Best Life Best Death

In this tough but very important episode, therapist Joy Redstone and I discuss several aspects of suicide. We talk about the importance of language when talking about suicide; the importance of speaking up and reducing shame; how suicide can impact suicide survivors - those who are near and dear; and how we can offer support - to those in need and those who have been left behind. My hope is that t...

This week I talk with Nicole Comach, End-of-Life Guide, Grief Companion and founder of Emerald Awakenings. We discuss: What do people fear about death? Do these fears fit into categories? How do these vary from person to person and with each situation? What can we do to work with our own fears? How can we support loved ones when they are afraid? Join us to gain new insights into your own fears and...

Jamie Kramer is the founder of Beyond Forests, in the Leelanau area of Michigan. In this two-fold project, Jamie and her colleagues are: 1) seeking land to create a memorial forest, where cremated remains can rest in nature; and 2) developing technology to note the GPS markings of cremains anywhere, with corresponding pages for memorial notes and records of visits. As an article about Beyond Fores...

Best 3 Months is a course developed by the Conscious Dying Institute which is offered by myself and other graduates of CDI who love end-of-life coaching and education. I teach this course over zoom, and people often ask me to describe the class -- so here goes!  The premise of this course is that you have only 3 months to live, so in the very first class we name our up-coming date of death, 9...

“Saying Goodbye: Preparing for Death" is the second film in the When You Die documentary trilogy -- 3 feature-length films about various aspects of the end of life. “Through stories from professionals who have spent their careers at the bedside, 'Saying Goodbye' opens the door to good conversation about what is possible as we pass from this life.” In this podcast episode, I talk with Director Joha...

Dr Harvey Max Chochinov, Canadian psychiatrist and expert in issues around palliative care, chats with me about misperceptions, unconscious biases, and the effect on patient care. He notes, “These issues of bias aren’t just about palliative care – they are relevant to *anyone* who becomes a patient at some point in their life!”  I found Dr Chochinov’s insights and research intriguing, and you...

A 4th generation Delaware funeral director, Todd Harra is one of the foremost experts on the history (and future) of burial rites in the United States. In his latest book, Last Rites: The Evolution of the American Funeral (coming August 2, 2022), Todd takes readers on a fascinating exploration of American funeral customs — where they came from, what they mean, and how they are still evolving. List...

In this episode I talk with the author and artist who created "Headland," Kate Schneider. Her vision for this graphic novel was to portray an internal experience that none of us can know, in order to generate compassion for those with brain differences. How poignant that her own subsequent diagnosis and treatment for a brain tumor further opened her mind to the wonder of changes in the brain. She...

In this episode, I talk with Day Schildkret about his life, work, books and art. As Day says, “We need mechanisms in our daily, monthly, annual lives – and our personal and collective lives – that help us remember who and where we are. Life is crazy, and we can lose ourselves. Rituals help us to remember.” You may come away inspired to mark a change, take new notice of what you already do, or crea...

On this episode, I interview author Amy Bloom, whose husband Brian Ameche was told by doctors that he had Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive, neurodegenerative disease characterized by memory loss. Amy said in our interview: “After a weekend of processing and crying together, Brian said, ‘I’m not here for the long goodbye. You know how I am. I’d rather die on my feet than live on my knees. And we'...

Join me as I chat with George Frankel, CEO of Eternal Reefs, and find out how this organization combines the cremated remains of loved ones with an environmentally safe cement mixture to create artificial reef formations. These permanent memorials are placed on the ocean floor to create new marine habitats for fish and other forms of sea life. I think I know some ocean-lovers who might love this i...

Jessica Wertz - ceramic artist + author of the Spirit Vessel Ceremony Guide Book - and I talk about road trips, small towns, ceremony, grief, and sacred time. The name of her work, Spirit Vessel, has three layers: the body as a vessel for the spirit; the vessel of each ceramic urn she makes that holds cremated remains; and the vessel of ceremony - capable of holding and transforming individuals an...

Mary Anne Oglesby-Sutherly is the founder and executive director of a day care program for people with dementia. We discuss a variety of things, including: how to cope with receiving a dementia diagnosis, why it matters what kind of dementia it is, how to find resources such as caregivers or respite programs, when to seek palliative care or hospice, and more. For more information on Best Life...

Mary Anne Oglesby-Sutherly talks about dementia -- the challenges of getting a diagnosis, the challenges of medication, and the challenges of day-to-day living with this impactful condition. Her respite care organization in Gallatin TN, The Veranda, offers a place for adults living with dementia to come for the day.  For more information on Best Life Best Death please visit our website a...

Hannah Fowler and I talk about how she became involved in the making of the movie “The Last Ecstatic Days,” and what she has taken away from this profound project. Hannah is the Impact Producer for the film, an end-of-life doula and educator, a hospice RN, and faculty at the Conscious Dying Institute.  Learn more about why Ethan chose to film himself at the end of his life, how he found commu...

*Note - Solace is no longer in business. Join Kiley Crowley from Solace Cremation as she and I discuss cremation. How does it work and where does it happen? What does it cost? Why might someone choose cremation? And what are some of the new ways that even this "tried and true" method of body disposition are changing in the current landscape of the U.S., with dispersed families and rising...

Dr. Geber's book, Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers: A Retirement and Aging Roadmap for Single and Childless Adults lays out 6 essential elements for aging safely and happily. Based on research across several areas, such as economics and psychology, these 6 elements are truly what matter most. Join us to hear Dr. Geber's thoughts on how to plan and cultivate well-thought out strategies...

“I’m fine. That’s what grievers often say when people ask how they are doing. Except they’re not fine.” When Rachel Brougham was a young wife, her dynamic, beloved husband was killed in a bike accident in the city of Minneapolis while she was home making tacos for dinner. Her book, Widowland , is part memoir, part grief journal, part advice manual for all of us to better understand the path of gri...

Anthropologist Shannon Lee Dawdy set out to interview 100s of people in the U.S. over 5 years, in order to better understand American death practices. What she found is a phenomenon that is rapidly changing! Our podcast conversation and her book, "American Afterlives: Reinventing Death in the 21st Century," both offer glimpses into how we care for our dead -- our ceremonies, practices and beliefs....

Continuing my exploration of body disposition options, on this podcast I talk with Emily Nelson of Be a Tree Cremation to get the details on "aquamation" or "water cremation." This is not a new process per se, but it is somewhat new in its use with people. In this process, which is becoming more and more available, the body’s tissues are broken down using water, heat, and alkaline chemicals. Liste...

What is the so-called “Village Movement," in California and nation-wide? A way for people to help people, intentionally create community, and keep elders living well in their own homes! My favorite quote from this conversation with Kate Hoepke: “Young people step up to help their older neighbors for a lot of reasons – and deeply rooted is a need that younger people have for elders in their lives.”

Artist and art therapist Jackie Schuld and I discuss what prompted her to write “Grief is a Mess” and how creating these drawings and texts was helpful in a time of loss. Her charming animal characters find themselves in situations in which grief can surprise and overwhelm, or in which friends can be supportive or step on toes. Jackie’s genuine style and her creative joy make for a wonderful conve...

In Part II of this conversation with Dr Christopher Kerr, he and I get into some nitty-gritty about what it would take to have more of us choose hospice sooner – thereby improving patient satisfaction, extending lives, lowering costs, and for sure increasing the quality of our final days. What gets in the way of doing what would make such a difference?

Dr. Christopher Kerr – of Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo – studies and works daily with people who are at the end of their lives. After realizing that many of his patients had extraordinary experiences as death approached, he decided to design studies that would tabulate these experiences in a meaningful way. Dr. Kerr sees that these visions and healing experiences are “enormous gifts” to t...

Brie Smith - funeral director at Return Home - and I discuss Natural Organic Reduction aka “Terramation.” Get a look behind the sensational headlines of “human composting” and find out more about how this got started, first in WA state and then in CO and OR. How did it begin? What’s the process, science, and end result? How do families participate and what inspires people to choose this form of bo...