Sibling Loss, Organ Donation, & a Sister's Grief: Kelly / Josh

The Broken Pack™: Stories of Adult Sibling Loss

Sibling Loss and Organ Donation: A Conversation with Kelly Stiffler
In this episode, Dr. Dean speaks with Kelly Stiffler about losing her younger brother, Josh, from a seizure. Josh was an organ donor and Kelly shares how this loss has affected her and the family. We also explore how different roles and relationships mean grieving the same person differently, including how she is grieving differently from her sister, Kate who we heard from in the first episode of this season.
Dr. Dean and Kelly discuss how therapy can be a valuable resource to process sibling loss and a safe and supportive space to talk about her grief. They also discuss the physical symptoms of grief, emotional exhaustion, and brain fog.

To learn more about organ and tissue donation and to become a donor, please see:
In the US:
1. Donate Life America: https://donatelife.net
2. United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) - https://unos.org/transplant/facts/
For a list of organ donation organizations and informationby regions in the world, please see https://tts.org/isodp-resources/isodp-organ-donation-societies

Support the show

If you would like more information or to share your own adult sibling loss story, please contact me, Dr. Angela Dean, at [e-mail] or go to our website, thebrokenpack.com.
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Thank you!
Angela M. Dean, PsyD, FT
Credits:
The Broken Pack™ Podcast is produced by 27 Elephants Media
"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me" © ℗ 2023, 2024
Written by Joe Mylward and Brian Dean
Performed by Fuji Sounds (feat. MYLWD.)
Licensed for use by The Broken Pack™
Now available on all streaming platforms including Apple Music & Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/3vx3kk46

Chapter

1. Intro (00:00:00)

2. About Josh (00:01:56)

3. Kelly & Josh’s Adult Sibling Relationship (00:04:42)

4. Losing Josh (00:07:19)

5. Dead Brother Week (00:10:23)

6. The Honor Walk (00:14:27)

7. Going Back to Work (00:15:48)

8. Anniversaries (00:21:19)

9. Caring for Siblings, Kids, & Parents: Delaying Her own Grief (00:22:04)

10. Out-of-Order loss (00:26:40)

11. What Helped in Early Grief (00:27:30)

12. Support Now (00:30:35)

13. The Value of Therapy (00:31:51)

14. What Kelly Wishes She Knew Before (00:35:43)

15. The Sibling Loss Club (00:36:34)

16. Stories of Josh (00:37:35)

17. Kelly & Kate’s Different Experiences of Josh (00:39:00)

18. Kelly’s Thoughts on Sibling Loss (00:41:38)

19. Favorite Memories (00:44:21)

20. Josh Taking Care of Others Posthumously (00:53:22)