Seeing Death Clearly

Send us a textIn this episode of Seeing Death Clearly, Holocaust survivor Ben Lesser shares his incredible journey of survival, resilience, and hope. At 96 years old, Ben recounts his story with remarkable detail, leaving no need for questions during this one-and-a-half-hour conversation. His experiences, detailed further in his memoir Living a Life That Matters: From Nazi Nightmare to American Dream, are both harrowing and inspiring.Born in Kraków, Poland, in 1928, Ben was one of seven family members whose lives were irrevocably changed by the Nazi invasion in 1939. From escaping the Kraków Ghetto to enduring the Bochnia Ghetto, his early years were marked by relentless suffering. Ben would later survive the unimaginable: four concentration camps, two death trains, and a death march, before being liberated in Dachau in 1945. Of his immediate family, only Ben and his older sister, Lola, survived.After the war, Ben immigrated to the United States in 1947, settling in Los Angeles. He built a successful career in real estate, founding Ben Lesser and Associates, and found happiness with his wife, Jean, whom he married in 1950. Yet, his greatest achievement lies in his dedication to Holocaust education. As the founder of the Zachor Holocaust Remembrance Foundation, Ben has worked tirelessly to ensure that the lessons of the Holocaust endure. His memoir used worldwide in educational settings, offers a profound first-person narrative of survival, resilience, and the pursuit of a meaningful life.Zachor Holocaust Remembrance Foundation- https://zachorlearn.org/Ben's memoir Living a Life That Matters: From Nazi Nightmare to American Dream https://zachorlearn.org/product/living-a-life-that-matters-paperback/YouTube version of this episode Support the showSupport the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription, any amount large or small help to keep the podcast advertisement free. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast. I appreciate the support, and it helps get the word out to more people who could benefit from hearing the podcast. Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life. You can connect with me on my website, as well as all major social media platforms. jill@endoflifeclarity.com Website www.endoflifeclarity.comInstagramFacebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity CircleLinkedInTikTok

Send us a textIn this episode, Liz Fiedler shares her remarkable journey of resilience, transformation, and finding joy after profound loss. Raised on a cattle farm in Southwest Minnesota, Liz cultivated a love for agriculture, leadership, and flowers. Life took a pivotal turn when she married Josh, a man deeply connected to farming, and together they purchased 40 acres of his family’s original farmstead.Tragedy struck in 2020 when Josh unexpectedly passed away from a heart attack, leaving Liz widowed with a young daughter and another child on the way. Amidst her grief, she found solace in her passion for flowers, which blossomed into a thriving cut flower farm, Sunny Mary Meadow. Starting as a small pandemic project, it grew to include wedding services, a new venue under construction, and a team of six employees managing thousands of blooms. Liz balanced the challenges of single parenthood, grief, and running a growing business with extraordinary perseverance.Liz reflects on the trials of navigating grief, including community rumors, misinformation, and waiting months for clarity on Josh’s passing. With humor and raw honesty, Liz discusses the complexity of running a business while healing, emphasizing the importance of setting boundaries, embracing joyful moments, and staying true to herself.Now remarried to Brent, Liz’s life is a testament to resilience and renewal. Her story is an inspiring example of turning pain into purpose and living a full, intentional life.This heartfelt episode offers a powerful exploration of love, loss, and the enduring human spirit. Liz’s candid reflections and actionable insights remind us that healing is about small, intentional steps and that joy can coexist with grief. Her journey is a moving reminder to embrace life’s challenges and celebrate its beauty, no matter the obstacles.https://www.lizfiedlermergen.com/https://www.instagram.com/lizfiedlermergenhttps://www.instagram.com/sunnymarymeadowSupport the showSupport the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription, any amount large or small help to keep the podcast advertisement free. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast. I appreciate the support, and it helps get the word out to more people who could benefit from hearing the podcast. Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life. You can connect with me on my website, as well as all major social media platforms. jill@endoflifeclarity.com Website www.endoflifeclarity.comInstagramFacebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity CircleLinkedInTikTok

Send us a textDavid Edey, a certified executive advisor with over 35 years of experience, joins the podcast to share insights from his book Executor Help: How to Settle an Estate, Pick an Executor, and Avoid Family Fights. Inspired by his seven-year struggle to settle his parents' estate—despite them having a will—David provides practical guidance to help families avoid the legal battles, financial burdens, and emotional turmoil he endured.David explains three essential steps for end-of-life planning and stresses that silence and lack of preparation often lead to devastating disputes, as inheritance can sometimes bring out the worst in people. A key theme of the episode is the importance of addressing digital assets. With so much of life conducted online David emphasizes the need to organize and share login details with trusted individuals. He recounts a poignant example of a friend whose social media accounts remained active years after her death because her family couldn’t access them.The episode also explores the challenges faced by executors, who may spend up to 100 hours over 18-24 months resolving estates. David shares strategies for avoiding disputes, such as keeping beneficiaries informed, setting realistic expectations, and preparing executors with the support of legal and financial professionals.For families with minor children, David underscores the importance of naming a guardian and ensuring financial stability, sharing a touching story of siblings separated due to inadequate planning.David invites listeners to visit DavidEd.com for free resources, including an executor checklist, a legacy readiness quiz, and access to his book. He also introduces the Legacy Builders Blueprint, a five-week course that helps individuals create a comprehensive plan for their legacy, including a Future File to organize essential documents and digital assets.Estate planning may not be a popular topic, but it’s one of the most loving acts you can do for your family. Tune in to learn how to leave a legacy of peace and clarity, not chaos.https://www.davidedey.com/https://www.davidedey.com/resources.html Episode of David’s podcast featuring Jill https://executorhelp.libsyn.cSupport the showSupport the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription, any amount large or small help to keep the podcast advertisement free. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast. I appreciate the support, and it helps get the word out to more people who could benefit from hearing the podcast. Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life. You can connect with me on my website, as well as all major social media platforms. jill@endoflifeclarity.com Website www.endoflifeclarity.comInstagramFacebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity CircleLinkedInTikTok

Send us a textIn this episode, Kate Carson, a love, sex, and relationship coach, shares her transformative journey from scientist to a supportive guide for couples navigating grief and intimacy. After losing her baby at eight months pregnant, she faced the impact of profound loss on her relationships and sexuality, and she soon recognized a gap in resources for others experiencing similar struggles. Kate joined a peer support group and quickly noticed the lack of guidance addressing how grief affects intimacy. Inspired, she trained in tantra, eventually shaping a coaching practice that addresses the nuanced intersection of grief, love, and intimacy for clients worldwide.Kate reflects on society's often "sterilized" approach to death and how it limits meaningful grief rituals, leaving people disconnected from their emotions. Likewise, she explains, sexual energy—vital to human experience—is often stigmatized, creating barriers to intimacy, especially after trauma. Kate observes that unresolved trauma can lead to prolonged gaps in physical connection between partners, but she emphasizes that rebuilding intimacy is a potent form of healing. Her work reveals how open communication and vulnerability can help couples separate their pain from one another, finding new closeness as they reconnect emotionally and physically.Kate also dives into how trauma, particularly after loss, can be stored in the body and sometimes surfaces during moments of physical intimacy. She describes this release, which can sometimes involve grief or tears during orgasm, as a cathartic response that allows people to process unspoken sorrow. Through her perspective, listeners gain insight into the profound link between physical and emotional well-being, challenging them to see sexuality as a life-affirming force even amid life's hardest moments.Further, Kate explores the concept of "sexual healing" as a means of restoration, particularly when intimacy triggers unexpected emotional responses. She explains that supportive affirmations, like “I love you,” can foster a safe space for vulnerability and healing. She advocates for honoring the body’s boundaries after trauma, childbirth, or illness and encourages couples to find alternative ways to connect without feeling pressured.https://www.nightbloomcoaching.com/Support the showSupport the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription, any amount large or small help to keep the podcast advertisement free. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast. I appreciate the support, and it helps get the word out to more people who could benefit from hearing the podcast. Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life. You can connect with me on my website, as well as all major social media platforms. jill@endoflifeclarity.com Website www.endoflifeclarity.comInstagramFacebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity CircleLinkedInTikTok

Send us a textAdam Zuckerman has a unique and varied background, holding both a law degree and an MBA. His path took a different turn that led him to his current work, which revolves around estate planning and end-of-life organization.Despite his accomplishments in law and business, Adam uses his expertise in a less conventional but deeply impactful way through his company, Buried in Work. The service focuses on helping people simplify and organize their estate information, ensuring a seamless transition for loved ones when the time comes. The company doesn’t draft wills or trusts but instead prepares individuals with a comprehensive structure to work efficiently with legal professionals and save money.The idea for Buried in Work originated from a personal experience. Adam’s father, a leukemia survivor, passed away after a swift decline. As the executor of his father’s will, Adam managed the estate and documented every step of the process to help his family. When a financial planner praised his detailed work, it sparked the idea to share his knowledge. The website Adam created gained rapid interest, attracting over 10,000 visitors in just a week, proving the significant need for accessible, user-friendly estate planning resources.Now, Buried in Work offers a variety of tools, including interactive guides, state-specific checklists, and even games like “One More Story” to prompt meaningful conversations. Adam emphasizes that effective estate planning isn’t just about having a will or trust; it’s about preparing so that loved ones can manage everything seamlessly. This preparation covers details as simple as paying bills and as vital as managing digital accounts or making health-related decisions.Adam’s mission is to reduce the burden and confusion that families face during emotionally challenging times, making estate planning proactive rather than reactive. His story highlights the importance of planning ahead, both to protect loved ones and to make the most of the time we have.www.BuriedInWork.comCLEAR Kits: https://shop.buriedinwork.com/collections/clear-kitsGames: https://shop.buriedinwork.com/collections/gamesSupport the showSupport the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription, any amount large or small help to keep the podcast advertisement free. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast. I appreciate the support, and it helps get the word out to more people who could benefit from hearing the podcast. Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life. You can connect with me on my website, as well as all major social media platforms. jill@endoflifeclarity.com Website www.endoflifeclarity.comInstagramFacebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity CircleLinkedInTikTok

Send us a textIn this episode my guest is Naila Francis, a grief coach, poet, interfaith minister, and community grief tender dedicated to providing compassionate, holistic support for those navigating grief, loss, and dying. Born in Barbados and raised across several Caribbean islands, she moved to the Philadelphia area as a child. Her early career as a journalist and greeting card writer offered her unique insights into the human experience, but her path shifted as she felt called to work more directly with grief. In 2021, she founded Salt Trails, a collective designed to create safe spaces for community grief rituals, a vision inspired by the immense collective grief brought on by the pandemic.Naila’s primary focus now is helping people feel less overwhelmed and isolated in their grief. She creates nurturing environments where individuals can honor their losses without judgment and at their own pace, using tools and practices that support emotional well-being. Her workshops, like Writing the Broken Heart, use poetry and journaling as a way to connect participants with their emotions, offering solace and a sense of community. In our conversation, she recounts how participants have found healing by simply allowing themselves to cry and be present with their pain, a testament to her mission of giving grief the respect and space it deserves.Naila shares her belief that grief, when approached with intentionality, can open us to more authentic living. She addresses the common fear of being consumed by overwhelming emotions and shares how fully embracing grief has led her to feel more alive and aligned with her true self. By turning toward grief rather than resisting it, she explains, people can experience profound healing and even unlock unexpected creativity. Her work is grounded in the understanding that while grief is often seen as something to overcome, it can instead be a deep source of connection and self-discovery.For those interested in community-based grief rituals, follow Salt Trails on Instagram or visit her website, This Hallowed Wilderness, to learn more about her work and offerings.Website: This Hallowed WildernessInstagram: @thishallowedwildernessFacebook: This Hallowed WildernessSalt Trails Instagram: Support the showSupport the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription, any amount large or small help to keep the podcast advertisement free. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast. I appreciate the support, and it helps get the word out to more people who could benefit from hearing the podcast. Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life. You can connect with me on my website, as well as all major social media platforms. jill@endoflifeclarity.com Website www.endoflifeclarity.comInstagramFacebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity CircleLinkedInTikTok

Send us a textWhitney Chew, born and raised in California, recently moved to New York. As a physician, she completed her residency during the pandemic. However, less than a year after finishing, Whitney realized that being a physician wasn’t her long-term calling. During this time, she witnessed immense death and dying, not only in her role as a physician but also on a personal level with the loss of loved ones. This experience gave her unique insight into both sides of the healthcare system—both as a caregiver and a grieving family member.The pandemic shed light on the brokenness of the healthcare system and its lack of support for providers, leaving many, including Whitney, burned out and grieving without the chance to process their emotions.In reflecting on her time as a physician, Whitney speaks about the uncomfortable reality that death is often viewed as a failure in the medical field, even though it’s inevitable. She notes how many physicians, especially oncologists, avoid discussing dying with patients, opting instead to present treatment options, even when they may not be curative. This discomfort creates a communication gap, leaving patients without the full picture of their prognosis.Whitney also touches on the cultural differences between how death is handled in the U.S. versus other areas of the world, where conversations about end-of-life care are more normalized. She emphasizes the importance of preventive conversations about death, including advanced healthcare directives, and how much easier those difficult moments could be if people planned ahead.She also shares with us her personal experiences helping to get her Chinese Grandmother the end of life care she needed while honoring her cultural heritage.  Throughout her career, both as a physician and now as a coach, Whitney’s experiences underscore the need for open, honest conversations about death and the systemic issues within healthcare that hinder them.https://www.youtube.com/channel/@WhitneyChewhttps://www.instagram.com/theimposterdrwhitneychew91@gmail.comSupport the showSupport the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription, any amount large or small help to keep the podcast advertisement free. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast. I appreciate the support, and it helps get the word out to more people who could benefit from hearing the podcast. Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life. You can connect with me on my website, as well as all major social media platforms. jill@endoflifeclarity.com Website www.endoflifeclarity.comInstagramFacebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity CircleLinkedInTikTok

Send us a textDr. Bob Uslander, based in San Diego, runs a medical practice called Empowered Endings with his wife and partner, Elizabeth. Their work focuses on supporting people through difficult end-of-life journeys and providing personalized in-home care, including palliative care, dementia care, geriatric care, and more. With a holistic, high-touch approach, their team of compassionate professionals ensures patients and their families receive the support they need during these challenging times.A key aspect of their practice is integrating end-of-life doulas, which adds immense value to their model of care. Dr. Uslander and his team have also founded an institute and community to provide education, training, and support for healthcare professionals who are committed to improving end-of-life care. This community also includes individuals looking to ensure a gentle and peaceful transition for themselves or a loved one. They operate a foundation dedicated to these causes.Dr. Uslander shared his journey from working in emergency medicine, where he experienced moral injury, to transitioning into palliative care. He discovered the beauty in fully supporting patients through their end-of-life process, realizing how underserved families often are in the traditional healthcare system. This realization prompted him to establish his own practice in 2016.A major mission of Empowered Endings is educating the public about palliative care and hospice care. Palliative care focuses on managing symptoms and improving the quality of life for those with serious or complex illnesses, while hospice care is reserved for those who have a life expectancy of six months or less and are no longer pursuing aggressive treatments. Dr. Uslander is also an advocate for MAID (medical aid in dying) and VSED (voluntarily stopping eating and drinking), supporting patients in California who qualify under the state’s legal framework which we talk about both processes and how they work. His practice offers a compassionate, empowering approach, helping individuals make informed decisions about their final moments.https://empoweredendings.com/https://empoweredendings.com/helpful-resources/Support the showSupport the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription, any amount large or small help to keep the podcast advertisement free. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast. I appreciate the support, and it helps get the word out to more people who could benefit from hearing the podcast. Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life. You can connect with me on my website, as well as all major social media platforms. jill@endoflifeclarity.com Website www.endoflifeclarity.comInstagramFacebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity CircleLinkedInTikTok

Send us a textKelly Butler, based in Ottawa, Ontario, has lived in various parts of Canada and the U.S. She’s a mother of five and has worked in the realm of death and dying for 30 years, starting with hospice work in Atlanta, Georgia. For Kelly, the cycle of birth and death reflects life itself—beginnings and endings intertwined in a continuous flow. Her work has spanned decades, and she recently completed her master’s in health sciences.Kelly is the founder of Community Deathcare Ottawa, a collective of practitioners and allies committed to family-led, community-based death care. The group’s mission is to shift death and dying from the medical system and funeral industry back into the hands of the community. This collective hosts events such as grief rituals, home funeral demonstrations, and educational talks on topics like natural burial. While the group doesn't provide direct care, they help connect individuals to the right resources within their community.Her organization aims to inform the public about death, something society often avoids discussing. Members include death doulas, herbalists, and massage therapists, all bringing different skills to support people at the end of life. Kelly acknowledges the challenges of defining the role of a death doula, especially with varying levels of training and experience within the profession. She reflects on whether death doula work should be formalized or remain as a community-driven practice.Kelly also teaches a mindfulness-informed end-of-life course, both as a practice of mindfulness and a contemplation of mortality. She emphasizes the importance of being present during death, noting that the body knows how to die, and it's essential to approach death with a sense of acceptance rather than fear. She likens this to facing climate change, noting that while we can't always change the outcome, we can choose how we navigate it—with presence, love, and acceptance.https://www.facebook.com/people/Reclaiming-Death/100066604446905/?_rdrhttps://communitydeathcareottawa.com/https://learn.utoronto.ca/programs-courses/certificates/mindfulness-informed-end-life-careSupport the showSupport the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription, any amount large or small help to keep the podcast advertisement free. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast. I appreciate the support, and it helps get the word out to more people who could benefit from hearing the podcast. Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life. You can connect with me on my website, as well as all major social media platforms. jill@endoflifeclarity.com Website www.endoflifeclarity.comInstagramFacebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity CircleLinkedInTikTok

Send us a textJill Bodak, an osteopath in Toronto, Ontario, shares the deeply personal story of her father’s stroke in 2020, which flipped her world upside down. His stroke happened unexpectedly while skiing on the other side of the country, and what followed was an intense two-year journey of caregiving. Initially told that he wouldn’t survive, her father defied the odds but was left in a severely compromised state, requiring Jill to become his primary caregiver.Over time, her father expressed that he no longer wanted to live, which led them to explore medically assisted death, a legal option in Canada. Jill’s writing throughout this period focused on family, grief, and caregiving. Her book, Loved Into Being: Reflections on Stroke and Being Indestructible, emerged as both a tribute and a conversation starter on end-of-life rights.She speaks about the emotional complexity of caregiving and the challenging role reversal, explaining that her father's vulnerability during his recovery was a beautiful yet heartbreaking contrast to the physically active person he once was. Despite the overwhelming daily demands, they found moments of humor and connection—laughing together even when words failed.Jill reflects on how this experience has deeply impacted her approach to wellness and the preciousness of life. She emphasizes the importance of understanding mortality and how it reshaped her perspective on treating the body and the mind. The journey through her father’s illness and eventual medically assisted death was both transformative and filled with moments of profound connection.Her story offers a touching and honest look at caregiving, family dynamics, and the complex emotional landscape of end-of-life decisions.Get her book here. https://www.amazon.com/Loved-Into-Being-Reflections-Indestructible/dp/B0BPGPKZJWOn Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/jill.bodak/Website. https://www.jillbodak.com/Support the showSupport the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription, any amount large or small help to keep the podcast advertisement free. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast. I appreciate the support, and it helps get the word out to more people who could benefit from hearing the podcast. Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life. You can connect with me on my website, as well as all major social media platforms. jill@endoflifeclarity.com Website www.endoflifeclarity.comInstagramFacebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity CircleLinkedInTikTok