upcoming year, but that couldn’t have been...
Oct 14, 2021•47 min
AMY BYER SHAINMAN, also known as BRCA Responder, is an advocate, author, and producer providing support and education surrounding BRCA and other hereditary cancer syndromes. She's the executive producer of the award-winning documentary Pink & Blue: Colors of Hereditary Cancer. @brcaresponder Shainman is a BRCA1 gene mutation carrier and a "previvor"--meaning she is a survivor of a predisposition to cancer (a previvor is someone at extraordinarily high risk for cancer who has not had the dise...
Oct 07, 2021•1 hr 7 min
Kristy is the author of, "Rise Up, Little Bluebirds," a sweet tale of grief and community. She lives with her husband and four children in Southern Minnesota. Today we discuss the loss of her mom to cancer, going viral on Facebook Marketplace, and writing her first children's book about loss. Kristy is the spearhead of her family’s heart forward bluebird house business “Rudolph’s Bluebird Houses” which they built around giving back and to create community and support surrounding grief after the ...
Sep 30, 2021•52 min
Today we take a moment to reflect on the 20th anniversary of 9/11. We're reading aloud Zibby's reflection of her experience losing a dear friend on 9/11 when they were 25. In honor of Stacey Sanders. Zibby Owens is a writer and the creator/host of Webby-nominated podcast, “ Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books .” She lives in New York with her husband, Kyle Owens , and four children. @zibbyowens Author: Zibby Owens Read by: Chelsea London Lloyd Article: https://modernloss.com/10-life-lessons-i-lea...
Sep 23, 2021•10 min
Today we discuss the loss of Rett's mom to suicide in 2019 when Rett was 21. Rett Madison (she/they) is a singer-songwriter from West Virginia who, since moving to Los Angeles in 2015, has played hundreds of live shows; sung backing vocals for artists such as Lorde and Kate Nash; and opened for Five for Fighting, Shawn Colvin, JP Saxe, Theo Katzman, Lauren Ruth Ward, David Ryan Harris, Scary Pockets, and more. Ahead of her forthcoming debut album "Pin-Up Daddy," she has been featured in publicat...
Sep 15, 2021•1 hr 9 min
Liz began her career as most standup comedians do: as a tenured law professor. Liz won first place in the Boston Comedy Festival and Ladies of Laughter Competition, has been featured in a full article in the Wall Street Journal , and has opened for Myq Kaplan and Maria Bamford. Liz was also a part of the Seattle International Comedy Competition and will be a part of the upcoming HBO Women in Comedy Festival. As an actor , Liz has appeared on ABC's FOR LIFE and CBS's BULL, and is on the faculty a...
Sep 09, 2021•58 min
Dr. Natasha Kassam Paris is a Naturopathic Doctor (ND) and Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT®) Practitioner who has been a practicing physician for over 14 years. She uses her diverse clinical background, rich cultural heritage, and lived experiences to help people transform every facet of their lives, break free from inauthenticity, and create a true sense of belonging. Dr. Natasha's mission to help people heal trauma and limiting beliefs that may be in the way of self-compassion and lasting ...
Sep 02, 2021•1 hr 13 min
Today we discuss what it was like losing Michelle's father, Marty, to Covid-19 in 2020. We talk about about opening up for BuzzFeed's Covid Loss Video, making end-of-life decisions for your parent, what it's like saying good-bye over video chat and more. Michelle Emanuela Ricciardi is an actor and Queens native whose mission is to create inclusive content connecting folks through collaboration and honesty. For fun she likes to cook for friends and frequent farmer's markets. Michelle has performe...
Aug 25, 2021•59 min
Sara Deren is the founder and CEO of Experience Camps, a national non-profit that gives grieving children experiences that change their lives forever. Sara received her MBA from Columbia University and leads Experience Camps with her blend of business background and passion to make the world a better place. In 2020, she received an award for “Best Entrepreneur” from Connecticut Entrepreneur Awards and was named a “Patriots Difference Maker” by the New England Patriots Foundation. She is a regula...
Aug 18, 2021•1 hr 15 min
Today I am sharing my interview on my friend Ashley Sondergaard's podcast, Yoga Magic! Ashley generously shares her experience having a miscarriage in Ep 91 of her show. You can learn more on her IG: @yogamagicpodcast Yoga Magic hosted by Ashley Sondergaard explores the world of self-care and self-discovery. On this show you'll learn from experts in healing, spirituality, beauty, wellness and yoga & gather an abundance of new wellbeing practices to try on and see what fits. Tune in if you're...
Aug 10, 2021•1 hr
This week on August 1st was WORLD LUNG CANCER DAY. Brian's dad died of lung cancer when he was 28. Today we discuss recent yacht adventures, our experiences hand modeling, BTS of Brian's podcast, and vegan potato salad. Brian is a life, business, executive, and career coach as seen on MTV's "Made." He engages creative professionals seeking to ignite their businesses with fierce accountability, marketing innovation, and soul-satisfying success. He is also my BFF. Listen to Brian Breaks Character!...
Aug 04, 2021•49 min
Rebecca Soffer is cofounder of Modern Loss , which offers creative content and community addressing the long arc of grief. She is the coauthor of " Modern Loss: Candid Conversation About Grief. Beginners Welcome " (Harper Wave, 2018), which The Strategist named a best book on loss for a younger generation. She has spoken nationally on loss and resilience at Chicago Ideas Week, HBO, Capital One, and Amazon. Her writing has appeared in outlets such as The New York Times , Marie Claire, Glamour and...
Jul 28, 2021•48 min
Today we are talking about our dead dads. Hosts Asia & Jareed of DONE WITH ADULTING open up about their grief stories: Asia lost her dad in college to sarcoidosis and Jareed lost his dad last year to kidney failure. We also discuss the complexities of making end-of-life decisions, the aftermath of losing your dad in college, losing your dad before coming a dad, and how people grieve differently. Done with Adulting is a weekly podcast that will provide you the relief you need from life’s bigg...
Jul 21, 2021•1 hr 16 min
Today we are discussing the power of mentorship with Ann Marie Leitao of empowerHER! We are honoring Ann Marie's mom, Anita, who died when she was 10 years old. In this conversation, Ann Marie discusses the power of mentoring grieving girls, how she ended up mentoring the family she babysat for growing up, and what it's like bringing a successful non-profit to Los Angeles from across the country. Ann Marie is originally from Boston, MA, currently living in Los Angeles, CA. She received her under...
Jul 13, 2021•1 hr 5 min
Humans. It's summer! Take a moment for yourself - you deserve it. Meanwhile, aloha from Oahu! Here are a few travel recs I swear by. We'll back with an interview next week! As always, if you're grieving or struggling in any way... feel free to share your story with me over DM! Sending love xo Say hi! @dyingoflaughter_podcast / DyingOfLaughterPodcast@gmail.com Do you like this show? Leaving a review on Apple Podcasts is extremely appreciated...I read & cherish every single one! Learn more abo...
Jul 06, 2021•7 min
Beth Cavenaugh is a certified hospice and palliative care nurse and educator with over 14 years of experience in caring for terminally ill patients. She has been a registered nurse for over 24 years and holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Creighton university. Beth has supported hundreds of patients and their families at inpatient units, in the home setting, and behind the scenes in hospice care. Compassion, patient autonomy, and transparent communication are at the core of her care philos...
Jun 28, 2021•1 hr 5 min
