Tag: memorialization

EOLPodcast

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

kwyattmd

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.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 434 Life-Cycle Celebrants® and Ceremonies for Life’s Transitions with Charlotte Eulette

kwyattmd

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:

www.celebrantinstitute.org

Watch on YouTube

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This episode includes:

  • What is a life-cycle celebrant and what do they do
  • How the modern celebrant movement got started
  • Honoring the culture and beliefs of the participants in ceremonies
  • Why ceremonies and rituals are important for everyone with or without religious affiliation
  • How rituals can make a difference for grievers
  • Alternatives when a loved one doesn’t want a funeral
  • How celebrants can be helpful in healthcare settings
  • What training is required to become a celebrant
  • Why “closure” is not a helpful concept at times of loss and change

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 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.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 431 “No Story Lost”: Preserving Meaning and Memories with Andrew Hall

kwyattmd

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:

https://nostorylost.com

Watch on YouTube

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This episode includes:

  • How No Story Lost gathers and preserves stories for their clients
  • Why our stories and memories matter when we want to leave a legacy for others
  • How memorial projects have benefitted families as they grieve the death of a loved one
  • The significance of “memento mori” and how it informs Andrew’s work
  • How legacy and memorial projects help people find meaning at the end of life
  • How transformation and healing might occur through the process of creating a memorial book

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 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.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 388 A Song for You: Personalized Songs for Hospice Patients with Emily Cavanagh

kwyattmd

Learn about an initiative to provide hospice patients with songs written specifically for them about their lives and stories.

My guest Emily Cavanagh is a singer/songwriter based in New York City who performs in places like New York, Chicago and Dublin. She has made a career for herself as a singer at the intersection of music and service as she brings music to marginalized communities. She is the founder of the music initiative A Song for You, which features local, touring, and Grammy Award-winning songwriters who compose and perform original personalized songs for hospice patients and their families. She will discuss the inspiration behind A Song for You and how this work has benefitted both the recipients and the creators of these special songs. Learn more at her websites:

www.emilycavanaghmusic.com

www.hereisasongforyou.org

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How Emily got started in social work, activism and music
  • What inspired her to create A Song for You
  • The first song Emily wrote for a patient
  • How she writes songs for total strangers
  • How A Song for You has grown over time
  • The process for applying to have a song written for someone
  • How patients, families and songwriters have benefitted from sharing this special music
  • How to support A Song for You and its mission

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 newest patrons Lucy Karl and Amrita Dhanji, and also to Karen Friedmann for buying me a coffee! Your contributions make all the difference.