Grief Recovery Now with Charlene Gorzela

Have you or someone you know lost a child? The grief journey for parents who have lost a child is uniquely difficult and can cause overwhelming feelings of guilt. 

Today, I am re-releasing episode 37 where I was joined by Katie Greer. During a trip to Mexico in 2016, Katie’s four-year-old daughter Marissa drowned. This horrific loss led Katie to self-medicating, isolating herself from loved ones, and intense feelings of anger. Upon discovering the Grief Recovery Method, Katie began to accept that grief is a natural and normal response to loss. The Grief Recovery Method impacted her life so deeply that Katie has since become a Certified Advanced Grief Recovery Specialist, helping her clients to be emotionally honest and vulnerable along their grief journey. Inspired to focus on grief education, Katie has also founded the Satellite Project to help others heal their trauma and grief. 

Tune in to learn about Katie’s inspiring grief recovery journey after the loss of her daughter Marissa.

In This Episode You Will Learn 

• About Katie’s grief experience in her early life  (10:02)
• A tip for people who have to talk to children about grief (14:25)
• About Katie’s loss of her daughter (21:41)
• When Katie discovered the Grief Recovery Method (35:44)
• Katie’s tips for listeners grieving (47:33)

Connect with Katie 

“Grief is the doorway into a man’s mature masculinity.”

In this episode, back by popular demand, I'm re-releasing episode 28 where I was joined by John Lee Harold. John is a bestselling author of over 25 books, with his most popular being The Flying Boy, and has toured internationally for 30 years. John is a pioneer in the fields of self-help, anger management, recovery, codependency, emotional regression, emotional intelligence, relationships, and men’s issues. His expertise, highly innovative work, and early involvement in the Men’s Movement have led him to being featured on Oprah, The View, Barbara Walters, and much more.

John and I talk about his expert insights into the male relationship with grief, how men’s grief changes according to their testosterone levels, what he has learned throughout his incredible career, and so much more. If you are a man or a woman, this episode is sure to teach you something about how our society has impacted the way that different genders grieve.

Tune in to learn John’s amazing work with men’s grief!

In This Episode You Will Learn:

• About John’s background (12:44)
• How testosterone levels change when grieving (17:45)
• How men and women have different relationships with grief (21:20)
• What John is up to today (32:47)
• John’s tips for men dealing with anger (35:14)

Connect with John

How have you maintained communication and support with those in your life that have transitioned to the “other side”? There is no one way or “right way”, the only thing that matters is that you lean into what makes you feel most connected. 

In this episode, I am joined by the inspiring Joe McQuillin for a second time. Joe’s life was forever changed on a January morning in 2016, when he received a call that his son, Christopher, along with three of his friends, was missing and soon after his body was recovered. Losing Christopher began Joe’s journey through grief, awakening, discovery and acceptance as he began to connect to Christopher on “the other side” through mediums, research and, eventually, direct communication. Joe McQuillin’s first book, My Search for Christopher on the Other Side, and his new book, We Are Not Done Yet, Pops, are incredible tools for anyone going through grief. 

Tune in to hear from Joe as he reflects on losing his son Christopher, the different ways he has found connection and communication with Christopher on “the other side”, what led him to writing his newest book We Are Not Done Yet, Pops, the recent shootings in the US, and so much more.  If you want to learn more about Joe’s background and his book,  My Search for Christopher on the Other Side, check out Episode 11 for his first interview. 

In This Episode You Will Learn 

• Off the Cuff with Charlene - communal grief (1:52)
• Joe’s reflection on losing his son, Christopher (10:55)
• About the different types of spiritual practices Joe turned to (15:07)
• About Joe’s latest book, We Are Not Done Yet, Pops (29:45)
• Joe’s thoughts about the shooting in Uvalde, Texas (34:41)

Connect with Joe McQuillin 

Trigger Warning: This episode talks about gun violence and mass shootings. 

In this episode, I am joined by the wonderful Chelsea Lin Wallace. Chelsea is a former elementary school educator turned children’s author and a poet with a Master’s in Education. She loves teaching children how to express themselves creatively through poetry and writing. Chelsea’s debut picture book, A Home Names Walter, is a comforting story based on her childhood experience moving around frequently and how we can create a home wherever we are.  

Tune in to hear how Chelsea turns to writing to soothe the experiences that she went through in her childhood. She talks about what inspired her to write A Home Named Walter, what the common theme is among her writing, and what she wants readers - both children and parents - to take away from the story. You will also hear Chelsea and my thought’s on the recent mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas. 

In This Episode You Will Learn 

• Off the Cuff with Charlene - gun violence in the United States (2:28)
• What inspired Chelsea to write A Home Named Walter (18:22)
• The common theme in Chelsea’s writing (31:40)
• What Chelsea wants readers to take away from her writing (34:41)
• Why Chelsea recommends parents read A Home Named Walter (43:07)

Connect with Chelsea

How has the grief you’ve experienced played a role in who you are today? Grief and trauma changes the trajectory of our life, no matter how old we were when the tragedy or loss took place. 

In this episode, I am excited to be joined by Michael Gershe. At just 8 weeks old, Michael survived a drunk driving crash that killed his mother. The grief from this experience impacted his entire childhood and relationships with his father and brother who were also processing their grief. In 2015, Michael founded The Magic of Life foundation to help him work towards his mission of making our communities safer, helping children impacted by impaired driving, and rewarding students who are making the right choices in life. Michael is also the author of the book The Magic of Life, which dives even deeper to his incredible story of grief, recovery, and purpose. 

Tune in to hear about Michael’s story, from the horrible tragedy he went through at just 8 weeks old to where he is today. Michael talks about the different phases of grief he went through as he grew up, how the loss of his mother impacted the dynamic of his family, what led him to writing The Magic of Life, and so much more. 

In This Episode You Will Learn 

• Off the Cuff with Charlene - gratitude practice (3:28)
• Why Michael says that he was “born into grief” (14:28)
• How the grief impacted Michael throughout his adolescence (28:49)
• About Michael’s book, The Magic of Life (43:55)

Connect with Michael  Gershe