Jill Bodak on her father’s decision to access MAID and end his suffering. A story of joy, terror, grief, unshakeable love, and so much more!

Breaking Brave with Marilyn Barefoot

Jill Bodak is a Manual Osteopath, Writer, Speaker and Anatomy Educator in Toronto, Ontario. Her debut non-fiction work, "Loved Into Being" is a brave and honest depiction of life after stroke through the eyes of a daughter. In it we learn about the ways that the sharp and clinical elements of her personality bump up against her softer, feeling self. Born and raised in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Bodak is a lover of northern forests, cold lakes, and clear skies. Life beyond her hometown has brought her to the study of the human body, movement, sound, and meditation. Her writing navigates these hard and soft spots in her own interior and invites the reader into this private landscape that includes joy, terror, grief and unshakeable love.

Jill has a Kinesiology degree from Lakehead University and a Master's degree in Osteopathic Manual Therapy from The Canadian Academy of Osteopathy. She was a varsity athlete and an avid competitor of all types in her youth. Now, she studies the Emotionally Integrated Voice pedagogy of Fides Krucker and has a ten-year history in the tradition of Zen meditation. She has taught wellness retreats across the country.

Since the onset of her father's stroke in 2020, Jill has been reading, writing, teaching, and helping him heal. She has used the things she learned on his behalf to help countless others with brain injury, cognitive delay, motor deficits and grief. She continues to run a clinical practice that she loves, helping people find a felt sense of their own bodies that lets them move through the world with more ease.

She is a force of nature. She lives in the West-End of Toronto with her partner, her son, and her dog.

--

This episode of Breaking Brave is brought to you by:

SOULSNACKS! Soul snacks are single ingredient, eco conscious dog and cat treats! Sourced directly from farms in Ontario and wrapped in fully compostable packaging. Treating your pets never felt so good. Head to https://soulsnacks.ca/ and use coupon code BREAKINGBRAVE for 15% off your purchase!!! ​

&

CRANK COFFEE the newest member of the Neal Brothers family. Crank Coffee is a new Canadian whole bean coffee brand that is certified organic and fair trade. Founded by the Neal Brothers Peter and Chris. This brand was influenced by cycling, coffee lovers, and experts! Check it out at the Neal brothers online shop here: https://shop.nealbrothersfoods.com/collections/crank%C2%AE-coffee-co and USE COUPON CODE BRAVE for 20% OFF Your first Crank Coffee purchase!

--

As always, thanks so much for tuning into Breaking Brave! If you like the show, please subscribe, review, and/or send us your suggestions or questions via the platforms below!

For more from Marilyn Barefoot or to get in touch with her directly, please connect via:

Marilyn's website: https://marilynbarefoot.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marilynbarefootbigideas/

Twitter: @MarilynBarefoot

Instagram: @marilynbarefoot

ABOUT Marilyn Barefoot, the Host of Breaking Brave:

Breaking Brave is Hosted by Marilyn Barefoot, one of the foremost business coaches & creative ideators in North America - Marilyn gets hired by several of the world's biggest brands, companies, and organizations (the NHL, McDonald's, Deloitte, Coca-Cola, MTV, Viacom, The CFL, Forbes Magazine; to name just a few) to help them get unstuck and generate big, creative ideas.

It helps us so much to have your feedback which goes a really long way in helping us shape the future of Breaking Brave and host the guests you're most interested in hearing from! So if you have the time, please subscribe, review, and connect with Marilyn on social media or through her website! And as always, thanks so much for tuning in!