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In this fascinating trip to the Victorian era we learn about a world in which people had a much healthier relationship with death than we have today, and the roots of what became the popular practice of commercial mediumship in the UK and the U.S.  Our guest Jennifer Ingraham collects, buys and sells antiques specfically related to death and mourning in the Victorian period. Her collection of unique objects includes memorial hair wreaths, clothing, post-mortem photography, viewing coffins, and a wide variety of curious ceremonial objects that were commonly used at the time.  She also shares fascinating stories about the spiritualist movement in the early 20th century and its views of death and the afterlife in contrast to the restricted, medicalized views held today. Some key points:  How Queen Victoria influenced how we grieveHow the industrial revolution changed our relationship with deathWealth, power and social change Changes within the church, abundance of new denominations Science, medicine, and death rates Death Items of the Victorians: Spiritualism and the Seance Famous individuals that attended/hosted seances Spiritualism as entertainment (and its downfall)Changing views of death  To see some of  Jennifer's collection visit: https://www.facebook.com/p/Stair-11-100054252080350/ ABOUT JENNIFER:  Jennifer Ingraham livesat the foot of the Beartooth mountains in rural Montana with her husband and two daughters. After growing up in a family of educators, Jennifer earned her undergraduate degree in secondary English education before choosing to pursue antiques as a full-time career.  Collecting, buying, and selling death and mourning related antiques has become her focus for the last decade. Her involvement in the field of mourning and death memorabilia, as well as her own personal losses, led to her to current pursuit of a Master’s in Thanatology degree at Marian University.

Barbara Karnes, RN is an award winning end of life educator, award winning nurse, NHPCO Hospice Innovator award winner 2018 & 2015 International Humanitarian Woman of the Year. While at the bedside of hundreds of people during the dying process, Hospice Pioneer Barbara Karnes noticed that each death was following a near identical script. Each person was going through the stages of death in almost the same manner and most families came to her with similar questions. These realizations led Barbara to sit down and write Gone From My Sight, "The Little Blue Book" that changed the hospice industry.   Gone From My Sight is the original, and remains the most widely used, patient/family educational booklet on the signs of approaching death. It has been in print continuously since 1985 and has sold over 35 million copies world wide. With its publication and distribution, Barbara created one of the most important tools in the end of life movement today.  

Today's interview with writer/director/producer Stephen Z. Berkley touches on a vast spectrum of topics related to interdimensional communication, mediumship and bereavement, as addressed in his award-winning documentary, Life With Ghosts.  While Stephen has worked in multiple capacities inside the media industry for more than 30 years, Life With Ghosts is his first fully self-produced feature film. The story idea came with the death of Stephen’s father, when shortly afterwards, his mother began reporting interactions with whom she believed to be Dad's ghost — a real-life Mrs. Muir situation… which naturally begs the question: Are ghosts a real phenomenon or are they merely symptomatic of profound grief? Life With Ghosts is the culmination of a seven-year investigation into the nature of love, loss and after-death communication and features three survivors' quests for answers. For more about the film and Stephen's work, click HERE to view his recently-published TED talk, and visit the film's website at www.LifeWithGhosts.com

Ever since his 2015 TED talk, Christopher Kerr MD had rapidly risen to become a household name in the field of death and afterlife studies.  His background in research has evolved from bench science towards the human experience of illness as witnessed from the bedside, specifically patient’s dreams and visions at the end of life. The results of his studies generated enormous response in the non-medical community, both nationally and internationally, through coverage that has included the New York Times, Huffington Post, The Atlantic, BBC, Scientific American and Psychology Today. Dr. Kerr has overseen the integration and expansion of palliative care into local hospitals and developed one of the nation’s largest home-based palliative care programs, Home Connections, and Essential Care for Children. He has lectured and published on innovative program models that are designed to better align patient/family services to the complexity of needs inherent to advanced illness. Learn more about Dr. Kerr at DrChristopherKerr.com. Read Dr. Kerr's extraordinary research HERE. He will be one of our honored speakers at the upcoming CONFERENCE ON DEATH GRIEF AND BELIEF  online August 24, 2024. 

Dr. Joshua Black is one of the presenters at our upcoming 2024 Conference on Death, Grief and Belief (online August 24, 2024).  His reasearch on the dreams of the bereaved provides a foundation for helping grieving individuals use new tools for processing loss.   Dr. Black holds a MA and PhD in Psychology. He is a grief and bereavement researcher, speaker, educator, and host of the Grief Dreams podcast. His work focuses on dreams and continuing bonds after loss, including prenatal and pet loss. As one of the leading academic experts in grief dreams, which can be dreams of the deceased, Joshua has directed his efforts on raising awareness about this fascinating phenomenon through media interviews, including PBS Next Avenue, Los Angeles Times, CBC News, and Toronto Sun, in addition to speaking engagements and workshops.  Dr. Black currently works as the Bereavement Initiative Manager for the BC Centre for Palliative Care, where he is leading grief and bereavement research. He also teaches psychology courses at the University of the Fraser Valley. His long-term research goals are to continue to serve and raise awareness of those who are bereaved and those who are not being provided the necessary grief support.  Dr. Black lives on the unceded Stó:lō Territory known to settlers as the Fraser Valley and lower Fraser Canyon of British Columbia, Canada. IMPORTANT LINKS: How Grief Dreams Can Help You Heal Attend Our 2024 Conference! Online, Saturday August 24.  TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER AND STAY INFORMED ABOUT UPCOMING WORKSHOPS, EVENTS AND PODCAST EPISODES, CLICK HERE.

We are very honored to have Professor Richard Groves with us today, and as part of our roster for the 2024 Conference on Death, Grief and Belief, which takes place ONLINE on August 24.  Richard is an internationally respected teacher of the sacred art of living and dying. A chaplain for more than twenty five years, Richard speaks nine languages and has earned graduate degrees in theology, ethics, world religions and law. Richard and his wife, Mary, are the founders of the Sacred Art of Living Center in Bend, Oregon. More than 20,000 students around the world, including health care professionals, faith community leaders and the larger public, have graduated from the Groves’ spiritual education programs. Richard is co-author of The American Book of Living & Dying: Lessons in Healing Spiritual Pain, and the creator of The Anamcara Project, a first-of-its-kind internship in the sacred art of living and dying. For more about Richard's work, visit  https://sacredartofliving.org/about-our-programs/ Our August 24 conference: https://deathgriefandbelief.com/2024-summer-dgb-conference/ TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER AND STAY INFORMED ABOUT UPCOMING WORKSHOPS, EVENTS AND PODCAST EPISODES, CLICK HERE. 

We are thrilled to have Dr. Shushan with us again this year. His body of work in the field of near-death studies is unrivaled  on near-death experience is unrivaled.  He is a historian of religions, an award-winning author, and the leading authority on near-death experiences and the afterlife across cultures and throughout history. His books include The Next World: Extraordinary Experiences of the Afterlife, Near-Death Experiences in Indigenous Religions, and Near-Death Experience in Ancient Civilizations (coming soon from Inner Traditions). His forthcoming titles include The Historical Anthology of Near-Death Experiences, and Mind Dust and White Crows: The Psychical Research of William James (both as editor).  Dr. Shushan is a Visiting Research Fellow at University of Winchester's Centre for Death, Religion and Culture; Adjunct Professor of Thantaology at Marian University; and Research Fellow of the Parapsychology Foundation. He was formerly Perrott-Warrick Researcher at University of Oxford's Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion;  Scholar-in Residence at the Centro Incontri Umani (The Cross Cultural Centre), Ascona, Switzerland; and Honorary Research Fellow at the Religious Experience Research Centre, University of Wales Trinity Saint David. He has lectured at universities in the UK, Ireland, and Switzerland and has given numerous talks on his research in nine countries, and has appeared on the History Channel. Here's what leading scholars are saying about his work: “Gregory Shushan has produced the most important scholarly work on near-death experiences in the last thirty years. He describes the process by which, despite regular attempts to marginalize its power, the NDE has been perhaps the most important shaper of religious creativity in human history. This is a journey and an argument as fascinating and as engrossing as the social history of mankind itself.” -- Allan Kellehear, Clinical Professor, University of Vermont. “Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions is a tour de force.  By comparing recorded cases from North America, Africa, and Oceania, Shushan presents a compelling argument for the centrality of near-death experiences to the development of religious ideas across time and culture. Any future discussions of NDEs and the origins of religion will need to take Shushan’s major contribution into account.”  -- Fiona Bowie, Research Affiliate, School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, Oxford University; and founder of Afterlife Research Center   “Gregory Shushan’s new book provides a uniquely insightful and provocative analysis of near-death experiences that documents their formative influence on worldwide beliefs about an afterlife. His ethnological perspective results in a more comprehensive understanding of NDEs than a purely biological or psychological model can provide, and suggests that afterlife beliefs are rooted not in culture but in the universal human experience of NDEs. This book is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand NDEs and their role in society.” -- Bruce Greyson, Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia. READ MORE: https://www.gregoryshushan.com/ Dr. Shushan will be presenting at our 2024 Conference on Death, Grief and Belief, online Saturday August 24, 2024.  DETAILS HERE    TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER AND STAY INFORMED ABOUT UPCOMING WORKSHOPS, EVENTS AND PODCAST EPISODES, CLICK HERE. 

In support of our upcoming Summer 2024 Death, Grief and Belief Conference, one of our esteemed speakers, Dr. Ken Doka, spoke with us about two phenomena that often occur as death approaches... terminal lucidity and nearing-death awareness. For an overview of Dr. Doka's stellar credentials, click HERE.  TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER AND STAY INFORMED ABOUT UPCOMING WORKSHOPS, EVENTS AND PODCAST EPISODES, CLICK HERE. 

Ep. 439 Medical Aid in Dying: A Chaplain’s Perspective with Rev. Dr. Terri Daniel     This episode aired on 1/22/24 on Dr. Karen Wyatt's END OF LIFE UNIVERSITY podcast. This episode includes:   . The history of medical aid in dying in Oregon . How EOLCOR (End-of-Life Choices Oregon) assists people who want to utilize medical aid in dying . The wide variations in hospice policies around medical aid in dying . Dilemmas around communicating with family members who don’t support MAID . How MAID differs from suicide and why we need to understand that difference . A beautiful end-of-life ritual Terri created for a person utilizing MAID . Why some chaplains feel conflicted about supporting medical aid in dying . Religious objections to MAID . The “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy about MAID in some hospices . Dementia directive for advance care planning Recent Articles: Ep. 438 How to Choose the Best Hospice for Your Loved One with Barbara Karnes RN Ep. 437 Holding Space for Birth and Death with Amy Wright Glenn BONUS: Casting Call for Docuseries on Grief with Kim Clevenger Ep. 436 Highlights of 2023: The Best of the Best with Karen Wyatt MD Ep. 435 Home Funerals as an Option After Death with Jerrigrace Lyons TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER AND STAY INFORMED ABOUT UPCOMING WORKSHOPS, EVENTS AND PODCAST EPISODES, CLICK HERE. 

Dr. Deborah Aronson is a Philadelphia veterinarian who has a unqiue background for her work in end-of-life care for animals and grief support for the people that love them.  At one point in her career, after she'd had a private veterinary practice for several years, she trained as chaplain in a human hospital to develop her spiritual care skills. Observing the suffering of dying patients on life support created a stark contrast with the compassion we show to our pets when they face life-threatening illness or injury. Deborah Aronson VMD, cVMA, has been working in small animal primary care since graduating from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 2001. In 2008 she launched Final Blessings, a housecall euthanasia service specific to cats. She obtained certification in veterinary medical acupuncture in 2014, and then launched Main Line Veterinary Integrative Practice LLC, offering in-home palliative and end of life care for all small animals. Deborah  has followed her passion in providing spiritual care by volunteering as a NOMV Lifeboat peer supporter and advocate, as well as intensive interfaith chaplaincy training in clinical pastoral education (CPE).  TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER AND STAY INFORMED ABOUT UPCOMING WORKSHOPS, EVENTS AND PODCAST EPISODES, CLICK HERE. 

CONTENT WARNING! This conversation addresses bodily death and disposition, and contains graphic descriptions of what happens to a body during death, mortuary care, decomposition, cremation and more. If these topics are uncomfortable for you, listen with caution (or skip this episode).  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dr. Wyatt and Dr. Daniel talk with Michaelene Dowers, an Indiana-based funeral director who is licensed in seven states and teaches  courses in funeral services for death care professionals who seek guidance in culturally or socially sensitive decedent care. With nearly a decade of experience as a funeral director in Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, California, Indiana, Oregon, and Idaho, Michaelene is experienced at navigating the many variations in funeral service law and protocol found throughout the United States.  She holds a  B.A. in religious studies from Grand Canyon University, an M.A. in emergency/crisis management from American Military University, and an M.A. in thanatology (study of death and dying, grief, loss and bereavement) from Marian University that will have conferred in Summer of 2023. Michaelene currently serves as an adjunct professor in the funeral service degree programs at Mid-America College of Funeral Service and at Arapahoe Community College in Denver, as well being a visiting lecturer in funeral service at other colleges nationwide. LINKS OF INTEREST...  Tales from the Lawn Crypt podcast: https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthelawncrypt/ Tales from the Lawn Crypt Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/talesfromthelawncrypt Funeral Service Education: https://www.instagram.com/quietus_bee Contact Michaelene: [email protected] 

Dr. Korie Leigh is a child life specialist and grief counselor whose new book What Does Grief Feel LIke is for chidren who are grieving, and includes a guide for parents and caregivers on how to support a child's journey through loss and grief.    In this episode Dr. Leigh addresses an array of topics, incuding pet death, preparing children for attending funerals, the best (and the worst) language to use when talking to children  about death, and the importance of death education in early childhood. The book can be purchased in all the usual places, but we recommend purchasing it from www.bookshop.org, which helps to support local bookstores.       About Dr. Leigh With training as a child life specialist and grief counselor, Dr. Korie Leigh has spent over 16 years specializing in working with children and families experiencing grief and loss. As an associate professor and program director, she teaches graduate courses on child development, death, dying, and bereavement.  Dr. Leigh obtained her Ph.D. in transpersonal psychology, where she wrote her dissertation on the lived experiences of bereaved parents. She also holds an M.A. in public health and grief counseling and a B.A. in child development. She speaks and presents at national and regional conferences on issues of grief, loss, and coping. Dr. Leigh lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

 Rev. Caffie Risher is a Christian pastor and grief counselor who is deeply aware  of the presence of toxic theology in scripture and in the teachings of the church. She infuses her ministry for the bereaved with clear, critical thinking and a non-dogmatic approach to spirituality in the process of grief and mourning.   Caffie has early recollections of walking dirt roads in the south with her grandmother  Jessie Mae where they would take care of relatives and community members when there was a death in the family or if someone was sick and needed help.  Both her mother, Earlene Williams Risher, and grandmother taught her Christ-care, compassion, and pastoral concern for others at an early age.  For Caffie, it is life’s experiences, her own mortality, death of loved ones, personal loss, grief, educational experiences, and certifications that have all shaped and equipped her for this journey to minister hope and healing to those who are hurting.  In 2002 she  was appointed to the position of “Minority Scholar” teaching public speaking and introduction to business courses at Passaic County Community College.  Eighteen years later she holds the position of a tenured Assistant Professor and Academic Coordinator of Public Speaking in the Fine and Performing Arts Department.  She teaches Public Speaking, Business Communication, Business Writing, and Death and Dying courses.  She also serves as chair of the Distinguished Lecturer Series and faculty advisor to the Power in Christ Christian Club who won the Emerging Club Award for excellent campus involvement and exceptional leadership. Prior to this, she held a post at New York Theological Seminary where she taught for several years in the Certificate of Ministry program.    For more on this topic, read this article: Does the Hebrew Bible Sanctify Mass Murder… and Disregard the Resulting Trauma?

In the field of death and bereavement studies, Dr. Ken Doka is one of today's premiere thought leaders and researchers  (his publications and credits are too numerous to list, but you can find them all HERE). To name just a few,  he's written and/or co-authored numerous books that are used as required texts in college courses on psychology and grief, including: . Dying & Death: Life & Living . When We Die: Extraordinary Experiences at Life’s End . Living with Grief since COVID-19 . Intimacy and Sexuality during Illness and Loss .  Aging America: Coping with loss, dying, and death in later life . Transforming Loss: Finding Potential for Growth . When Grief Is Complicated,   . The Longest Loss: Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia . Helping Adolescents Cope with Loss ... and many more. In addition to these books, he has published over 100 articles and book chapters.  Dr. Doka is editor of both Omega: The Journal of Death and Dying and Journeys: A Newsletter to Help in Bereavement. He has an ongoing blog for Psychology Today entitled Good Mourning. We are delighted to welcome him as a presenter  in our upcoming SYMPOSIUM ON DEATH AND BEREAVEMENT STUDIES.

We are very excited to presesnt this interview with Robert A. Neimeyer, Ph.D., who is among the leading researchers in the field of death and bereavement. His work is legendary, and when you listen to this podcast, you'll find him to be extremely compassionate, articulate and wise.  Dr. Neimeyer is a professor in the department of psychology, University of Memphis, and also serves as director of the Portland Institute for Loss and Transition, which offers training and certification in grief therapy.  Since completing his doctoral training  in 1982, he has published 30 books, including a series of volumes on Techniques of Grief Therapy and Grief and the Expressive Arts, the latter with Barbara Thompson, and serves as Editor of the journal Death Studies. He has published more than  500 articles and book chapters, and is currently working to advance a more adequate theory of grieving as a meaning-making process, both in his published work and through his frequent professional workshops for national and international audiences.  Neimeyer served as president of the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC), and chair of the International Work Group for Death, Dying, & Bereavement. In recognition of his  contributions, he has been granted the Eminent Faculty Award by the University of Memphis, made a fellow of the clinical psychology division of the American Psychological Association, and given Lifetime Achievement Awards by both the Association for Death Education and Counseling and the International Network on Personal Meaning. Related Links of Interest: The Portland Institute for Loss and Transistion Robert Neimeyer website Robert Neimeyer's books Symposium on Death and Bereavement Studies Marian University Thanatology Program