What Now? On the threshold of life, death, and grief.
Presented by palliative and bereavement health care professionals Julie Brown, Red Keating and David Kennedy. Dying is one of the few experiences we will all share, yet little is done in our culture to prepare us for this inevitability and it's resulting bereavement and grief. Drawing on their vast knowledge and experience each episode is a conversation meant to enlighten and demystify the often difficult and emotional experiences of dying, death and bereavement. Presented in partnership with Hospice Peterborough.
Episodes
41 episodes
Dignity Therapy: In conversation with Dr. Chochinov
People often speak of the importance of dignity at the end of life.Sometimes the medicalization of illness interrupts being seen in our full humanness which erodes our sense of dignity.In the first episode of 2025, we speak with D...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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51:18
Finding Light in the Holidays
In this last episode of 2024, the co-hosts offer support, compassion and suggestions for navigating the holidays. It’s often not the most wonderful time of the year, especially for those grieving and living with illness. Have a lis...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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33:54
I'm So Angry
In a previous episode, we discussed how guilt and grief are frequent companions on the journey. Anger can also be a frequent traveler. In this episode, we discuss the protective and helpful role of anger, how to go beneath anger to oth...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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43:29
The Birrell Family: A Family’s Experience in Grief
In this episode we have the honour of speaking with members of the Birrell family who share their insights after the death of their 8-year-old son and brother James in 2001. Our conversation focuses on grief and its long-term impacts o...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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55:32
Harrison's Story
In this episode, Harrison's mother, Shannon shares their family story of Harrison's significant yet short life. With incredible grace and generosity Shannon shares what life was like for her and her husband as they rode the emotional and physic...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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1:03:24
Pregnancy and Infant Loss
In this episode we interview a friend and colleague of the hosts: Tracy Condon. Tracy is a registered social worker with many years experience supporting women and their partners through perinatal loss. This is an arena of grief we often don't ...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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55:31
Stepping into the World of Radiation Oncology
In his book Cancer Confidential, Dr. Charles Hayter draws on his years of experience as a radiation oncologist and writes something accessible, interesting and readable. In our discussion Dr. Hayter addresses the difficult and sometime...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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50:25
On the Threshold with Dr. Kerr
We open Season 3 with the great privilege of speaking with Dr. Kerr about his work and research into the dreams and visions of the dying. Through interviews with over 1,400 dying patients Dr. Kerr’s research reveals that the pre-death dreams an...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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54:09
Season 2 Wrap Up!
In this short episode the co-hosts take time to reflect on the second season of the podcast. We review the teaching and learning that occurred because of the amazing guests throughout this season. Also discuss feedback from listener...
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Season 2
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Episode 14
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25:55
Questions and Decisions
A diagnosis of a potentially life threatening illness throws us into a world of hard questions and a myriad of decisions that need to be made. Our decisions can find us ruminating on issues and double guessing ourselves and if we don’t ac...
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Season 2
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Episode 13
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55:09
The Written Word
Poets and writers often capture the experiences, thoughts, and emotions we may struggle to express or put into words. In this episode, we do something a little different and indulge in our collective love of the written word. We sh...
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Season 2
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Episode 12
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49:33
Understanding Dementia
In this episode, we speak with two experts in dementia healthcare. Dr. Sarah Brisbin and Jill MacPhee help us understand the complexity of dementia both for individuals diagnosed and living with dementia and their families and care partners. Ou...
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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1:04:09
How Death Teaches Us to Live
We have the honour of speaking with meditation teacher Vinny Ferraro who leads Spirit Rock's program: A Year to Live, which focuses on waking up and living life more fully through the exploration of death as spiritual practice. In this...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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58:09
Keep or Give Away?
In this episode we address the task of what to do with the belongings and “stuff” we accumulate throughout a lifetime. Often as a person approaches death, or a person has died, family and close friends need to make decisions about how to dissem...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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37:11
The Grieving Brain
In this fascinating conversation with author, psychologist and neuroscience researcher, Mary-Frances O’Connor, we learn what happens in the brain when we experience loss and grief. She expands the understanding of grief by sharing h...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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57:45
Just Think Positive
In this episode we delve into the world of “positivity” as it relates to the experience of living with a life-threatening illness or the experience of being bereaved. Often, well meaning friends and family espouse the power of positive thinking...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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45:05
In Conversation with author Patricia Pearson
In this episode we speak with award winning writer Patricia Pearson, author of: Opening Heaven's Door; What the dying may be trying to tell us about where they're going. During this fascinating conversation, Patricia shares findings fr...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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1:01:54
Unwrapping the Holidays 2023
For many, it's not the most wonderful time of the year. Those living with life threatening illness (and their families) might be entering this season with awareness this could be the last. For others, if grief is "raw" and new we may b...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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53:42
Being A Caregiver
The role of caregiving can be physically and emotionally exhausting. It can also be one of the most important and fulfilling things we can do for another person and for ourselves. In this episode we explore some of the unique issues and experie...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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1:02:40
Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy; Addressing Existential Distress for Those Living With a Life Threatening Illness
In this episode we speak with Dr. Daniel (Dan) Rosenbaum about the exciting new role that psychedelic assisted psychotherapy is playing in helping those living with a life threatening illness. Dan covers the past, present and future of this exc...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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1:14:46
When Someone Dies by Suicide
For years our culture has not talked openly about death by suicide and this only amplifies the grief, trauma and isolation of the grief journey. It's an unbearable grief, often made even harder because it's not talked about. In this...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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1:00:58
When Grief and Trauma Meet
In this episode we have the privilege of learning and speaking from Dr MaryCatherine (MC) McDonald, author of Unbroken: The Trauma Response Is Never Wrong—And Other Things You Need to Know to Take Back Your Life. MC helps us ...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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59:47
Palliative Medicine with Dr. Blake
In the opening episode of our second season we have the honour of speaking with Dr. Chris Blake the new Medical Director of Hospice Peterborough. Chris shares what brought him to a career in palliative medicine and his philosophy of care. What ...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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48:38