The Grief I Didn’t Feel… Until I Did | Losing a Friend

Grief Beyond the Five Stages: Relearning the World with Dr. Thomas Attig

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2125926/fan_mail/new] Most of what we think we know about grief is wrong. The five stages. Closure. The push to let go and move on. Dr. Thomas Attig has spent nearly 50 years making the case for something better. Dr. Attig is an applied philosopher, emeritus professor at Bowling Green State University, and past president of the Association for Death Education and Counseling. His 1996 book How We Grieve: Relearning the World became a landmark in modern grief studies. His new collection from Oxford University Press, Seeking Wisdom in Death’s Shadows, gathers 50 years of his work in 23 essays. In this conversation, Eddie and Dr. Attig explore why the Kübler-Ross stages were built for dying, not grieving, and what actually happens when someone we love dies. They discuss grief as relearning how to live in a changed world, the ongoing love that continues after death, the self as a web of connections, and the crucial difference between reacting to loss and responding to it. Dr. Attig also draws a line between problems, which we can solve, and mysteries, which ask us to be transformed. This episode is for anyone grieving, anyone walking alongside someone who is, and every clinician who wants a deeper framework than the one taught in graduate school. Get the book: order Seeking Wisdom in Death’s Shadows directly from Oxford University Press [https://academic.oup.com/book/61591?login=false] and use promo code AUFLY30 for 30% off - also on Amazon. For additional resources and helpful information, go to voyagescounseling.com [https://www.voyagescounseling.com/] and eddieeccker.com [https://www.eddieeccker.com/] Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/TheVoyageCast] For Counseling Support in Colorado Contact Voyages Counseling [https://www.myvc.org] Got a question or story to share? Record your message and send it in—we might feature it and answer it on the next episode! [https://www.speakpipe.com/thevoyagecast] This podcast is a labor of love, and you can help us keep it going strong. Join our Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/TheVoyageCast] community and become a key part of what makes it all possible. Connect with us on the socials:  Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573649534384] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/voyagescounselingco/]

WHEN LOVE BECOMES A BUSINESS: Building a Marriage That Can Handle Both | Interview with Madison the Winemaker & Co-Founder of Ve Oh Lay Acres

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2125926/fan_mail/new] What happens when two people who couldn’t stand each other end up building an award-winning winery—and an even stronger marriage? In this episode of The Voyage Cast, Eddie sits down with Madison, the winemaker and co-owner of Ve Oh Lay Acres Winery in Summerland, British Columbia. Madison shares the remarkable story of how she and her husband Laurent went from constantly arguing as coworkers to becoming business partners, vineyard owners, and an award-winning winemaking team. Along the way, they discuss what it really takes to build a healthy marriage while running a business together, how to navigate conflict without turning against each other, and why staying on the same team matters more than always being right. The conversation also explores the craft of winemaking—from honey wine (mead) and grape wine to the rapidly growing world of non-alcoholic wines—as well as creativity, entrepreneurship, agritourism, and building a destination that is about far more than just wine. If you’ve ever dreamed of starting a business with your spouse, wondered what makes a marriage last, or simply enjoy hearing the stories behind passionate entrepreneurs, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Learn more about Ve Oh Lay Acres Winery: https://www.veohlayacres.com/ Follow Ve Oh Lay Acres: Instagram: @veohlayacres (instagram.com [https://www.instagram.com/veohlayacres/?hl=en&utm_source=chatgpt.com]⁠) Follow Madison: Instagram: @thenomadicgrapevine (instagram.com [https://www.instagram.com/thenomadicgrapevine/?utm_source=chatgpt.com]⁠) Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/TheVoyageCast] For Counseling Support in Colorado Contact Voyages Counseling [https://www.myvc.org] Got a question or story to share? Record your message and send it in—we might feature it and answer it on the next episode! [https://www.speakpipe.com/thevoyagecast] This podcast is a labor of love, and you can help us keep it going strong. Join our Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/TheVoyageCast] community and become a key part of what makes it all possible. Connect with us on the socials:  Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573649534384] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/voyagescounselingco/]

The Environment Is Rewriting You | Social Media, AI, Identity & Belief Formation

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2125926/fan_mail/new] In this episode of The Voyage Cast, Eddie Eccker explores how social media algorithms, AI, and digital culture are quietly reshaping the way people form beliefs, identity, and relationships. Drawing from real clinical observations inside the counseling office, Eddie discusses why modern belief systems are forming faster than ever, why many people are beginning to sound psychologically and culturally similar, and how constant algorithmic reinforcement can slowly narrow perspective without people realizing it. This episode explores:  • How social media and AI influence belief formation  • Why repetition starts feeling like truth  • The psychological shift from beliefs to identity  • Why disagreement now feels personal  • The impact on marriages, families, and generational relationships  • The dangers of using AI purely for emotional validation  • Why real relationships challenge us in ways algorithms never will  • How pursuing truth and tolerating challenge may be essential for emotional maturity This is not an anti-technology episode. It is a discussion about awareness, influence, identity development, and the psychological cost of living in systems designed to reflect us back to ourselves. If you’ve noticed growing division in families, increasing fragility in relationships, or the feeling that people are losing the ability to genuinely wrestle with ideas, this episode is for you. If you want even more, check out the article The Environment is Rewriting US [https://www.voyagescounseling.com/post/belief-and-identity-in-the-age-of-algorithms] Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/TheVoyageCast] For Counseling Support in Colorado Contact Voyages Counseling [https://www.myvc.org] Got a question or story to share? Record your message and send it in—we might feature it and answer it on the next episode! [https://www.speakpipe.com/thevoyagecast] This podcast is a labor of love, and you can help us keep it going strong. Join our Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/TheVoyageCast] community and become a key part of what makes it all possible. Connect with us on the socials:  Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573649534384] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/voyagescounselingco/]

Why Most Couples Stay Broke (Even Making Good Money) | The “Payment Matrix” Explained with Tony Manganiello

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2125926/fan_mail/new] Why do so many couples feel stuck financially… even when they’re making good money? In this episode of The Voyage Cast, Eddie Eccker sits down with Tony Manganiello, a 3-time Inc. 500 executive and organizational development consultant, to break down a hidden system he calls the “payment matrix.” According to Tony, most families are not failing financially because they lack discipline. They are following a system that was never designed to help them build wealth in the first place. This conversation goes beyond budgeting and surface-level advice. It gets into the structure behind financial stress, how it quietly impacts marriages, and why so many couples end up fighting about money without fully understanding what is actually happening. If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything “right” but still not getting ahead, this episode will challenge how you think about money, debt, and long-term security. In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why making more money often does not solve financial stress  • How debt can quietly consume nearly half of your working income    • The “four buckets” where your lifetime income actually goes  • Why traditional budgeting strategies often fail over time  • How financial pressure amplifies conflict in marriage  • A different way to think about eliminating debt and building wealth  • The psychological patterns that keep people feeling stuck About Tony Manganiello Tony Manganiello is a:  • 3-Time Inc. 500 Executive  • Organizational Development Consultant  • Author of Transforming Payments into Prosperity He has spent over 30 years helping families understand how money actually works and how to build sustainable financial stability. Connect with Tony:  TonyMags.com  LinkedIn: Tony Manganiello Free Resource Tony is offering a free copy of his book here:  https://podcast.smartestwealth.com/complimentary Call to Action If financial stress is showing up in your relationship, this episode gives you a clearer framework to start thinking differently and moving forward. Subscribe to The Voyage Cast for practical conversations on marriage, emotional health, and building a life that actually works. Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/TheVoyageCast] For Counseling Support in Colorado Contact Voyages Counseling [https://www.myvc.org] Got a question or story to share? Record your message and send it in—we might feature it and answer it on the next episode! [https://www.speakpipe.com/thevoyagecast] This podcast is a labor of love, and you can help us keep it going strong. Join our Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/TheVoyageCast] community and become a key part of what makes it all possible. Connect with us on the socials:  Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573649534384] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/voyagescounselingco/]

You Think You Have Time... Until You Don’t: The Hidden Cost of Avoidance With Jermaine

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2125926/fan_mail/new] Most people know they should have a will—but 70% still don’t. Not because they don’t care. Not because they don’t have access. But because something deeper is getting in the way. In this episode, Eddie sits down with Jermaine, founder of Heirlight, to unpack the real reason we avoid estate planning—and why it has far less to do with money or time than we think. What started as a simple chatbot to better understand his mother’s life turned into something much bigger: a new way to approach legacy, family, and clarity. After unexpectedly losing his mom, Jermaine shares the deeply personal experiences that reshaped how he thinks about time, relationships, and what we leave behind. This conversation goes far beyond legal documents. It explores: * Why avoidance, shame, and “having more time” keep us stuck * The emotional reality families face when nothing is planned * How clarity can actually be an act of love * The hidden value in memories, stories, and meaning—not just money * A new, conversation-driven approach to estate planning * What most people regret not saying before it’s too late You’ll also hear powerful stories from revisiting a first meal in America at Burger King, to fulfilling childhood dreams in Austria, that highlight what really matters in the end. If you’ve been putting this off, this episode isn’t here to scare you; it’s here to reframe it. Because estate planning isn’t about death. It’s about how you care for the people you love while you’re still here. Use this for the 50% off: https://heirlight.com/en/podcast [https://heirlight.com/en/podcast]  Support the show [https://www.patreon.com/TheVoyageCast] For Counseling Support in Colorado Contact Voyages Counseling [https://www.myvc.org] Got a question or story to share? Record your message and send it in—we might feature it and answer it on the next episode! [https://www.speakpipe.com/thevoyagecast] This podcast is a labor of love, and you can help us keep it going strong. Join our Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/TheVoyageCast] community and become a key part of what makes it all possible. Connect with us on the socials:  Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573649534384] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/voyagescounselingco/]