The Broken Pack™: Stories of Sibling Loss

Brilliant Disguise: A Surviving Sibling's Memoir

Send us a message!In this episode of The Broken Pack: Stories of Sibling Loss, Dr. Dean talks with Susan Kellam, journalist, surviving sibling, and author of Brilliant Disguise. Susan lost her brother Robert to suicide and has spent decades untangling the shared childhood trauma that shaped them both in very different ways.Hear Susan's story of growing up as Little K to Robert's Big K, and how being his sister defined her before she ever defined herself. Learn how writing a rock and roll memoir unexpectedly became the vehicle for processing her brother's death, her childhood, and the warning signs no one recognized at the time. Be inspired by Susan's willingness to sit with the hard truths of sibling loss, childhood trauma, and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and her belief that understanding your story is worth the years it takes.Connect with Susan Kellam: Website: https://www.susan-kellam.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellam400/Book: Brilliant Disguise: A MemoirContent Warning: Information presented in this episode may be upsetting to some people. It contains talk of suicide.Resources:If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, support is available.In the US:988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741SAMHSA's National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or text your 5-digit ZIP code to 435748 (HELP4U)For more immediate crisis, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency roomWarmlines by state: https://warmline.org/warmdir.htmlAmerican Foundation for Suicide Prevention: https://afsp.org/International:Warmline directory for trained peer support in 20+ countries:  https://tinyurl.com/mr3ctvea (some may be hotlines)Support the showIf you would like more information or to share your own sibling loss story, please contact 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:  @BrokenPackInstagram:  @thebrokenpack TikTok: @the_broken_packYouTube: @thebrokenpackSign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.substack.com/ Thank you!Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FTCredits:The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by Not Done Here Media"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026     Performed by Fuji Sounds (feat. Joe Mylward)      Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean     Licensed for use to The Broken Pack™ Now available on all streaming platforms including Apple Music & Spotify: ...

Shining a Light on Sibling Loss, Addiction, and Life's Little Pleasures

Send us a message!In this episode of The Broken Pack™: Stories of Sibling Loss, Dr. Dean talks with Nina Rodriguez, creator and host of the Grief and Light podcast and online grief support platform. Nina lost her only sibling, Yosef, to fentanyl poisoning in 2019. This episode explores the unique layers of sibling loss, the shame and secrecy that can surround addiction, and what it means to continue being a sister after your brother is gone. In this episode you will hear Nina’s story of growing up as Yosef’s big sister and how his loss became the catalyst for Grief and Light.You will also hear about the complexities of sibling grief including identity after loss, the unspoken grief hierarchy, birth order dynamics, and why the five-year milestone isn’t the finish line you think it is.Be inspired by Nina’s commitment to shining a light on grief, honoring Yosef’s legacy, and embracing Life’s Little Pleasures.Connect with Nina Rodriguez:Podcast: Grief and Light  (available on all platforms)YouTube: YouTubeSubstack: Resting Grief FaceFree Download: Grief Tending ToolkitSocial Media: @griefandlightResources:In the US:If you believe you are witnessing an overdose, call 911 or your country’s emergency number immediately even if you are administering Narcan.Call SAMHSA’s National Helpline is  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.Peer support: https://warmline.org/warmdir.htmlInternationalIn the UK, related resources: https://tinyurl.com/3fknb36cPeer support warmlines: Support the showIf you would like more information or to share your own sibling loss story, please contact 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:  @BrokenPackInstagram:  @thebrokenpack TikTok: @the_broken_packYouTube: @thebrokenpackSign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.substack.com/ Thank you!Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FTCredits:The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by Not Done Here Media"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026     Performed by Fuji Sounds (feat. Joe Mylward)      Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean     Licensed for use to The Broken Pack™ Now available on all streaming platforms including Apple Music & Spotify: ...

A Christmas Loss. A Surviving Sibling Who Changes Lives.

Send us a message!In this episode of The Broken Pack™: Stories of Sibling Loss, Dr. Dean talks with Dr. Christina Zampitella, a licensed psychologist, thanatologist, and founder of the Center for Grief and Trauma Therapy in Delaware. Dr. Z lost her brother Damien to a drug overdose on Christmas Day when he was just 22 years old. This episode explores the lifelong impact of sibling loss, the complicated grief that comes with loving someone through addiction, and what it truly means to carry your sibling with you. In this episode you will:Hear Dr. Z's story of how losing Damien became the foundation of her life's work.Learn what surviving siblings need to know about grief integration, STUGs, maintaining a continued bond, and why there is no "getting over it"  Be inspired by Dr. Z's resilience through cumulative losses & her commitment to honoring those she has loved and lost.Connect with Dr. Christina Zampitella: Website: https://tinyurl.com/59x7e9mfPodcast: Phoenix Rising with Dr. Z — available on all platforms YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/ms5ea5fwInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/phoenixrisingwithdrz/ All links: https://linktr.ee/phoenixrising_drzResources:In the US:If you believe you are witnessing an overdose, call 911 or your country’s emergency number immediately even if you are administering Narcan.Call SAMHSA’s National Helpline is  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.Peer support: https://warmline.org/warmdir.htmlInternationalIn the UK, related resources: https://tinyurl.com/3fknb36cPeer support warmlines: https://tinyurl.com/2pv58j4mSupport the showIf you would like more information or to share your own sibling loss story, please contact 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:  @BrokenPackInstagram:  @thebrokenpack TikTok: @the_broken_packYouTube: @thebrokenpackSign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.substack.com/ Thank you!Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FTCredits:The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by Not Done Here Media"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026     Performed by Fuji Sounds (feat. Joe Mylward)      Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean     Licensed for use to The Broken Pack™ Now available on all streaming platforms including Apple Music & Spotify: ...

The Broken Pack Returns: Surviving Sibling Loss, Grief, & What's Next

Send us a message!After more than 18 months of silence, The Broken Pack™ podcast is back, and Dr. Angela Dean is sharing everything.In this return episode, Dr. Angela Dean, psychologist, thanatologist, bereaved sibling, and host of The Broken Pack™, opens up about why she went quiet, what grief looked and felt like from the inside, and what is coming next for this community of surviving siblings and sibling loss survivors.Where Dr. Dean Has Been: After nearly five years since losing her brother Tony, something shifted in fall 2024. Despite consistently showing up, recording episodes, building community, and training with Dr. Robert Neimeyer at the Portland Institute for Loss and Transition, she found herself unable to continue at that pace. She reflects on the paradox of avoiding her own grief while pursuing advanced training in grief therapy, and why she needed to step away from narrating loss in order to actually live it.The Personal Losses Behind the Silence: An adult child moving across the globe, shifts in family dynamics, estrangement, and the growing weight of being her parents' only living child, a reality her brother Tony is no longer here to share.What Brought Her Back: A grief retreat through the Portland Institute reconnected her with her purpose. After recording an episode with Karin McLean, Dr. Dean began noticing signs from Tony, wolves, Pittsburgh references, and childhood memories only he would have known.Big News for Surviving Siblings: The Broken Pack is expanding to welcome ALL sibling loss survivors, including those who lost siblings in childhood or before birth. The Wild Grief newsletter moves to Substack, and a sibling loss book club is launching.Upcoming guests: Dr. Christina Zampitella, Nina Rodriguez, Dr. Heidi Horsley, Susan Kellum, Karin McClean, Anne Pinkerton, Earl Dawn Legault, and sibling loss survivor stories from Valerie, Amy, Paige, Amanda, Jayden, Deidra, and many more.Support the showIf you would like more information or to share your own sibling loss story, please contact 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:  @BrokenPackInstagram:  @thebrokenpack TikTok: @the_broken_packYouTube: @thebrokenpackSign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.substack.com/ Thank you!Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FTCredits:The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by Not Done Here Media"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026     Performed by Fuji Sounds (feat. Joe Mylward)      Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean     Licensed for use to The Broken Pack™ Now available on all streaming platforms including Apple Music & Spotify: ...

Sibling Grief, Potholes, & Scooter Safety: A Surviving Sibling's Advocacy: Kate / Larry

Send us a message!In this episode of The Broken Pack™: Stories of Sibling Loss, Dr. Dean talks with Kate Chertik, a Pittsburgh woman navigating the devastating grief of losing her brother, Larry, to a fatal scooter accident caused by a city pothole. As a surviving sibling, Kate shares her raw emotions, the impact on her family, and how she turned her grief into advocacy for scooter safety. This episode explores the complexities of sibling loss, the importance of support systems for surviving siblings, and the power of turning tragedy into action.In this episode you will:Hear Kate's powerful story of losing her best friend and brother in a tragic scooter accident has led to advocacy for scooter safety and creation of a support group for sibling loss survivors.Be inspired by Kate's resilience and unwavering commitment to honoring her brother's memory.Support the showIf you would like more information or to share your own sibling loss story, please contact 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:  @BrokenPackInstagram:  @thebrokenpack TikTok: @the_broken_packYouTube: @thebrokenpackSign-up for Wild Grief™, our newsletter: https://thebrokenpack.substack.com/ Thank you!Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FTCredits:The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by Not Done Here Media"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026     Performed by Fuji Sounds (feat. Joe Mylward)      Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean     Licensed for use to The Broken Pack™ Now available on all streaming platforms including Apple Music & Spotify: ...