End-of-Life University

Learn about a grief book that combines personal experience with expert advice and a touch of humor. My guest Dina Gachman is a Pulitzer Center grantee, an award-winning journalist, and a frequent contributor to the New York Times, Texas Monthly, Vox, and more. She wrote her second book So Sorry for Your Loss: How I Learned to Live with Grief and Other Grave Concerns after experiencing two deaths in her family and needing to process and learn more about her own grief. Learn more at her website: dinagachmanwrites.com Get the book here YouTube Channel Listen here: This episode includes: What inspired Dina to write this book Choosing the right therapist for grief counseling Her family’s experience with hospice and what she wishes she had known Why they struggled with accepting palliative care earlier in the course of her mother’s illness “Opening the box” as a tool for initiating end-of-life conversations How patient and family stories can help us make productive changes in end-of-life care Tips for bringing food to a grieving friend (and why a bucket of chicken is worth considering) Ambiguous loss in the face of alcohol and substance abuse Responses to the book Links mentioned in this episode: My interview on When You Die Podcast 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 newest donor Catherine Noble Heart . Also thank you to everyone who has donated through Paypal or bought me a coffee! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn about the importance of sacred rituals and practices at the end of life. This interview was recorded several years ago with Kitty Edwards, a shamanic practitioner, public speaker, published author and master teacher. She served as the director of The Living and Dying Consciously Project and as the co-founder of The No Regrets Project. Kitty’s passion is to help people explore ways to consciously engage in the dying process, celebrate the accomplishment of navigating the journey to death, and have a greater sense of their own journey to come. DISCLAIMER: As with all interviews in the archives, some links and courses shared may have changed over time and may no longer be available. Follow on Facebook This episode includes: What it means to “hold space” for others Shamanic practices to create sacred space Practices for healthcare providers to get comfortable with death Why we need to create community for our own end of life Importance of clearing the energy field for sacred space Death as a rite of passage 5 practices for having no regrets Links for EOLU Podcast: 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 helpful tool for organizing all your records and files for your later years and your loved ones. My guest Maria Fraietta is the founder of The Nokbox, which is a complete system that helps you organize all of your accounts, possessions, social media presence, communities, kids, pets, personal history, and estate plans. Maria is a former high school teacher and lives and works as an entrepreneur in Littleton, Colorado. She discusses the importance of being organized and prepared as we look ahead to later life. Learn more at her website: thenokbox.com Listen here: This episode includes: How Maria was inspired to create The Nokbox Why tools like The Nokbox are essential right now What happens when people don’t plan ahead How The Nokbox works and can be customized Suggestions for getting started organizing records and files for our next of kin How to update information in The Nokbox over time Services offered by The Nokbox team and on the website Links mentioned in this episode: Sage-ing International “Sneak Peek” of my interview on Michael André Ford’s show Get a 16% discount on The Nokbox using the coupon code: eolu16 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 Jennifer Keenan and to Simply Celebrate for buying me a coffee. Also many thanks to Raven Butterfly for joining the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn how this hospice doctor’s important research sheds light on the dreams and visions of the dying and why they are meaningful. In this interview from the archives of EOLU my guest is Dr. Christopher Kerr  who currently practices at Hospice Buffalo in Buffalo, NY. He is conducting a research project on the dreams and visions of his patients as they near death. You’ll hear the results of his ongoing project. Since this interview aired initially Dr. Kerr has written and published the book Death is But a Dream: Finding Hope and Meaning at Life’s End. Learn more at his website: drchristopherkerr.com Get the book here YouTube Channel Listen here: This episode includes: The difference between delirium and deathbed visions How he conducts his research project Results of his research  The nature of the dreams experienced by his patients What he has learned from this work How this work is helping to inform medical professionals about the end-of-life experiences of their patients Links mentioned in this episode: Dr. Kerr’s TEDtalk

Learn more about the continuing bonds theory and various ways it is beneficial for grievers. This special episode is a follow-up to the previous interview with Dina Stander about the phone of the wind. I’ll take a closer look at the Continuing Bonds theory of grief to see how using a wind phone might actually be helpful for grief. I’ll share excerpts from previous guests who talked about important aspects of continuing bonds. Listen to the previous episode here: The Phone of the Wind YouTube Channel Listen here: This episode includes: What is the Continuing Bonds theory Examples of continuing bonds mentioned by previous guests Terri Daniel, Gary Wederspahn, Joe Primo and Danielle MacKinnon How to maintain continuing bonds Summary of continuing bonds How the wind phone helps with continuing bonds Why not everyone wants to maintain continuing bonds with a deceased loved one Quotes from grievers who found the wind phone helpful Links mentioned in this episode: Litsa Williams blog on What’s Your Grief Terri Daniel interview on EOLU Podcast – continuing bonds Gary Wederspahn interview on EOLU Podcast – continuing bonds with ancestors Joe Primo interview on EOLU Podcast – children and funerals Danielle MacKinnon interview on EOLU Podcast – continuing bonds with animal companions Tips for continuing bonds – Litsa Williams Eleanor Haley blog on continuing bonds Quotes about wind phones 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 newest donor Jennifer Keenan. Also thank you to everyone who has donated through Paypal or bought me a coffee! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn how the “phone of the wind” can help us establish continuing bonds with our loved ones who have died. My guest Dina Stander is an end-of-life navigator, funeral celebrant and burial shroud maker. She is also the founder of the Northeast Death Care Collaborative, an author and a propagator of phones of the wind, which she discusses today. Learn more at her website: dinastander.com YouTube Channel Listen here: This episode includes: How Dina’s life experiences led her to the varied work she is doing now The need for specialized death resources for disabled people Why Dina’s shroud-making services use “up-cycled” fabrics for shrouds The history behind the Phone of the Wind How Dina shares the Phone of the Wind with others How to locate a Phone of the Wind near you What type of phone is best to use How the phone of the wind allows for expression of all emotions, including anger Why a wind phone could be part of a compassionate community The many settings that could benefit from the presence of a wind phone Links mentioned in this episode: Last Dance Shrouds Find a wind phone near you: Mywindphone.com 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 Annie Valdez for buying me 5 coffees! Also many thanks to Thilda Zorn for joining the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn how two creators each facing serious illness came together to produce an award-winning masterpiece. My guests Christina Holbrook and Walker Vreeland are joining me today to talk about their personal stories of serious illness and facing mortality in the midst of working on a creative project. Numerous synchronicities and little miracles came together to make possible the publication of Christina’s novel and audiobook All the Flowers of the Mountain after she was diagnosed with glioblastoma. Each of us has been inspired and transformed through the process of getting this book out into the world during a time of uncertainty. Learn more at these websites: christinaholbrook.com walkervreelandproductions.com YouTube Channel Get the book and audiobook Listen here: This episode includes: How Christina, Walker and I all came together to work on her novel and audiobook How Christina and Walker are both facing their mortality every day How creativity can help overcome the isolation of serious illness Finding meaning for life by bringing a project to the world that will outlive us Facing mortality forces us to think about what really matters in life Why tragedy may be necessary in order to become death-aware Making peace of mind more important than survival Love finds a way, even against tremendous odds Links mentioned in this episode: Register for Foundations of Compassionate Communities Course (Free) What Really Matters – Everyday Spirituality Podcast 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, especially my newest donor Kris Kington-Barker. Also thank you to everyone who has donated through Paypal or bought me a coffee! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn about a senior living community that is bringing end-of-life doula training to residents, thanks to the efforts of its chaplain. My guest Tom Waknitz is a chaplain and end-of-life doula who is working with Walker Methodist Senior Living Community to establish a unique end-of-life program for residents called Passages. He is certified by INELDA and is currently earning a Master of Divinity Degree. After serving his first year as an end-of-life doula, Tom shares his innovative ideas for serving people and their families in transition at the end of life. Learn more about Passages and Tom’s coaching services at these websites: walkermethodist.org onemtl.org YouTube Channel Listen here: This episode includes: Tom’s journey from a career in technology to becoming a chaplain and end-of-life doula Tom’s role as a chaplain and doula in a senior living community Why Tom decided to bring INELDA training to the residents of this community and how it can serve as a model for others The power of guided imagery and “familial stories” Facilitating end-of-life conversations with residents and family members What Tom learned in his first year as an end-of-life doula The power of the intentional pause Why changes in the end-of-life field must be sustainable Links mentioned in this episode: Register for Foundations of Compassionate Communities Course (Free) Tom’s blog post: “Reflections on my First Year as a Spiritual Care Provider & End-of-Life Doula” Learn more about INELDA 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 and to those who’ve bought me a coffee! Also many thanks to all of you who joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn about a powerful NY Times bestselling memoir that teaches how acknowledging our mortality helps us live a more authentic life. My guest Alua Arthur is the founder of Going With Grace, a death doula training and end-of-life planning organization. She is a frequent guest on television and radio and has been featured on CBS’s The Doctors and in Disney’s Limitless docu-series with Chris Hemsworth. Alua is the author of the recently published NY Times bestseller Briefly Perfectly Human: Making an Authentic Life by Getting Real About the End. She shares her story of how she was inspired to learn more about death and teach others how to live fully in the face of our mortality. Learn more at Alua’s website: goingwithgrace.com Get the book here YouTube Channel Listen here: This episode includes: The value of authenticity in memoir-writing How life prepares us for the work we are meant to do How a single conversation shifted the path of Alua’s life What inspired Alua to get training as a death doula Creating better boundaries as we do this work with people at the end of life Compassion allows us to honor another person’s journey without trying to control it How death doula work can be financially viable Why education of the public is an essential foundation for the work we are doing How the “death-space” is welcoming to diverse people with a wide variety of skills Links mentioned in this episode: Register for Foundations of Compassionate Communities Course (Free) Previous interview with Olivia Bareham Limitless with Chris Hemsworth on Disney + 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, especially my newest donor Sara Badano. Also thank you to Karen Shapiro for donating through Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn about an innovative model for compassionate end-of-life care that meets the needs of individuals and communities. My guest Dr. Bob Uslander is the co-founder, with his wife Elizabeth, of Empowered Endings, a unique palliative and end-of-life care model addressing the physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual needs of patients and families. He discusses the flexible model of care he created and how it functions to assist people who don’t qualify for hospice as well as those who are receiving hospice care but need additional services. Learn more at his website: empoweredendings.com YouTube Channel Listen here: This episode includes: Dr. Bob’s journey from emergency medicine to hospice and palliative care How recognizing gaps in the healthcare system inspired the work Dr. Bob is doing today The importance of end-of-life doulas for restoring balance to the care that is offered to people The types of patients served by Empowered Endings How his team supports patients utilizing medical aid in dying The lack of home-based palliative care is an issue in most communities Concerns that some doctors may not offer adequate support to patients and families choosing medical aid in dying How his foundation offers free bereavement support to families of loved ones who have utilized medical aid in dying 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, especially my newest donor Beth. Also thank you to Marie Nelson and Laura Lee for donating through Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.