Gently into the Night
A Podcast about Death & Dying,
Talking with professionals about topics related to death and dying.
Guests provide reflections on their own journeys in this area and how that has influenced the way they work, relate, and help others.
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www.larkandravenwellness.com/podcast-policy
Music by SoulProdMusic from Pixabay
Gently into the Night
Episode 7: Danelle Spence - Saving Maxine: A Relentless Battle with Guillain-Barré Syndrome
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Guest: Danelle Spence R.Psych
Danelle Spence is a Registered Psychologist based in Calgary and the co-author of Saving Maxine, a memoir chronicling her mother’s eighteen-month medical crisis and the profound impact it had on their family. Through that experience - navigating the year-long stint in the ICU, medical uncertainty, advocacy, anticipatory grief, and ultimately loss - Danelle’s personal world and professional lens changed in lasting ways.
In her private practice, Root Psychology, she integrates brain-based approaches, attachment theory, EMDR, and developmental science to support her clients. But after living inside her mother’s medical journey, Danelle’s work deepened; she developed a clearer understanding of medical trauma, lived PTSD, the nervous system under prolonged stress, the complexity of family caregiving, and the quiet, enduring grief that shapes people long before and long after loss.
Topics Discussed:
- Changes in hope and strength
- Trauma in the body
- The impact on the body and emotional challenges that happen when you are chronically in trauma
- Support and feeling heard/seen
- Understanding goals of care
- Mental toll that happen when being a caregiver
- Balancing and navigating healthcare systems
Visit Danelle's Websites
Read their Book Saving Maxine
Host: Kirsten White, R. Psych (Lark and Raven Wellness)
Music by SoulProdMusic from Pixabay
Podcast policy & disclaimer