039 - Dave Roberts
039 - When the Psychology Professor Met the Minister:
The Journey of Dave Roberts
In this episode, I had the honor of speaking with Dave Roberts, a man whose journey through profound loss has reshaped his entire perspective on life, grief, and spirituality. Dave lost his daughter, Jeannine, at just 18 years old to cancer, and his path toward healing has been filled with deep reflection, transformative experiences, and a unique understanding of continued bonds with those who have passed. His story is one of resilience and reconnection, as he shares how he found a way to maintain his relationship with his daughter beyond the physical world.
Dave’s journey led him to explore the intersection of psychology and spirituality, which became a cornerstone of his healing. He co-authored a book, When the Psychology Professor Met the Minister, delving into the power of belief, critical thinking, and how we can integrate different perspectives without abandoning our core values. He speaks about the powerful role of synchronicities, dream visits, and numerology in his ongoing relationship with Janine. His experiences remind us that love and connection don’t have to end with physical death.
Throughout our conversation, Dave shared wisdom gained from his own grief journey, his work as a psychology professor, and the many students and people he has guided through loss. We also talked about the importance of honoring our emotions, embracing continued bonds, and challenging rigid thinking around death. Dave’s insights offer a new way to look at loss—not as an end, but as a transformation of the relationship itself.
DAVE’S LINKS:
PERSONAL WEBSITE: https://davidrobertsmsw.com/
AUTHOR WEBSITE: https://psychologyprofessorandminister.com/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/david.j.roberts1/
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-roberts-56690513/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/daver3103/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@daveroberts301/podcasts
EMAIL: bootsyandangel@gmail.com
THE TEACHING JOURNEYS PODCAST: https://rss.com/podcasts/theteachingjourneys/
DAVE ROBERTS BIO
David J. Roberts, MSW, LMSW, became a parent who experienced the death of a child, when his daughter Jeannine died of cancer on March 1, 2003, at the age of 18. He is a retired addiction professional and an adjunct professor in the psychology child life department at Utica University in Utica, New York. Dave also teaches psychology classes at Pratt Munson School of Art and Design. He is the host of The Teaching Journeys Podcast, found on most podcast platforms and YouTube.
Dave has presented workshops at national conferences of The Compassionate Friends as well as for the Bereaved Parents of the USA. He was also a keynote speaker at the 2011 and 2015 national gatherings of the Bereaved Parents of the USA. Dave also co-presented a workshop titled “Helping Faculty After Traumatic Loss” for the Parkland, Florida community in May of 2018, in the aftermath of the mass shootings at Stoneman Douglas High School.
Roberts has been a past HuffPost contributor and has contributed articles to Medium, Open to Hope Foundation, Mindfulness and Grief, Thrive Global, and the Recovering the Self Journal. He has appeared on numerous podcasts, as well as Open to Hope Television. He also co-authored a book with Reverend Patty Furino titled, When The Psychology Professor Met The Minister, which was published on March 1, 2021.
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