Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message. In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula , host Traci Arieli explores the complexities of senior living decisions with Angie Graham, Division President of Our House Senior Living. Together, they break down what “good care” really looks like, and how families can distinguish between nurturing communities and plac...

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message. In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula , Traci Arieli speaks with Farah Baxter, co-founder of Soalma, about the essential documents, conversations, and emotional legacies we should prepare before we die. Together, they explore how thoughtful end-of-life planning can ease the burden on loved ones, reduce chaos,...

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message. In this episode of Comforting Closure – Conversations with a Death Doula , Traci Arieli speaks with grief advocates and co-authors Leanne Whallett and Jess Slater about their children’s book All Around Is Me . They share personal stories of loss, parenting through grief, and the deeply healing role their book plays in helping children process...

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message. What happens when the system that’s supposed to care for our loved ones after death fails? In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, host Traci Arieli speaks with Nick Nell, founder of MorgueBoard , about the painful reality of mishandled remains - stories of people lost in the system, misidentified, or cremated...

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message. In this episode of Comforting Closure – Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli speaks with Robin Farr, Program Manager at the MAID Family Support Society in Canada. Together, they discuss Robin’s personal journey of supporting her father through Medical Assistance in Dying, and how that experience led her to help other families navigat...

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message. In this episode of Comforting Closure – Conversations with a Death Doula , Traci Arieli is joined by Julie Scott, Executive Director of the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, for a captivating discussion on the spiritual wisdom of ancient Egypt. Together, they explore how beliefs about the afterlife shaped Egyptian life, death rituals, and our moder...

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message. In this episode of Comforting Closure – Conversations with a Death Doula , host Traci Arieli sits down with Sandy Chen Stokes, founder of the Chinese American Coalition for Compassionate Care (CACCC), to discuss end-of-life care in the Chinese American community.  Together, they talk about how deeply rooted traditions, intergenerational caregi...

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message. In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula , host Traci Arieli sits down with Louise Silk , a celebrated quiltmaker and fiber artist, to explore how quilting serves as a tool for life review, memory, grief, and legacy. Louise shares how she began her quilting journey after reading an article in Ms. Magazine , how...

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message. In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, host Traci Arieli sits down with Sheila Martello , founder of Stephy’s Place , a nonprofit grief support center dedicated to providing free, peer-led support for those navigating loss.  Sheila shares her journey of loss following the events of September 11th, and how her...

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message. In this episode of Comforting Closure – Conversations with a Death Doula , host Traci Arieli sits down with Erica Baccus to share a deeply personal and powerful story about Death with Dignity . When Erica’s husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease , he knew he wanted control over his end-of-life journey. But with restrictive laws in the...

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message. What happens after we die? How does faith shape the way we grieve? In this episode of Comforting Closure – Conversations with a Death Doula , host Traci Arieli sits down with Jeff Pedersen , a former practicing Mormon turned agnostic atheist, to explore the unique and deeply rooted beliefs of Mormonism regarding death, grief, and the afterlife...

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message. In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula , host Traci Arieli speaks with Danielle Cristofano Schwartz , founder of Love From Lydia . After the devastating loss of her daughter Lydia, Danielle turned her grief into action, creating a compassionate community that provides support for grieving parents .  Together,...

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message. Navigating Medicare can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. In this episode of Comforting Closure – Conversations with a Death Doula , host Traci Arieli sits down with Medicare expert Sharon Knox to break down the essentials of Medicare & Medicaid, enrollment periods, common pitfalls, and how to choose the right coverage...

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message. In this episode of Comforting Closure – Conversations with a Death Doula , host Traci Arieli sits down with Matt Jacobson , founder of LifeBooks , to explore the profound impact of storytelling and legacy documentation.  Have you ever wondered how to preserve your loved one’s memory for future generations? Matt shares how reflecting on life st...

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message. In this episode of Comforting Closure: Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli sits down with Lindsay Hurty, founder of Everwell and Self School, to explore the impact of Forever Letters. These letters are more than words on a page—they’re expressions of love, wisdom, and connection that become part of a lasting legacy.  Lindsay shares...

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message. In this episode of Comforting Closure: Conversations with a Death Doula , Traci Arieli is joined by Lindsay Hurty, Ed. M., a Harvard-educated self-development specialist and founder of Everwell and Self School. Lindsay shares her inspiring journey and how she developed the concept of Forever Letters—a powerful practice of writing deeply person...

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message. In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula , host Traci Arieli sits down with Jennifer Leal to talk about stem cell donation. Jennifer shares her personal journey with acute myeloid leukemia, the challenges of finding a donor, and how these experiences inspired her advocacy work.  Together, they discuss the basics...

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message. In this powerful episode of Comforting Closure: Conversations with a Death Doula , host Traci Arieli sits down with Lori Mars, director at the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA). Together, they explore the silent epidemic of elder abuse, covering its various forms—physical, emotional, financial, and neglect—and the devastating impact it has...

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message. In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli sits down with Charles M. Chafer, CEO of Celestis Memorial Spaceflights, to explore a unique and inspiring way to honor loved ones—sending their cremated remains into space. Together, they discuss this extraordinary memorial option's history, science, a...

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message. In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula , Traci Arieli sits down with Gabrielle Gatto and Mary Pat Klein from The Green-Wood Cemetery to explore the healing magic of "Grieving and Weaving." This unique program invites people to use fiber arts like knitting, crochet, and weaving to process grief, conne...

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message. In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula , I sit down with Elliott Appel, the founder of Kindness Financial Planning, to talk about how financial preparation can provide comfort and peace of mind, especially during life’s toughest transitions.  Elliott brings a warm and empathetic approach to financial planning,...

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message. In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli sits down with Liana Lowenstein, a registered social worker and child psychotherapist specializing in helping children navigate grief through play therapy. Together, they discuss how children experience grief differently from adults, the transformative role...

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message. In this second part of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula , Traci Arieli completes creating her own advance directive with the help of end-of-life specialist Maureen Kures. Joined by her husband, Oren, Traci defines her healthcare wishes, exploring values like maintaining dignity, mental clarity, and the importance of daily...

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message. In this very personal episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula , join me as I work with Maureen Kures, founder of A Radiant Mourning and my husband, Oren, to create my own advance directive. Maureen leads us in exploring what it really means to document our wishes—from reflecting on our personal values to choosing the r...

I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message. Episode Description:   In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, host Traci Arieli welcomes Angela Hey from SpiritCare Ministry to discuss the impact of music in aging care. We discuss Angela’s journey into music and bedside ministry, SpiritCare’s mission to enrich the lives of older adults, and how music can al...