Ask Doctor Death

This episode will introduce you to the most in-depth research available to date on NDEs throughout history and across cultures... with some fascinating information about how those accounts have influenced religoius beliefs and cultural practices over time. Our guest Gregory Shushan PhD  is the leading authority on near-death experiences in  historical reports.  He points out, among other things, t...

This is a special bonus episode where Dr. Karen and Dr. Terri interview each other . We decided it was time to do some self-disclosure so that our listeners could learn more about the unique experiences that inspired us to pursue careers in end-of-life care.    If you've ever wondered what would make someone want to spend their time in the presence of death and grief, you'll find a lot o...

Dan is one half of the brilliantly funny team that hosts the THANK GOD I'M ATHEIST podcast, which recently marked its 500th episode! Co-host Frank Feldman wasn't available for the interview unfortunately, but Dan did a fantastic job of educating us about all things ExMo (Ex-Mormon), and the absurdities of bibical literalism, blind allegiance to faith doctrines and the "unapologetica...

Today Dr. Death speaks with Pesach Eisen, MCH-LP,  a psychotherapist and researcher focusing primarily on the intersection of religious disaffiliation and mental health. He was raised in an ultra-Orthodox Hasidic Jewish faith community, from which he departed during his 20s. In his current role at a non-profit organization called Footsteps , he offers individual and group psychotherapy to those wh...

Today we are delighted to be speaking with Johanna Lunn, director of the film In the Realm of Death & Dreaming, which  is the first of four documentaries in a series entitled When You Die. In the film, Johanna asks the big question... Does consciousness continue after death, or is it lights out?  Johanna guides viewers on a personal journey to find answers by exploring stories of near death ex...

We've had many conversations here on Ask Doctor Death about a variety of religious views, but have rarely touched on Jewish  beliefs and practices around death, dying and bereavement.  In this episode, we are honored to present Rabbi Sarah Rensin, a hospice chaplain with a very  progressive perspective on Judaism.  Rabbi Sarah was ordained at the Academy for Jewish Religion California in 2015...

Today's guest is Rev. Kevin Bradley, who serves on the board of the Final Exit Network , an organization that supports the human right to a death with dignity. The Final Exit Network (FEN) believes  that mentally competent adults who suffer from a terminal illness, intractable physical pain, chronic or progressive physical disabilities, or who face loss of autonomy and selfhood through dement...

In this special episode, Dr. Daniel talks with Andrew Jasko M.Div (MA Counseling Psychology in progress).  Andrew was a Princeton Seminary educated minister and missionary before he left his religion because of the severe psychological trauma he experienced  as a result of toxic beliefs.  He initially rejected religion and spirituality entirely, but then had an unexpected awakening to mystical exp...

This episode includes profanity and religion-bashing. If these things offend you, listen at your own risk. In this episode, Doctor Death talks with three incredibly funny and brilliant ex-Mormons known in the podcast world as Uncle Dan, Uncle Doug and Uncle Mark... The How-to-Heretics .  It's a great conversation in which we explore religious belief in general (and the lack thereof), and Morm...

WARNING! If you aren't comfortable with conversations about religion or politics, this episode talks about both and how they are entwined in today's America. We also talk about the toxic nature of Judeo-Christian theology and images of God, so if these topics (and a little profanity) make you uncomfortable, we respectfully suggest that you don't listen to this episode. Or if you do,...

Kitty Edwards, MA is the executive director of The Living & Dying Consciously Project . She is an Ayni Energy practitioner who helps those confronted by death find the courage to release their fears, and a graduate of Sandra Ingerman’s Core Shamanism and the Light Body School of The Four Winds Society. She is the co-founder of the No Regrets Project and Conversations on Death in Boulder, Color...

Daniel is a teacher and practitioner whose training as a doctor of psychology and licensed marriage and family therapist informs his work with earth-honoring traditions such as European pagan paths, Native American ways, Mongolian shamanism, and West African Ifá/Òrìṣà traditions.  Since 2005 he’s guided hundreds of ancestor trainings, rituals, and talks throughout the world. Daniel has trained wit...

Jeff Black. MD, MDiv, CAS is a psychiatrist who also happens to be a shamanic practitioner. In addition to his traditional medical and chaplaincy training, he studied energy medicine with native healers from South America and through The Four Winds Society, and is also a Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist. In this episode, Jeff shares the story of two brothers he treated, ages 19 and 21, who both have...

This week's guest is Kenneth Doka, PhD, one of the world's leading experts on death, dying and bereavement. Ken is a professor emeritus at the Graduate School of The College of New Rochelle, and senior consultant to the Hospice Foundation of America. He is an award-winning scholar and respected counselor known worldwide for his research. The Association for Death Education and Counseling...

Jordan Justice MD is a double board certified physician in emergency medicine and pediatrics. He is an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, and he's  traveled throughout the world as a medical volunteer in countries that include Kenya, Uganda, Chad, Tibet, India and Israel. In this conversation, Dr. Justice talks about his work in a major me...

Transforming the Despair and Grief of COVID-19 Isolation Through Shamanic Journeys David M. Steinhorn, M.D ., a specialist in pediatric critical care, palliative care and hospice medicine at Children’s National Hospital, Washington, D.C., and Jana Din , a Shamanic Healing Practitioner and Co-founder/Director of the Tao Center for Healing , are a modern day amalgam between Western medicine and indi...

As the Corona virus epidemic continues, clinical psychologist and bereavement specialist Sonya Lott PhD shares her wisdom about how to manage overwhelming feelings of fear and grief in a crisis.  Our conversation explores loss, trauma, complicated grief, resilience and healing, with helpful information for individuals and counseling professionals. Here are some of the resources we discuss: The Bod...

This week we talk with Christopher Kerr MD, medical director of Hospice Buffalo, who is conducting breakthrough research on the dreams and visions of the dying. But instead of dreams, today we’re talking about a nightmare, as the Corona virus spreads through the world, and life as we know it grinds to a halt. Here are some top takeaways from our conversation:   How we can help the medical establis...

In this short recording, Dr. Daniel talks about the many types of losses we're experiencing as the Corona virus pandemic throws our lives into chaos. In addition to obvious losses such as the death of a loved one, there are other types of losses that we may not even be aware of, including:  Financial, Material and Worldly Loss – Loss of assets or financial security, or the loss of a job or a...

Doctor Death talks with death midwife, educator and home funeral guide Jerrigrace Lyons, who gained national  attention when she was featured in the 2005 PBS documentary, A Family Undertaking. She is recognized worldwide as a pioneer in the emerging field of home death care and home funerals, and her certificate program in conscious dying and home funeral guidance has attracted thousands of studen...

This recording was from a panel discussion on Conscious Dying in Clinical Setting s at the 2015 Afterlife Conference in Norfolk, VA . The panel was moderated by Dr. Karen Wyatt, and included noted NDE research Pim Van Lommel MD, emergency physician Kevin Haselhorst MD, and psychiatrist/shamanic practitioner Jeff Black MD. Listen in to this fascinating discussion, which is of immeasurable value for...

Welcome to the premiere episode of Ask Doctor Death! In our kick-off episode, the doctors discuss the history of death practices over the last 500 years, and address listener questions about a diverse range of topics, including: . Pain management in hospice . Family denial about a terminal diagnosis . Death denial among doctors . Staying with the body after death . Professional certifications in d...

As a special bonus, here's a short but very informative conversation with Thomas John, one of the most popular psychic mediums on the world stage today. It's a very powerful conversation about the relationship between mediumship and grief processing, and the importance of this relationship for education and research about the survival of consciousness after physical death. If this topic...