Trillium Institute

I haven't posted a song in a while, but thought I'd put this one out to y'all. Lisa Mulder and I wrote this a couple years ago and I finally had a chance to so something with it. We added Jeff Taylor's exquisite accordion and whistle, and even more special, had a chance to add some of our grandkids to the vocals (Ethan Mulder, Fiona Mulder, Allie Witte, and Megan Witte). (And a special thanks to Bill Whittington for his superb engineering!)

This song was inspired by God's faithfulness in the midst of life's challenges. Lord knows we've had a few. It is our hope that others who may be experiencing difficulties will find peace in the knowledge that no matter what may be happening in your journey, God is indeed holding you!

God Is Holding You John and Lisa Mulder wrote this song inspired by God's faithfulness in the midst of life's challenges. It is our hope that others who may be experiencing di...

Do psilocybins have a place in palliative medicine and end of life care? In this episode, John Mulder and Jason Beckrow are joined by Prof. Michael DeWilde to discuss some of the history, uses, and research behind psychedelic medication and its role in modern practices. Listen now at the link below!

Finding Peace at the End of Life: A Potential Role for Psychedelic Medication - Palliative Matters Psilocybin has had a place in healing for millennia, particularly among ancient civilizations and cultures. While it's had a negative view in some corners of contemporary American society, research into its potential has gained traction and it is ...

Studies have shown that doctors are less likely to have surgery or be admitted to the ICU in the last six months of their life and are less likely to die in the hospital. So, what do doctors know that their patients don’t? In this episode, Dr. Mulder and Dr. Beckrow discuss some of the systematic failures of our healthcare system and the true definition of informed consent. Listen now at the link below!

Why Doctors Die Differently: What do they know that their patients don't? - Palliative Matters Studies have shown that doctors are less likely to have surgery or be admitted to the ICU in the last six months of their life and are less likely to die in the hospital. So, what do doctors know that their patients don’t? In this episode, Dr. Mul...

If you knew your time left was short, what would you do differently? In this episode, Dr. John Mulder and Dr. Jason Beckrow discuss how they approach prognostication to try and help give patients the gift of time to find closure and make the most of the time they have left. Listen now at the link below!

The Gift of Time - Palliative Matters Prognostication is not an exact science. So, when patients ask the inevitable question, “How much time do I have, doc?” How can we answer? In this episode, Dr. John Mulder and Dr. Jason Beckrow reflect on the challenge of prognostication and how t...

What has palliative care chaplain Cody Hufstedler learned about life, death, and dying? In this episode, he shares his experience with Dr. John Mulder and Dr. Jason Beckrow. Listen now at the link below, and be sure to check out Cody’s own podcast, Dying to Tell You, at dttypodcast.com/.

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1941098/15019708

Stories from the Bedside: The Impact of "Dying to Tell You" Podcast - Palliative Matters In this episode, Dr. John Mulder and Dr. Jason Beckrow are joined by palliative care chaplain Cody Hufstedler. Cody has a podcast of his own, Dying to Tell You, where he interviews people nearing the end of life. With the doctors, he shares some o...

For those in the Grand Rapids area this Friday, April 12, you should take special effort to see Amy Speace at the Grand Rapids Ballet Peter Martin Wege Theatre. Amy is a special, extraordinarily gifted singer songwriter! Check out this recent article for additional details: https://localspins.com/masterful-songwriter-amy-speace-poised-to-bring-confessional-rich-songs-to-grand-rapids-local-spins/

The show will be at 7:30, and to sweeten the pot, Ralston Bowles will be sharing some songs as well! Faith Hospice will be receiving some recognition as well. I'll look forward to seeing you there!

For tickets or additional info, check out this site:
https://grcmc.org/event/wyce-welcomes-amy-speace-wsg-ralston-bowles-/337

Man in the Hat & WYCE Welcome: Amy Speace (wsg Ralston Bowles) American folk artist Amy Speace live in concert!

The field of medicine is far from black and white, and when dealing with life-limiting and terminal illnesses, the gray areas can be pretty significant. In this episode, Dr. John Mulder and Dr. Jason Beckrow discuss how they operate in the realm of uncertainty, weaving a web of guarantees, expectations, and possibilities to prepare patients for changing scenarios. Listen now at the link below!

Managing Uncertainty in End-of-Life Care - Palliative Matters For each diagnosis, there is an expected path that the disease will take. But along that path are many offshoots of possibilities, known and unknown. Amid the uncertainty, how can providers manage expectations and continue to build trust with thei...

We often hear from patients that they want things to return to “normal” —they want to be seen as the person they were, not the disease they’ve encountered.

In this episode, Dr. John Mulder and Dr. Jason Beckrow discuss how they help patients regain some of their power and autonomy after a life-altering diagnosis, with Dr. Mulder touching on his own experiences receiving a terminal diagnosis years ago.

Listen now at the link below!

What Disease Takes Away: The Dimensions of Life Changes in the Midst of Serious Illness - Palliative Matters When someone is given a life-altering diagnosis, change is inevitable. Disease can take away so much from a person: their identity, their power, their abilities. In this episode, Dr. John Mulder and Dr. Jason Beckrow discuss how they help patients...

The next episode of Palliative Matters is now live!

In order to build strong relationships with their patients, doctors must first recognize that trust is essential and have a desire to establish it. In this episode, Dr. Mulder and Dr. Beckrow discuss how they go about forming solid relationships with their patients. Listen now at the link below!

Moving at the Speed of Trust: Strategies for Establishing Trusting Relationships - Palliative Matters Most doctors understand that establishing trust is an important part of caring for their patients. But how does one go about doing so? In this episode, Dr. Mulder and Dr. Beckrow discuss how they work towards earning the trust of their patients, s...

“What would you do, doc?” This is a question that physicians often hear from their patients or their loved ones, and it’s not a question that palliative care physicians Dr. John Mulder and Dr. Jason Beckrow think doctors should shy away from. However, the key to answering it is having an understanding of your patient's values and belief systems and realizing how their options fit into those. You can listen at the link below to learn more about how the doctors build trust with their patients as they help them through decision-making.

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1941098/14270445

Music can activate many different parts of the brain, impacting everything from our mood to communication. In this episode, Dr. Mulder and Dr. Beckrow are joined by renowned musical therapist Dr. Deforia Lane. She talks about the importance of musical therapy, using real life examples to show how music can be uniquely crafted to meet the needs of patients.

Listen now at the link below!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1941098/14126540

Click below to view two recent interviews with John Mulder.

Stories From The Edge of Life - YouTube Every person has a story to tell and each journey is unique. Join us as we talk to patients, families, and members of the healthcare team.

How can palliative care help a family dealing with a life-limiting disease diagnosis? In this special episode, Dr. Mulder and Dr. Beckrow are joined by Dan and Lisl Keuning, who share their personal experience with Dan’s frontal temporal dementia diagnosis. They discuss how the life-limiting illness has impacted their lives and how, after finding the right palliative care practitioner to work with, the Keuning family’s care and outlook have changed. Listen now at the link below!

The Role of Palliative Care in Progressive Neurologic Disease - Palliative Matters In this special episode, Dr. Mulder and Dr. Beckrow are joined by Dan and Lisl Keuning, who share their personal experience with Dan’s frontal temporal dementia diagnosis. They discuss how the life-limiting illness has impacted their lives and how...

When you enter hospice, it is not just another doctor coming into the fold. It’s an entire team of people that includes nurses, social workers, and chaplains working to help patients improve their well-being. In this episode, Dr. John Mulder and Dr. Jason Beckrow discuss the importance of a hospice interdisciplinary team that offers physical, emotional, and spiritual support to meet the changing needs of patients. Listen now at the link below!

The Impact of Interdisciplinary Care - Palliative Matters When people hear the word hospice, it often brings about fear and anxiety. But when the interdisciplinary services and benefits hospice provides are explained, the reaction is usually much different. In this episode, Dr. Mulder and Dr. Beckrow dis...

Dying isn’t a process we fully understand, but as palliative and hospice providers, Dr. Mulder and Dr. Beckrow can appreciate the reality of it. In this episode, Dr. Mulder and Dr. Beckrow key listeners in on what the process of dying can be like and how they help patients and patients' loved ones make peace with a prognosis. Listen now at the link below:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1941098/13411432

A NEW episode of our podcast, Palliative Matters is now available!

Everyone grieves on their own time and in their own way. The interdisciplinary team that palliative and hospice care provide includes bereavement services that the patient’s loved ones can access to help with the emotional and practical struggles. In this episode, the doctors discuss how they help the loved ones of their patients take steps toward healing and the impact that just being present can have.

Listen now: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1941098/13218575

A NEW episode of our Palliative Matters podcast is now live! In this episode, the doctors discuss the unexpected blessings that come along with palliative care, sharing stories about the healing, closure, and meaningful connections they have witnessed.
Listen now at the link below!

Unexpected Blessings of Palliative Medicine - Palliative Matters While palliative care can have a profound impact on patients, it can also be transformational for their family, friends, or others who they are close with. In this episode, the doctors discuss the unexpected blessings that come along with treating...

From medical provider to patient and how palliative care made all of the difference.

Dan's Palliative Care Story This is Dan's palliative care story. Dan is a former palliative care nurse practitioner who was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia at age 47. Dan receive...

Congratulations to Dr. John Mulder for receiving the "Top Doctors" award from Grand Rapids Magazine for the 5th time!

Advance care planning is all about autonomy. What does a patient value? How do they define their quality of life? Where do they draw the line? In this episode, Dr. Mulder and Dr. Beckrow dive into the importance of having conversations about the care you desire with your loved ones as early as possible. That way, if you ever become incapacitated or unable to make decisions for yourself, your wants and wishes can still be followed. Listen now at the link below!

Autonomy & Advance Care Planning - Palliative Matters Advance care planning involves discussing and preparing for future decisions about medical care, and, as the doctors explain, it is all about patient autonomy. What does a patient value? How do they define their quality of life? Where do they draw...

Redefining Life's Ultimate Journey: Dr. John Mulder, Dr. Jason Beckrow and Carol Robinson, DNP, MS, BSN, RN, CHPN will instruct at the Calvin Academy of Lifelong Learning, Calvin University in Grand Rapids, MI on May 3, 10, 17, & 24, 3:15-4:30pm.

calvin.edu

In medical school, doctors are often taught that their job is to “fix” broken things. However, in their experience, Dr. Mulder and Dr. Beckrow have learned that managing and treating in meaningful ways doesn’t necessarily end with a cure. They talk about the differences between “healing” and “curing” through the lens of real-life examples in the latest episode of Palliative Matters. Listen now at the link below!

Healing vs. Curing - Palliative Matters Can someone experience healing while not being cured of their disease? In this next episode, Dr. Mulder and Dr. Beckrow discuss the differences between being healed and being cured. In their experience, while someone may not be cured of their dise...

“It’s about maximizing patients’ engagement with their family, friends, and community.” In this episode, Dr. Beckrow and Dr. Mulder share some incredible stories of reconciliation, healing, and fulfillment that they have witnessed throughout their careers as hospice and palliative care physicians. Listen to witness yourself the healing power—emotionally, spiritually, or physically—that hospice care can have.

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1941098/12196321

With palliative care being a relatively new field of medicine, there are still many misconceptions about what this specialty provides. While it is often associated with end-of-life, it has become much more expansive. In this episode, Dr. Mulder and Dr. Beckrow discuss the purpose of palliative care and how treatment plans focus on a patient’s goals, ultimately empowering them to make choices based on what is important and sacred to them. Listen and learn at the link below!

The Purpose of Palliative Care - Palliative Matters With palliative care being a relatively new field of medicine, there are still many misconceptions about what this specialty provides. While it is often associated with end-of-life, it has become much more expansive. In this episode, Dr. Mulder an...

“Are we the teacher or the student?” This is the question that Dr. Mulder and Dr. Beckrow ask themselves in this new episode of Palliative Matters. Sharing real-life experiences, the doctors discuss patient circumstance and the things they have learned that have made them better doctors and people.

Listen and learn at the link below!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1941098/11277866

This is an article written by Dr. John Mulder and featured in Physicians Practice.

Leveraging data to enhance the care, lives of seriously ill patients Transferring seriously ill patients to a different care setting at the right time may be the greatest prescription a provider can offer them.

For those facing a life-limiting illness, the “hope” of being cured or life returning to the way it was before a diagnosis can be incredibly discouraging. In this episode, Dr. Mulder and Dr. Beckrow explain how they can help people redefine hope by setting clear expectations and realistic goals for patients and their families. Learn more and listen at the link below.

Defining Hope - Palliative Matters The idea of hope is often idealistic and romanticized. For those facing a life-limiting illness, the “hope” of being cured or life returning to the way it was before a diagnosis can be discouraging. In this episode, Dr. Mulder and Dr. Beckrow expl...

This is a must-read article written by our very own Dr. John Mulder. "My own experience facing a few-months-to-live prognosis deepened my appreciation for palliative care."

https://www.statnews.com/2022/06/30/make-palliative-care-part-of-mainstream-medicine/

Mainstream medicine must embrace palliative care services Few people with serious illnesses want to live longer if they can't live better. Improving quality of life takes team care that provides medical, emotional, spiritual, and financial support to patients and their families.

When most people think of suffering, they think of it in terms of physical pain, but suffering is a much more dynamic concept. When someone is facing a life-limiting illness, the fear of inability surrounding their situation can be agonizing. Existential crises in the form of financial stress, professional struggles, or familial relationships are common.

In this episode, Dr. Mulder and Dr. Beckrow walk listeners through the concept of suffering and how they work to reinforce in a patient their value and worth.

Listen now at the link below:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1941098/10806061