End-of-Life University

Learn how a funeral director who is also an end-of-life doula merges “head and heart” in her work to help people prepare for the end of life. My guest Christa Ovenell is a licensed funeral director, an end-of-life doula, and the founder of Death’s Apprentice Education & Planning. She shares how she helps people think about, talk about, and prepare for the end of life and what comes after. Her work highlights the importance of planning how to live fully during our last days so that we don’t waste any of our precious time, and how to navigate all the transitions of life as we age. Learn more at her website: deathsapprentice.ca YouTube Channel Listen here: This episode includes: Why Christa ended up becoming both a funeral director and end-of-life doula When people don’t plan for their funerals and disposition they often end up with expensive options that weren’t really wanted Tips for getting end-of-life planning done while we are still healthy 4 pillars of decision-making How “heart work” is the hard work we need to do How a “pre-need” for funerals can be helpful to families Why decluttering is part of death-preparedness How to navigate life-altering transitions while aging Links mentioned in this episode: NEW Gift Guides for Caregivers, People Receiving Care, and People Who are Grieving Get my two new 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 Soul Subscribe to this podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Stitcher Radio Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here Join 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. Also thank you to everyone who has joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn why you should start a death collaborative in your community and tips for getting started. My guests this week are members of the Minnesota Death Collaborative and will share how the collaborative was created, including tips for others who might like to start a similar collaborative in their community or state. Michelle Kolling is a hospice volunteer and end-of-life doula who serves as secretary of the collaborative and Nina Guertin is an end-of-life doula, death educator and a co-founder of the original collaborative. They share their personal experiences and the benefits and challenges of collaborating with others. Learn more about each guest and the MN Death Collaborative at the links below: Michelle Kolling: heldoula.com Nina Guertin: tendingthespirit.care MN Death Collaborative: mndeathcollaborative.org YouTube Channel Listen here: This episode includes: How the MN Death Collaborative was initially created The benefits of being a member of a collaborative How a collaborative organization offers credibility to those who are creating their own businesses The end of life is a multifactorial experience which demands a team approach How a person-centered approach is “built in” to the mission of the collaborative Types of events sponsored by the collaborative How to sustain a collaborative over time The importance of slowing down and taking smaller steps in the beginning Tips for other groups that want to start a collaborative The infrastructure needed to support such a movement Links mentioned in this episode: All Together Symposium: Nurturing Partnerships. Reimagining Palliative Care. Previous episode on Compassionate Communities NEW Gift Guides for Caregivers, People Receiving Care, and People Who are Grieving Get my two new 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 Soul Subscribe to this podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Stitcher Radio Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here Join 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. Also thank you to Anonymous for buying me a cup of coffee and to everyone who has joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn how death and grief are portrayed in pop culture through this new series that analyzes theater, film and music, starting with the Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen. Trigger Warning: This episode contains references to suicide and grief after suicide so use your own discretion if these are sensitive topics for you. If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide and need help call or text the National Suicide Hotline at 988. My guest Benjamin Kintisch is a cantor, hospice and eldercare chaplain, music teacher, and the creator of Life Review: The Hospice Musical. Ben and I are teaming up for a new series on Death & Grief in Pop Culture to talk about all the interesting ways death shows up in culture, what we might learn about death and grief through the lens of pop culture, and how we can utilize popular references to death and grief to increase death literacy for ourselves and others. This week we are discussing the Broadway musical “Dear Evan Hansen.” Learn more about Ben’s work at his website: lifereviewmusical.com YouTube Channel Listen here: This episode includes: Death and grief are all around us in popular culture How pop culture can help us increase death literacy for ourselves and in conversations with others Learning how to stay present with the pain and grief of others The power of live theatre to touch our hearts and teach our minds The preponderance of orphans as characters in popular films and stories Death and grief in Life Review: The Hospice Musical The authenticity of grief depicted in Dear Evan Hansen Why this musical is transformative and uplifting at the end Links mentioned in this episode: Register here for Hope for the Best Plan for the Rest Workshop; September 22 at 7 pm Eastern with Hsien Seow PhD and Sammy Winemaker MD Watch Dear Evan Hansen 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 Soul Subscribe to this podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Stitcher Radio Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here Join 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, occasional movie reviews from 2 Doctors and a Movie, 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 supporters Cheri and Mark and to Dana Tuttle for buying me 3 coffees! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn how a palliative clinician and a researcher are helping to create a social movement for improving the patient and family experience of serious illness. This week I’m welcoming Drs. Sammy Winemaker and Hsien Seow, creators of The Waiting Room Revolution and authors of the book Hope for the Best Plan for the Rest. Sammy is a palliative care physician and an associate clinical professor at McMaster University. Hsien is a professor in the Department of Oncology at McMaster University who publishes health care research focused on improving the patient and family experience for those facing serious illness. Together they co-host The Waiting Room Revolution Podcast to help patients and family members feel hopeful and prepared when facing serious illness. Their book Hope for the Best Plan for the Rest is the featured book for the month of September 2024 in A Year of Reading Dangerously reading group. Learn more about their work and download the discussion guide for the book at the links below: waitingroomrevolution.com Get the book here Discussion Guide YouTube Channel Listen here: This episode includes: Why Sammy and Hsien decided to write the book The 7 keys they focus on for navigating serious illness Why patients and their families benefit from “walking the two roads” of hope and preparation How the medical system currently fails to support patients in preparing for the possibility that treatment may not have the desired outcome How our hopes and plans evolve as our illness journey changes A palliative approach to patients and illness helps clinicians in all specialties avoid burnout How seeing the “big picture” journey of an illness can help with decision-making Why caregivers also need preparation at the beginning of an illness journey Links mentioned in this episode: 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 Soul Subscribe to this podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Stitcher Radio Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here Join 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, occasional movie reviews from 2 Doctors and a Movie, 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 supporters Jenny Gedda, Carolynn Rafa Todd, and Karen Sueanna! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn about some helpful episodes from the EOLU Archives that can show you how and why to start teaching others about death and dying. This week I’m sharing another “Podcast Playlist” which is a topic-focused deep dive into the archives of EOLU. I have created several anthologies of episodes that deal with specific subjects to make it easier for you to take advantage of the wealth of information available from previous interviews on the podcast. This playlist centers on Death Education and you’ll learn a lot about why we all need to be death educators in our communities right now, tips for creating our own classes or events, and various resources and trainings that are available to help you start to teach others. You can see the slides for this episode if you watch on YouTube at the link below or you can download a handout of the slides and a list of the presenters. There’s a lot of content here – this playlist should help you choose the episodes you want to listen to! View slides here YouTube Channel Handout of Presenters Listen here: This episode includes: Ep. 368 Why Death Education is Important Ep. 130 How Death Awareness Can Change the World Ep. 132 How to be a Great Death-Ed Teacher Ep. 127 The Consequences of Ignoring Death Ep. 129 How to Teach Death-Ed to College Students with Stacy Smith Ep. 300 Reena Lazar of Willow EOL – https://www.willoweol.com Ep. 370 Rev. Karen Johnston of Date with Death Club – https://datewithdeathclub.com Ep. 421 Qwynn Galloway-Salazar – Caring for Veterans Courses – https://psycharmor.org/caring-for-veterans-through-end-of-life Ep. 350 Elizabeth Johnson & Erin Collins – https://thepeacefulpresenceproject.org Ep. 447 Compassionate Communities Course – https://peacefulpresence-courses.thinkific.com/courses/comcom-101 Ep. 29 How to Start a Death Café with Betsy Trapasso Ep. 33 How to Start an EOL Book Club Ep. 52 How to Start an EOL Film Series in Your Community Ep. 32 How to Plan an EOL Event for Your Community with Ashley Benem Ep. 74 Lessons from a Death Positive Event with Holly Pruett Ep. 335 Death Café with Megan Mooney – https://deathcafe.com Ep. 374 The Death Deck with Lisa Pahl and Lori LoCicero – https://thedeathdeck.com Ep. 403 Death Over Drafts with Stefanie Elkins – https://www.deathoverdrafts.com Links mentioned in this episode: Get the Teaching Guidelines for a Death & Dying Class Sign up for Death & Dying Class Instructor Training 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 Soul Subscribe to this podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Stitcher Radio Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here Join 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, occasional movie reviews from 2 Doctors and a Movie, 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 supporters Margie Blanchard and Bonnie! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn some tips and tools for offering support to family caregivers tending a loved one on hospice. My return guest Gabby Jimenez is a hospice nurse, end-of-life doula, death and dying educator, author and blogger. She is the author/co-author of numerous books, including Dignity Day and The Doula Tool Kit and the host of The Hospice Heart community on Facebook. In today’s conversation she shares her thoughts about how to support family caregivers through some of the overwhelming issues they face while caring for a loved one. We address our concerns for the well-being of family caregivers and offer some tips for improving their experience with hospice and easing their subsequent grief after death occurs. Learn more at her website: thehospiceheart.net Get Gabby’s books here YouTube Channel Listen here: This episode includes: Major issues for family caregivers tending a loved one on hospice care How lack of training for caregivers leads to fears of not doing the right thing and lingering guilt after death What to say to reassure a family caregiver The importance of slowing down and listening deeply to the concerns of the caregiver Tools and tips for supporting a family caregiver Links mentioned in this episode: Podcast episode with Ryan Bailey discussing his grief: YouTube Previous conversations with Gabby on Dignity Day and The Doula Tool Kit Gabby’s Facebook Group: The Hospice Heart 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 Soul Subscribe to this podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Stitcher Radio Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here Join 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, occasional movie reviews from 2 Doctors and a Movie, 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 supporters Heather Capuana and Paul, and to Peg Hofmann for joining the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn how a home funeral guide and an aqua cremation provider collaborate to help families care for a loved one’s body after death. My two guests this week are collaborators who work together to ensure that their clients can access family involved deathcare: Trina Wacasey is an end-of-life doula, home funeral guide and the founder of Creating Honoring Spaces; and David Perfito is the founder of the first alkaline hydrolysis facility in the state of California, White Rose Aqua Cremation. They share how they came to work together in collaboration and how their model can be an inspiration for others to address gaps in deathcare in their communities. Learn more at their websites: creatinghonoringspaces.com whiteroseaquacremation.com YouTube Channel Listen here: This episode includes: What a home funeral is Why a family might consider a home funeral (and why it may not be right for everyone) Why families need a guide to help them navigate the funeral process Trina’s “mini mobile suite” for after-death care How aqua cremation works Advantages of aqua cremation (alkaline hydrolysis) over fire cremation How White Rose Aqua Cremation can serve people wherever they live How Trina and David work together even they are located 7 hours apart How home funerals and eco-friendly disposition go hand-in-hand Why this type of collaboration is novel and necessary for forming compassionate communities Links mentioned in this episode: Widening the Circle of Compassion Course – September 7 – October 5; email deathandgriefworkercollective@gmail.com or Connect on Instagram Previous interview about The Natural Funeral with Seth Viddal 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 Soul Subscribe to this podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Stitcher Radio Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here Join 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, occasional movie reviews from 2 Doctors and a Movie, 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 supporters Marie Sutton and Aviva Engel. Also many thanks to Karessa Torgerson for making a donation through Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn about a book of quotes gathered by a compassionate oncologist from deep conversations with her patients. My guest Dr. Christina Gomez is a gastrointestinal medical oncologist at Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center. She is the author of the book Stopped in My Tracks: A Physician’s Collection of Cancer Patients’ Quotes, which she discusses today. She shares her approach to talking with patients about difficult end of life issues, including referring them to palliative or hospice care and the value of listening deeply to her patients. Learn more at her website: christinagomezmd.com Get the book here YouTube Channel Listen here: This episode includes: Why Dr. Gomez started to collect the words of her cancer patients What it feels like to be the bearer of hard news for patients Honoring the patient’s choice for how much they want to know about their prognosis How quickly options are changing for novel cancer treatments and what constitutes “realistic hope” Why we need to bridge the divide between oncology and palliative care to ensure that patients can access all the care they need and want The gift of targeted therapies in prolonging life with cancer How Dr. Gomez avoids giving patients false hope and focuses on what is really possible Treating the whole person, not just the cancer and why no one “loses the battle” Learning about the present moment from patients The retreat Dr. Gomez is hosting October 11-12 for patients, providers, caregivers on the cancer journey Links mentioned in this episode: Retreat – Stopped in My Tracks: A Weekend of Reflection and Healing – October 11-12, 2024 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 Soul Subscribe to this podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Stitcher Radio Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here Join 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, occasional movie reviews from 2 Doctors and a Movie, 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 to Sue Stuparek for buying me a coffee! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn all about end-of-life doulas from this comprehensive deep dive into the archives of EOLU Podcast! This week I’m sharing a new feature: the “Podcast Playlist” which is a topic-focused deep dive into the archives of EOLU. I’ve created several anthologies of episodes that deal with specific subjects that might interest you. This is to make it easier for you to take advantage of the wealth of information available from previous interviews on the podcast. This playlist centers on EOL Doulas and you’ll learn a lot about what doulas do, why they are important, and various types of trainings that are available. You can see the slides for this episode if you watch on YouTube at the link below or you can download a handout of the slides and a list of the presenters: View slides here Handout of Presenters YouTube Channel Listen here: This episode includes: Ep. 228: Suzanne O’Brien RN – https://doulagivers.com Ep. 177: Felicity Warner – http://www.soulmidwives.co.uk Ep. 312: Zenith Virago – https://www.naturaldeathcarecentre.org Ep. 328: Sarah Kerr PhD – https://sacreddeathcare.com Ep. 199: UVM EOL Doula Professional Certificate (Francesca Arnoldy) – https://learn.uvm.edu/program/end-of-life-doula-certificate/ Ep. 315: Deanna Cochran RN – https://www.certifiedcaredoula.com Ep. 455: Alua Arthur – https://goingwithgrace.com Ep. 341: Olivia Bareham – https://sacredcrossings.com/institute/ Ep. 242: Merilynne Rush – https://www.thedyingyear.org Ep. 360: Jo-Anne Haun and Karen Hendrickson – Death Doula Network International – https://ddnint.com Ep. 441: Diane Button, Gabby Elise Jimenez, and Angela Shook – The Doula Tool Kit: The Complete Practical Guide for End-of-Life Doulas & Caregivers – https://amzn.to/3S9ba6s Ep. 211: Bodhi Be – Doorway Into Light https://www.doorwayintolight.org/education Other links for this show: 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 Soul Subscribe to this podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Stitcher Radio Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here Join 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, occasional movie reviews from 2 Doctors and a Movie, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously! Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal

Learn about a guidebook that teaches how to offer appropriate nutrition for a loved one approaching death. This week I’m welcoming my recurring guest and friend Barbara Karnes RN, hospice nurse, author, thought leader and expert on end-of-life care and the dynamics of dying. Barbara is the author of Gone From My Sight, “the little blue book” used by hospices around the world to teach families what to expect as their loved one dies. She is also the author of the new book Always Offer, Never Force that teaches caregivers about the changing needs for food and nutrition as the body approaches death. We discuss the book and our personal experiences in this informative conversation. Learn more at Barbara’s website: bkbooks.com Get the book here YouTube Channel Listen here: This episode includes: How food is a top concern for caregivers when a loved one is nearing death The body needs food less and less as death approaches How food represents love for most of us and is tied to our emotions and socialization Concentrate on high protein and high calorie foods from the time of diagnosis to build up an energy reserve Having a flexible plan for nutrition during the last months of life can help alleviate stress and tension How the judgments of others can cause guilt for caregivers around food Why tube feeding and IV nutrition are not helpful and may be harmful at the end of life Links mentioned in this episode: Contact information for ordering books from Barbara’s website 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 Soul Subscribe to this podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Stitcher Radio Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here Join 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, occasional movie reviews from 2 Doctors and a Movie, 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 Ronda Violi and to Simply Celebrate for buying me 3 coffees! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.