Life Is A Sacred Journey

In this episode, Host, Micheal Pope, will explore the pandemic recession's effects with Jason Matthews, MDRT, the President and CEO of Matthews Financial & Insurance Solutions. Covid-19 is having a massive impact on the US Economy.Jason is a native Californian based in Oakland and began his career in the insurance & financial services industry in 2004 with New York Life Insurance Company. During the midst of the great recession in 2009, He started Matthews Financial &Insurance Solutions. Matthews Financial & Insurance Solutions is a California firm operating nationally. Matthews Financial & Insurance Solutions specializes in facilitating world-class planning, action, and results for people who receive financial windfalls from an inheritance, real estate sales, business ownership gains, and other economic events.Jason serves as a Western Regional Vice President and National Board Member with the Urban Financial Services Coalition (UFSC). In this role, he operates as a leader for UFSC chapte

In this episode, Host, Micheal Pope, will explore the pandemic recession's effects on the caregivers' community. Covid-19 is having a massive impact on the US Economy. Unfortunately, caregivers have been undersupported and undervalued for a long time now. Since the pandemic began, their responsibilities have increased—additionally, the number of caregivers in financial distress.

In this episode, we invite you to interact with our podcast host, Micheal Pope, for a retrospective and a glimpse into what the future holds.Depression and anxiety are prevalent during COVID-19, but how can we find wisdom in times of uncertainty?Considering the ongoing crisis, 2020 is turning into the most traumatic year of modern US history.How do we move forward? What can we expect for 2021?

In this episode, Host, Micheal Pope, will engage in a lively conversation with Rosalind Jones. Rosalind is a virtual caregiver coach dedicated to taking a proactive approach to work with caregivers and their loved ones, positively impacting their quality of life. She also serves as an advocate, crisis counselor, and healthcare intervention. But she didn’t start on this path.Rosalind was working in the corporate world doing very well but then was asked to favor a church member. She accompanied her to the hospital for what was supposed to be a quick two-day visit that turned into a two-week stay. Here is where her caregiving journey began. From this point on, Rosalind was determined to make a difference in the healthcare world.She opened Jacksonville’s Best Caregivers in 2009 to provide families a place to turn to when their loved ones need long-term health care. In addition to running Jacksonville’s Best Caregivers, Rosalind uses her experience and education to provide training to new caregivers and their fami

In this episode, our host, Micheal Pope, will be joined by Stephanie Erickson, a Family Caregiving Expert who provides media commentary throughout the U.S. and Canada discussing caregiving and health and well-being issues.BIO: Stephanie Erickson, a California native, has a Master’s Degree in Social Work and is licensed in Quebec and California. She founded Erickson Resource Group, a clinical practice focusing on seniors and their families and decision-making capacity assessments for legal proceedings. Stephanie is the Health & Wellness Expert on Breakfast Television Montreal.Naturally, Stephanie worked with foster parents caring for victims of abuse and neglect. She later entered the school system working as a therapist for kids and adolescents and evaluated children with mental health diagnoses to ensure they obtained appropriate school support services. Following this, Stephanie worked in a domestic violence shelter and homeless shelter counseling woman and their children. Also, Stephanie worked in hosp

Meet Dawn Renee, the Founder of Traveling Caregivers - a grassroots hope-faith based organization bridges the gap between self-care while navigating many Caregiving concerns with holistic lifestyle advocacy.  Dawn is a pioneer of holistic Caregiving complemented by integrated practices utilizing herbal medicine, Ayurveda, energy work with emotional guidance. Over the past decade, she has been instrumental in helping countless individuals and dogs reclaim their health and lives on their own terms, in their way. As a live-in holistic caregiver and health coach for almost 15 years, Dawn has devoted the last five years caring for a friend with stage 4 ALS is now a Quadrapalegic, on a Ventilator, Feeding Tube, Catheter requiring 24/7 care and support. Realizing Caregiving for others can easily take you away from yourself, it ignited a new passion and desire to help other caregivers with their journey. Dawn has appeared on multiple stages in venues across the country as a talented songstress, actor, solo performer,

In this episode, our host, Micheal Pope, will be joined by Sandy Gibson, the Co-Founder and CEO of America's first conservation memorial forests - BETTER PLACE FORESTS.Mission: To inspire everyone to leave a meaningful legacy for the planet and the people they love. We support families in their end of life arrangements while conserving and protecting natural areas. By choosing Better Place Forests, your legacy will inspire future generations.Sandy along with childhood friends Brad Milne and Jamie Knowlton launched Better Place Forests to change the way we think about and make arrangements for end-of-life experiences. Instead of the traditional burial or cremation, loved ones spread the ashes of the deceased under a specially chosen tree in a protected area. A resting place can be full of life and a meaningful contribution to protecting beautiful forestland. SOURCE: FORBES.Memorial Trees for Heroes is an initiative to support the nation’s fallen frontline heroes in the COVID-19 pandemic by offering memorial tr

In this special episode, Host, Micheal Pope will interact with the audience and share stories of humanity about 9/11.Where were you on 9/11?What did you learn from 9/11?How did it change you?Please reach out and share your story with us.SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.L!KE us on Facebook.FOLLOW us on Instagram. 

In this episode, Your Host, Micheal Pope, will be joined by Chris Bravo, a documentary filmmaker based in Brooklyn, NY. His work is a blend of personal storytelling and activism. Over the past few years, Chris has been a caregiver for his mom, who has Dementia. He will share with us his most recent work: a film he made before the pandemic, and an essay he wrote after quarantine began about his experiences of separation and how COVID-19 is impacting people with dementia significantly. Read EssayWatch FilmHis goal is to bring audiences towards a more profound, emotionally engaged understanding of topics and themes that are often marginalized and suppressed.Bravo's films have screened internationally at venues and festivals such as Chicago Underground Film Festival, New York Underground Film Festival, Oakland International Film Festival, Anthology Film Archives, Berlin Director's Lounge, Chicago Filmmakers, Allied Media Conference, The People's Film Festival. His current projects explore the intersection of agin

In this episode, Host, Micheal Pope, will be joined by Stuart Furman, ESQ.Member of State Bar of California and President of Southern California Legal Center, Inc. President of ElderCare Ready, LLC.Stuart's law practice has concentrated on elder law issues, including long-term care for seniors, planning for Veterans and accessing VA benefits, Medi-Cal planning, living trusts, wills, powers of attorney, advanced medical directives, probate, and other peripheral issues. As Stuart had 6 family members (including 4 parents) in assisted living, he has also learned the practical aspects of dealing with families in long-term care. READ MORE: https://www.eldercareready.com/Based upon his own eldercare experiences and legal background, Stuart wrote The ElderCare Ready Book (2015) and The ElderCare Ready Pack (2015), winning an award in 2016 from Today’s Caregiver magazine.Get Your Copies: http://www.eldercareready.com/shop/Personal life: Stuart has genuinely enjoyed his marriage to Jayne of over 29 years. He is also a

Welcome to a New Season of "Life is a Sacred Journey"!In this episode, Host, Micheal Pope, will be joined by Maureen Dixon. Maureen has been the Board Chair of WriterCoach Connection/Community Alliance for Learning since 2014 and has been involved with the organization since 2010, serving as a coach, site coordinator, trainer, and board member. Previously, Maureen's career included more than 25 years of experience working in nonprofits as a program manager and independent marketing communications consultant.Mission and Vision: WriterCoach Connection connects trained, caring volunteer coaches with middle and high school students to engage, encourage, and inspire them to think more critically and write more skillfully. Our vision is that all students discover the power and richness of their own voices and learn to communicate their ideas with clarity and confidence to enable them to participate successfully in personal and academic challenges, career options, and community conversations.READ MORE: https://www.w

Dear Life is a Sacred Journey Community; we want to THANK YOU for being HERE and joining us every Friday to learn more about how to navigate this incredible sacred journey that we call LIFE. This is a special episode where, Your Host, Micheal Pope, will interact with the audience and provide more details about the new season of "Life is a Sacred Journey," which starts next week.SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.L!KE us on Facebook.FOLLOW us on Instagram. 

In this episode, Host, Micheal Pope, will be reflecting on how we can balance grief and joy in these times of uncertainty.Whatever you are feeling right now, it's valid. We are all just doing the best we can.So much is being lost amid the COVID-19 global pandemic. We have lost our routines and many freedoms. Many people have lost their jobs. We have lost the ability to visit freely with one another and, in some cases, to go outside our homes. And some people have lost their lives while others have lost the opportunity to be with people who are dying or grieving. One of the lasting legacies of this pandemic can be an increased ability to support one another in our grief.Source: www.medium.comUseful Resources: https://whatsyourgrief.com/its-not-selfish-to-grieve/ ||| https://www.self.com/story/moments-of-joy-in-pandemicSUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.L!KE us on Facebook.FOLLOW us on Instagram.

In this episode, Host, Micheal Pope will be joined by Audrey Bond, Founder, and CEO of Vaultt. Audrey Bond has been an entrepreneur for over 25 years. As a single mother and the daughter of disabled aging parents, she was stressed, disorganized, and overburdened with information and schedules.She wanted a secure location to communicate and an easy way to store and share valuable information. Her mission is to help families and caregivers stay organized and connected, alleviate stress, and give people back control of their data by building an end-to-end encrypted organizational & communication platform – Vaultt. Better support for caregivers can improve the well-being of those giving and receiving care. Vaultt exists precisely for that reason – to provide the support that, in turn, empowers caregivers to regain control and increase peace of mind. Audrey graduated from the University of Ottawa and has worked both as a military and medical photographer. A passionate self-described foodie, Audrey also attende

In this episode, Host, Micheal Pope, will be joined by the American Award-winning writer, bodybuilder, and elder-care legislation advocate - Carolyn A. Brent. Based on her book "Transforming Your Life through Self-Care: A Guide to Tapping into Your Deep Beauty and Inner Worth," Carolyn will share the impact of practicing self-love continuously. Also, Micheal will reveal how Carolyn's book inspired her to begin the transformational process and what she has learned so far.Moreover, Carolyn will provide more information about her new book coming out soon. Stay tuned.This motivational self-help book outlines the necessary self-care actions to become your wellness advocate and achieve success in your new lifestyle and wellness journey. Carolyn A. Brent brings fresh perspectives and cutting edge research to areas such as undertaking blood type diets, revving up your immune system, dealing with stress, starting exercise programs based on body types, and more.Brent's step-by-step guide will have you excited with your

In this episode, Host, Micheal Pope, will engage in a lively conversation with Gaurav Kalidass, Consultant and Professor with experience in International Business Management. Also, he is a content creator and one of his biggest projects is ’The Lost Indian’, a YouTube channel focused on creating innovative and engaging content that provides information related to studying, living, and working in Europe.Moreover, in 2014, Gaurav was an International Leadership Fellow at ASEB (Alzheimer’s Services of the East Bay). Usually working between France, California, UAE, and India. He traveled to over 17 countries, former Toastmaster club member, and passionate about youth, women, and elderly empowerment. Passionate about - Public Speaking & Leadership | Story Telling | For-Profit & Nonprofit Organizational Strategy | Creating Innovative, Interactive & Engaging Online or Offline Content | Luxury and Unconventional Marketing Strategies | Fundraising | Wines & CigarsSUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.L!KE u

In this episode, Host, Micheal Pope, will be joined by an extraordinary guest, Nicole Howell, the Executive Director forOmbudsman Servicesof Contra Costa and Solano Counties. Micheal and Nicole will explore the role of Ombudsman within the counties, and how has COVID-19 affected the activity of the nonprofit organization.Nicole is responsible for ensuring that the 13,000 residents of long-term care in her community have access to the highest level of care, respect, and above all, can live free of abuse and neglect. Before her role with OSCCS, Nicole worked for nearly five years as the Director of Operations for Ombudsman Services of San Mateo County, where she became a fierce advocate for seniors and dependent adults and immersed herself in culture change initiatives and person-centered care philosophies. Ms. Howell has worked in the nonprofit community for a decade and attended the University of Nevada, Reno. When she is not working, she can be found at the Oakland Coliseum cheering on the Oakland A's and ho

In this episode, Host, Micheal Pope, is going to talk about the celebration of Independence Day in the middle of a pandemic. As the state sees a high increase in COVID-19 cases, Governor Gavin Newsom warns Californians to follow new health orders ahead of the Fourth of July. People have to understand that the Fourth of July 2020 should be celebrated differently and avoid road trips to state parks and beaches. Big gatherings are the environments in which COVID-19 spreads.Coronavirus infections throughout the Bay Area grew to 26,300 on Wednesday, an increase of more than 677 cases in 24 hours, county data showed. Single-day spikes in Bay Area counties included 202 new cases in Santa Clara, 192 in Alameda, and 116 in Contra Costa. In California, Newsom’s order requires restaurants, wineries, tasting rooms, family entertainment centers, movie theaters, museums, zoos, and cardrooms in the 19 counties to halt indoor operations for at least three weeks. The affected establishments are allowed to operate outdoors, su

In this episode, Host, Micheal Pope, will cover subjects, such as cost preparation before the reopening of the State, guidelines/requirements for service-related programs, the rigorous attestation process, and more.SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.L!KE us on Facebook.FOLLOW us on Instagram.

Dear Caregivers, here is an exclusive episode created just for you. Host, Micheal Pope, will have two specialists as guests, Maryanne Connor and Carla McManus. The goal is to put a face to the struggles of all the caregivers who are trying to navigate through these challenging times. Maryanne is a Social Worker at ASEB (Alzheimer's Services of the East Bay), and Carla works as a Program Director/Music Therapist at ASEB. Maryanne specializes in working with people living with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia, their families, caregivers, and healthcare professionals. She is personally familiar with vascular dementia as her maternal grandmother lived with it for years. This firsthand experience turned into a passion for working with older adults living with dementia and their families. Maryanne graduated in 2019 with a Master's of Social Work from the University of Michigan. SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel.L!KE us on Facebook.FOLLOW us on Instagram.