On Grief: A Podcast about Death

In this episode, we discuss: How young widows are treated differently than older widows What strange things people say to you when you're a widow How people often try to burnish a dead spouse instead of being realistic about their lives What taboos there are around dating again How being a young widow changes how you parent And more. Lost and Found can be found on the web: https://lostandfoundto.com/ and on instagram: @lostandfoundto (https://instagram.com/lostandfoundto)

In this episode, we discuss: Traumatic loss as an infant What people say to children when they lose parents The perils of being high functioning while grieving When she knew she needed therapy How to navigate therapy when your memories are scant How she turned her pain into a new career And more...

In this episode, we discuss: The neuroscience of why we bond with horses Why Gail decided to change her life to work with horses What the primary benefits of Equine Learning are Who is an ideal candidate for Equine Learning What types of activities comprise Equine Learning What horses can teach us about grief And more...

Laurie Kilmartin joins me to discuss her experiences with hospice and the death of her father. In this episode, we discuss: Why she decided to write jokes about her dead dad How her family reacted to her making jokes about the aburdity of death What you should make sure you do with your relatives while they're still alive What to do when you're drowning in a dead person's stuff What it's like watching the Oscars with your dead dad And more...

In this episode we discuss: Does everyone have suicidal ideation? How do you know whether you're having a fleeting thought of suicide or it's something more How to be a supportive family member, friend, partner to a person who is suffering suicidal ideation What can you do if you're a family member, friend, partner and you're concerned for a person suffering from suicidal ideation When is hospitalization recommended? Should you try to place an involuntary hold on a person who is suffering? And more...

In this episode, we discuss: What does a Death Doula Do? What kinds of things can you ask a Death Doula for? How Death Doulas can help facilitate better communication around death What Death Doulas DON'T DO When you should engage a Death Doula How can you become a Death Doula And much more....

In this episode we discuss: The history of the Jewish Funeral in America What happens from the time a Jewish person dies to the funeral What makes Jewish funerals different from Protestant funerals What happens at the unveiling Why Muslim bodies are prepared by volunteers What happens in the preparation of Muslims for burial What prayers are said at a funeral Why there are no Quran passages on Islamic headstones What is the history of the Jazz Funeral? What to expect from the parade to the Repast How did black communities band together to ensure their members received a proper funeral What is the ettiquette of a Jazz Funeral? And more...

What is EMDR? In this episode, we discuss: The science behind this treatment Who can benefit from it Who is precluded from doing it What the phases of the treatment are What happens in a session What kind of results can people expect? And more... https://www.emdr.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl9GoXIzBzQ

In this episode we discuss: Different kinds of Pet Loss and why each has unique challenges Do pets miss their owners in a divorce? What can you do to actively move your grief forward Why our bond with service animals complicates grief Am I crazy for throwing a pet funeral? And much more... Special Guest: Adam Clark.

Wendy Van De Poll, Certified End of Life and Pet Loss Grief Coach and Bestselling Author, joins me to discuss the tough topic of Pet Grief. In this episode, we discuss: How to mentally prepare for losing a pet Should you be present when your pet is euthanized Why we still trivialize pet loss grief Should you get a new pet right away? Should you throw away all the items from your deceased pet? How to talk to kids about Pet Grief And much more...

While most of us respect that the terminally ill or very old might want to exercise their right to die, not many have come around on the idea that any adult with mental capacity should have the right to end their life on their own terms. Philip Nitschke joins me to explain why Exit International provides information and works to move legislation past a medicalized model to bring this crucial right to more people. In this episode, we discuss: Societal taboos around this topic The interest by the general public in understanding this right What are the new trends in this area Why people who want to exercise this right need a plan in place What a SARCO pod is And much more... Exit International (https://exitinternational.net/) The SARCO pod video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIY7lumxQxE)

In this episode, we discuss: How to prepare children if someone they know is going to die soon How to help children understand what death is before it happens in the family How to recognize normal child grief patterns When to know if a child's grief is more complicated How do other factors (such as the media, divorce, or animal deaths) complicate child grief What to never say to children who are grieving And much more... Special Guest: Andrea Warnick.

Caitlin Doughty answers questions from kids and myself alike. We discuss: What are the legalities of cannibalism? Will animals dig up my body if I'm not buried deeply enough? Can you be cremated on a funeral pyre in America? Can you still be buried alive? And many more... Special Guest: Caitlin Doughty.

CONTENT WARNING: EPISODE CONTAINS FRANK DISCUSSION OF SUICIDE. In this episode, Adam Cayton-Holland talks about the death by suicide of his younger sister right when his career was about to take off. In this episode, we discuss: What his family was like How his sister Lydia's mental health changed What the family did to intervene with Lydia How Adam's grief manifested What Adam learned about his family's grief What kind of therapy worked for him And more... Special Guest: Adam Cayton-Holland.

Brandy Schillace and I discuss: What we know about grief from what's available in recorded history What the Reformation did that changed the way we view the dead How the Victorians turned even death into a commercial endeavour and an opportunity for class markers How the traditional American way of mourning came to be What social media is doing to shape our way of grieving And more... Brandy Schillace's website (https://brandyschillace.com/) Buy Death's Summer Coat here (https://www.amazon.com/Deaths-Summer-Coat-History-Teaches/dp/1681773244) Special Guest: Brandy Schillace.

Mortician and Funeral Director Erin Bodishbaugh explains what being a mortician is like. In this episode, we discuss: What kinds of people become morticians Why mortician school weeds out the goths What an average day at work is like What are the misconceptions about dead bodies What surprises they've had on the job Everything you've ever been curious about with cremation What requests they've had to turn down What the best eulogy they've ever witnessed was like And more... Special Guest: Erin Bodishbaugh.

Please note: this episode is not intended to endorse the use of substances that are illegal. In this episode, we explore what it is like to die. I discuss this with Neurosurgeon and Bestselling Author Dr. Eben Alexander (The Map of Heaven) who tells me about his Near Death Experience. I also discuss how we can simulate a Near Death Experience through a drug called 5-MeO DMT ("The toad" or "Bufo") with Hilary Agro, a researcher and anthropologist who studies psychedelics, and I take 5-MeO DMT and describe my induced Near Death Experience. Please note that for legal reasons, I am unable to discuss sourcing of 5-MeO DMT Special Guests: Dr. Eben Alexander and Hilary Agro.