The After Life: Recent Episodes
Colleen Kavanaugh, caregiving expert and podcaster
Stories of transformation after loss. Join host Colleen Kavanaugh, as she explores belief, faith, and new ways of transcendent thinking with guests who live extraordinary lives that have been transformed by the experiences of living. Each of us has a story to tell, will yours be one of them? Unsure where to begin? Try episodes: 12, 21, 23, 30, 35
Ashley Pardo is a nutritional therapist dishing on how to make it through the holiday food fests without feeling horrible when we enter the new year by being mindful. Her expert strategies keep pleasure on high and anxieties over calories on low.
Cass McCrory, the creator of Subtraction Project, shares how and why she adds attention and intention to all areas of her life and how the outcomes result in being fully present to her family + career, living with ease, flow, happy memories + traditions.
Colleen shares how the practice of gratitude helps her live a life with the glass half full and poses three questions from her new book, My Grit, Grace + Gratitude for you to consider and allow more acceptance and sharing into this holiday season.
What happens if we allow ourselves to lose our labels, follow our curiosity, and trust in the unknown future? Join Madison Luikens and find out how she navigates life by doing just that, along with trusting her body and relying on connection + community.
Colleen + Deb have created a journaling workbook and you are invited to the release party! Find out what the book is all about, how it came to be, and why it might be something you will be interested in to rediscover your own grit, grace, and gratitude.
Pastor Beth Scibienski has written a book that asks the question, "Who is God When We Hurt". It's a vulnerable look into how she approached her faith and definition of God while caring for her husband who had multiple sclerosis.
Dori Frame received a devastating diagnosis for her service dog and she refused to focus on it. Instead, she decided to live with what was left of her pet's abilities, experience joy, reimagine what was possible and be present to what is.
Cynthia's husband was 47 years old when he suffered a cardiac arrest and subsequent traumatic brain injury. Cynthia and their two sons learned to overcome obstacles and make the most of what was left and re-envision life with disability.
Four simultaneous major life events transformed c. René Washington's outlook on living and not only is she never going back to her old ways she is also teaching others to follow in her footsteps and empowers them to live fully in who they truly are.
Tami turned 50 and is asking "what's next". We sit down and gain a bird's eye view of her life and what intentions she'll be bringing to her future as she rebalances her entrepreneurial work with more of what truly brings her joy.
Ogun Holder and his school-age daughter lost their wife and mom too soon. Hear how Ogun processed the loss alongside his daughter and the insights gained from letting his heart crack open in this personal look into what is often a quietly kept matter.
Engrid Latina survived an eating disorder and is now a personal trainer who is doing more than making bodies healthy, she is making spirits healthy by showing women how by dropping our stories we are able to tap into the inner wisdom of our intuition.
Part 2/2 following episode #055. Samantha Horton shares what it took for her to gain freedom from a childhood of sexual abuse to create a healthy, love-filled life for herself and her family and to deconstruct the toxic theology she was raised in.
Samantha Horton shares her story of growing up sexually abused by her father, an evangelical minister. In this episode, we learn the thoughts + emotions that exist for a victim of abuse before hearing how she was able to gain freedom from her past.
Cathy Braxton is back to fill us in on where she is at with the extreme boundary setting she set with her parents. She first shared her story in episode 015 and has a handful of new lessons about codependency, healthy and unhealthy relationships to share.
Katrina McGhee lived a perfectly fine life as a successful MBA until something inside began nudging her in a new direction. Hear how she made the shift into living an extraordinary life of presence + gratitude and how she helps others do the same.
Ever wonder what life as a private investigator might be like? David B. Watts shares what his career as a P.I. is like (with his wife as his business partner) and explains how he is now taking a lifetime of experiences and turning them into novels.
Author Kathe Crawford talks about her riveting debut memoir that details the life she and her husband hid from everyone in their lives and how, over 20 years after his death, she was able to release the secret that allowed her heart to open to healing.
Author, writing coach, and happiness blogger, Catherine Greer shares how she has embraced classic age, how we can find our authentic voice, and how shifting mindsets can create beautiful beginnings at any time of our lives. Be prepared to smile.
Ever wonder what goes into being an Elvis Tribute Artist? Wonder no more because Richie Santa is here to answer that question along with sharing reasons to make the jump to living a life filled with happiness, fulfillment, and passion.
Step inside the experience of one devoted daughter's caregiving experience and learn how her mom's Alzheimer's was different than her dad's Cancer. Also, hear about how we all need love regardless of what age and stage we are at in our lives.
Guest Erica Hornthal shows us how we can take responsibility for our emotions through body awareness and how movement can impact our mental health and help us with our emotions, expression, connection, social engagement, self-awareness, and self-esteem.
Jack Arpert has not stopped traveling since he graduated college five years ago. Hear some of what he's seen and learned both about himself + the world and how his personal growth has put him on a mission to positively influence everyone he meets.
In light of current world events people have asked, "Why does God allow bad things to happen?" Two pastors from different traditions discuss the answer to this question and share ideas on how to bring the faithful presence of love and hope to injustice.
Join guest Melissa Sweeney as she reflects on her first year at college: the fears, excitement, new friends, and all the other things that come with stepping out of a comfort zone to learn more about life, herself + ultimately how similar we all are.
Gloria Allhiser is the author of the Everyday Truthtelling letters where she shares, amongst other things, what it looks like to rebuild her life as a recovering codependent and support her husband in his recovery from alcoholism.
Regardless of sexual orientation, family situation, or age, we all want to care for the people we love. Chris MacLellan shares his caregiving journey, its highs and lows, as well as how he is living today due to his life-changing experience of caring.
When a loved one dies, we experience loss and often end up gaining lots of their stuff we need to sell, donate, and save. Terry Prince shares practical and creative ideas for how to go about what can seem like a daunting task.
After caring for her husband who had Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis, Beth Scibienski reflects on life with, and now without, Pete. As a pastor and contemplative thinker, Beth shares what it looks like to rebuild a life within faith and family.
Author Charles Levin discusses both the satisfaction + craft of writing as it pertains to exploring consciousness, the what-if's of technology, + how we define happiness. He goes from Aristotle to The Gilmore Girls + many other people + places in between.
Beth Marshall, speaker, author, and founder of Grief Survivor helps Colleen navigate her first mother's day without a mother to celebrate and shares why it's absolutely okay to cry and it's also okay to smile, laugh and embrace life again after loss.
Hear the harrowing story how one woman survived and escaped from over six years of domestic violence within her marriage and then homelessness to reemerge and go from earning $6 an hour to a 6-figure salary and making a difference in the lives of others.
Perfectionism can be a giant negative but it can also be a positive. Anna Locke is on a mission to have women kick their inner critic to the curb and reclaim their true selves and begin to have their hormones work for (not against) them via cycle syncing.
Paulie Gee shares how he left 30 years in IT to open his eponymous pizzeria in Greenpoint, Brooklyn and in turn gives a blueprint on how living a life beyond our wildest dreams is possible by speaking that dream into existence and adding what you love.
Hospice 101 with End-of-Life Doula, Beth Suereth. Understand what hospice is and isn't and the considerations before + during hospice to ensure you make an informed decision during a difficult time. Also, ways to use the time left with a loved one.
Unapologetically un-storying herself to live in life's fullness, Victoria Buda shares with us why being is better than doing, what happens when we lose our labels, the power in eliminating the word "just", and the importance of our intuition.
Hospitals and hospice demystified courtesy of Certified Caregiving Consultant + End-of-Life Doula, Beth Suereth. Learn everything you need to know to ensure the best care for the patient and how to watch for common mistakes and prevent readmissions.
Shannon Elhart shares how forgiveness brings freedom. After the devastating loss of her infant son, she made the conscious choice to heal by diving deeper into her pain and consequently set herself free from the trauma of a rape and alcoholism.
While traveling to all 50 states in America, Rachel Marie rediscovered herself and redefined her meaning of home after the duel losses of her marriage + father. Hear her soul-filled retelling of the highs and lows and how the entire experience shaped her.
Learn how sharing our personal stories from a place of vulnerability and truthfulness enables us to support one another and allows self-acceptance to flourish and why Charlotte Haimes has founded Women Making Waves.
Hear valuable tips from attorney, humorist, and prolific family caregiver, Cathy Sikorski, about the how's and why's of the legal forms you'll want to get in place that will save time, money, and sanity.
Learn how leadership techniques, organization, and gratitude can help you during your role as "the" lead caregiver in your family and understand the deeper considerations around the decision of a parent moving to an assisted living community.
The power of playfulness + laughter and other tools to connect with others, especially persons living with dementia. Tips for at-home family caregivers and a new way of thinking in what Mindy Bolton considers the Age of Enlightenment. Thumb wars included.
Hear what happens when we ignore our body's messages and how Leslie Cottrell Simonds re-aligned with her innate inner wisdom via the clarity of creativity to survive three simultaneous illnesses and find the joy of living within your highest excitement.
Colleen Kavanaugh meditates on the hole of grief that awaits her at each birthday, the shifts that occur after the loss of parents, how to look at the people who shape our lives, the places life + loss bring us within ourselves, and growth within fear.
Troy Anderson is the founder and international director of SPEAK UP FOR THE POOR, an organization that is breaking the cycle of poverty and child marriage and transforming the lives of girls in Bangladesh through education, a safe home, and practical legal casework.
Energy Healer + Yogi, Gael Chiarella Alba introduces us to the energy anatomy of grief and shows us ways to move through emotions to create states of light, love, and presence, the power of changing our language, and how to create ease during difficulty.
Justin Bills, a pastor from Calgary, Canada discusses where faith can bring us as we walk alongside suffering and how we can be present to the dying - lessons he learned as he cared for his good friend after her cancer returned.
On this episode of The After Life, Clare Egan discusses how living in the present helped her care for her husband while he had Alzheimer's and things to consider to maintain the dignity of someone who is ill.
Mary Ann Giannone shares her passion for youth mentoring, a role she took on during the busiest time of her life as she and her husband were opening one of the top NYC pizzerias, Paulie Gee's.
On this episode of The After Life, Jenn Chan shares her enthusiasm for celebrating and supporting family caregivers in uniquely creative ways as well as sharing the experience of caring for her grandmother and the strength her supportive family provided.
Mélannie Kern, a pastor in a rural Swiss town discusses why loss is amplified during the holidays, how we can continue or transform our holiday traditions after the loss of a loved one and she shares a very poetic view of loss that uplifts and comforts.
On this episode of The After Life, Erin Kim shares the power of unleashing your genius with the help of an alter-ego, how our creativity is empowered through vulnerability, and the strength gained when we share our stories.
Understand how Cathy Braxton set an extreme boundary with her parents in order to regain mental and physical health and the results this action has created within the life of her family.
Jodi Hempel shares with listeners of The After Life how she managed caring for her mom at age 19, the life-changing passion she discovered at age 56, the power within being truly present, and tips on how to prepare for a crisis.
Liz O'Donnell discusses what life after caregiving looks like three months after the loss of her father, her advocacy work for working daughters, and the business a spoonful of medicine inspired.
Learn how Jennifer Jairdullo is thriving within radical gratitude + presence after surviving a terminal diagnosis and 5 years in a wheelchair. Hear what now brings meaning to her life and be inspired to join her in "A Year of Noticing".
The power of writing, getting support from others in our shoes, our society’s collective fear of end-of-life matters and how to meet others (and siblings) where they are at during the caregiving experience are discussed with author Judith Henry.
Dorothy Camak discusses her deepened relationship to God and making room for grieving the suicide of a parent, the dangers of check-listing our way through grief, becoming comfortable in the non-linear and social media etiquette around death.
Deb Kelsey-Davis discusses the details of her midlife crisis of values and where her choice to leave corporate America led her. Learn the signs of stress she missed, the of role fear, and the value of both surrendering and pausing before moving forward.
April Koontz shares warmly heartfelt reflections on the loss of her brother to an accidental overdose. Learn how she processed the grief and of the awakenings that her loss created. Perfect for anyone who is looking to reach deeper understandings of loss.
Cathy Braxton discusses caring for her critically ill infant and the dramatic miracles that presented themselves during the crucial moments before and after birth. Cathy shares indispensable advice for anyone caring for someone of any age.
Feylyn discusses how caring for her mom as a teen affected her life's work as an advocate for caregiving youth. Feylyn shares important information regarding identity + how you can support your own children if your family is in a caregiving situation.
On this episode of The After Life, Colleen sits down with her two brothers to discuss (for the first time) how they experienced the diagnosis, care & deaths of their parents & the lessons learned intermixed with reminiscing and good-natured sibling teasing.
In this episode of The After Life I discuss with Priya Soni how caring for her father in her early 20's informs the mentoring work she does today and the role spirituality plays in our personal development.
On this episode of The After Life, Tami Neumann and I have an in-depth and lively conversation about what resolving two very different dynamics with parents looks like, how teens process the loss of grandparents and cherishing time with others.
In this episode of The After Life, Leslie Cottrell Simonds joins me to discuss death and dying, the true purpose of our lives, how to prepare to die and the ego mind vs. the divine lens.
In this episode of The After Life, Elizabeth Miller of The Happy Healthy Caregiver discusses the impact caring for her two parents had on the way she lives her life today and the vibrant community she has created for family caregivers.