End of Life Conversations: Normalizing Talk About Death, Dying, and Grief

Send us Fan Mail When someone we love dies, most of us lose our words. We freeze. We reach for something meaningful and come up empty. But what if the problem isn't that you don't know what to say — it's that no one ever gave you the right kind of language for grief? In this episode, we sit down with Moudi Speiti — Lebanese American poet, contemplative educator, and a man who grew u...

Send us Fan Mail Talking about death is one of the hardest conversations many of us will ever have, yet avoiding it can leave families with unanswered questions, uncertainty, and regret. In this Weekly Dispatch , we explore compassionate, practical ways to begin conversations about death with someone you love. You'll learn how to recognize when someone is ready to talk, how to ask thoughtful...

Send us Fan Mail When you're grieving, words from well-meaning friends often fall short. What actually helps is finding a story that reflects your own — proof that someone else has been where you are and survived it. But where do those stories live, and who ensures they reach the people who need them most? In this episode, we sit down with Laura J. Kramer, journalist and founder of Waiting Ro...

Send us Fan Mail Grief doesn't just affect our emotions. It affects our bodies, too. In this Weekly Dispatch episode, we explore the physical symptoms of grief and why loss can show up as fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, digestive issues, chronic stress, and even unexplained pain. Many people are surprised to learn that grief is not only an emotional experience but also a physical one. We&...

Send us Fan Mail What does a death doula actually do — and why are more people choosing green burial and community-based death care? In this episode, death doulas Jen Blalock and Shelby Mundy (co-founders of Before I Die Cincinnati) share how Jen supported Shelby's husband through his final days, and how that experience grew into a movement built on presence, transparency, and community. We c...

Send us Fan Mail What does it mean to be a man today? In this Weekly Dispatch, we explore the growing conversation around healthy masculinity, emotional vulnerability, men's mental health, and the idea of "rewilding masculinity." For generations, many men were taught that strength meant emotional control, self-reliance, and toughness. But what happens when those expectations collide...

Send us Fan Mail Most of us know we should talk to our family about death — and most of us still haven't.  In this episode, end-of-life educator and former nurse Monica Kumar shares how to start a conversation about death and legacy with the people you love, before a crisis forces the issue. We talk about  - why starting with life and legacy — not logistics — makes these conversations easier,...

Send us Fan Mail Animal suffering is a reality that many people would rather not think about, yet for those who become aware of it, the emotional impact can be profound. Why do we grieve for animals we've never met? What happens when compassion collides with the realities of modern food systems? And how can we respond without becoming overwhelmed, numb, or consumed by guilt? In this Weekly Di...

Send us Fan Mail When Angela Nissel's mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, nobody told her — not even her mom. So when the caregiving began, Angela was completely unprepared. What followed was a crash course in love, loss, grief, and what it actually means to show up for someone who is dying. In this episode, Angela — award-winning author of Good Grief, Pass the Bread, Mom is Dead — talks...

Send us Fan Mail Finding support in your grief shouldn't be this hard — but for many people, it can be.  In this episode, Annalouiza, Wakil, and Sam dig into what's actually broken about how we access grief resources, and more importantly, what we can do about it.  Whether you're navigating loss yourself or you work in death care, this conversation is for you.  We cover:  → How to f...

Send us Fan Mail What does it mean to find purpose after unimaginable loss? In this episode, Lauren Reagan shares the story of her son Declan's battle with acute myeloid leukemia, the life-saving role of blood transfusions and platelet donations, and how grief eventually led her toward advocacy and service. Over the course of Declan's treatment, he received dozens of blood and platelet t...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when the stories we've inherited about identity, belonging, and culture no longer feel complete, and we find ourselves feeling disconnected from our family history? For many of us, the line back to our ancestors was interrupted by colonization, migration, assimilation, adoption, or simple silence. That interruption leaves a real kind of grief, even when we don&ap...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when someone is declared clinically dead at 23… and comes back with a completely different relationship to fear, consciousness, and mortality? In this conversation, Saladin Frank Pelfrey shares the near-death experience that transformed his life and the spiritual practices that have guided decades of work around death, awakening, and emotional healing. We explore why...

Send us Fan Mail What can hospice patients teach us about living well before we die? In this conversation, Mike Oppenheim, host of Coffin Talk, shares insights from hospice volunteering, conversations about death, and years spent exploring how mortality shapes the way we live. We discuss: - What hospice patients often realize near the end of life - Why Americans struggle to talk about death openly...

Send us Fan Mail What does it mean to grieve an invasive species? 🌿 In this episode, we explore ecological grief, invasive plants, naturalization, climate change, and the emotional complexity of land stewardship. When we remove species from ecosystems, are we only managing landscapes, or are we also confronting deeper questions about belonging, survival, loss, and coexistence? Prayers for Pulled...

Send us Fan Mail Death doula Nikki Smith joins us to talk about end-of-life planning, dying with dignity, and why the conversation your family keeps avoiding might be the most important one you ever have. In a culture that treats death as something to fear and avoid, Nikki's work as a death doula offers a different path — one grounded in presence, honesty, and love. She's guided hundreds...

Send us Fan Mail Why do so many modern men feel emotionally disconnected, lonely, or exhausted, even in a hyper-connected world? In this Weekly Dispatch episode, we explore masculinity, femininity, emotional repression, grief, vulnerability, and the growing sense of disconnection many people are feeling today. Rather than approaching the topic through blame or stereotypes, this conversation examin...

Send us Fan Mail Most of us were never taught how to talk about death. So when the moment arrives — and it always does — we're left scrambling, silent, or saying the wrong thing.  But what if the avoidance itself is the problem? In this episode, journalist and Colorado Matters co-host Chandra Thomas-Whitfield joins us for an honest, grounded conversation about aging, end-of-life planning, gri...

Send us Fan Mail Most people believe that once an advance directive is signed, their wishes are protected. But for countless families — including those navigating advanced dementia — that piece of paper isn't enough. In this weekly dispatch episode, we explore why advance directives so often fail in practice, what it looks like to truly advocate for a dying loved one inside a medical system t...

Send us Fan Mail Why does grief feel so isolating in the United States? And what can we learn from cultures where mourning is shared collectively instead of carried alone? In this episode, we explore the powerful differences between our North American grief culture and communal mourning traditions in Malawi, Africa. Through stories, movement practices, ritual, music, and conversation, we examine h...

Send us Fan Mail What does “death with dignity” really mean—and who gets to decide? In this week's dispatch episode, we explore the legal, ethical, and deeply personal realities of end-of-life choices, including medical aid in dying, assisted suicide laws, and how families navigate these decisions in real life. Whether you’re planning ahead, supporting a loved one, or simply trying to underst...

Send us Fan Mail Why do you react so strongly to certain situations… even when part of you knows it doesn’t make sense? In this episode, we explore how trauma and grief shape the nervous system and influence emotional reactions, often in ways that feel confusing or overwhelming. Instead of asking “what’s wrong with me?”, we look at what your body is trying to do to protect you. This conversation b...

Send us Fan Mail There’s a growing sense of grief that doesn’t always have a clear name. Many people are feeling disillusioned, angry, or emotionally exhausted as they watch the world around them shift. It can feel like losing faith in society, in shared values, or in the idea that things will get better. In this weekly dispatch, we explore the pervasive feeling of distrust within the United State...

Send us Fan Mail Caregiving is one of the most meaningful—and overwhelming—roles many of us will ever step into. In this episode, we explore The 6-Step Guide to Compassionate Caregiving, inspired by Tracy Heath’s work, offering a practical and emotionally grounded approach to supporting loved ones through illness, aging, and end of life. If you’re caring for a parent, partner, or friend—or navigat...

Send us Fan Mail What if the hardest part of leadership isn’t stepping up, but stepping back? We talk a lot about empowering younger voices, but we don’t talk about what it costs to make space for them. When new leadership emerges, something else has to end, and that ending can feel like a loss. Maybe not dramatic loss… but quiet, internal shifts. Identity, relevance, and being needed in the same...