End-of-Life University

Learn how deep listening and poetry are helping transform healthcare and provide an antidote to burnout. My guest Jenny Hegland is the Executive Director of The Good Listening Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to humanizing healthcare through the healing power of poetry and compassionate presence. We discuss the work of TGLP and the power of sharing our stories and having them reflected back to us in the form of poetry. Learn more at the website: goodlistening.org Read the poem The House Medicine Built here Watch on YouTube Listen here: This episode includes: The origin story of The Good Listening Project The power of poetry to reflect our deep stories Why being heard by someone else is deep medicine The synergy between the storyteller and the listener poet How TGLP works Why grief is the number one concern of healthcare providers served by TGLP You don’t have to be skilled at poetry to become a “listener poet” The crafts of listening to and writing poems for others can both be taught The quality of listening can actually affect the quality of sharing that happens How both community and mystery support us when we hold space for others What it involves to become a “listener poet” How “Caregiver Haven” supports caregivers We give the gift of staying with; there is nothing to fix. -The Good Listening Project Links mentioned in this episode: Kickstarter campaign for Wild and Holy Latest post on Substack: Grief, Creativity, and Growing the Soul What Really Matters Podcast Explore the poetry anthologies created by TGLP View my  Patreon tier for Soul Supporters and receive extra reflections as a special bonus NEW Gift Guides for Caregivers, People Receiving Care, and People Who are Grieving Get my two newest books!! Stories from the Dark Night and The Tao of Death Get EOLU Podcast Merch here Conversations on Death with ChatGPT – Audiobook here; Print Book here Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Souloin the team at Patreon.com/eolu and receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously! Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu. And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

In this special episode I’m sharing with you the Introduction to my new book Wild and Holy! I hope you enjoy listening to this brief excerpt and that you’ll consider backing the Kickstarter campaign where you can receive many wonderful bonuses for your support. Wild and Holy has been named a “Project We Love” by Kickstarter, which is an amazing honor I’m happy to receive. Check it out and reserve your copy – available now only through Kickstarter! Go to this link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2136452733/wild-and-holy Thanks in advance if you choose to support the campaign! Listen here:

My two guests this week are administrators of Caring House, a non-profit residence for hospice patients in Torrance, California. David Zartman is the Executive Director of Caring House having previously been a successful entrepreneur. Joanna Franco is the Director of Operations with many years of experience as both a caregiver and a residential care coordinator and manager. They discuss the history of Caring House and how residences like this are essential for communities that want to fully support end-of-life care for their people. Learn more at the Caring House website: yourcaringhouse.org Watch on YouTube Listen here: This episode includes: The history of Caring House The long journey of establishing an Omega Home as a residence for hospice patients What services are provided by Caring House and similar homes Who qualifies to reside there The benefits of “death in community” where several patients and families are experiencing the end of life in the same facility at the same time How staff processes grief after the death of a patient Rituals and traditions followed after a patient death How care is paid for at Caring House Links mentioned in this episode: Kickstarter campaign for Wild and Holy Latest post on Substack: The Weight No One Sees: Hidden Grief and Guilt in Healers What Really Matters Podcast Coffee Tasting Fundraiser for Caring House Previous episode about Omega Homes View my new Patreon tier for Soul Supporters and receive extra reflections as a special bonus NEW Gift Guides for Caregivers, People Receiving Care, and People Who are Grieving Get my two newest books!! Stories from the Dark Night and The Tao of Death Get EOLU Podcast Merch here Conversations on Death with ChatGPT – Audiobook here; Print Book here Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Souloin the team at Patreon.com/eolu and receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously! Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially Deborah Ward and thank you to Kathleen Lynch, Christina Holbrook and Alan Dulit, Chantal Kersten, and Ann Kenworthy for making donations on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn about an uplifting documentary film about a mother’s grief project that became a world-wide movement. Content Warning:This episode includes a conversation about the suicide death of a loved one. Please listen with care and take steps to protect your emotional wellbeing. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. In the U.S., you can call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 for free and confidential support, 24/7. My guest Hallie Twomey is a grieving mother on a mission. Following the suicide death of her elder son CJ, Hallie set out to make something positive evolve from horrific tragedy. Her request for people to scatter CJ’s ashes across the world has now become a documentary film, Scattering CJ that is sparking conversations about mental health and removing the stigma associated with suicide. She discusses her own journey of complicated grief after such a tragic loss. Learn more about the film at the website: scatteringcjfilm.com Watch on YouTube Listen here: This episode includes: The traumatic, complicated grief that follows a suicide death How the movement and the film Scattering CJ came about The miraculous response from people around the world to Hallie’s request Feedback Hallie continues to receive from people who participated in scattering CJ’s ashes Learning to live with questions that can never be answered Links mentioned in this episode: Presentation for The Scientific and Medical Network- Register here Pre-launch for Wild and Holy on Kickstarter My latest post on Substack: KarenWyattMD.substack.com What Really Matters Podcast View my new Patreon tier for Soul Supporters and receive extra reflections as a special bonus NEW Gift Guides for Caregivers, People Receiving Care, and People Who are Grieving Get my two newest books!! Stories from the Dark Night and The Tao of Death Get EOLU Podcast Merch here Conversations on Death with ChatGPT – Audiobook here; Print Book here Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Souloin the team at Patreon.com/eolu and receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously! Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my latest supporter 4Brigid. And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn about a beautiful memoir that teaches readers how to contemplate death in order to find meaning in life. My guest Andy Chaleff is an award-winning author, speaker, and mentor whose work explores the intersection of grief, love, and transformation. He facilitates deeply personal conversations and workshops that help people navigate life’s most challenging transitions. He is the author of 4 books including his recent memoir titled Dying to Live: Finding Life’s Meaning Through Death. He shares his insights about making peace with death and how it has shaped his life. Learn more at his website: andychaleff.com Get the book here Watch on YouTube Listen here: This episode includes: What inspired Andy to write the book How our view of death changes over the arc of life Why we need to have a lot of pain resolved within ourselves in order to show up for another person The “little deaths” of life as a training ground for grief Our need to make peace with death The dual meanings of “dying to live” and why he chose it as a title for the book The value of presence at the end of life Why navigating mistakes makes them even more beautiful The value of writing Last Letters to people we love the power of forgiveness Links mentioned in this episode: Presentation for The Scientific and Medical Network- Register here Pre-launch for Wild and Holy on Kickstarter My latest post on Substack: Reimagining Our Stories with AI What Really Matters Podcast: Healing Grief to Heal the Heart View my new Patreon tier for Soul Supporters and receive extra reflections as a special bonus NEW Gift Guides for Caregivers, People Receiving Care, and People Who are Grieving Get my two newest books!! Stories from the Dark Night and The Tao of Death Get EOLU Podcast Merch here Conversations on Death with ChatGPT – Audiobook here; Print Book here Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Souloin the team at Patreon.com/eolu and receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously! Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu and thank you to Alisha Jameson for making a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn about a memoir that discusses sibling grief and the spiritual transformation that can occur after loss. My guest Kristina Amelong is the author of the memoir What My Brother Knew about the death of her younger brother when she was in her teens and her journey from loss and abuse to healing and spiritual awakening. She is the founder of a holistic health business Optimal Health Network and a senior board member for the Center for World Philosophy and Religion. Learn more at her website: kristinaamelong.com Get the book here Watch on YouTube Listen here: This episode includes: The story of her brother’s premonition that he would die young How sibling grief is often overlooked in our society How guilt can haunt us for years after a death Synchronicities that have occurred since Jay’s death How grief has been a portal for spiritual transformation Why it can take decades to process the pain of grief The importance of facing grief head-on and not avoiding it Links mentioned in this episode: Presentation for Science and Medicine Network- Register here Pre-launch for Wild and Holy on Kickstarter My latest post on Substack: Slowing Down with AI What Really Matters Podcast: From Ego-Driven to Soul-Led View my new Patreon tier for Soul Supporters and receive extra reflections as a special bonus NEW Gift Guides for Caregivers, People Receiving Care, and People Who are Grieving Get my two newest books!! Stories from the Dark Night and The Tao of Death Get EOLU Podcast Merch here Conversations on Death with ChatGPT – Audiobook here; Print Book here Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Souloin the team at Patreon.com/eolu and receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously! Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu and thank you to everyone who bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn about a heartwarming book of end-of-life teaching stories about the “little things” that make life meaningful. My guest Diane Button is an end-of-life doula, a founding partner of the Bay Area End-of-Life Doula Alliance in Northern California, and an instructor for the University of Vermont’s End-of-Life Doula Professional Certificate Program. She has been a NEDA board member and a hospice volunteer and is the author of the newly published book What Matters Most: Lessons the Dying Teach Us About Living. She discusses the book and the importance of storytelling and legacy projects. Learn more at her website: dianebutton.com Get the book here Watch on YouTube Listen here: This episode includes: What inspired Diane to write this book Why storytelling is important as we help our society become more death aware The Joy Counter and other stories from the book The value of “the little things” of life to help us create meaning Why legacy projects are helpful as we approach the end of life How Diane helps people create their own legacy projects What is the “Final Checklist” Who can benefit from reading this book How this work has impacted Diane’s life Links mentioned in this episode: Relaunch of What Really Matters Podcast Sign up to be notified about Wild and Holy Kickstarter Campaign Check out my Substack: Soulcode – where I share essays on AI, grief, shadow work, and spiritual reflection  View my new Patreon tier for Soul Supporters and receive extra reflections as a special bonus NEW Gift Guides for Caregivers, People Receiving Care, and People Who are Grieving Get my two newest books!! Stories from the Dark Night and The Tao of Death Get EOLU Podcast Merch here Conversations on Death with ChatGPT – Audiobook here; Print Book here Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Souloin the team at Patreon.com/eolu and receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously! Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu and thank you to everyone who bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn why the qualities of ethical service are important for everyone who cares for others at the end of life. My guest Kathy Ginn is a massage therapist and bodyworker who is also an End-of-Life Care Doula, Grief Companion, author, and educator. She is the founder of Ethical Dimensions continuing education platform and the author of the book: The Soul of Ethical Service – Seven Qualities to Embrace in Your Professional Healing Relationships. Today she reaches why transformative ethics are the heart of our caring services and how to cultivate the qualities that will help us better serve others at the end of life. Learn more at her websites: ethicaldimensions.com Get the book 4riverscenter.com Watch on YouTube Listen here: This episode includes: How Kathy became interested in ethics and end-of-life care What is “ethical service” Why ethical service can be transformative The 7 qualities that define ethical service How cultivating these qualities can help us as we provide care to people at the end of life How to assess and improve our ability to serve others with integrity Links mentioned in this episode: Relaunch of What Really Matters Podcast Sign up to be notified about Wild and Holy Kickstarter Campaign Check out my Substack: Soulcode – where I share essays on AI, grief, shadow work, and spiritual reflection  View my new Patreon tier for Soul Supporters and receive extra reflections as a special bonus NEW Gift Guides for Caregivers, People Receiving Care, and People Who are Grieving Get my two newest books!! Stories from the Dark Night and The Tao of Death Get EOLU Podcast Merch here Conversations on Death with ChatGPT – Audiobook here; Print Book here Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Souloin the team at Patreon.com/eolu and receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously! Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially to my latest supporters Marie-France Pryvik, Vincent Randy, Donna C. Stratford, and Claire Turner; and to Graceful Bridge for buying me coffees. Thank you also to Karen Michael who made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn about the importance of community-based rituals for grief to help us heal the divisions in our society. In this solo episode I’m sharing some my observation that our society is currently in a massive collective grief spiral, largely due to unaddressed grief from the COVID pandemic as I wrote about in a recent Substack essay. Collective community rituals are needed to help us express and alchemize this grief together. I believe we in the death-positive movement carry a responsibility to help our families, neighbors, and community-members come together in simple ways to acknowledge grief and I invite you to participate in this endeavor. Read the Substack post here DOWNLOAD How to Create A Collective Grief Ritual Listen here: This episode includes: We are in a massive spiral of cultural grief What happens when grief is not tended Why community grief rituals are important What other cultures teach us about collective mourning and remembrance How to incorporate grief rituals into other types of deathwork Who should take up this challenge to help our society address its unexpressed grief Ideas for simple grief rituals and how and when to use them “May we find ways, each in our own communities, to tend the tears of things, to honor our ancestors, and to carry light together through this dark season of grief.”Karen Wyatt MD Links mentioned in this episode: Relaunch of What Really Matters Podcast Sign up to be notified about Wild and Holy Kickstarter Campaign Check out my Substack: Soulcode – where I share essays on AI, grief, shadow work, and spiritual reflection  View my new Patreon tier for Soul Supporters and receive extra reflections as a special bonus NEW Gift Guides for Caregivers, People Receiving Care, and People Who are Grieving Get my two newest books!! Stories from the Dark Night and The Tao of Death Get EOLU Podcast Merch here Conversations on Death with ChatGPT – Audiobook here; Print Book here Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Souloin the team at Patreon.com/eolu and receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously! Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypa

Learn how business leaders and entrepreneurs are being taught to find meaning in life from the stories of the terminally ill. My guest Travis Luther MA is a sociologist and entrepreneur and a recognized expert in childhood trauma. He teaches business leaders through workshops, one-on-one coaching, and keynote speaking about finding deeper meaning in work and life. He is the author of the forthcoming book What We Learn When We Learn We Are Dying: Life Advice from the Terminally Ill. He discusses his current work and his advice for entrepreneurs based on what he has learned from numerous interviews with people dealing with terminal illness. Learn more at his website: travisluther.com Watch on YouTube Listen here: This episode includes: What inspired Travis to interview people facing terminal illness Why he teaches entrepreneurs the lessons he has learned How this teaching is received His teaching about the “lived” and the “unlived” life of entrepreneurs Why Travis focused on younger people and entrepreneurs for the interviews he did The most common advice was to stop deferring life to the future and live now Unprocessed trauma and grief are common for people in the entrepreneurial community The Time Traveler MethodTM developed by Travis Why almost everything that happens can be viewed as a lesson to learn from Links mentioned in this episode: Relaunch of What Really Matters Podcast Sign up to be notified about Wild and Holy Kickstarter Campaign Check out my Substack: Soulcode – where I share essays on AI, grief, shadow work, and spiritual reflection  View my new Patreon tier for Soul Supporters and receive extra reflections as a special bonus NEW Gift Guides for Caregivers, People Receiving Care, and People Who are Grieving Get my two newest books!! Stories from the Dark Night and The Tao of Death Get EOLU Podcast Merch here Conversations on Death with ChatGPT – Audiobook here; Print Book here Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Souloin the team at Patreon.com/eolu and receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously! Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially to my latest supporter Susan and to Connie WS for upping your pledge. Thank you also to Taya Levine who made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.