Even After Everything with Stephanie Duncan Smith (S12E12)

In this heartfelt episode, Dr. Lee Warren welcomes Stephanie Duncan Smith to discuss her powerful new book, Even After Everything: The Spiritual Practice of Knowing the Risks and Loving Anyway. Together, they explore themes of grief, faith, resilience, and the cyclical nature of life and hope.

Stephanie shares her journey of navigating profound personal loss and rediscovering joy, offering practical wisdom and spiritual insight for those facing challenges. This conversation touches on breathwork, writing as a tool for healing, and the importance of honesty in grief.Key Takeaways:

1. Naming Pain: Grieving authentically is essential to healing; honesty with oneself and God fosters recovery.
2. Faith and Breathwork: Integrating physical practices like breathwork with spiritual faith can ground and stabilize during life’s uncertainties.
3. Cycles of Renewal: Life’s seasons of loss and joy reflect the liturgical calendar’s rhythm, moving toward hope and resurrection.
4. Writing as Healing: Writing can reframe grief and help us process experiences, offering clarity and renewed purpose.

Chapters

0:04 Introduction to Self-Brain Surgery

1:44 Meet Stephanie Duncan Smith

4:07 The Power of Loss and Hope

8:14 Navigating Grief and Whiplash

11:26 Naming the Night

12:59 Connecting with the Liturgical Calendar

15:11 Life and Death Juxtapositions

18:03 Breathwork as a Spiritual Practice

22:39 Writing Through Pain

26:49 The Process of Healing

34:48 Encouragement for the Grieving

36:37 Conclusion and Reflections

Check out Stephanie's great Substack for writers, The Slant Letter

Click here for the computer-generated transcript of this episode

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Be sure to check out my latest book, Hope Is the First Dose!

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