Licensed professional counselor and grief specialist Chuck Olliff returns to the podcast. Chuck has been leading bereavement support groups for more than 20 years, and in this episode he explains why grief support groups play such an important role in healing and connection after loss.

He walks listeners through the six key topics he covers in his six-week virtual grief groups, offering valuable insights for anyone navigating their own grief or supporting others who are. Chuck's compassionate and practical approach makes the process feel less daunting and more accessible to all.

All of Chuck's groups meet virtually via Zoom, allowing participants to join from anywhere.

To learn more about Chuck Olliff and to register for an upcoming grief group, visit chuckolliff.com.

Chuck also mentions the resources of Alan Wolfelt in this episode. To see Alan's resources you can visit his website here.

Connect with Harbor Hospice & Beacon Hospice:

• Follow Harbor Hospice on Facebook. Follow Beacon Hospice on Facebook.
• For more information about Harbor Hospice, please visit harborhospice.com
• For more information about Beacon Hospice, please visit beacon.life
• For more information about HarborCare & BeaconCare Palliative Services, please visit myharborcare.com
• Please send your questions or comments to the podcast host at jfenter@harborhcs.com.

In this episode of Lighting the Path, host Jerry Fenter welcomes Chuck Olliff, a Licensed Professional Counselor and grief specialist with more than 25 years of experience leading grief support groups. Chuck shares the story of how his journey into grief counseling began unexpectedly — when a local funeral director asked him to facilitate a series of grief groups for families coping with loss.

Together, Jerry and Chuck explore the origins and lasting influence of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's work on the five stages of grief — denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Chuck offers a thoughtful look at each stage, explaining how they appear in real-life experiences of grief and how understanding them can bring compassion and perspective to the grieving process.

Listeners will gain valuable insights into the emotional landscape of bereavement, the evolving nature of grief support, and the deeply human connection that guides people through loss toward healing.

Topics discussed include:

• Chuck Olliff's personal path to becoming a grief specialist

• Understanding Kübler-Ross's five stages of grief

• How the stages appear in real-world experiences

• The evolving understanding of grief and healing

To learn more about Chuck Olliff and the services he offers, visit www.chuckolliff.com

Connect with Harbor Hospice & Beacon Hospice:

• Follow Harbor Hospice on Facebook. Follow Beacon Hospice on Facebook.
• For more information about Harbor Hospice, please visit harborhospice.com
• For more information about Beacon Hospice, please visit beacon.life
• For more information about HarborCare & BeaconCare Palliative Services, please visit myharborcare.com
• Please send your questions or comments to the podcast host at jfenter@harborhcs.com.

In this episode of Lighting the Path, Jerry sits down with Dr. Emma Jones, author of The Phoenix Blueprint, to talk about resilience, burnout, and the emotional tools needed to thrive as a caregiver. Dr. Jones shares what inspired her to write the book and opens up about the real causes of burnout among healthcare professionals—factors that reach far beyond workload and long hours.

She introduces the concept of "emotional PPE," a metaphor she uses to describe the inner armor caregivers need to protect their emotional well-being—just as firefighters use physical protective equipment to face the dangers of their work. Dr. Jones walks listeners through her six-step model designed to help professionals prevent burnout, restore balance, and reconnect with meaning in their work.

As the conversation unfolds, she offers practical wisdom drawn from her own experience and research, and finally shares the single takeaway she hopes readers and listeners will carry with them from The Phoenix Blueprint.

Listeners who want to connect with Dr. Jones can visit her website or follow her on Instagram for more insights and resources.

• The Phoenix Blueprint: Emerging Stronger from the Blaze of Healthcare by Emma Jones, MD

• Emma Jones, MD – website and additional resources for healthcare professionals (speaking, workshops, and support offerings)

Connect with Harbor Hospice & Beacon Hospice:

• Follow Harbor Hospice on Facebook. Follow Beacon Hospice on Facebook.
• For more information about Harbor Hospice, please visit harborhospice.com
• For more information about Beacon Hospice, please visit beacon.life
• For more information about HarborCare & BeaconCare Palliative Services, please visit myharborcare.com
• Please send your questions or comments to the podcast host at jfenter@harborhcs.com.

In this episode of Lighting the Path, hospice and palliative care physician Dr. Emma Jones shares her personal experience of spiraling into burnout and the moment that forced her to confront the depth of her mental and emotional exhaustion. Drawing from her book, The Phoenix Blueprint: Emerging Stronger from the Blaze of Healthcare, she reflects on how perfectionism, overwork, and the culture of silence around clinician distress pushed her past her limits, and how stigma and fear made it difficult to admit she needed help.

Emma also talks about early warning signs of burnout—emotional depletion, growing cynicism, and a loss of meaning in work—and shares statistics that reveal how widespread burnout and mental health struggles are among healthcare professionals. She then outlines key steps in her healing process, including setting boundaries, reconnecting with purpose, and finding support beyond traditional healthcare structures, emphasizing her belief that real change begins in communities and resources outside the system itself.

• The Phoenix Blueprint: Emerging Stronger from the Blaze of Healthcare by Emma Jones, MD

• Emma Jones, MD – website and additional resources for healthcare professionals (speaking, workshops, and support offerings)

Connect with Harbor Hospice & Beacon Hospice:

• Follow Harbor Hospice on Facebook. Follow Beacon Hospice on Facebook.
• For more information about Harbor Hospice, please visit harborhospice.com
• For more information about Beacon Hospice, please visit beacon.life
• For more information about HarborCare & BeaconCare Palliative Services, please visit myharborcare.com
• Please send your questions or comments to the podcast host at jfenter@harborhcs.com.

In this encore episode, grief specialist Gary Roe discusses how survivors can manage feelings of guilt after the death of a loved one. Roe explores the difference between guilt and regret and offers methods for finding forgiveness and reducing emotional baggage.

Guilt vs. Regret

Roe explains that while often used interchangeably, guilt and regret are distinct emotions:

- Guilt is the feeling we experience when we knowingly do something wrong, usually related to ethical, moral, or legal reasons.
- Regret is the emotion we feel when looking back on past actions, realizing we could have handled situations differently.

Strategies for Managing Guilt and Regret

Roe shares several strategies for managing these difficult emotions:

1. Release these feelings through talking, writing, or creative expression

2. Seek support: Talk to someone who listens well and loves you[3].

3. Practice self-compassion: Remember that you're doing the best you can with the information you had at the time.

Reducing Emotional Baggage

To lighten the load of guilt and regret, Roe suggests:

- Accepting that you can't change the past: Focus on what you can control in the present.
- Practicing forgiveness: Both for yourself and others involved in the situation.
- Honoring the deceased: Find ways to celebrate their memory and continue their legacy.
- Seeking professional help: If guilt or regret persist, consider talking to a grief counselor or therapist.

You can visit Gary's website for free resources and contact information at www.garyroe.com.

Connect with Harbor Hospice & Beacon Hospice:

• Follow Harbor Hospice on Facebook. Follow Beacon Hospice on Facebook.
• For more information about Harbor Hospice, please visit harborhospice.com
• For more information about Beacon Hospice, please visit beacon.life
• For more information about HarborCare & BeaconCare Palliative Services, please visit myharborcare.com
• Please send your questions or comments to the podcast host at jfenter@harborhcs.com.

Enjoy this encore episode from Lighting the Path and Harbor Healthcare System.

The holiday season is loaded with hopes and dreams and expectations. For those who are providing care for someone on hospice the holidays can be difficult to manage. Rosalind Hall-Hiner is the System Director of Social Workers for Harbor Hospice and Beacon Hospice. In this episode she shares ways that caregivers can avoid the depression that often comes with the holiday season.

If you were benefitted by the information in this episode, please consider sharing it with your friends on social media.

Follow Harbor Hospice on Facebook. Follow Beacon Hospice on Facebook.

For more information about Harbor Hospice, please visit harborhospice.com.

For more information about Beacon Hospice, please visit beacon.life.

For more information about HarborCare & BeaconCare Palliative Services, please visit myharborcare.com

Please send your questions or comments to the podcast host at jfenter@harborhcs.com.

Enjoy this encore episode about how to manage grief during the holidays with Harbor Hospice chaplain and bereavement counselor, Polly Stock.

For many people the holidays are not a season of joy and cheer, but a time of grief and sadness. Holidays are times when families come together and the death of an important person in the family can make holidays feel heavy. In this episode, Polly Stock, Bereavement Coordinator with Harbor Hospice of Missouri, shares tips on how to manage grief during the holidays.

In this episode, Polly shares some of her favorite resources, including the following books that you can find by following the links below.

• Healing Your Holiday Grief by Alan Wolfelt
• Surviving the Holidays Without You by Gary Roe
• The Empty Chair by Robert DeVries

Follow Harbor Hospice on Facebook. Follow Beacon Hospice on Facebook.

For more information about Harbor Hospice, please visit harborhospice.com.

For more information about Beacon Hospice, please visit beacon.life.

For more information about HarborCare & BeaconCare Palliative Services, please visit myharborcare.com

Please send your questions or comments to the podcast host at jfenter@harborhcs.com.