A New Normal: Char Simpson on life after the death of her soulmate

A New Normal:  Char Simpson on life after the death of her soulmate

Char Simpson is my guest. To her IG followers, she is known as the Traveling Black Widow, an older, beautiful Black woman traveling the world. Char is classy with a little hint of sassy. And in this episode, she is going deep, telling us about the love of her life, her soulmate, husband, and travel partner, Roy: what she loved about him and what is was like to walk with him through cancer, to bury him, and to live, fully, a life she never would have chosen for herself.

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Dead bunnies, COVID meltdowns, and other empathy failures: personal reflections from Liesel Mertes

Dead bunnies, COVID meltdowns, and other empathy failures:  personal reflections from Liesel Mertes

I teach empathy because it matters, NOT because I am perfect at it. You will make mistakes; you will miss people. I talk about some of my own “empathy misses” in this episode: How I went full-on Fix-It Frank when Bluebell the bunny was killed… How Buck-Up Bobby reared his disapproving head when my son was sent home with a (potential) COVID-diagnosis… I offer practical tips to help you interrogate your experience and build empathy with some personal stories of empathy fails.

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He is a Gift and Every Day is Enough: Peter Kline and Janice McRandal on Cerebral Palsy

He is a Gift and Every Day is Enough:  Peter Kline and Janice McRandal on Cerebral Palsy

In 21st century America, there is a sort of triumphalism to the birth announcement. We cheer on a new life and assume that a healthy, “normal” baby will arrive nine months later.

But the story often diverges, taking a detour through the NICU and into uncertain terrain. In this episode of the Handle with Care podcast, Peter Kline and Janice McRandal share about their son, Leo, who has cerebral palsy.

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“So, no babies?”: Megan Flinn on survival and goodness

“So, no babies?”:  Megan Flinn on survival and goodness

Motherhood is messily bound up in our concept of what it means to be female in the world. This podcast episode probes into loss and femininity and post-traumatic growth. Megan Flinn lost her life-long hope of being a biological mother when her uterus was unexpectedly removed during surgery. Her deep disappointment profoundly impacts her work as a doctoral candidate, counselor, and non-profit founder. If you experienced (or know someone who has) unexpected loss, this episode is for you.

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My Son has an Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Interview with Chrissy Brack

My Son has an Autism Spectrum Disorder:  An Interview with Chrissy Brack

Did you know that 1 in every 54 children has an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)? This means that you probably know a parent of a child with ASD. What are the unique challenges that they face within their parenting journey? Chrissy Brack talks about her son Joe: his needs, his gifts, and the way that parenting him has changed (and bettered) her as a person. She also shares how parenting a child with special needs has particularly equipped her to weather the uncertainty of 2020.

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The Fine Art of Waiting: Stacey Ballard on Chronic Illness

The Fine Art of Waiting:  Stacey Ballard on Chronic Illness

Did you know that 40% of Americans live with a chronic illness? This means that someone you work with, someone you live with, someone you love, is probably coping with chronic pain. Stacey Ballard lives with multiple chronic conditions: a life marked by medical emergencies, uncertainty, and trauma. Stacey segued her pain into The Fine Art of Waiting, an artistic workbook designed to help those in a season of waiting (and isn’t that all of us, in the midst of COVID-19).

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Living with a rare, terminal disease: Dustin Kaehr and HATTR

Living with a rare, terminal disease:  Dustin Kaehr and HATTR

What would it look like to live each day with a profound awareness of your coming end? Dustin Kaehr is a leadership and business coach, professional speaker, published author, and an entrepreneur. And he is all of these things while living with a terminal disease, HATTR, that has no cure. What is it like to live with this uncertainty? To love and to raise children under this spectre? Dustin shares about his journey towards meaning, his book, and his purpose in today’s episode.

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Be Strong and Courageous: Teen Suicide and a Father’s Heart. An Interview with Wade Brown.

Be Strong and Courageous:  Teen Suicide and a Father’s Heart.  An Interview with Wade Brown.

Joshua Brown was fourteen years old when he took his life. His father, Wade, shares about his athletic, gifted son, the shock of suicide, and the ripple effects of loss. Counseling, meaningful physical reminders, and the support of a caring community are essential as he carries Joshua with him in 2020. Wade also leads and manages a large team at GE and speaks about how mental health and emotional support are essential during COVID-19.

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How can I honor her? Jason Seiden on life and meaning after his daughter’s suicide

How can I honor her? Jason Seiden on life and meaning after his daughter’s suicide

Jason Seiden joins me to talk about his daughter Elle. Elle was insightful and creative and she is dead. She committed suicide after suffering from debilitating pain due to CRPS (complex regional pain syndrome) diagnosis and committed suicide at fifteen years old. What does it mean to honor her legacy, to remember her in all her fullness? What does it mean as a father to live a life that encompasses such a profound loss but is not ultimately defined by that pain?

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Racism, Loss, and Living while Black: an interview with Fred Brown

Racism, Loss, and Living while Black:  an interview with Fred Brown

Fred Brown, CEO of the Forbes Fund, ushers listeners into his experience as a Black man in America, delving into his personal losses, reflecting on the murder of George Floyd, and talking about the head trip of anti-black racism that caused him to question himself over the years as he advocated for meaningful, systemic change. His story is compelling, immediate and important.

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Everything Fell Apart: Cancer, Miscarriage, Divorce, and Infant Loss. An Interview with Molly Huffman

Everything Fell Apart:  Cancer, Miscarriage, Divorce, and Infant Loss.  An Interview with Molly Huffman

Sometimes, one loss falls quickly on the heels of the next and it feels like the world is reeling under the weight of your sadness. In the span of a few short years, Molly Huffman lost her mom, her marriage, and two children. In today’s episode, Molly talks about when your biggest fears come true: the struggle for faith, the importance of friendship, and the choices you face as you live life on the other side. Molly offers hope and encouragement for going through a season of loss. Molly is the author of a newly released memoir, The Moon is Round: A True Story of Extraordinary Loss, Grief, and the Fight for Faith.

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My partner is dead: drunk driving and sudden death. An interview with Barry Hoyer

My partner is dead:  drunk driving and sudden death.  An interview with Barry Hoyer

A few months ago, Barry Hoyer lost AJ, the love of his life, when he was struck and killed by a drunk driver. “All of my friends have kind of treated this is like the loss of a husband or a wife, like it has the exact same gravity.” Barry describes his supportive work environment. From the care of his manager to personal notes from the executives to time off, Barry shares meaningful gestures that make a difference.

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Front-line workers & the stress of being essential: an interview with Seth Morales

Front-line workers & the stress of being essential:  an interview with Seth Morales

Essential workers keep America running: filling online orders, driving delivery trucks, sustaining supply chains. In normal times, these men and women often fade into the background. Seth Morales has worked with and supported these workers for years. He speaks to the needs, the fears, and the lived realities of those who are sustaining the economy during these uncertain times.

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“Action is the best way to help”: reform for restaurants in COVID-19. An interview with Serena Suh

“Action is the best way to help”:  reform for restaurants in COVID-19.  An interview with Serena Suh

Do you know someone that has been affected by closures within the food industry? In this episode of the Handle with Care Podcast, Serena Suh shares her story of COVID-19 upheaval within the restaurant industry. How did it feel to have everything change so quickly? And what can we do to help? Here is a teaser: make that call/send a text/send money/call your representative to advocate for meaningful reform and aid

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Alcohol, Self-Soothing, & the Coronavirus: an interview with David Mills

Alcohol, Self-Soothing, & the Coronavirus:  an interview with David Mills

Alcohol sales are booming nationwide as we look for ways to feel better about the world and about ourselves. David Mills is a recovering alcoholic, journeying into sobriety during a pandemic. “There are ways to live into the parts of yourself that you don’t love yet without dulling your senses.” He offers wisdom and insight for the parts of yourself you feel like you can’t fully live with right now.

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Living with Depression: an Interview with Paul Ashley

Living with Depression:  an Interview with Paul Ashley

“How can you be depressed? You are the life of the party?” Paul Ashley has lived in the with the reality of depression as well as people’s misunderstanding of the disease since he was seventeen years old. Paul speaks about misconceptions and stigma, about feeling overwhelmed and debilitated, and about what helps him to move beyond a depressive season. His insights as a father, partner, and businessman are both vulnerable and insightful.

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Dissolved Adoption: Shame, Isolation, & Painful Choices. An Interview with Adam and Allie Bryan

Dissolved Adoption:  Shame, Isolation, & Painful Choices.  An Interview with Adam and Allie Bryan

Do you know someone who is adopting? Perhaps they are raising money and filling out paperwork. Maybe they have recently brought their child home. But what happens when an adoption ends? When the child that was welcomed into a family is moved to a new home, a new state? Adam and Allie Bryan talk about the often-overlooked world of dissolved adoptions. This discussion is provocative and eye-opening and will help you support adoptive families, no matter where they are in their journey.

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Mental Health, Stigma, and Suicide: a Chinese-American Perspective

Mental Health, Stigma, and Suicide:  a Chinese-American Perspective

Our community and context shape how we respond to challenge and trauma. As a Chinese-American, Karen Ng has a passion to confront the stigma and discomfort towards mental health and suicide that she encountered.  Two years ago, Karen’s sister, Karine, took her own life.  Karen speaks to the pain, the feelings of shame, family expectations, and what has helped her to survive and stabilize after loss. 

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Living with PTSD: an interview with Elsie Iudicello

Living with PTSD:  an interview with Elsie Iudicello

PTSD can be overwhelming and complicated:  panic attacks, uncertainty, and pain crop up suddenly. 

How can you come alongside someone who is living with PTSD?  On today’s episode, Elsie Iudicello shares about her PTSD following a medical accident that left her reeling, coping with pain, triggers and flashbacks.  Elsie is an author, speaker, and the parent of four young boys. 

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