In a Better Place? The mystifying words we use to describe death — and how they can fail the grieving.

Lorna Vyse missed a moment — a child in grief, and she didn’t see it. She chided herself for not being clued in, and that regret stayed with her. Add to that a chance encounter and a promise to a dying woman, and Lorna’s second life purpose was born.

Now an author, grief trainer and speaker, Lorna is on a mission to help us stop sugar-coating death. From “passed” to “gone to sleep” to “in a better place,” the euphemisms we use to avoid talking about death don’t help — especially not for children.

This is a conversation about missed chances, keeping your word, and the healing power of speaking plainly when it matters most.

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The Second Innings is the journey of Andrew Patterson, known to most as Patto, former Irish cricketer, father, and fine fellow, who was diagnosed with Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia, a rare neurological condition that gradually takes away your ability to walk.

He was told he’d need a wheelchair for life.

Instead, he raised £70,000, travelled to the US for pioneering surgery, and taught himself to walk again. Just months later, he completed a 5K.

This podcast is about what it really takes to come back. It’s about persistence, perspective, and the power of keeping going - one determined step at a time.

Because every step really does tell a story.

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In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Liz Sparkes — a psychologist who has spent years working with pain management, mindfulness, and how we heal.

Liz’s story is a powerful one. After surviving a serious accident, one with haunting echoes of earlier childhood trauma and loss, she made a decision that would challenge most people: she reached out through restorative justice to the individual responsible.

The compassion she showed, and the forgiveness she offered, didn’t just shift something in her — it had a profound effect on the other person too.

Liz’s life hasn’t followed the straight line she once imagined. The ambition she started out with and the work she does now are worlds apart.

This conversation isn’t about easy answers. It asks something harder: when it really matters, are we truly able to forgive?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.