Dead Parent Club

Welcome to the LAST episode of this mini series of the Dead Parent Club Podcast.. before Kat has her baby VERY soon!In this episode we're chatting with one of the dedicated founders of What’s Your Grief, a grief support network and website that serves circa 5 million people per year. It’s truly an incredible resource for the grieving community. Litsa shares her grief story, the creation of What’s Your Grief, the positives and pitfalls of running a grief community, her experience as a mental health professional, how different causes of deaths are approached differently and debunking grief myths e.g. coping strategies and having to ‘talk’ to process your grief. We discovered there’s a myriad of ways to navigate and process loss, and it was a super interesting conversation to have!You can listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all the other streaming platforms.To find out more, visit our website at www.deadparentclub.co.uk or follow us on social media by clicking the links below:InstagramFacebookTwitterSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We hear that writing in a journal can help when you're in the midst of grief - but why? And how? And what about when you're feeling extra #griefy 10,15,20 years down the line, is it still helpful then?In this episode, we discuss how we got into writing as a way to process our grief and why we find it useful. We share some tips and advice on how to start and share some of our own entries that we've written over the years - warning: it gets deep!You can listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all the other streaming platforms.To find out more, visit our website at www.deadparentclub.co.uk or follow us on social media by clicking the links below:InstagramFacebookTwitterSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Each of our experiences of saying goodbye to our parent/s for the last time are different. Whether you were with them when they passed, travelled to the hospital afterwards, or had to find your own individual way of saying goodbye - it's never what we quite expect. In this episode, we chat with Chloe Kent who shared a sketch based on her own experience of her final goodbyes to her mum, which you can watch here. Fact is - the reality of this moment is usually so far from what we think it would look like. Have films and TV shows given us a warped reality? And why is it so AWKWARD? Would you go back and change what you said or how you acted if you could?You can listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all the other streaming platforms.To find out more, visit our website at www.deadparentclub.co.uk or follow us on social media by clicking the links below:InstagramFacebookTwitterSpecial thanks to This Is Distorted for their time and effort in producing this podcastSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week is #DyingMattersWeek in the UK - and the topic this year has been focused on grief in the workplace, and how we can provide support to grieving colleagues and staff members. This is something that has impacted so many of us, whether that's at university, college, in your first job or in your long-term career. It's also something we see affecting the people around us all the time. In this episode, Kat and Emma share their experiences of grieving in the workplace/at school, shared some of your stories that you submitted, and spoke about how we hope to see some change. You can listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all the other streaming platforms.To find out more, visit our website at www.deadparentclub.co.uk or follow us on social media by clicking the links below:InstagramFacebookTwitterSpecial thanks to This Is Distorted for their time and effort in producing this podcastSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode we chat to clinical psychotherapist, writer, podcast host and Tedx speaker Meghan Riordan Jarvis about how grief manifests itself into both your mind and your body. Both Kat and Emma struggled with different illnesses, both mental and physical, after the death of their parents - and know that a lot of listeners do too - so it was so interesting to hear how these show up differently in different people and what we can do to calm our body and mind. Find out more about Meghan on her website here or on her Instagram here. You can listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all the other streaming platforms.To find out more, visit our website at www.deadparentclub.co.uk or follow us on social media by clicking the links below:InstagramFacebookTwitterSpecial thanks to This Is Distorted for their time and effort in producing this podcastSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WE'RE BACK! In this week's episode, Emma asks me ALL the questions about my pregnancy, and how I'm navigating it without my mum - including all the emotions I expect to feel once the baby is here. We also shared your comments on how you feel about becoming parents without yours around.This is definitely a situation we've talked about a lot on the DPC so it's been surreal to experience it myself first-hand. You can listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all the other streaming platforms.To find out more, visit our website at www.deadparentclub.co.uk or follow us on social media by clicking the links below:InstagramFacebookTwitterSpecial thanks to This Is Distorted for their time and effort in producing this podcastSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are more grievers heading to TikTok?Welcome to our FINAL episode of Season 3! We can not believe we're here already... In this week's episode we interview TikTok'er and future sitcom writer (you heard it here first) Chloe Kent! Chloe headed to TikTok to create videos relating to the death of her mum back at the start of Covid. In this episode she shares her own grief story and how the pandemic forced her to slow down and start to process her grief, which led to her now 300k+ followers on the video platform. Does she get backlash for using humour? What do her family think about it? And what's next? Find out in our latest and last episode of season 3. To find out more, visit our website at www.deadparentclub.co.uk or follow us on social media by clicking the links below:InstagramFacebookTwitterSpecial thanks to This Is Distorted for their time and effort in producing this podcastSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Someone once said that you 'won't start to feel more like your normal self until 5 years after the death'. Is this true? Is it partially true? Does it really ever happen? In this episode we discuss how our emotions and sense of self changed between before-Mum-dying (BMD) and after-Mum-dying (AMD) - and how those parts of us changed or returned after 5 years. Are there any parts of the before-parent-dying (BPD) self that you miss? Let us know! To find out more, visit our website at www.deadparentclub.co.uk or follow us on social media by clicking the links below:InstagramFacebookTwitterSpecial thanks to This Is Distorted for their time and effort in producing this podcastSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Emily Cummin - Founder of Grief Community and Companion App Untangle - joins us on the podcast to share her own experiences of grief. And how these experiences, and the difficulties that came with navigating all of those practical and emotional elements of the death of someone you love led to the creation of Untangle. To find out more, visit our website at www.deadparentclub.co.uk or follow us on social media by clicking the links below:InstagramFacebookTwitterSpecial thanks to This Is Distorted for their time and effort in producing this podcastSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're joined by Co-Founder of Modern Loss and Author Rebecca Soffer. Rebecca found herself without her mum or her dad by her early thirties. In this episode we share how the death of her mum then her dad affected her differently, navigating life as a young person who still wanted to have fun but also craved an environment where she could talk about these huge things that happened to her, building the Modern Loss community and how this has shaped her grieving journey over time, building a life for herself while honouring her parents and the launch of her book The Modern Loss Handbook: An Interactive Guide to Moving Through Grief and Building Your Resilience.To find out more, visit our website at www.deadparentclub.co.uk or follow us on social media by clicking the links below:InstagramFacebookTwitterSpecial thanks to This Is Distorted for their time and effort in producing this podcastSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's life like as a surviving parent? How do you navigate your children's emotions AND your own? In this week's episode we're taking a new perspective on life as a member of the DPC and we got down and griefy with the PHENOMENAL Stacey Heale.If you don't follow her on Instagram yet (what are you doing?) find her at stacey_heale. Stacey's husband Greg Gilbert died a year ago, leaving behind two children aged 5 and 7. Their children were just 1 and 3 when he was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer in 2016, leaving them both reeling and suddenly having to navigate marriage, parenthood, work and life with a terminal diagnosis looming over them. In this episode, Stacey speaks frankly and openly about life as the parent who has to carry on. She takes us on a journey many of us having been on before. The conversations parents have behind closed doors after such a diagnosis How to tell the kids and when to tell them Picking up the responsibility of caring for yourself and your grieving children The worry for your children as they grow up Questioning whether you've done the right thing LonelinessUsing sex and food (cherry bakewells and wine in particular) as a crutch What she hopes to hear from her children as they grow upTo find out more, visit our website at www.deadparentclub.co.uk or follow us on social media by clicking the links below:InstagramFacebookTwitterSpecial thanks to This Is Distorted for their time and effort in producing this podcastSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We feel a LOT after our parent/s have died. And it can be pretty overwhelming knowing what to do with the different types of emotions you experience. In this episode, we share our own experiences of the emotions we felt both before and straight after our mum’s died, as well as all the emotions we experienced in the months and years afterwards. Hopefully this episode helps you feel less alone in your own grief. Expect to hear more about:The emotions we both felt straight after our parents died How we felt angry at the people around us Feeling like a fraud and like we have to keep up a facade of joy and happinessRealising that we needed help How all of us are very individual in the way we approach grief The difference between what we expected to feel and what we did feelGrief and the impact on our self esteemAnd much more!To find out more, visit our website at www.deadparentclub.co.uk or follow us on social media by clicking the links below:InstagramFacebookTwitterSpecial thanks to This Is Distorted for their time and effort in producing this podcastSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's episode is dedicated to the most awkward moments as a member of the DPC that can’t help but make you laugh, with a number of stories that were submitted by you - our listeners. From a DJ dedicating a song to your mum at your wedding to your children making 'your dad' jokes and fist bumping members of the DPC - it's all here. We hope this week's more light hearted ep makes you laugh and offers a bit of joy and comfort in the awkward stories we all share. To find out more, visit our website at www.deadparentclub.co.uk or follow us on social media by clicking the links below:InstagramFacebookTwitterSpecial thanks to This Is Distorted for their time and effort in producing this podcastSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're joined by presenter and podcaster Amy Voce, who now has a beautiful 3 month old daughter that she was pregnant with when we first recorded this episode earlier this year.Amy's dad was a pilot and was a much-loved father of her and her three siblings. In this episode, Amy shares her dad's story, including how the day he was given 2 years to live turned her and her family's world upside down. She shares: How her father and the rest of her family dealt with her dad's prognosis What those days are really like before somebody passes and the laughs, tears and emotions you share How sometimes your siblings can be the source of strength you need when you're grieving The complexities of your parents no longer being together, and watching your surviving parent grieve their own loss Knowing that time is a healer and gaining perspective Approaching motherhood To find out more, visit our website at www.deadparentclub.co.uk or follow us on social media by clicking the links below:InstagramFacebookTwitterSpecial thanks to This Is Distorted for their time and effort in producing this podcastSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week our guest is Dr Joshua Black, a leading academic researcher in grief dreams. Josh began his research after realising that there’s not a lot of talk on the subject - despite so many of us experiencing grief-related dreams - and wanted to raise awareness of it. Grief dreams are something that impact so many of us. Some of us worry that we don’t dream about them at all, some of us have happy dreams and others have triggering ones. We’ve answered some of the questions you - our listeners - submitted for this ep and spoke about the below:How he got into analysing dreams Sharing our own experiences of grief dreams and figuring out why we have the ones we do How you can analyse your own dreams How you can remember more of your dreams How sometimes they can be used to support us through our grief journey Working with nightmaresAnd much more!To find out more, visit our website at www.deadparentclub.co.uk or follow us on social media by clicking the links below:InstagramFacebookTwitterSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s episode we sit down with former Love Islander, influencer and all round pocket of positivity Shaughna Phillips. Shaughna talks to us about her dad Eddie who died when she was just 22 and shares the impact it had on her life as a young adult and how she  approaches her grief now. In this episode we discuss: The difficulties that come with living with a parent undergoing chemotherapy The financial struggles of their dad being self employed and being unable to work and provide for his family How she still doesn’t think she’s processed it Adjusting to life after he died How his death affected her inner dialogue with herself Comparing her life to her friend’s at that age People not knowing how to talk about it Speaking about her dad on love island We hope you enjoy this week’s episode! But if you do have any further questions on the topic just drop us an email or message us using the details below. To find out more, visit our website at www.deadparentclub.co.uk or follow us on social media by clicking the links below:InstagramFacebookTwitterSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub.Anticipatory grief refers to a feeling of grief occurring before an impending loss. Typically, the impending loss is the death of someone close due to illness. But it can also happen when your parent is an addict or you’ve lost touch with them at a young age and you grieve the relationship. This week we talk about:Our own experiences of anticipatory grief with both of our mum’s having a terminal diagnosis and with Kat’s Dads’ diagnosis The difficult feelings of relief once someone is no longer in pain How no one sat down and told us about anticipatory grief and what these feelings wereThe link between grief and mental healthHow it’s very different from anticipating a death to experiencing one We hope you enjoy this week’s episode! But if you do have any further questions on the topic just drop us an email or message us using the details below. To find out more, visit our website at www.deadparentclub.co.uk or follow us on social media by clicking the links below:InstagramFacebookTwitterSpecial thanks to This Is Distorted for their time and effort in producing the podcast.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we’re joined by actress Kimberly Hart-Simpson, who’s Dad died in 2007 when she was just 20. Kimberly is commonly known for playing Nicky Wheatly in Coronation Street - a job that her dad always dreamed of her getting after being a huge fan of the show all his life. Some of the topics we discuss in the episode are:What life was like growing up for Kimberly and her career path The struggles of trying to be a ‘care-free’ adult at university while coping with your parent’s terminal diagnosis Her dad’s death and how it impacted her life at drama schoolStruggling to remember life before our parent/s died How her experiences of grief segue into her acting careerFeeling like you shouldn’t be talking about it anymoreReconnecting with her dad’s best friend years later Her advice to young peopleAs always - we hope you enjoy this week’s episode! But if you do have any further questions on the topic just drop us an email or message us using the details below.To find out more, visit our website at www.deadparentclub.co.uk or follow us on social media by clicking the links below:InstagramFacebookTwitterSpecial thanks to This Is Distorted for their time and effort in producing tSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grief and big life events… SO many of you wanted an episode covering this topic. And we get why. Doing simple things like food shopping, driving to work, even sleeping can feel impossible when you’re grieving, and it’s hard to imagine how you’ll ever get through the big stuff. Now we haven’t experienced everything (marriage, kids etc.), but we can share our own experiences of what we’ve been through so far, and how we’re feeling about all that future stuff too. Here’s a brief overview of what you can expect: Our feelings towards big life events now and how grief has impacted them Our previous life events and what’s happened more recently Who our ‘person’ is now and becoming your own championBuying a new house without your parentThe pressure we feel to make something of our lives How to be in the moment and appreciate the big stuff How we feel about getting married and having childrenOur advice As always - we hope you enjoy this week’s episode! But if you do have any further questions on the topic just drop us an email or message us using the details below. To find out more, visit our website at www.deadparentclub.co.uk or follow us on social media by clicking the links below:InstagramFacebookTwitterSpecial thanks to This Is Distorted for their time and effort in producing the podcast!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

SEASON 3 IS HERE!And our first episode is with presenter and comedian Alex Brooker; best known for his work on Channel 4’s The Last Leg. In May 2019, his Dad Gordon passed away suddenly while Alex was at a corporate event hundreds of miles away. In this episode, Alex shares the huge impact the death of his dad has had on his life so far. We cover so much in this episode and there’s laughs (obviously) and tears (of course) but more than anything, there’s a real sense of compassion and genuine kindness in the way Alex discusses his own grief experience - both towards himself and how others cope.Here’s an idea of what you can expect:What life was like growing up and how his career beganThe story behind losing his dad Feelings of guilt in grief The feelings of needing to support his brothers through their grief and lives Going back to work Talking to his kids We hope you enjoy our first episode back for Series 3! To find out more, visit our website at www.deadparentclub.co.uk or follow us on social media by clicking the links below:InstagramFacebookTwitterSpecial thanks to This Is Distorted for their time and effort in producing the podcast!Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out informationSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/deadparentclub. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.