What do you cry about now? What can you do about that?

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• You can join the Grief and Happiness Alliance which meets weekly on Sundays by clicking here
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• Request your Awaken Your Happiness Journaling Guide here

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If you’ve ever avoided talking about death with a loved one because it felt too uncomfortable or culturally off-limits, episode 344 is for you. Dr. Cynthia X. Pan, a leading expert in end-of-life care, shares practical strategies for navigating these sensitive conversations with empathy and clarity. Learn how to approach topics like advanced directives and final wishes—especially across cultural lines—so you can honor your loved ones’ values and find peace in knowing you did right by them.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

(1:25) The evolution of palliative care

(2:55) Ethics and cultural diversity in end-of-life conversations

(4:30) Reframing death with dignity and celebration

(5:51) The power of showing up

(6:47) Family dynamics and grief during COVID

(10:05) Why advanced directives matter

(14:30) When systems ignore patient wishes

(15:44) Navigating cultural resistance to end-of-life talk

(21:56) Breaking death taboos and redefining goodbye

In today's episode, I'm joined by Dr. Cynthia X. Pan, a board-certified physician in internal medicine, geriatrics, and hospice and palliative medicine. She holds a BA in Biology from Harvard and an MD from Stony Brook University School of Medicine. Dr. Pan completed her internal medicine residency at the University of Rochester and a geriatrics fellowship at Harvard Medical School’s Division on Aging. She now serves as Chief of Geriatrics and Palliative Care Medicine and Designated Institutional Official for Graduate Medical Education at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens. A Professor at Weill Cornell Medical College, she educates future healthcare providers on palliative care, cultural humility, and communication. Fluent in Mandarin and Spanish, she brings a multicultural lens to patient-centered care.

Throughout this episode, Dr. Pan uses her medical background and personal experiences to share both clinical insight and emotional depth. She reflects on working in one of the most culturally diverse regions in the U.S., where sensitive end-of-life conversations require compassion and cultural awareness. Through stories of caring for her father and mother-in-law, she highlights the importance of honoring patients’ wishes. She also discusses how to approach taboo topics like death with respect and indirect communication—especially in communities where such discussions are avoided. Her guidance helps us embrace these moments with courage, clarity, and connection.

Connect with Dr. Cynthia X. Pan:

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Book: Exit Strategies: Living Lessons from Dying People

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Can you recognize all the emotions you are dealing with while grieving? When you do, the is a way that will help you with each emotion. Give It a try. It works!

Let's Connect:

• You can join the Grief and Happiness Alliance which meets weekly on Sundays by clicking here
• You can order the International Best Selling The Grief and Happiness Guide by clicking here.
• You can order Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief by clicking here at Amazon:
• You can listen to my podcast, Grief and Happiness, by clicking here
• Request your Awaken Your Happiness Journaling Guide here

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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If you’ve ever wondered what hides behind even the most loving relationships, this episode reveals how a psychologist faced love, betrayal, and loss—and found healing by writing the truth no one talks about.

In today's episode, I'm joined by Dr. Bonnie Comfort, a licensed psychologist with over 30 years of experience working with individuals and couples. Her therapeutic focus has long centered on the emotional intricacies of marriage, intimacy, and identity. In her candid memoir, Staying Married is the Hardest Part, she shares the deeply personal story of her own marriage—one marked by love, painful conflict, and profound transformation. Through her writing and speaking, Dr. Comfort strives to challenge the assumption that therapists have it all figured out, using her voice to normalize conversations around sexual shame, grief, and the complexities of long-term relationships.

Throughout this episode, Bonnie opens up about the 33-year journey she shared with her late husband, reflecting on how their struggles often paralleled those of her clients. She speaks with disarming honesty about topics rarely discussed openly—like body image, emotional disconnect, and the shame surrounding sexual incompatibility. Writing became a powerful tool in her healing process, allowing her to explore grief, process loss, and rediscover who she was outside the identity of a wife. Her insights highlight the ongoing connection we can maintain with lost loved ones and the importance of creative expression, vulnerability, and community as pathways to healing.

Tune in as Dr. Bonnie Comfort shares how love, loss, and personal struggle led her to write a bold memoir—offering a heartfelt path to healing and self-discovery after grief.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Love, conflict, and loss (1:40)

Why therapists write (3:12)

Breaking the silence on sexual shame (4:45)

The illusion of therapist perfection (6:30)

Conversations with the dead (7:40)

Loving more than one person (9:05)

Rituals for grief and rediscovery (13:50)

Saying yes to life again (18:40)

Final reflections and resources (27:00)

Connect with Dr. Bonnie Comfort:

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Facebook

LinkedIn

Book: Dr. Bonnie Comfort - Staying Married is the Hardest Part

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When the times comes to handle money at the time of someone’s death, you will be grateful to be prepared.

Let's Connect:

• You can join the Grief and Happiness Alliance which meets weekly on Sundays by clicking here
• You can order the International Best Selling The Grief and Happiness Guide by clicking here.
• You can order Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief by clicking here at Amazon:
• You can listen to my podcast, Grief and Happiness, by clicking here
• Request your Awaken Your Happiness Journaling Guide here

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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Discover how finding joy in the darkest moments can ease the weight of loss—and why laughter might be the most underrated tool in your grief journey.

In today's episode, I'm joined by Howard Miller, a seasoned business and communication coach, author, and founder of Fulcrum Point Partners. At his firm, he supports leaders in fostering clarity and human connection within organizations. With decades of experience teaching leadership and management, Howard brings a deep understanding of how communication shapes not only professional environments but also personal transitions, including caregiving and grief. He is the author of Burdens and Blessings: A Light-Hearted Approach for Middle-Age Folks Dealing with Aging Parents, a reflective and humorous account of navigating the emotional and logistical complexities of elder care. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Howard uses his voice to normalize conversations around death, aging, and finding moments of levity amid loss. His passion lies in helping others find clarity, humor, and peace—even during life’s most difficult chapters.

Throughout this episode, Howard brings that same depth and authenticity to the mic, blending practical experience with heartfelt emotion. He candidly shares how caring for his elderly parents shaped his understanding of grief, responsibility, and love. His humorous yet thoughtful approach to writing—especially in Burdens and Blessings—demonstrates how storytelling can help others feel seen and supported. Howard emphasizes the healing power of laughter even in the darkest moments, describing how humor became a bridge to connection within his family. He also reflects on the emotional weight of witnessing his mother’s final moments and the challenges of unclear communication from healthcare providers. His insights offer both personal catharsis and broader value, encouraging listeners to plan ahead, speak clearly, and make space for both sorrow and joy.

Tune in as Howard Miller shares how caring for his aging parents—and ultimately saying goodbye—led him to embrace humor, reflection, and resilience, offering a heartfelt guide for navigating grief with grace, clarity, and even laughter.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

From son to caregiver: The spark behind his book (2:00)

The power of writing in grief (3:22)

Can you laugh through grief? Absolutely. (4:25)

That final breath: The unspoken moment of death (10:35)

The cost of euphemisms: When doctors don’t say “die” (12:27)

The importance of Advance Directives and clear wishes (15:37)

Grief, logistics, and letting go (22:45)

From personal loss to workplace wisdom (25:40)

Independence, aging, and the hard conversations (31:26)

Connect with Howard Miller:

Website

LinkedIn

Facebook

Book: Howard Miller - Burdens & Blessings: A Lighter-Hearted Approach for Middle-Aged Folks Dealing with Aging Parents

Let's Connect:

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LinkedIn

The Grief and Happiness Alliance

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We should honor Veterans who die by suicide as a result of PTSD from their service with full benefits.

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Left with nothing but a warning she'd never survive alone, she proved just how wrong that was—and discovered a life beyond anything she imagined.

In today's episode, I'm joined by Elaine Valerie Thompson, an International Bestselling Author, Inspirational Speaker, Certified FlowCode Coach, Reiki Master Teacher, and Intuitive Healer. Based in New Zealand, Elaine spent over three decades living with chronic pain and navigating emotionally harmful environments before embarking on a profound journey of healing and transformation. As the founder of The Wellwishers Haven, she now helps others align their mind, body, and soul through holistic wellness coaching and energy work. With an empowering “Yes You Can” approach, Elaine teaches how to shift your frequency and mindset to attract love, health, and purpose. Her work is guided by deep faith and a commitment to helping others rise above adversity to embrace joy.

Throughout this episode, Elaine shares a compassionate and deeply personal perspective, expanding the definition of grief to include emotional pain, chronic illness, and broken relationships. She speaks candidly about the toll of living unseen and unheard, both in her personal life and professional world, and how she reclaimed her power through spiritual healing and mindset work. Her insights reveal how internal transformation can shift what we attract externally, and how self-love is the foundation for meaningful change. Elaine’s story is one of resilience, healing, and hope—offering listeners a moving example of what it means to grow through grief and choose joy on the other side.

Tune in to episode 338 as Elaine Valerie Thompson shares how rising from chronic pain, emotional abuse, and career setbacks led her to embrace healing, self-love, and a new life of purpose—offering a powerful roadmap for transforming grief into inner strength and joy.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

Introducing a life transformed (0:58)

Redefining grief: Beyond death (1:30)

33 years of pain and a silent struggle (2:08)

The Easter Sunday escape (3:00)

The mirror and the mindset shift (4:48)

A proposal and a new chapter (6:30)

Invisible wounds in work and relationships (11:03)

Losing her job before surgery—and finding herself (12:30)

Healing the frequency, attracting real love (15:00)

Connect with Elaine Valerie Thompson:

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Let's Connect:

Website

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Pinterest

The Grief and Happiness Alliance

Book: Emily Thiroux Threatt - Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.