THE LAST ECSTATIC DAYS is a film about a young man with brain cancer in search of community, and the hospice doctor who gives up everything to honor his dying wish.
Learn about grief from the perspective of two hospice providers on their personal experiences of loss.
This week I’m happy to be speaking once again to my recurring guest Barbara Karnes RN, hospice nurse, author, thought leader and expert on end-of-life care and the dynamics of dying. Barbara is the author of “the little blue book” used by hospices around the world to teach families what to expect as their loved one dies. She is also the author of My Friend, I Care, a book about grief that she designed to be used as a sympathy card. She discusses the bereavement support that is a required benefit of hospice care and we delve deeply into our own grief experiences and what we learned from them. Learn more about Barbara’s work at her website:
Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here
Join the team atPatreon.com/eoluand receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously!
If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest donors Jenny and Kristine. Also thank you to Jean for buying me a coffee and everyone who has joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.
Learn about contemplative practices for medical providers offered by the NY Zen Center for Contemplative Care.
My guest Koshin Paley Ellison is an author, Zen teacher, and Jungian psychotherapist. He co-founded the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care, which offers contemplative approaches to care through education, personal caregiving, and Zen practice. Koshin is also the co-editor of Awake at the Bedside: Contemplative Teachings on Palliative and End of Life Care. He discusses his work with people who are dying and grieving and the life lessons he has learned. For more information visit the website:
Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here
Join the team atPatreon.com/eoluand receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously!
If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest donors Michelle Wickum and Robin Bissell. Also thank you to everyone who has bought me a coffee or joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.
Learn how an innovative curriculum is tackling loneliness and social isolation in older adults and bridging the generation gap.
My guest Dr. Jeremy Holloway is Assistant Professor and Director of Geriatric Education at the University of North Dakota. He discusses his research which focuses on the social determinants of health, specifically self-efficacy, connectedness, and resiliency of older adults. Dr. Holloway will share information about the intergenerational curriculum he created, called Tellegacy, that helps combat the social isolation and loneliness of older adults. Learn more at these websites:
Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here
Join the team atPatreon.com/eoluand receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously!
If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest donors Megan Baird, Alida Merrill, and Lynn Wittenberg. Also thank you to everyone who has bought me a coffee or joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.
Learn about a trilogy of documentary films that inform and inspire conversations about death, dying and the afterlife.
My guest Johanna Lunn is an award-winning producer, director, and writer, who has crafted many compelling, entertaining, and profoundly thought-provoking programs during her 20+ years in the business. She is the director and producer of the When You Die Documentary Trilogy. Johanna discusses how she founded WhenYouDie.org to foster awareness about death by curating many voices to share their stories–from palliative care clinicians, death doulas and the bereaved, to poets, comedians, and artists. Learn more at the website:
Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here
Join the team atPatreon.com/eoluand receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously!
If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest donors Jane Whitlock, Robin Mallor, Carla Wheeler, and 4Brigid. Also thank you to Dana Tuttle for buying me 3 coffees and Lisa Creeden for joining the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.
Learn about a helpful new tool kit that’s not just for end-of-life doulas but can benefit anyone who cares for others at the end of life.
My three guests this week, Diane Button, Gabby Elise Jimenez, and Angela Shook, are all end-of-life doulas who have teamed up to create a helpful guidebook for other doulas: The Doula Tool Kit: The Complete Practical Guide for End-of-Life Doulas and Caregivers. We’ll learn all about the book and how this trio came together to write it. Plus they’ll share some of their tips for doulas and what motivates them to do this work. Learn more at their websites:
Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here
Join the team atPatreon.com/eoluand receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously!
If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest donor Jan Booth and to Linda Read for increasing your pledge. Also thank you to everyone who has bought me a coffee or joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.
Enjoy this deep and soulful conversation with “The Griefwalker” Stephen Jenkinson.
My guest Stephen Jenkinson is the author of the award-winning book Die Wise: A Manifesto for Sanity and Soul and the creator and principal instructor of the Orphan Wisdom School. He discusses the Nights of Grief and Mystery project, which he created with singer/songwriter Gregory Hoskins, and how they have been touring the world with this profound musical and storytelling show. Stephen shares his thoughts on the crises of our contemporary society and how to proceed in the midst of our deep sorrow. Learn more about Stephen’s work at his website:
Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here
Join the team atPatreon.com/eoluand receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously!
If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu and to those who’ve bought me a coffee! Also many thanks to all of you who joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.
Learn how hospice chaplains can offer support to people who choose medical aid in dying.
My guest Dr. Terri Daniel is an inter-spiritual hospice chaplain, end-of-life educator, and grief counselor, who is the author of four books on death, grief and the afterlife, and a frequent guest on the podcast. Today Terri and I talk about medical aid in dying from a chaplain’s perspective and she discusses her experiences working for a hospice in Oregon that provides support for MAID. Learn more about Terri’s work at her website:
Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here
Join the team atPatreon.com/eoluand receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously!
If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest donor Kathleen Behrens. Also thank you to Tom Waknitz and Carew Papritz for joining the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.
Learn tips for choosing the best hospice and asking all the right questions.
This week I welcome back my recurring guest Barbara Karnes RN, hospice nurse, author, speaker, thought leader and expert on end-of-life care. She is the author of ‘the little blue hospice book, Gone from My Sight and the recently published By Your Side: A Guide for Caring for the Dying at Home.Today we discuss why we hope people will choose hospice for care at the end of life and how to choose the right hospice for their loved one. Learn more about Barbara’s work at her website:
Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here
Join the team atPatreon.com/eoluand receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously!
If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest donor Deborah Laukaitis. Also thank you to Dana Tuttle for buying me a coffee and to everyone who has joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.
Learn what it actually means to “hold space” for others during times of challenge.
My guest Amy Wright Glenn is a Kripalu Yoga teacher, birth and death doula, hospital chaplain, and prenatal yoga and wellness instructor. She is the founder of the Institute for the study of Birth, Breath, and Death, known for its teacher training programs. Amy is the author of the book Holding Space: On Loving, Dying, and Letting Go, which she discusses today. Amy shares what it means to hold space and how we learn to practice that. Learn more at her website:
How Amy came to create the Institute for the Study of Birth, Breath and Death
How birth and death are connected
What it means to “hold space” for others
Practices for learning how to hold space
The “companioning model” of grief support
How to hold space for pregnancy loss
Training course for facilitators of pregnancy loss support groups
Links mentioned in this episode:
Listen to the BONUS recording on Casting Call for the Grief Docuserieshere and email Kim Clevenger at GriefShowCasting@gmail.com if you are interested!
Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here
Join the team atPatreon.com/eoluand receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, occasional movie reviews from 2 Doctors and a Movie, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously!
If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest donors Marian Folkemer, Monica Czaplinski, Jan Wiebking, Neo Sakurai, Chrissi Guerin, Donna Fleming and to Joy and Suzanne for increasing your pledges. Also thank you to Sam Cash, Mark Langlois and “Someone” for buying me coffees and to Shannon Tolson, Sylvia Sigurdson,Jeya Venugopalakrishnan, Leslie Morgan and Laura Srygley for joining the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.
In this special brief episode I’m bringing you an invitation from casting director Kim Clevenger to contact her about appearing in a new docuseries on grief and loss. She is looking for people experiencing grief over any type of loss who are willing to share their journey with others in this series. In the recording she explains a bit about the show and what it will consist of. If you’re interested contact Kim at the email address below and send your full name, photo, story, and contact information.
Find out what you may have missed in 2023 if you haven’t listened to every episode!
In this solo episode I recap some of the episodes of this podcast that had the greatest impact on me personally and professionally! All of the interviews from 2023 were fantastic but if you missed any of these be sure to take a listen! Thanks for your support this year! Looking forward to another amazing year – be sure to subscribe and leave a rating and review if you enjoy this content.
HAPPY NEW YEAR AND MANY BLESSINGS TO YOU AND YOUR BELOVEDS!
Learn how to create a home funeral ceremony that can honor and celebrate the life of a loved one.
My guest for this interview from the archives is Jerrigrace Lyons, founder of Final Passages, where she offers training for death doulas and home funeral guides. She shares the beauty of a home funeral and describes step-by-step how to honor a loved one with a private, intimate ceremony after death. Learn more at her website:
Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here
Join the team atPatreon.com/eoluand receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, occasional movie reviews from 2 Doctors and a Movie, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously!
If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu and to those who’ve bought me a coffee! Also many thanks to all of you who joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.
Learn how celebrants co-create ceremonies to help people navigate the milestones of life.
My guest for this interview from the archives is Charlotte Eulette is the International Director of the non-profit educational organization Celebrant Foundation and Institute. The foundation certifies and trains people to become ritual experts who create ceremonies to mark milestones in life. Charlotte discusses the importance of these rituals for ourselves and our communities and how to become a celebrant. Learn more at the website:
Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here
Join the team atPatreon.com/eoluand receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, occasional movie reviews from 2 Doctors and a Movie, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously!
If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu and to those who’ve bought me a coffee! Also many thanks to all of you who joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.
Learn about a unique medical practice that focuses on end-of-life issues for patients including medical aid in dying.
My guest Dr. Bob Uslander is an emergency medicine physician whose career evolved toward caring for the elderly and those facing the end of their lives. He created a novel approach to end-of-life care called Empowered Endings with his wife Elizabeth, a spiritual counselor and medical social worker, to ensure that patients and their loved ones have their decisions, goals and dignity honored at the end of life. Dr. Bob shares his experiences and thoughts around providing support for patients who choose to use Medical Aid in Dying. Learn more at his website:
Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here
Join the team atPatreon.com/eoluand receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, occasional movie reviews from 2 Doctors and a Movie, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously!
If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu and to those who’ve bought me a coffee! Also many thanks to all of you who joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.
Learn how this animal communicator connects with animals before and after death and the lessons we can learn from our animal companions.
My guest Danielle MacKinnon is an animal communicator who has been connecting intuitively with animals and pets for all of her life. She shares her experiences learning from animals and discovering that they are some of our best teachers for our own lives, even after they have died. She teaches others how to develop their own innate ability to communicate with their pets and discusses how to understand what our pets want us to know about the role they play in our lives and how to deal with our grief after they have died. Learn more about her work at her website:
Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here
Join the team atPatreon.com/eoluand receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, occasional movie reviews from 2 Doctors and a Movie, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously!
If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu and to those who’ve bought me a coffee! Also many thanks to all of you who joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.
Learn about a service to create a beautiful “coffee table book” to preserve the cherished stories of a loved one.
My guest Andrew Hall is the co-founder of “No Story Lost” – a service to help families capture their loved one’s stories and photos into a beautiful print memoir book. He’ll discuss the value of preserving memories, both before and after death, and how he and his cousin decided to create a business helping people do that. Learn more at the website:
Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here
Join the team atPatreon.com/eoluand receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, occasional movie reviews from 2 Doctors and a Movie, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously!
If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest supporter Akhila Murphy and to those who’ve bought me a coffee! Also many thanks to all of you who joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign including Stacy Ann Bussy! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.
Learn about a project to train organizations and employers to provide better support for their employees who are grieving.
This week I’m hosting two guests who have teamed up to address the issue of bereavement in the workplace. Mekel Harris PhD is a licensed psychologist who specializes in coping and adjustment to acute and chronic illness, grief and loss, and health-related trauma. She is the author of the memoir Relaxing Into the Pain: My Journey Into Grief & Beyond along with The Grief Anatomy Toolkit and Re-Imagining Life After Loss interactive course. Janet Gwilliam-Wright is a leader in the grief and loss space who founded the Motherlove Project, a global platform for motherless daughters. Janet has 15 years experience leading large organizational change and working on complex issues. Together Mekel and Janet have created Bloomwell to teach organizations and managers to support employees navigating grief and loss. Learn more at the following websites:
Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here
Join the team atPatreon.com/eoluand receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, occasional movie reviews from 2 Doctors and a Movie, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously!
If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu and to those who’ve bought me a coffee! Also many thanks to all of you who joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.
Learn how to bust through several common myths about hospice care that persist in our society.
My recurring guest Barbara Karnes RN is back again in this episode to talk about the myths that still persist in our society around hospice care. She shares her own journey of grief after the recent death of her dear husband and how our emotions can change our ability to see what may be right in front of us. We cover the most common myths we’ve encountered from our years of talking about hospice with the general public and what we can do to overcome them. Barbara is the author of the “little blue hospice book” Gone from My Sight and By Your Side: A Guide for Caring for the Dying at Home. Learn more at her website:
How emotions can impact our experiences with hospice
Myths about hospice that involve medication management and fears of over-medicating pain
Myths that some doctors have about hospice including that it causes people to lose hope and that it’s only appropriate a few hours or days before death
Myths about what hospice is, where it is located and how care is provided and paid for
Why myths like these are harmful to patients
Why we need to get a clear message across about the benefits of hospice
Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here
Join the team atPatreon.com/eoluand receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, occasional movie reviews from 2 Doctors and a Movie, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously!
If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu and to those who’ve bought me a coffee! Also many thanks to all of you who joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.
Learn about Lewy Body Dementia, why it is difficult to diagnose, and the special challenges faced by caregivers.
My guest Mary Lou Falcone has been an advocate for Lewy body dementia awareness since her dear husband Nicky Zann died of the disease in 2020. Mary Lou is internationally known as a classical music publicist who has guided the careers of many celebrated artists such as Van Cliburn, Renée Fleming, and James Taylor. Her communication and strategy skills make her well-suited to be an ambassador for LBD awareness and she is committed to sharing her experience and factual information about LBD with the public. She is the author of the newly published book I Didn’t See it Coming: Scenes of Love, Loss, and Lewy Body Dementia. Learn more at her website:
Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here
Join the team atPatreon.com/eoluand receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, occasional movie reviews from 2 Doctors and a Movie, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously!
If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest donors Trina Wacasey and Samantha Potter and to Dianne Feltham for increasing your pledge. Also thank you to Anonymous for buying me 3 coffees and to Carol Soppe and Samantha Potter for joining the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.
