by Lindsey Fenton | Jun 4, 2025 | What's New
When the Penn State Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing approached WPSU with the idea of creating a wellness podcast, we were excited to collaborate on something meaningful and accessible. The result is 12 Degrees, a new podcast produced by WPSU in partnership with the College of Nursing.
Hosted by me, Dr. Christina Lightner, PhD, CRNP, WHNP-BC, CNE, and Deshna Nagar, 12 Degrees explores real-life strategies for nurturing full-spectrum wellness. Each episode blends personal stories, practical tips, and research-backed insights to dig into the dimensions of wellness that shape how we feel and function—from hydration and sleep to career satisfaction and community connection.
The first five episodes are now available, with new ones dropping every Wednesday through November. You can listen at wellness.psu.edu, on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Many thanks to the team at WPSU and the College of Nursing for their collaboration—and to our listeners, we hope this series sparks meaningful moments of reflection and connection in your daily life.
by Lindsey Fenton | May 22, 2025 | Medium, Press, What's New, Writing
What if grief education started before the crisis?
What if we grew up learning that grief is part of life—and not a detour from it?
What if our schools, sports fields, and community centers were places where grief wasn’t something to fix or fear—but something we knew how to recognize, support, and move through together?
I wrote this op-ed as an invitation to imagine that world.
Grief literacy isn’t about having the “right” words. It’s about creating space. About learning to show up with care, curiosity, and courage. And the ripple effects? They’re powerful.
Whether you’re a parent, teacher, neighbor, clinician, or just someone who’s ever cared deeply, you have a role to play in making your community more grief-informed.
Give it a read by clicking here.
by Lindsey Fenton | May 3, 2025 | Learning Grief, Press, Speaking Grief, What's New
Grief Dreams Podcast: Exploring Pet Loss and the Bond We Carry
I recently had the honor of joining Joshua Black, PhD, on the Grief Dreams Podcast to talk about a form of grief that often goes unrecognized—pet loss. In this conversation, we explore the depth of the human–animal bond, the unique heartbreak of losing a beloved companion, and the healing power of memory and continuing bonds.
I also had the chance to share stories of my sweet Birch 💙 and reflect on how his presence continues to shape my grief literacy work.
🎧 Listen to the full episode here.
by Lindsey Fenton | Apr 6, 2025 | Speaking, What's New
✨ Just wrapped up an incredible experience presenting at the 2025 Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) Conference! ✨
My session, “Maximizing Media: Effective Strategies for Delivering Thanatology Research to a General Audience,” focused on one of my biggest passions: making grief education more accessible, engaging, and inclusive.
I talked about the power of intentional framing, how to choose the right media modality (spoiler: it’s not always video!), and how thinking like an instructional designer can help us overcome barriers to learning—especially when the topic is as (potentially) intimidating and important as grief.
We explored:
🎯 How the words you use and the images you choose affects impact
🎯 How to frame grief theory for wider cultural relevance
🎯 Ways to apply instructional design principles to real-world outreach
🎯 Inclusive practices to invite more people—and different people—into the conversation
The response was energizing and I left feeling so inspired by this community’s commitment to creating a more grief-literate world.
Let’s keep making this work matter. 💙
by Lindsey Fenton | Feb 26, 2025 | Medium, Speaking Grief, What's New, Writing
When it comes to grief, we often mistakenly think if we’re not “good with feelings,” we have nothing to offer a grieving person. That is categorically false. Emotional support is an element of grief support, but it’s not the only element. From companionship during a soothing activity to practical assistance with the tasks of daily living, there are many ways you can show up for someone who is grieving. Read my latest blog post for Penn State Outreach to learn more by clicking here.
by Lindsey Fenton | Dec 18, 2024 | Learning Grief, Medium, Speaking Grief, What's New, Writing
The latest in an on-going blog series for Penn State Outreach:
Discussing grief and the holidays is tricky. It can contribute to the false narrative that grief follows some sort of predictable path. For some, the winter holiday season can activate grief. For others, these seemingly fraught weeks might pass without any major upticks in emotion—only for a random Wednesday in March to bring an unexpected wave of feeling. Still, the winter holiday season offers a unique moment to explore the delicate balance of navigating social spaces while carrying grief. While every situation is unique, I offer some thoughtful ways to include your grieving person in social gatherings while honoring their grief experience in this latest blog post. Click here to read.
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