The Broken Pack: Stories of Adult Sibling Loss

An Oncology Nurse's Journey of Grief and Loss: Navigating Sibling Loss , Knowledge, and Devastation

In this episode, of The Broken Pack: Stories of Adult Sibling Loss,  surviving sibling Cally Marzolf-Adams, an oncology nurse shares her difficult sibling loss story of losing her sister, Sarah, to metastatic pancreatic cancer.

Through her conversation with Dr. Dean, Cally shares her profound story of love, loss, and heartbreas, highlighting the challenges and coping mechanisms involved. Her knowledge as an oncology nurse both prepared her and haunted her as she watched her sister decline, eventually dying from the illness.

Together with our host and fellow sibling loss survivor, Dr. Angela Dean, they discuss out-of-order loss, Cally's relationship with Sarah who she described as a kind, calming, soul, memories, seeking help in grief, and so much more.

Also mentioned in this episode was Young Adult Survivors United, an organization whose mission is to help young adult cancer survivors and caregivers/co-survivors cope and thrive by providing emotional, social, and financial support. For more information on this organization please see https://yasurvivors.org/about/.

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/wild-grief/

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Joe Mylward
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™

Your Heart’s Voice: A conversation about Sibling Loss , Intuition, and Living with Loss

In this episode, of The Broken Pack: Stories of Adult Sibling Loss,  host Dr. Angela Dean talks to Renée Green Murphy, author and surviving sibling, about losing her brother Robert in a tragic automobile accident. 

• Renée shares her experiences of grief from sibling loss and honoring Robert through her award-winning children's book, Your Heart's Voice.
• She describes the overwhelming grief, the unfathomable pain of sibling loss, and the emptiness she experienced after the sudden death of her beloved brother.
• Renée highlights the ways in which she has kept her brother's memory alive, including through his bartending videos and her own writing.

In the interview, through her work, and in the ongoing promotion of his work as The Crazy Bartender, Renée's love for and continuing bond with Robert is just as palpable as the pain of the loss.

Links mentioned in the show & How to connect with Renée:

Renée’s website: http://reneegreenemurphy.com

Renée’s Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorreneegreenemurphy?igsh=cHNlb3dsM216ZTA1

Her book, Your Heart’s Voice, on Amazon: https://a.co/d/isR17Un

Robert’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robgreeneofficial?igsh=MWRvaDVpMTZ0bzZzMA==

The Crazy Bartender YouTube: https://youtube.com/@crazybartenderofficial?si=jusoGH1CwIgnqT0M

Robert’s website: https://www.robgreene.com

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/wild-grief/

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Joe Mylward
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™

Sibling Loss Decades Later : A Heartfelt Conversation with Eric Grace

Surviving sibling Eric Grace shares his sibling loss experience of losing his brother, Kyle, in a tragic car accident over 25 years ago. Through his story, Dr. Dean and Eric explore the complexities of sibling loss, grief, and the lasting impact on surviving siblings.

Eric and Dr. Dean explore the impact his sibling loss has had on his life, views about death and living, his work in helping others , and his purpose in living.

To learn more about Eric, see the following:
Website: https://www.eric-grace.com
Instagram: @soulfulrelationships and @ericfgrace
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ericfgrace
Clubhouse: The Wholly Human House at https://www.clubhouse.com/house/the-wholly-human-house-rrgxbbn5

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/wild-grief/

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Joe Mylward
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™

Sibling Loss and Organ Donation: A Conversation with Kelly Stiffler

In this episode, Dr. Dean speaks with Kelly Stiffler about losing her younger brother, Josh, from a seizure. Josh was an organ donor and Kelly shares how this loss has affected her and the family.  We also explore how different roles and relationships mean grieving the same person differently, including how she is grieving differently from her sister, Kate who we heard from in the first episode of this season.

Dr. Dean and Kelly discuss how therapy can be a valuable resource to process sibling loss and a safe and supportive space to talk about her grief. They also discuss the physical symptoms of grief, emotional exhaustion, and brain fog.

To learn more about organ and tissue donation and to become a donor, please see:

In the US:
1. Donate Life America: https://donatelife.net

2. United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) - https://unos.org/transplant/facts/

For a list of organ donation organizations and informationby regions in the world, please see https://tts.org/isodp-resources/isodp-organ-donation-societies

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/wild-grief/

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Joe Mylward
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™

Sibling Loss survivor and author, Linzi Meaden, shares What Suicide Left Behind

Linzi shares her story of losing her only sibling, her brother, Stuart, to suicide during the pandemic.  

• Linzi shares how writing in her journal led her to writing her book, What Suicide Left Behind: Navigating Your Own Grief Journey, to normalize grief from suicide loss and to help others feel less alone in their journeys.
• Linzi’s work as a trauma therapist has given her insights into the unique challenges faced by suicide survivors.
• Linzii has ensured that her children will know Uncle Stu and has found ways to honor him and her own continuing bond with him.

Content Warning: Information presented in this episode may be triggering to some people. It contains talk of suicide.

If you are in the US and would like support for yourself or someone else with substance use, suicidal thoughts, or other topics discussed in this episode, please call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or Text your 5-digit ZIP Code to 435748 (HELP4U) or call a warmline. For more immediate crisis call 911, 988, or go to the nearest emergency room.

If you believe you are witnessing an overdose, call 911 or your country’s emergency number immediately even if you are administering Narcan.

In the USA an updated directory of warmlines by state can be found at https://warmline.org/warmdir.html

A warmline directory for trained peer supports in over 20 countries can be found at https://www.supportiv.com/tools/international-resources-crisis-and-warmlines (some of these may be hotlines).

Support  our guest, Linzi Meaden:

• Instagram: linzi_meaden_suicide_grief
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatsuicideleftbehind
• Book on Amazon, “What Suicide Left Behind”: https://a.co/d/2ZphdZ1
• Website: https://linzimeaden.com/suicide-loss-support/

Links mentioned in show:

• Suicide & Co- https://www.suicideandco.org/ - provides counseling & support for persons in the UK as well as wealth of resources (podcasts, articles, links, etc) for anyone se

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/wild-grief/

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Joe Mylward
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™

Jillian’s Sibling Loss Story: Unresolved Issues, Family Conflict, and the Loss of a Sibling to Suicide

In this episode, of The Broken Pack: Stories of Adult Sibling Loss, surviving sibling Jillian Prouse, a mother and a teacher, shared her personal journey of grief and loss, highlighting the weight of unspoken words, the impact of suicide, and the need for support. Jillian discusses losing her brother, Brandon to suicide less than a year ago.  Her heartbreak and grief have been complicated by challenging family situations and her own pregnancy loss.

• Jillian emphasizes the importance of empathy, understanding, and seeking help for those navigating this difficult experience of sibling loss.
• She shares how her grief for Brandon has been complicated and delayed due to multiple other primary and secondary losses as well as difficult circumstances that occurred prior to his death.
• Jillian’s experience with suicide loss and sibling loss highlights the unique challenges of grieving the loss of a sibling to suicide including a gamut of emotional experiences.

Content Warning: Information presented in this episode may be upsetting to some people. It contains talk of suicide.

If you are in the US and would like support for yourself or someone else with substance use, suicidal thoughts, or other topics discussed in this episode, please call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or Text your 5-digit ZIP Code to 435748 (HELP4U) or call a warmline. For more immediate crisis call 911, 988, or go to the nearest emergency room.

If you believe you are witnessing an overdose, call 911 or your country’s emergency number immediately even if you are administering Narcan.

In the USA an updated directory of warmlines by state can be found at https://warmline.org/warmdir.html

A warmline directory for trained peer supports in over 20 countries can be found at https://www.supportiv.com/tools/international-resources-crisis-and-warmlines (some of these may be hotlines).

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/wild-grief/

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Joe Mylward
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™

Kassy’s Sibling Loss Story: Untimely, Unexpected, and Heartbreaking Circumstances

In this episode, Dr. Dean speaks with Kassy Bowes about losing her younger sister, Rheanna, due to abdominal sepsis as a complication from a medical intervention. Listen as Kassy shares how losing her 19-year-old sister , Rheanna, shattered her world, challenged her beliefs in the afterlife, and how finding connection with Rheanna has helped her move with her grief.

Content Warning: Information presented in this episode may be upsetting to some people. It contains talk of substance use, mental health stigma, and abortion.

If you believe you are witnessing an overdose, call 911 or your country’s emergency number immediately even if you are administering Narcan.

If you are in the US and would like support for yourself or someone else with substance use, suicidal thoughts, or other topics discussed in this episode, please call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or Text your 5-digit ZIP Code to 435748 (HELP4U) or call a warmline. For more immediate crisis call 911, 988, or go to the nearest emergency room.

In the USA an updated directory of warmlines by state can be found at https://warmline.org/warmdir.html

A warmline directory for trained peer supports in over 20 countries can be found at https://www.supportiv.com/tools/international-resources-crisis-and-warmlines (some of these may be hotlines)

DISCLAIMER FOR THIS EPISODE

The Broken Pack exists to provide a platform for adult survivors of sibling loss to share their stories and to be heard. The views expressed by guest are those of the guest speaker and do not necessarily reflect the views of the podcast host or the Broken Pack organization.

The Broken Pack acknowledges that the topic of abortion is polarizing and understands that different individuals hold varying viewpoints on the issue. The podcast host does emphasizes that the purpose of the episode is to focus on the guest speaker's experience as a sibling loss survivor. 

The Broken Pack respects the diversity of opinions on the topic of abortion and encourages listeners to engage in respectful and thoughtful dialogue when discussing the issue. 

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/wild-grief/

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Joe Mylward
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™

Sibling Loss Due to Brain Cancer:  Chris's Anticipatory Grief, Continuing Bonds, and Legacy-Building 

In this episode, of The Broken Pack: Stories of Adult Sibling Loss,  Dr. Dean speaks with surviving sibling Dr. Chris Ban, an oral surgeon and Jeopardy champion, who opens up about the anticipatory grief of and profound grief after losing his brother Michael to astrocytoma.

Listen as Chris shares how learning to grieve his brother for the duration of his illness and after his death has affected him and how Chris maintains continuing bonds with Michael from music, sports, the arts, and even on Jeopardy.

Drs. Ban and Dean discuss how sibling loss survivors in general and men, in particular, may find it difficult to talk about their grief, but that it is important to overcome this stigma and disenfranchisement and reach out for support.

For more information on:
Chris's Jeopardy appearance, honoring his brother: https://www.tvinsider.com/1097578/jeopardy-champion-chris-ban-brother-cancer/

Michael McNaughton Ban Memorial Fund - https://pittsburghfoundation.org/michaelmcnaughtonban

The Michael McNaughton Ban Memorial Boathouse- https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/fundraising/51b65f93-0d02-48bc-8377-728a8ffd25a2

For a book for children about being in the hospital, written by Chris's brother Michael, please see https://www.amazon.com/Adventures-at-Hospital-Michael-Ban/dp/1645438910

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/wild-grief/

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Joe Mylward
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™

Sibling Loss and Organ Donation: A Conversation with Katie Kuehn

In this episode, Dr. Angela Dean explores sibling loss and organ donation with Katie Kuehn, who lost her brother Josh to a seizure. Josh was an organ donor, and Katie shares how his decision to give life to others has impacted her family and the importance of organ donation. She also vulnerably shares the impact that his gift of life to others has made upon her. 

Katie and Dr. Dean  also delve into the challenges and opportunities of being a surviving sibling,  how the unique role that siblings play in each other's lives,  how their absence can create a void that is difficult to fill, and how different roles and relationships mean grieving the same person differently, including her sister, Kelly, who is interviewed in episode 6 of this season.

To learn more about organ and tissue donation and to become a donor, please see:

In the US:
1. Donate Life America: https://donatelife.net
2. United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) - https://unos.org/transplant/facts/

For a list of organ donation organizations and information by regions in the world, please see https://tts.org/isodp-resources/isodp-organ-donation-societies

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/wild-grief/

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Joe Mylward
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™

Coping with Sibling Loss: A Journey of Grief and Transformation with Stefanie Joseph

In this episode of The Broken Pack: Stories of Adult Sibling Loss,  surviving sibling, Stefanie Joseph, shares her sibling loss experience of losing her sister Jen to bacterial meningitis during the pandemic. She shares how difficult losing her sister was and how her grief has influenced her work as a business coach and grief support specialist as well as changes in family dynamics, her somatic work, and her podcast (previously called and referenced to in the show as Moving Grief podcast).

Key points:

• Navigating the unique challenges of sibling loss and grief.
• The importance of support and understanding for surviving siblings.
• Using somatic work to cope with grief and trauma.
• How sibling loss can affect family dynamics.
• Finding strength and meaning after sibling loss.

Throughout the episode, Stefanie also discusses:

• How her experience has shaped her work as a business coach and grief support specialist.
•  Continuing bonds with Jen
• The importance of raising awareness about the impact of sibling loss.

To learn more about Stefanie, please visit:
Her website: https://stefaniejoseph.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StefanieJosephBrand/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_stefaniejoseph/
Her podcast ( previously called Moving Grief): Stefanie Joseph Podcast - surrendering to life's journey

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/wild-grief/

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Joe Mylward
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™

The Invisible Threads of  Sibling Loss and Surviving Siblings: A Conversation with Dr. Dawn DiRaimondo

In this episode of The Broken Pack: Stories of Adult Sibling Loss, a podcast, psychologist Dr. DiRaimondo shares her personal experience with sibling loss with our host, psychologist and thanatologist, Dr. Angela Dean. Together the psychologists, both sibling loss survivors explore and share insights for surviving siblings to cope with their grief.

• Dr. DiRaimondo noted that her heartbreaking loss of her brother Michael significantly changed her life and led her to specialize in grief and loss including sibling loss.  It also prompted her to write her book, Surviving Sibling Loss, the Invisible Thread that Connects us Through Life and Death in 2020.
• She shares her experiences with working with a medium and how that has influenced her grief process and her work.
• Dr. DiRaimondo  also describes how she and her sister have had to learn to grieve in their own ways in order  to support one another in their sibling loss.

To learn more about Dr. DiRaimondo please see:
Her Website: https://drdawndiraimondo.com
Her Book: https://a.co/d/7Qervml (the kindle version includes some updates!)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100065513888713

For resources mentioned in the show:
When looking for a psychologist, therapist, or grief counselor, please ask them what their experience is with grief and loss when you schedule the appointment.
To find a psychologist in the US: https://www.findapsychologist.org/
To find a therapist on Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/
To find a psychologist in the UK: https://www.bps.org.uk/find-psychologist
To find a psychologist in the AUS: https://psychology.org.au/find-a-psychologist

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/wild-grief/

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Joe Mylward
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™

Sibling Loss and Running with Grief: Jen's Grief Marathon

In this episode, surviving sibling, Jen, shares her transformative journey of grief and advocacy following the suicide loss of her brother and her inspiring process to run marathons to honor his memory and others who have died by suicide. She is a mental health advocate, marathoner, and writer. Jen also is currently serving on the Massachusetts chapter of the board member of American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). 

• Discover how Jen’s journey of walking and running marathons helped her process her sibling loss grief and connect with others experiencing suicide and other loss.
• Early in her sibling loss journey, Jen tried to “be strong” and later realized that this was not a helpful approach. Listen to hear how her grief process has changed over time.

Content Warning: Information presented in this episode may be upsetting to some people. It contains talk of suicide.

• If you are in the US and would like support for yourself or someone else with substance use, suicidal thoughts, or other topics discussed in this episode, please call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or Text your 5-digit ZIP Code to 435748 (HELP4U) or call a warmline. For more immediate crisis call 911, 988, or go to the nearest emergency room.
• If you believe you are witnessing an overdose, call 911 or your country’s emergency number immediately even if you are administering Narcan. 
• In the USA an updated directory of warmlines by state can be found at https://warmline.org/warmdir.html
• A warmline directory for trained peer supports in over 20 countries can be found at https://www.supportiv.com/tools/international-resources-crisis-and-warmlines (some of these may be hotlines).
• For more information on the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention:  https://afsp.org/

More information on Jen is available at:
Her Website: http://www.jenniferhoye.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jen.and.pen/
On her Healing Miles: http://www.jenniferhoye.com/miles
About her brother, Teddy: http://www.jenniferhoye.com/rememberin

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/wild-grief/

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Joe Mylward
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™

Judy’sTwice Experienced Sibling Loss: Her Delayed Grief and Celebration of Sisters

In this episode our guest, author & two time sibling loss survivor, Judy Lipson recounts her journey of delayed grieving after losing both of her sisters at young ages.  

Jane has been a surviving sibling since young adulthood losing both of her siblings, her sisters, Jane and Margie. Jane died in a motor vehicle accident and Marge died nine years later from an eating disorder. Judy experienced decades before she allowed herself to grieve.

• Judy struggled to grieve her sisters for decades, but eventually found solace in writing her book, “Celebration of Sisters: It’s Never Too Late to Grieve”
• Despite her outward success, Judy’s sibling losses left her feeling a void As a result, she struggled with guilt. 
• Judy established an ice skating fundraiser called “Celebration of Sisters” to honor her sisters’ lives as they all enjoyed ice skating.

Additional key points:

• Later in life, she embraced connecting with other bereaved siblings through writing and speaking about sibling loss and delayed grief.
• Judy’s story highlights the importance of acknowledging and addressing grief, even decades after a loss, and the power of support in navigating the complex emotions of sibling loss.
• Since allowing herself to grieve, she has become a spokesperson for delayed grief
  
  To find out more about Judy and her sisters:
  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JudyLipsonAuthor
  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celebofsisters/
  Purchase her book on amazon: https://a.co/d/5kMdHyO
  Website & to contact Judy: https://www.judylipson.org/
  
  Content Warning: Information presented in this episode may be upsetting to some people. It contains talk of eating disorder.
  
  For resources on Eating Disorders, please visit the website of the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) at https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/
  
  To watch the Speaking Grief Documentary and see their other grief resources, as mentioned in the show, please go to https://speakinggrief.org

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/wild-grief/

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Joe Mylward
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™

Surviving Sibling Loss and the Impact on Identity

In this episode our guest, surviving sibling,  Elly shares with Dr. Dean about losing her life person, her sister, Laura, a talented musician. They explore how Laura’s death impacted her,  setting boundaries and navigating therapy in the UK.  Elly shares the changes in dynamics within the circles of family, friends and workplace  as well as how misunderstood sibling loss continues to be for her. 

Elly shares how she believed she wasn’t allowed to live life fully because of her sister’s death and the process of beginning to change that. She also describes the painful, yet rewarding, process of learning to cope with her grief.

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/wild-grief/

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Joe Mylward
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™

Julie’s Experience of Surviving Sibling Loss and Continuing Bonds with Anne

In this episode, Julie shares the story of losing her sister, Anne, to suicide and how she is learning to live after such a devastating loss. Julie also shares a story of how meeting a stranger at the right time helped move her forward and a heartwarming story about how she felt connected to Anne after her death.

• Julie’s sibling loss  grief has transformed over time, becoming a part of Julie’s life rather than an overwhelming presence.
• She emphasizes the value and gift a stranger gave her allowing her to make a journey to understand her sister’s pain and death a bit more.
• Julie shares ways in which she ensures her children know their Aunt Anne.

Additional key points:

•  Dr. Dean and Julie explore the double disenfranchisement of sibling loss when a sibling dies by suicide.
• Julie shares the impact her sibling loss had on her marriage.

Content Warning: Information presented in this episode may be upsetting to some people. It contains talk of suicide, substance use, and addiction. 

• If you are in the US and would like support for yourself or someone else with substance use, suicidal thoughts, or other topics discussed in this episode, please call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or Text your 5-digit ZIP Code to 435748 (HELP4U) or call a warmline. For more immediate crisis call 911, 988, or go to the nearest emergency room.
• If you believe you are witnessing an overdose, call 911 or your country’s emergency number immediately even if you are administering Narcan. 
• In the USA an updated directory of warmlines by state can be found at https://warmline.org/warmdir.html
• A warmline directory for trained peer supports in over 20 countries can be found at https://www.supportiv.com/tools/international-resources-crisis-and-warmlines (some of these may be hotlines).

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/wild-grief/

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Joe Mylward
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™

Unexpected Heartbreak: Eddie's Journey of Sibling Loss and Grieving

In this episode of The Broken Pack: Stories of Adult Sibling Loss, a podcast, two mental health practitioners, Eddie Cruz and Dr. Angela Dean  explore  sibling loss, mental health approaches to grief, and challenges in grieving when family dynamics and opinions collide.

Eddie shares his personal experience of losing his brother, Richard, to a sudden heart attack and the challenges of navigating grief in a culture that often dismisses or stigmatizes open expression of emotions.

Eddie Cruz shares the emotional toll of his brother, their relationship, what it meant to lose him, as well as how that impacted his work, his life, and so much more. Dr. Dean and Eddie explore how differing views on funeral customs and ceremonies within the family impacted his initial mourning, ongoing grieving, and certain relationships within the family as well as how he has been able to find and provide support.

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/wild-grief/

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Joe Mylward
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™

Twins Estranged: Navigating Sibling Loss, Reconnection, and Love in Grief 

In this episode of The Broken Pack: Stories of Adult Sibling Loss, a podcast, surviving sibling Brandi and Dr. Angela Dean  explore the complexity of   sibling loss, estrangement, mental health struggles, spirituality, and family dynamics through Brandi's personal story of losing her twin brother Brandon following his death from an overdose.

Content Warning: Information presented in this episode may be upsetting to some people. It contains talk of drug use, addiction, trauma, and overdose. 

• If you believe you are witnessing an overdose, call 911 or your country’s emergency number immediately even if you are administering Narcan. If you are in the US and would like support for yourself or someone else with substance use, suicidal thoughts, or other topics discussed in this episode, please call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or Text your 5-digit ZIP Code to 435748 (HELP4U) or call a warmline. For more immediate crisis call 911, 988, or go to the nearest emergency room.
• In the USA an updated directory of warmlines by state can be found at https://warmline.org/warmdir.html
• A warmline directory for trained peer supports in over 20 countries can be found at https://www.supportiv.com/tools/international-resources-crisis-and-warmlines (some of these may be hotlines)

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/wild-grief/

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Joe Mylward
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™

Surviving: Sibling Loss, Transracial Adoption, and Losing Safety

In this powerful episode of The Broken Pack: Stories of Adult Sibling Loss, a podcast, host Dr. Angela Dean delves into the profound impact of sibling loss with guest speaker Karen Thomas. Karen shares her unique experiences as a transracial adoptee who lost her brother, Kevin, to an overdose.

For Karen Thomas, surviving sibling loss is complicated by multiple circumstances.  She shares  what it was like to be transracially adopted and how that connection with her brother, adopted from another family into their shared family, has helped and also deepened her grief of him as well as how connecting to him and her ancestors has helped her.

Content Warning: Information presented in this episode may be upsetting to some people. It contains talk of drug use, addiction, and overdose. If you believe you are witnessing an overdose, call 911 or your country’s emergency number immediately even if you are administering Narcan. If you are in the US and would like support for yourself or someone else with substance use, suicidal thoughts, or other topics discussed in this episode, please call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or Text your 5-digit ZIP Code to 435748 (HELP4U) or call a warmline. For more immediate crisis call 911, 988, or go to the nearest emergency room.

In the USA an updated directory of warmlines by state can be found at https://warmline.org/warmdir.html

A warmline directory for trained peer supports in over 20 countries can be found at https://www.supportiv.com/tools/international-resources-crisis-and-warmlines (some of these may be hotlines)

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/wild-grief/

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Joe Mylward
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™

Sibling Loss, A Historian, and a Memoir of Love, Loss, and Race

On the first episode of our second season, Dr. Dean and Dr. Nico Slate, a history professor at Carnegie Mellon University discusses his new book, “Brothers: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Race,"  which explores his relationship with his brother Peter, and how he is doing now surviving sibling loss. 

In the conversation, Drs. Slate and Dean discuss topics that impacted Dr. Slate's identity, development, and grieving including race, family, socioeconomic differences, caregiving for his mother, and so much more.

Having lost Peter nearly 20 years prior to this interview, surviving sibling Dr. Slate describes the process of losing his brother as “a long, long journey”  of being a  that he is still on and will always be on. He also shares how his personal experiences, including his own whiteness and his brother’s blackness, their relationship, and his sibling loss, have intertwined to influence his worldview and inform his work as a history professor.

Dr. Slate's book, "Brothers: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Race" was published by Temple University Press and released in 2023. It is now available from  Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Temple University, and hopefully your local bookstore.
https://tupress.temple.edu/books/brothers

More information on our guest can be found at https://nicoslate.com/my-history/

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/wild-grief/

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Joe Mylward
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™

Sibling Loss, A Psychologist, and the Birth of The Broken Pack™

In this episode, our podcast host and surviving sibling, Dr. Dean, takes the guest role to share her story of sibling loss that prompted the founding of The Broken Pack™. Our guest host is Ankur Shah Delight.

Ankur helps Dr. Dean tell her story of sibling loss, about her brother Tony, and how it prompted the formation of The Broken Pack™, an organization supporting adult sibloss loss survivors. 

In this episode:

• Dr. Dean shares how mourning her brother, Tony,  just prior to the pandemic, into the start of it, and grieving since then revealed that few sibling loss resources or supports existed- exacerbated by the isolation.
• She shares how losing her only sibling challenged her identity.
• Dr. Dean describes that despite her familiarity with grief and loss of both death and non-death losses, how unprepared she was for the lived experience of sibling loss.
• Dr. Dean explains that she strives to break the silence surrounding sibling loss and ensure that those who have experienced it feel less alone and more connected to others who understand their pain.
• Together, Dr. Dean and Ankur explore community, purpose, and overall support in the face of disenfranchised loss.

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at contact@thebrokenpack.com or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.

Please like, subscribe, and share!

Please follow us on social media:
Facebook: @BrokenPack
Instagram: @thebrokenpack
TikTok: @the_broken_pack
YouTube: @thebrokenpack

Sign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.com/wild-grief/

Thank you!

Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT

Credits:

The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Joe Mylward
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™