On the Table with Ashley

Send us a textBeekeeping is on the table today! In this episode, we are joined by Ashley Kirkham, former estate planner turned beekeeper.  Ashley received her JD from the University of Utah College of Law and an LLM in Taxation from New York State University School of Law.  After a 15-year legal career in New York, Ashley retired to follow a new passion—beekeeping. Inspired in part by her family’s experiences in the field, she earned a certificate in beekeeping, immersing herself in the fascinating world of bees.Ashley joins On the Table to reflect on the lessons learned during her legal career—how estate planning deepened her understanding of familial relationships and cultivated her existential maturity around death. She also shares the profound insights she’s gained from beekeeping, including its lessons on life, death, and the importance of connecting with the world around us. Grief often stifles us. With this episode, and the Death + Dying series as a whole, we aim to foster open dialogue about the often uncomfortable topics of death and grief. Our hope is that, with an open heart and curiosity, we can support important causes, learn how to show up for people in our lives who are suffering, increase our meaningful connection to one another, and hopefully find more peace. No subject is off-limits in our pursuit of meaningful connection.Follow On the Table with Ashley on Instagram and TikTok.Listen to our episode with Susan Turnball.Read A Beginner's Guide to the End: Practical Advice for Living Life and Facing Death by B.J Miller M.D and Shoshana Berger.Read The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning:How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter by Margaretta Magnusson.Read the Tiffany Aching Series by Terry Pratchett.Read When Death Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. Read Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery.Read The Covenant of Water and Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese.On the Table with Ashley is presented by Âme Atendre, a luxury home goods and tableware brand with a mission to connect people to all that matters. If you have ideas for new episodes or guests, or just want to share feedback, email us at reachoutanytime@ameatendre.com.

Send us a textSustainability in death is on the table today! In this episode, we are joined by Laura Sullivan Cassidy. Laura is the client experience leader at Recompose, a death care company based in Seattle Washington. As the world’s first human composting company, Recompose offers a sustainable alternative to traditional methods of burial and cremation. Inspired by her own personal grief journey, Laura began working in death care in 2020. Her training as a death doula coupled with her professional experience in a traditional funeral home setting, aids her transformative work at Recompose. Laura sits down with Ashley to delve into the inception and mission of Recompose, exploring its innovative approach to sustainability and its profound impact on death care practices. Together, they discuss the importance of a more human-centered, environmentally conscious approach to caring for ourselves, our loved ones, and the planet—even in death. Grief often stifles us. With this episode, and the Death + Dying series as a whole, we aim to foster open dialogue about the often uncomfortable topics of death and grief. Our hope is that with an open heart and curiosity we can support important causes, learn how to show up for people in our lives who are suffering, increase our meaningful connection to one another, and hopefully find more peace. No subject is off-limits in our pursuit of meaningful connection.You can learn more about Laura and Recompose at Recompose’s website.Follow Laura on Instagram.Follow Recompose on Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin.Follow On the Table with Ashley on Instagram and TikTok.Watch Katrina Spade’s TED Talk.Schedule a Recompose Virtual Tour.Read about the Human Composting Soil Research Pilot Study by Dr.Lynne Carpenter Boggs.Read The New York Times article, A Project to Turn Corpses into Compost, by Catrin Einhorn.Read Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner.Read Heaven Is a Place on Earth: Searching for an American Utopia by Adrian Shirk.Read Having and Being Had by Eula Biss.On the Table with Ashley is presented by Âme Atendre, a luxury home goods and tableware brand with a mission to connect people to all that matters. If you have ideas for new episodes or guests, or just want to share feedback, email us at reachoutanytime@ameatendre.com.

Send us a textReligion and identity are on the table today. In part two of this two-part episode, we continue our conversation with Play Steinberg, a Deaf Studies graduate, scribe, and creator of the web series Father.Mother.God. After losing both of their parents to suicide, Play went on a complicated grief journey—one colored by addiction and heartbreak. Currently, Play is publishing a webcomic, Father.Mother.God, exploring their childhood, grief, and healing process through a retrospective lens.Play sits down with Ashley to discuss their journey with identity, religion, and sobriety in the aftermath of life-shattering news. Play shares how religion has been deeply intertwined with their identity, leading to an eventual conversion to Judaism. They talk about their journey with queerness and the significance of their chosen name. Together, Play and Ashley foster an exploratory conversation that examines different facets of life through a lens of growth and self-reverence.Grief often stifles us. With this episode, and the Death + Dying series as a whole, we aim to foster open dialogue about the often uncomfortable topics surrounding death and grief. Our hope is that with an open heart and curiosity, we can support important causes, learn how to better show up for those who are suffering, increase meaning and connection in our lives, and ultimately find more peace.You can learn about Play Steinberg and their work hereFollow Play on Instagram and LinkedInExplore Play’s webseries, Father. Mother. GodListen to Part One of this Two Part ConversationRead The Smell of Rain on Dust by Martin PrechtelListen to Judaism UnboundListen to our episode with Heather Mansson hereFollow On the Table with Ashley on Instagram and TikTokOn the Table with Ashley is presented by Âme Atendre, a luxury home goods and tableware brand with a mission to connect people to all that matters. If you have ideas for new episodes or guests, or just want to share feedback, email us at reachoutanytime@ameatendre.com.

Send us a textOn the table today, we are processing grief through creativity and learning. In part one of this two-part episode, we are joined by Play Steinberg, a Deaf Studies graduate, scribe, and creator of the web series Father.Mother.God.In their conversation with Ashley, Play dives into their journey to becoming a scribe, their experience earning a master’s degree in Deaf Studies, and how the loss of both parents to suicide informed their deeply personal webcomic series. Play shares their experience navigating life in the aftermath of intense and complicated loss, candidly exploring with Ashley their ongoing process toward acceptance. Together, they foster a vulnerable conversation that unravels and examines the nuances of loss, guilt, religion, communication, and healing.Grief often stifles us. With this episode, and the Death + Dying series as a whole, we aim to foster open dialogue about the often uncomfortable topics around death and grief. Our hope is that with an open heart and curiosity we can support important causes, learn how to better show up for those who are suffering, increase meaning and connection in our lives, and ultimately find more peace. You can learn about Play Steinberg and their work hereFollow Play on Instagram and LinkedInExplore Play’s webseries, Father. Mother. GodWatch Paint It Loud: The Art of Betty G. Miller and Susan DuporFollow On the Table with Ashley on Instagram and TikTokOn the Table with Ashley is presented by Âme Atendre, a luxury home goods and tableware brand with a mission to connect people to all that matters. If you have ideas for new episodes or guests, or just want to share feedback, email us at reachoutanytime@ameatendre.com.

Send us a textOn October 19th, Ashley Gould, host of On the Table with Ashley, joined Matt Gilhooly of The Life Shift podcast to discuss one of the most pivotal shifts in her life—her father Harvey's rare cancer diagnosis.While the full conversation will be released later this year, we wanted to introduce On the Table with Ashley listeners to Matt and The Life Shift podcast. The Âme Atendre team are big fans of his show, where each week a guest joins Matt for candid conversations about the pivotal moments that have changed their lives forever.Like On the Table with Ashley, The Life Shift leaves nothing off the table and creates space for both the good and the bad, with intentional conversations that help listeners find peace and growth through every season of life.You can listen to The Life Shift podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, GoodPods, and Podchaser. Learn more about Matt and The Life Shift at thelifeshiftpodcast.com.Thank you to The Life Shift team for having us!

Send us a textEpisode four of our series on Death + Dying. Ethical wills are on the table today. In this episode, we're joined by Susan Turnbull. As the  founder and Principal of Personal Legacy Advisors LLC, Susan has devoted her career to helping individuals create legacy documents, often referred to as ethical wills, which express the personal values, life lessons, and hopes they wish to pass on to future generations.In her conversation with Ashley, Susan delves into the concept of ethical wills, highlighting how they provide a meaningful way to reflect on one's life and convey emotional, spiritual, and ethical values to loved ones. Together, they explore the process of grappling with our own legacies, addressing the often unspoken fears and discomforts surrounding death, and emphasizing the importance of emotional connection in life, even as we prepare for its end.Grief often stifles us. With this episode, and the Death + Dying series as a whole, we aim to foster open dialogue about the often uncomfortable topics of death and grief. Our hope is that we can learn how to show up for people in our lives who are suffering and increase our meaningful connection to one another. No subject is off-limits in the pursuit of finding more peace. You can learn more about Ethical Wills and Susan Turnbull's work here Follow Susan on LinkedinRead The Wealth of Your Life: A Step-by-Step Guide for Creating Your Ethical Will By Susan TurnbullRead A Beginner's Guide to the End: Practical Advice for Living Life and Facing Death by B.J Miller M.D and Shoshana BergerRead The Four Things That Matter Most By Ira BiokRead For You When I Am Gone: Twelve Essential Questions to Tell a Life Story by Steve Leder

Send us a textEpisode three of our series on Death + Dying. Healing through grief is on the table today. In part two of this two-part episode, we continue our conversation with Heather Mansson, a pharmacist turned yoga instructor and mother of three kids. Shortly after moving to Utah in 2020, Heather’s daughter Parker was diagnosed with an aggressive form of sarcoma. After years of treatment, which included countless surgeries, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, Parker passed away in May of 2022. Parker was 11 years old when she died. In Parker's honor, Heather and her husband Rob founded The Little P Project as a way to raise money for families impacted by childhood sarcoma and fund scientific research towards treatment options.Through this foundation, Heather advocates for the modernization of pediatric oncology and improving outcomes for young cancer patients.Heather sits down with Ashley to discuss Parker’s life, the little P Project, and the ways Heather and her family have learned to move through grief. Heather gets candid with Ashley, providing eye-opening wisdom on how to support loved ones dealing with the unimaginable. Heather shares valuable resources that helped her grapple with her loss and move forward in her pain. It is hard to conceptualize how to move forward after such an enormous loss. With this episode, and the Death + Dying series as a whole, we aim to foster open dialogue about the often uncomfortable topics of death and grief. Heather's words of wisdom underscore the importance of open conversation with loved ones in the grief process. Our hope is that with a brave willingness to tackle uncomfortable topics and have difficult conversations, we can show up for our friends, our family and ourselves in a more meaningful way. No subject is off-limits in our pursuit of meaningful connection.Read It's OK That You're Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn't Understand by Megan DevineRead Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I've Loved by Kate BowlerYou can learn more about Parker and donate to the Little P Project at The Little P Projects website.Follow Heather on Instagram.Follow The Little P Project on InstagramFollow Âme Atendre on Instagram and TikTok

Send us a textEpisode two of our series on Death + Dying. Combating Childhood Cancer and Sitting in Grief are on the table today. In part one of this two-part episode, we're joined by Heather Mansson, a pharmacist turned yoga instructor and mother of three kids. Shortly after moving to Utah in 2020, Heather’s daughter Parker was diagnosed with an aggressive form of sarcoma. After years of treatment, which included countless surgeries, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, Parker passed away in May of 2022 (which Heather noted was exactly two years prior to the recording of this episode.) Parker was 11 years old when she died. In Parker's honor, Heather and her husband Rob founded The Little P Project as a way to raise money for families impacted by childhood sarcoma and fund scientific research towards treatment options. This foundation, born out of the pain of losing a child, brings hope to struggling families. Heather sits down with Ashley to discuss Parker’s life and legacy, her own journey in grief, and The Little P Project. Heather shares Parker's experience in such an intense disease, the reality of childhood sarcoma and the ways in which we can honor the legacies of our loved ones. Grief often stifles us. With this episode, and the Death + Dying series as a whole, we aim to foster open dialogue about the often uncomfortable topics of death and grief. Our hope is that with an open heart and curiosity we can support important causes, learn how to show up for people in our lives who are suffering, increase our meaningful connection to one another, and hopefully find more peace. No subject is off-limits in our pursuit of meaningful connection.You can learn more about Parker and donate to the Little P Project at The Little P Projects website.Follow Heather on InstagramFollow The Little P Project on InstagramFollow On the Table with Ashley on Instagram and TikTokOn the Table with Ashley is presented by Âme Atendre, a luxury home goods and tableware brand with a mission to connect people to all that matters. If you have ideas for new episodes or guests, or just want to share feedback, email us at reachoutanytime@ameatendre.com.

Send us a textEpisode one of our series on Death + Dying. Existential Maturity is on the table today! In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Alex Gamble, a palliative care doctor and clinical assistant at Stanford University. Dr. Gamble graduated from St. Louis University School of Medicine in 2010, completed his residency at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in 2015, and pursued his fellowship at the University of Kansas in 2016. He specializes in improving the quality of life for patients nearing the end of life, drawing from his deep expertise in palliative care.Dr. Gamble sits down with Ashley to discuss his experiences as a palliative care physician and the profound lessons his patients have taught him about life, death, grief, and emotional maturity. Their conversation explores the philosophical aspects of death anxiety and dives into the diverse emotional landscapes of his patients.Death Anxiety is a fundamental aspect of the human experience, influencing many of the choices we make in an effort to mitigate our fears surrounding mortality. With this episode, and the series as a whole, we aim to foster open dialogue about this often uncomfortable topic. We believe that through tough conversations, we can find inner peace. No subject is off-limits in our pursuit of meaningful connection.You can learn more about Dr. Gamble and his practice at North Kansas City Hospital's page as well as on Stanford University's academic staff page. Links to resources mentioned by Ashley and Dr. Gamble in today’s episode:‘‘And Yet It Was a Blessing’’: The Case for Existential Maturity - special report by  Linda L. Emanuel, MD, PhD,  Neha Reddy, BA, Joshua Hauser, MD, and Sarah B. Sonnenfeld.Plato's Allegory of the CaveThe Death Cafe MovementThe Death Positive MovementA Beginner's Guide to the End: Practical Advice for Living Life and Facing Death - by B.J Miller, MD and Shoshana BergerRecomposeFollow Dr.Gamble on X Follow On the Table with Ashley on Instagram and TikTok On the Table with Ashley is presented by Âme Atendre, a luxury home goods and tableware brand with a mission to connect people to all that matters. If you have ideas for new episodes or guests, or just want to share feedback, email us at reachoutanytime@ameatendre.com

Send us a textWe are excited to announce our series on Death and Dying, On the Table With Ashley’s first ever series, premiering August 28th. Through this series, we explore what it means to be curious through vulnerability, as we discover ways to connect with ourselves and others in grief. Âme Atendre believes that with open discussions comes peace, and an intention to live with purpose. From a palliative care doctor to an end of life doula, a will writer to parents who have turned their grief into action, each one of our guests brings a unique perspective on how facing mortality can lead to more peace. Their stories and insights are complex, thoughtful and enriching. We believe in the power of open, intentional conversations - ones that challenge our biases and offer meaningful insights. No conversation is off limits in the pursuit of meaningful connection, and finding more peace. This series is dedicated to Ashley’s father, Harvey Lawrence Gould.