The Lighthouse Beacon Podcast

Comfort blankets come in many shapes and sizes. When we've experienced a significant loss in our lives we often reach for them, to help us through the pain of the grief. Sometimes that which we reach for, in addition to comforting us, can also harm us. 

In this episode we are joined by an incredible individual, who against the largest odds, found healing, purpose, meaning, and a life well lived. Ross Wilson experienced the death of his mother at a young age. Through his own deep self-discovery, and perseverance, he found his way to an inner calling that led him to an inspiring vocation, and a life of service. He speaks of his comfort blanket of substance use and resultant addiction in trying to survive the grief from the death of his mother. Ross’s storytelling captures an essence of healing and love through the perspective of his neurodiversity, while finding resilience and meaning in suffering.

Join us for a fascinating and inspiring life story of healing and inspiration! 

In this episode we are joined by an incredible advocate for mental health, wellness, mindfulness, and grief support. Sharing her journey through deeply traumatic loss, Nina Purewal speaks to us on this podcast of how she reclaimed her life, experienced transformational healing, and launch an international best-selling book, ‘Let That Sh*t Go’, with her co-author Kate Petriw. Her wisdom, garnered through navigating profound life circumstances, exemplifies what it means to step into your ‘authentic self’ and find healing and forgiveness. Drawing from her personal experiences, Nina speaks to the wonderful benefits of children’s grief support, while serving to identify gaps within systems of education, culture, family structures, corporations, etc., and what we can do to improve the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing of children, youth, and teens when they have experienced loss.

Join us for a powerful and enlightening episode!

In this episode we are joined by an inspirational and transformative 'grief thriver', as he shares how he navigated his life following the death of both his parents by suicide. Through thoughtful reflection and powerful delivery, Joe Lyons-Rising speaks to what it was like to be a young child learning to survive trauma, grief, depression, and anxiety. He speaks about the many challenges that lay before for him as he matured, and what supports helped him survive such trauma. A prominent DJ, an Executive Grief Ambassador and Grief Facilitator with Season's Centre, an international speaker, and the best-selling author of the book 'Pain Remixed, Joe's life journey is one of incredible resiliency, humility, empathy, and Love. 

Join us for a raw and engaging episode! 

The ancient practices of grief and bereavement support are well documented and storied throughout Jewish history. Throughout Judaism, there are numerous examples of how grief and loss was shared in a communal sense with practices that are considered today 'progressive' and yet have been conducted for generations. 
In this podcast we are joined by an incredible advocate and knowledgeable champion of Judaism, Hospice Palliative Care, and supports for Holocaust Survivors. Lisa Kronenberg, is the Executive Director of Neshama Hospice, a 12-bed Jewish-founded hospice residence in North York, Ontario, Canada, which just broke ground this late fall! 
Join us as this incredible individual articulates with heartfelt compassion, and deep wisdom the impact of The Holocaust on children's grief, the far-reaching impact of intergenerational trauma, and the wonderful history of Judaism within communal grief and bereavement support!

 

 

How we children and youth in their grief can have a lasting impact on their mental, emotional, even physical health. Joining us on this podcast is an individual who draws on her knowledge and experiences as an educator, a clinician in private practice, and a mother, in sharing how to hold what she calls, 'exquisite presence,' when supporting children and youth who are grieving. Her approach, garnered through decades of in the field work within numerous settings, highlights practical and informative insights into the disenfranchisement of grief amongst children, and how promoting safe spaces can help children process their experiences of loss.

Join us for an exceptional informative and educational podcast!

The diversity of demographics of peoples accessing children's grief support is ever expanding. As the awareness of the importance of supporting children and youth who are grieving grows so does the need for appropriate and person-centred grief support.

Joining us on this podcast is Corrie Sirota who shares her personal and professional knowledge and experience within grief support. She speaks to what is called 'Cultural Conscientiousness', and how to be truly present with the person we are supporting. 

Join us to learn more of this progressive approach to children's grief support! 

Stemming from her thesis, ‘Black Bereavement: An Exploration to Black Grief and Grief Support Organization’, Delaney Jordana Holness joins us on this podcast to share her research which speaks to the intersections of social services and Black grief. Delaney’s life experiences and education help to frame her deep insights and knowledge into that gaps and barriers that hinder access to children’s grief support by the Black community.

Delaney currently serves as the Community Engagement and Outreach Coordinator with Lighthouse for Grieving Children.

Join us for an exceptionally enlightening podcast!

 

Immigration, refugee status, multigenerational homes, are experiences facing many newcomers to Canada. Often accompanying these circumstances is loss, and the resultant feelings of grief.

On this podcast we are excited to host members of the family services team from the progressive organization of Indus Community Services. They generously share their knowledge and expertise in serving the very diverse demographics of peoples within the Greater Toronto Area. We delve into the intersection of death and non-death related losses and how we can best serve to support such experiences given the diversity within our region. 

Join us for an eye opening and informative podcast! 

Lighthouse gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Catherine & Maxwell Meighan Foundation that make these podcasts possible.
#LHBeaconPodcast 

On April 24th we commemorate a time of unspeakable horror, trauma, and grief, the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Joining us on this podcast is an individual with deep wisdom and insight into the multigenerational impact of such historical trauma and grief. Deacon Yervant shares his comprehensive knowledge and experience of Armenian traditions and customs, as relates to today's demographics of children, youth, and teens, within multigenerational family systems.

Join us for a wonderfully introspective podcast! 

Within the field of children's grief, the subject of diversity asks to be inclusive of the measures with which children, teens, youth, and their families are supported. One of those measures is the vast domain of 'Grief Dreams', or dreams of the deceased. Joining us on this podcast is a progressive and exceptionally knowledgeable academic who brings his doctoral research, as well as a deeply personal experience, to exploring how dreams of the deceased can help support the journey through the experience of grief. 

Join us for this fascinating and transformative subject!