Grief Is My Side Hustle

Ep. 173: Ronald Simpson-Bey on the Wrongful Conviction that Changed Everything

Ronald Simpson-Bey would call his grief a proponent of his survival. While he was incarcerated (for a crime he didn’t commit) during the early 2000s, his young adult son was fatally shot. Ronald’s conviction was finally overturned in 2012, and he would return to mainstream society as a grieving father who had lost such a formative piece of his life. These days (after becoming a paralegal while imprisoned) Ronald is a staunch advocate for individuals fighting wrongful conviction, and acts as a pillar of strength and wisdom in his community and beyond. Ronald is currently working as the Executive Vice President for JustLeadershipUSA (JLUSA). He is also a 2015 Leading with Conviction (LwC) Fellow with JLUSA. Thank you SO much for coming back to another season of Grief is My Side Hustle! Please be sure to leave a five-star rating and review wherever possible. We truly appreciate you! For more about Ronald: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4kwP3U0d5w [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4kwP3U0d5w] https://www.instagram.com/ronaldsimpsonbey/ [https://www.instagram.com/ronaldsimpsonbey/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/simpsonbey1/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/simpsonbey1/]

Ep. 172: Thanksgiving BONUS! Kim Long of Dochas Psychological Services

Kim Long is a psychologist based in Alberta, Canada. She and her team created the incredible resource hub, Dochas Psychological services, where they offer the groundbreaking Lifejacket app, as well as the Dochas compass, a short quiz that can help guide you toward the therapist and goals that will best serve YOUR desired outcome. Find out more about these groundbreaking tools here.  [https://www.dochaspsych.com/]   In this conversation, Meghan and Kim explore the complexities of grief and loss, discussing how these experiences shape identity and the societal expectations surrounding them. They delve into the therapeutic approaches to grief, emphasizing the importance of patience and self-permission in the grieving process. They also touch upon the challenges new parents face, the cultural norms surrounding grief and loss, and the importance of support systems.    We hope you enjoy this Thanksgiving bonus episode. If you eat all your veggies...maybe we'll be serving another bonus for dessert. Who's to say? Well, we are....but stay tuned!   Thank you, as always, for listening. Please rate and review where possible- it REALLY helps!

Ep. 171: Katie Leonard On Being a Pediatric Hospice Nurse

We need more people like Katie Leonard in the world, truly. When I heard about Katie's work, I knew I needed to sit down with her for this podcast. Katie is a pediatric hospice nurse. And while I've had a few wonderful conversations with hospice nurses on Grief is My Side Hustle, this one hit a bit differently. Katie reveals that, after a brief time in pediatric oncology, she wanted to branch outside of the hospital space. After working as a case manager in pediatric neurology, she'd learned a lot about children with life-limiting and chronic conditions. Katie has a true passion for end-of-life care and supporting families through this beautiful, but extremely difficult process. I loved learning about her as a person, as well as what carries through this extraordinary work, while also maintaining her other life roles. Trust me, this is a must-listen conversation!    Thank you so much for your continued support- please give a rate and review wherever possible.    More about Katie: https://hospicenews.com/2022/09/30/future-leaders-class-of-2022-katie-leonard-director-of-pediatrics-anchor-health/ [https://hospicenews.com/2022/09/30/future-leaders-class-of-2022-katie-leonard-director-of-pediatrics-anchor-health/]

Ep. 170: Casey Mulligan Walsh Embraces The Full Catastrophe

Casey Mulligan Walsh is a gorgeous writer and her book now has two major awards to prove it!    I'm so excited to bring you all this conversation with my sweet, sweet friend, who found herself pondering what kind of legacy she'd leave the world of grief and loss- and ended up writing this gorgeous memoir! It is SUCH a gif to all of who are struggling in the wake of untenable, devastating pain. Casey has endured being orphaned as a young girl, going through a tumultuous divorce, and the death of her son at age 20. This book, for lack of more splendid adjectives, is beautiful, bold and courageous.    It is absolutely a roadmap for all of us who struggle with what on earth we are meant to do when it feels like, at every turn, we are greeted with catastrophe.    I hope you all are able to take something amazing away from this conversation. Casey is also a featured author at this year's Grieftastic Book Fair, so please be sure to grab your copy and have her sign when you meet her! Tickets still available at grieftastic.com [https://www.grieftastic.com/] .    Thank you, as always, for listening, rating and reviewing!    More about Casey Mulligan Walsh: https://caseymulliganwalsh.com/ [https://caseymulliganwalsh.com/] https://www.instagram.com/caseymulliganwalsh/ [https://www.instagram.com/caseymulliganwalsh/]

Ep. 169: Alison Larkin Loses her Love, Finds Her Funny, and Sings us into Sobs

Alison Larkin is such a gift. She is an English-American, having been born here in the states and then adopted by British parents who raised her across the pond.  These days, she is a comedian, novelist, actress, and audiobook narrator. Her novel, "The English American," sprang from her autobiographical one-woman comedy show about an adopted English woman who finds her birth parents in the United States.  The grief of being adopted and searching for your birth parents might be enough, you say-but no. Alison also lost her soulmate, Bhima, five days after they decide to get married.  Alison's story is as layered and devastating as it sounds; she had no choice but to make it into something funny, right? Enter her one-woman show and subsequent book, "Grief...A Comedy." The woman truly is griefy gold.  She proves as much when Alison serenades my producer and I at the end of the episode with a song she wrote herself. She hits every sad nerve, and yet inspires such hope and wonder after loss.  We LOVE Alison Larkin- and we're certain you will, too!   More about Alison: https://alisonlarkin.com/alison-larkin-bio/ [https://alisonlarkin.com/alison-larkin-bio/]  https://www.instagram.com/alisonlarkinpresents/ [https://www.instagram.com/alisonlarkinpresents/]