Tag: death awareness

EOLPodcast

Ep. 558 Filling the Gaps in End-of-Life Education, Support, and Community with Suzanne B. O’Brien RN

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Learn about the need for more education around death, dying, and grief to help us create more compassionate communities that are better prepared for the end of life.

About the guest:

My return guest Suzanne O’Brien is the founder and CEO of Doulagivers Institute and a pioneer in the global Death Doula movement. She is the recipient of numerous awards for her contribution to end-of-life care around the world and the author of the book The Good Death: A Guide for Supporting Your Loved Ones Through the End of Life. She discusses why this moment is right for expanding community education and awareness about end-of-life issues and how learning about death can help us fully live. In addition she describes her upcoming free webinar on “Death Doula Secrets” to mentor doulas on Suzanne’s framework for successful death doula business development. Learn more at her website:

doulagivers.com

Register for Death Doula Secrets Webinar:

August 5th August 13th

Get the book here.

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

In this episode:

  • The evolution of end-of-life care and education over the past 15 years
  • How COVID 19 awakened many people to the reality of mortality and exposed gaps in care
  • Families are still largely overwhelmed and uneducated about providing care for their loved ones at end of life
  • How political and healthcare decision-makers remain poorly informed about end of life issues
  • Suzanne’s experience of community death care while traveling in Zimbabwe many years ago and how it informed her current work
  • Why broader cultural change around death and dying requires mass education in our communities
  • We need to help people with their fear of death through education if we want to see more change
  • Options for the management of suffering at the end of life, including terminal sedation, are not fully understood by most people
  • Death is the greatest teacher about how to live
  • The importance of gratitude and presence for bringing meaning to life

Links mentioned in this episode:

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Transcript:

Suzanne O’Brien InterviewDownload
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Ep. 557 The Grieving Body: Loss as a Healing Opportunity with Mary-Frances O’Connor PhD

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Learn about the impact of grief on the physical body and how the stress of grief and loss can lead to healing.

About the guest:

My special guest Dr. Mary-Frances O’Connor is a professor of psychology at the University of Arizona, where she directs the Grief, Loss and Social Stress (GLASS) Lab, investigating the effects of grief on the brain and the body. Her book The Grieving Brain was included on Oprah’s list of Best Books to Comfort a Grieving Friend and was the subject of a previous interview on this podcast. Today she discusses her latest book The Grieving Body: How the Stress of Loss Can Be an Opportunity for Healing, which is being released in paperback format on August 1, 2026. Learn more at her website:

maryfrancesoconnor.org

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

In this episode:

  • How Mary-Frances was inspired to do research on grief
  • As a society we tend to ignore the body and grief can push us further in that direction
  • Why we need to pay attention to the messages from our bodies, particularly when we are grieving
  • The importances of social connectedness during grief and all of life
  • Sitting with someone who is calm can help us co-regulate when we are stressed in our grief
  • Why bereavement should be a public health issue
  • How we gradually build capacity to carry our grief
  • Why every experience of grief is different for us – and that’s natural and normal
  • How there is a lack of studies on crying in bereavement even though it has multiple functions
  • Emotional tears contain different hormones than irritant tears
  • Cardiovascular events related to acute grief
  • Strategies for managing grief holistically and growing through the process

Links mentioned in this episode:

Resources

Related episodes

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Transcript

Mary-Frances O’Connor InterviewDownload
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Ep. 554 After-Death Communication and Developing Intuition with Purnima Sinha

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Learn how a near-death experience and after-death communication with her mother led to increased spiritual awareness and intuition for Purnima.

About my guest:

My guest Purnima Sinha has certificates in LifeStyle Medicine and Meditation & Psychotherapy for the Harvard School of Medicine. She taught meditation to patients for many years and has been researching consciousness for over three decades. Today she discusses the mystical experiences she has had throughout her life including after-death communication with her mother following her death. She has assisted many people at the end of life and has taught many others how to access and utilize intuition.

Watch on YouTube

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In this episode:

  • How her mother’s death and after-death communication was a catalyst for her spiritual growth
  • How her parents early teaching about karma and seva have influenced her life
  • Why forgiveness played an important role in her spiritual transformation
  • The nature of her near-death experience
  • How she started receiving messages from her mother
  • Why fear makes it impossible to receive after-death or intuitive communication
  • Why love and gratitude are the best practices to cultivate in your life
  • How the mind and the ego can interfere with receiving guidance

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Transcript:

Purnima Sinha InterviewDownload
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Ep. 553 Compassionate Schools: Education on Illness, Dying, and Grief for Children with Dr. Sally Paul and Bert Quintiens

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Learn how the Compassionate Schools model can foster better support for children and young people experiencing grief, illness and loss..

About the guests:

My guests Dr. Sally Paul and Bert Quintiens have developed a how-to guide for Compassionate Schools that we discuss in today’s conversation. Sally is a Senior Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland where she teaches and researches in the areas of bereavement, death education, and public health approaches to palliative care. Bert is a researcher at the End-of-Life Care Research Group at Vrije Universiteit in Brussels, Belgium. He focuses on Compassionate Communities and Compassionate Cities and how initiatives like Compassionate Schools can help normalize conversations about death and caregiving. Get the Compassionate Schools How to Guide at the link below:

Compassionate Schools How-To Guide

Watch on YouTube

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In this episode:

  • What is a Compassionate School
  • Why is it important for schools to address the existence of death and grief for students and staff
  • Children can cope with difficult situations when given age-appropriate information
  • Why culture change can happen faster with a “bottom up” approach
  • How each compassionate school is unique and meets the particular needs of a community
  • Tips for introducing Compassionate Schools to your community
  • Obstacles and resistance to this work
  • Why it’s important to start with small goals like placing books on death and grief in the school library
  • How to support teachers in having conversations with grieving children

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Transcript:

Sally Paul and Bert Quintiens InterviewDownload
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Ep. 552 Drummer Girl: How a Child’s Near-Death Experience Changed Her Life

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Learn how a childhood near-death experience sparked a lifelong search for spiritual meaning in life and death.

Portrait of a woman with short blond hair smiling, wearing a yellow shirt, next to the cover of the book 'Drummer Girl' by Sally Dukes, with text about a child's NDE.

About the guest:

My guest Sally Dukes has been a small business owner, psychotherapist, editor, and middle school teacher and she is also the author of a newly published memoir titled drummer girl: A Story of Life After Death. The book tells the story of Sally’s near-death experience as a child and how it changed her thoughts on life and death and inspired a lifelong spiritual journey. She discusses the book and the travel stories that are highlighted within it while expressing her hope that readers will come away with less fear of death. Learn more at her website:

sallydukes.com

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

In this episode:

  • The story of Sally’s NDE at age 3
  • How wanting to understand that experience fueled her search throughout life
  • The isolation experienced after such an extraordinary event that others don’t understand
  • Why she views it as a sacred experience
  • How medicine can pathologize occurrences that can’t be explained rationally
  • Sally’s travels in India and Burma
  • Why she no longer fears death

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Sally Dukes InterviewDownload
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Ep. 551 Spiritual Bypassing and Complicated Grief with Dr. Terri Daniel

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Learn about a symposium on spiritual bypassing in situations of grief and bereavement and why it’s important to look at this.

Portrait of Dr. Terri Daniel discussing spiritual bypassing and complicated grief, with a microphone and colorful background.

About the guest:

My return guest this week is Dr. Terri Daniel who is an end-of-life educator, inter-spiritual hospice chaplain, and grief counselor. She is the founder of the Conference on Death, Grief and Belief and the Ask Doctor Death podcast. Over the years she has helped thousands of people learn to live, die and grieve more consciously while exploring the intersection of psychology and spirituality, and the influence of toxic theology on the experience of dying and grieving. She is the author of four books on death and grief. Today we discuss spiritual bypassing which is the focus of Terri’s upcoming online Symposium on July 25th. Learn more about the Symposium and Terri’s work at the website:

deathgriefandbelief.com

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In this episode:

  • What is spiritual bypassing?
  • There is both positive and negative religious coping
  • Positive coping involves taking action toward restoration
  • When spiritual bypassing may serve a positive purpose
  • Bereavement assessment tools and their usefulness
  • Characteristics of various types of spiritual struggle
  • Prolonged grief vs complicated grief
  • The importance of community and ritual for addressing grief
  • Instrumental vs intuitive grieving
  • Some questions like “Why did God let this happen” can never be answered

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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 thanks to Donna Stafford for making a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Transcript:

Terri Daniel InterviewDownload
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Ep. 548 Choice at the End of Life: A Bioethics Conversation on MAID with Jeffrey Kahn PhD in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics

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Learn about facts and misconceptions around medical aid in dying and the ethical tensions that exist in medicine and society.

Image of Jeffrey Kahn, a bioethics expert, alongside text promoting a podcast episode titled 'Choice at the End of Life' discussing medical assistance in dying (MAID).

My guest Professor Jeffrey Kahn is a bioethicist, researcher, author, and Director of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics. The institute’s award-winning podcast, playing god? explores ethics dilemmas that arise in medicine, science, law, and health policy. Today we discuss with Dr. Kahn the most recent episode of playing god?: I Need you to Help Me Die – an exploration of Medical Aid in Dying through first-person storytelling and expert analysis. This episode includes a clip from I Need You to Help Me Die and listeners are invited to listen to the full episode at the following link:

https://playing-god.transistor.fm/s2/1

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • Why the Berman Institute chose to address medical aid in dying in their latest episode
  • The story of journalist Esmé Deprez and her father’s choice to use MAID
  • Why medical aid in dying is not the same as suicide
  • The difference between medically-assisted dying and euthanasia
  • The protections built into MAID laws that can also become obstacles
  • Ethical dilemma’s for healthcare providers
  • Why improved access to MAID is needed in states where it is legal

Links mentioned in this episode:

Jeffrey Kahn InterviewDownload
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Ep. 547 When We Die Talks: Facing the Fear of Death with Zach Ancell

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Learn how asking “What do you think happens when we die?” helped this podcast host deal with death anxiety.

My guest Zach Ancell is the creator of When We Die Talks, a project around one question asked to anonymous callers: “What do you believe happens when we die?” He airs these fascinating conversations as a podcast that explores death, meaning, fear, grief, and how mortality shapes the way we live. Zach invites people to “leave a voicemail and share a belief, a question, or a moment you can’t shake about death: 971-328-0864.” Learn more at the website:

whenwedietalks.com

Watch on YouTube

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This episode includes:

  • What motivated Zach to start When We Die Talks
  • The courage it takes to face the fear of death
  • The benefits of anonymity in conversations about death
  • How Zach approaches these discussions with curiosity and no agenda
  • What has changed about his acceptance of death has increased from these conversations
  • How asking “What do you believe happens when we die?” unlocks other layers of meaning
  • The ultimate benefit of the project is learning to live more intentionally and authentically
  • How mortality awareness helps us re-prioritize life

Links mentioned in this episode:

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 thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 546 The Love List of a Lifetime: Uplifting End-of-Life Planning with Sherry Richert Belul

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Learn about an end-of-life planner that helps people share joy and love as they prepare for their later days.

My guest Sherry Richert Belul is the founder of Simply Celebrate and author of The Love List of a Lifetime. She helps people discover creative, heartfelt ways to celebrate life, deepen connection, and express love–while also guiding people to plan for the end-of-life. She is a workshop leader and speaker who emphasizes loving out loud and making moments that matter. Her end-of-life planner The Love List of a Lifetime helps people organize what matters most, share their love, and leave a legacy of connection and care. Learn more at her website:

simplycelebrate.net

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How Sherry is currently finding joy within the depths of her grief
  • The depth of our grief and sorrow is what allows for the breadth of kindness and joy
  • A love list as a gift for someone with a terminal diagnosis
  • Why include something “imperfect” on a love list
  • Why planning for the end of life is an act of great love
  • Start end-of-life planning by making a phone tree of contacts to be notified after your death and include a short message to each person
  • Sharing the stories of the things we plan to pass on to others
  • How sorting through items from the past with a loved one can create new special memories
  • People need to be seen and heard and loved for who they are
  • Say it now – don’t let the moment pass

Links mentioned in this episode:

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 latest donor Joy Fletcher. And thanks to everyone who bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 544 The Queer Grief Club and Inclusive End-of-Life Care with Jamie Thrower

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Learn how to better serve the needs of the LGBTQ+ community in grief and at the end of life.

My guest Jamie Thrower is a queer death doula, end-of-life educator and community grief tender serving the LGBTQ+ community in life and in death. She is the founder of Queer Grief Club and the co-creator of The Dementia Deck. We discuss how to offer more inclusive services in our end-of-life care and grief support spaces. Learn more at Jamie’s website:

jamiethrower.com

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This episode includes:

  • Jamie’s story of becoming parentless at age 28
  • How she discovered that grief connected her to others in a beautiful way
  • Why children need to be involved in death and funerals
  • The many layers of grief experienced by a queer person
  • How our systems need to change to become more inclusive
  • What we can do as individuals to make our care more welcoming to the queer community
  • Hidden bias in our paperwork and forms for people in the LGBTQ+ community
  • The importance of advance directives for queer people

Links mentioned in this episode:

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 thanks to Wayne for buying me a coffee and Rick DiTullio and Dawn Dayter for making a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 543 A Hospice Musical to Teach About Life’s Grief and Joy with Benjamin Kintisch

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Learn how to experience and support a fantastic musical comedy about hospice care, grief, and finding meaning in life.

My return guest Benjamin Kintisch is a trained chaplain, music teacher, and Cantor in the Jewish synagogue. He is the creator, lyricist and playwright of “Life Review: The Hospice Musical,” a musical comedy that focuses on the lessons a young rabbi learns when he is assigned to be a chaplain for patients in a residential hospice. Ben discusses the upcoming full performance of the musical and album recording on May 9th and the real life origin of the stories and songs in Life Review. Visit the website and support the Kickstarter campaign at the links below:

lifereviewmusical.com

Kickstarter Campaign for Life Review

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Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • What inspired Ben to write a musical about hospice
  • How Ben ended up creating a one-man version of the show during COVID
  • The story arc of the musical and what it teaches
  • Audience reaction to the musical and why it creates “teachable” moments
  • Why the arts and media are important vehicles for educating the public about death, dying, and grief
  • The upcoming May 9th performance of the musical and live album recording at Johns Hopkins University
  • How (and why) to support the Kickstarter Campaign

Links mentioned in this episode:

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 thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 540 Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving with Shelby Forsythia

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Learn how to support a grieving person by choosing the best words to say that will actually make a difference.

My guest Shelby Forsythia is a grief coach, author, podcast host, and the founder of Life After Loss Academy, an online course and community for grievers. She is the author of Your Grief Your Way, Permission to Grieve, and her latest book Of Course I’m Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving. Her work has been featured in Huffington Post, Bustle, and The Oprah Magazine. Learn more at her website:

shelbyforsythia.com

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How Shelby became a “student of grief” who views loss as a perpetual teacher
  • Three common internal narratives that grieving people face
  • Three simple but transformative phrases to use when supporting someone
  • Why words are the most accessible tool for support of someone grieving
  • The need for grief literacy to prevent the secondary loss of friendships during times of grief
  • The “three Ds“ of grief
  • What is the “second wave of grief”
  • The lack of grief literacy on social media

Links mentioned in this episode:

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 thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 539 Yoga, Breath, and Death: Death Café at the Yoga Studio with Leslie Howard and Richard Rosen

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Learn why “corpse pose” in yoga is a rehearsal for death and how yoga instructors are bringing Death Café into their studio.

My guests Leslie Howard and Richard Rosen are both yoga instructors at Nest Yoga in Oakland CA and are co-authors of a new book titled Savasana: Between Breath and Death – a how-to for the final pose. Leslie is a certified death doula and hospice volunteer. Richard is the author of five previous books about yoga. Leslie also facilitates a Death Café that meets regularly at the yoga studio. Learn more at these websites:

lesliehowardyoga.com

betweenbreathanddeath.com

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • What is Savasana (or Corpse Pose)
  • Corpse pose as a rehearsal for death
  • How it benefits us to have periods of conscious rest like Savasana
  • How Leslie was inspired to become a death doula
  • Incorporating Death Café into the yoga studio
  • How yoga practice can help during times of illness, stress, and at the end of life
  • How breathing helps soothe the nervous system
  • Restorative yoga poses for physical comfort at the end of life

Links mentioned in this episode:

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 latest patron Karen Sheldahl! And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 538 Helping “Stuck Souls” Cross Over with Father Nathan Castle

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Learn about the unusual work of a priest who experiences after-death communication with souls who have become “stuck” in their afterlife journey.

My guest Father Nathan Castle is a Dominican priest known for his work in campus ministry and his unusual calling of helping souls who have died suddenly to find peace. He discusses his unique work and how he was called to serve others in this way. He discusses the communications he receives in his dreams and how he began working with the souls who connect with him whose afterlives have been interrupted by unfinished business. He is the host of The Joyful Friar Podcast and the author of four books including his most recent: Afterlife: Interrupted Book 3 – Let Me Explain. Learn more at his website:

Nathan-castle.com

Get the books here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • What he means by “stuck souls”
  • How he first experienced contact from a deceased soul in his dreams
  • Why certain people might get stuck in this way after death
  • What is an “interrupted death experience”
  • Stories of souls he has encountered during after death communication experiences
  • How he works with stuck souls and their guardians to help them cross over
  • How he uses prayer as a subset of love for helping souls
  • In his experience many people who died by suicide felt optionless and just wanted the pain to stop
  • How he manages to be “The Joyful Friar” in the midst of the work he does
  • Advice for the living: Stay in the present moment and don’t be defined by the worst thing that happened to you in order to avoid getting stuck in the afterlife

Links mentioned in this episode:

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 thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 536 Never Can Say Goodbye: The Life of a Death Doula with Darnell Lamont Walker

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Learn about a powerful memoir from the life of a death doula who was inspired by his grandmother to sit with the dying.

My guest Darnell Lamont Walker is a death doula, Emmy-nominated children’s television writer, producer and explorer. He creates spaces worldwide for healing through storytelling, end-of-life care, and workshops on grief, resilience, unlocking the writer within, and radical empathy. He is the author of the newly published memoir Never Can Say Goodbye: The Life of a Death Doula and The Art of a Peaceful End published by HarperCollins. Learn more at his website:

darnellwalker.com

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How Darnell was first introduced to end-of-life care by his grandmother
  • The power of storytelling
  • Why caring for the dying seems foreign to some people but is actually an innate ability
  • Why we should be training children at a young age to be present with dying or we may pass on our own fear of death
  • Death within the Black community and the impact of systemic racism, generational trauma, and unequal access to healthcare on end-of-life decision-making
  • Why listening first is the best way to build trust and get people to talk about difficult subjects
  • Why we can make better choices for life when we become aware of our mortality

Links mentioned in this episode:

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 thanks to Jolynn Deloach for making a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 535 Planning Your Funeral and Legacy Online with Paul Fried

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Learn about a helpful online platform for end-of-life planning and the benefits of using technology for this work.

My guest Paul Fried is an entrepreneur who recognized a need to reshape how we think about end-of-life planning. He founded a digital-first platform that focuses on compassionate funeral planning, digital legacy preservation, and emotional wellness titled I Made the Arrangements. He discusses the value of recording our end-of-life wishes and messages digitally for the sake of our loved ones. Paul is also the author of the book Live Fully. Leave Wisely: End-of-Life Planning as the Ultimate Act of Love. Learn more at his website:

Imadethearrangements.com

Get the book

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How Paul’s ancestry and personal history led him to create I Made the Arrangements
  • Why digital planning services are important right now
  • The disastrous consequences of not planning ahead or talking about our end-of-life wishes
  • Why employers are starting to offer online end-of-life planning as a benefit to their employees
  • How technology is rapidly advancing to help people reconnect with holographic images of their loved ones
  • How “wishkeepers” help secure their loved ones’ legacies
  • Resources available on the website

Links mentioned in this episode:

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 thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 533 The Legacy of Hospice in the U.S. and Around the World with Dr. Robert Buckingham

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Learn the history of the hospice movement in the US from one of the original founders.

My guest Dr. Robert Buckingham is a Professor Emeritus of Public Health at the University of Michigan and has been a pioneer of the U.S. hospice movement, having played a role in the founding of the very first hospice program in this country. In addition he has co-developed 81 hospice programs across the globe including the firs hospice for children with AIDS in Thailand. He is the author of 12 books – 7 dedicated solely to hospice and palliative care. His latest book is Understanding Loss and Grief for Women. Learn more at his website:

rwbuckingham.com

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • The birth of hospice in America
  • Current threats to the hospice movement
  • Dr. Buckingham’s involvement in developing hospice programs around the world
  • The historical philosophy of hospice care
  • The benefits of providing hands-on care to a loved one at the end of life
  • How the AIDS crisis helped fuel the growth of the hospice movement
  • Lessons learned from dying patients
  • Why he wrote about loss and grief for women and why we need to make sure we include men in grief work
  • Remembering that change takes time and taking the long view on our work

Links mentioned in this episode:

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 thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 532 Writing Your Obituary as Part of End-of-Life Planning with Gail Shapiro

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Learn how and why to write your own obituary as a legacy project.

My guest Gail Shapiro is a seasoned writer and editor and also a professional organizer who has guided many people through the details of end-of-life planning. She also helps people write memorable obituaries for themselves and others and today discusses why this process is an important part of end-of-life planning. She shares tips and best practices for writing an obituary and how she can help when we aren’t sure what to include or how to say what we mean. Learn more at her website:

gailshapiro.com

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How Gail became interested in obituary writing
  • Why an obituary can also be a legacy project
  • Why should we consider writing our own obituary rather than leaving it to someone else
  • What should an obituary include
  • What should NOT be in an obituary
  • Best practices for writing a beautiful obit
  • How AI can make serious mistakes in obituary writing and cannot replace the human touch
  • What services Gail provides for those who aren’t comfortable doing their own writing

Links mentioned in this episode:

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 latest supporter Adele Flaherty and to Jen Davidson for increasing your pledge. And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 531 Sacred Wild: Soul Connections with Our Pets in Life and Death with Miki Jacobs

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Learn about the spiritual bond between humans and their pets and how it continues after physical death.

My guest Miki Jacobs is an internationally acclaimed medium, speaker, and author who shares wisdom and teachings from the spirit world with audiences worldwide. Her lifelong love of animals led her, along with her husband Clayton, to create a sanctuary for rescued animals on their ranch in Southern California. In her book Sacred Wild: The Spiritual World of Animals, Including Pets, and its Interconnectedness with Ours – she explores the spiritual nature of animals and the sacred bond they share with humans, which we discuss in this episode. Learn more at her website:

mikijacobs.com

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How Miki developed her connection with animals and with the spiritual realm
  • We can all teach ourselves to communicate with “the other side” if we choose to and do the necessary spiritual work
  • How mediumship helps with the fear of death
  • Animals are capable of unconditional love because they don’t have an ego
  • For humans our true selves can be obscured by the energy of the ego
  • Animals can detect our wellbeing and recognize when someone is dying
  • The pets we have are meant to be with us if we are open to that – we have “soul contracts” with them
  • Why Miki believes that our animal companions have a spiritual existence after death and continue to accompany us
  • Signs that our departed animal companions might send to us in everyday life or dreams
  • Spiritual growth is hard but the benefits are beautiful – we grow through challenges
  • How connecting with a pet could be the pathway to spiritual growth, including teaching us about impermanence

Links mentioned in this episode:

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 latest supporter Marion Folkemer. And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 530 Six Pillars of Care for Palliative Care Providers with Meina Dubetz RN

kwyattmd

Learn about a training course for professionals entering the palliative care field to prepare them for the emotional and spiritual demands of this work.

My guest Meina Dubetz is a registered nurse specializing in Palliative and Oncology Care and also a Certified Grief Educator and Reiki Master. She is the author of the book When Death Comes Knocking for Your Patients: A Guide for Nurses and Palliative Caregivers, which became a #1 bestseller on Amazon in the US and Canada. Recently she has developed a course for professionals entering the palliative care field in an institutional setting titled 6 Pillars of Care that we discuss today. Learn more at her website:

meinadubetz.com

Get her book here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How Meina was first called to work with the elderly and dying at the age of 17
  • How her path was shaped as well by the deaths of her father and her son
  • The healthcare system is not prepared or trained to cope with grief and help people at the end of life
  • Healthcare providers are affected by every death they experience whether they realize or not
  • The importance of our history with death, dying and grief when we serve others at the end of life
  • Why we should practice having difficult conversations before we engage in them
  • Why we need to share our struggles with our peers

Links mentioned in this episode:

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 thanks to Kquasny who bought me a coffee and to everyone who has made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.