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Send us Fan Mail What happens to someone who is grieving when the funeral is over and everyone else returns to their normal lives? Grief doesn't follow a schedule, and some of the hardest moments can come weeks or months after a death, when the support begins to fade. In this episode of Seeing Death Clearly, death doula and funeral celebrant Jill McClennen talks with Kelly Edmondson, a nurse and healthcare executive whose understanding of death and grief changed after the unexpected loss of her 28-year-old son, Darius. Despite spending more than 25 years working in healthcare, nothing could have prepared Kelly for losing her own child. Darius lived with epilepsy and died in his sleep from sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) in January 2023. Kelly shares what those first days and months were like, from managing the practical responsibilities that follow a death to facing the quieter moments when the reality of her loss began to settle in. She also talks about how her family found ways to continue remembering and celebrating Darius, especially around holidays and meaningful dates. Those experiences helped inspire Kelly to create Timely Presence, a grief support service designed to remind people they haven't been forgotten long after the funeral is over. Jill and Kelly discuss why ongoing grief support matters, how uncomfortable people can feel around someone who is grieving, and what friends, family members, and employers can do to offer meaningful support. Kelly shares her approach to showing up for grieving people, including why remembering someone's loved one and simply saying their name can make a difference. This conversation is a reminder that grief doesn't end when the funeral is over, and supporting someone through loss isn't just about being there in the beginning. It's about continuing to show up as they learn to live with the absence of someone they love. Thetimelypresence.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-edmondson/ @the.kellyedmondson on IG 00:00 Shock of the News 01:13 Meet Kelly Edmondson 02:35 A Nurse Becomes the Patient 04:15 Remembering Darius 05:45 Understanding SUDEP 07:45 From Logistics to Silence 11:47 Mother's Day Turning Point 13:59 Gifts That Keep Showing Up 16:03 Building Timely Presence 17:39 How the Service Works 21:00 Workplace Grief Support 23:27 Arise Cohort for Purpose 24:11 Why Grief Can't Stay Home 25:18 Holidays and Loss 26:13 Christmas Trip Ritual 27:24 Grief Attack and Rescue 28:51 Reframing Joyful Traditions 30:14 Avoiding Grief Stagnation 32:09 Three Rs of Support 35:34 Learning to Show Up 39:56 Say Their Name 43:50 Infant Loss and Future Grief 46:26 Love Means Loss 47:01 Where to Find Kelly Support the show Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support  Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast.  Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life.  [email protected]  https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call. www.endoflifeclarity.com Instagram Facebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity Circle LinkedIn TikTok

Send us Fan Mail Death is everywhere in movies, television, and the news, yet talking about our own mortality is something many people avoid. Why are we so fascinated by death while also being afraid of it? And could facing the reality of dying help us live more meaningful lives? In this episode of Seeing Death Clearly, death doula and funeral celebrant Jill McClennen talks with psychologist and writer Liz Scott, author of You're Going to Die But Not Me, about death anxiety, grief, end-of-life planning, and the complicated emotions that come with facing our mortality. Liz shares the personal experiences that shaped her relationship with death, including the loss of her husband at home with hospice care, witnessing her mother's peaceful death despite their difficult relationship, and facing her own breast cancer diagnosis. These experiences challenged her beliefs about dying, what might happen after death, and whether it is possible to move from fear toward acceptance. Jill and Liz explore why people often avoid conversations about death, even when they understand the importance of preparing for the end of life. They discuss living wills, the role of death doula work, and how being present with someone who is dying can change the way we think about our own lives. They also talk about the simple but meaningful ways we can comfort someone at the end of life, including gentle touch, familiar music, and genuine human connection. Liz shares her interest in panpsychism, the idea that consciousness may be a basic part of the universe, and research into how psychedelics may help reduce the fear of dying, particularly for people facing terminal illness. Throughout the conversation, Jill and Liz reflect on grief, healing, legacy, and the idea of memento mori, a reminder that life is temporary. Rather than allowing that awareness to create more fear, they explore how it can encourage conscious living, deeper relationships, and a greater appreciation for ordinary moments. This conversation offers an honest, thoughtful, and sometimes humorous look at death, dying, and what it means to be alive. It invites listeners to question their own beliefs, become more comfortable talking about mortality, and consider how accepting the reality of death might help them live more fully. 00:00 Facing Mortality Fears 01:07 Meet Liz Scott 01:53 Obsessed Yet Avoidant 03:10 Death as a Companion 04:42 Memento Mori Mindset 06:05 Death Doula Perspective 09:40 Loss and Cancer Catalyst 13:15 Afterlife and Being Good 15:28 Crisis Support and Growth 19:27 Choosing Compassion Over Rage 21:16 Protecting the Kids 22:06 Why Write About Death 24:25 Humor at the Bedside 26:43 Making Death Feel Normal 30:39 Writing to Reach People 32:14 Psychedelics and Panpsychism 35:14 Psychedelic Research and Access 37:57 Where to Find the Book You're Going To Die But Not Me! Book Link https://a.co/d/0e635K3P SUBSTACK: https://lizscottwriter.substack.com WEBSITE: www.lizscottwriter.com Support the show Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support  Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast.  Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life.  [email protected]  https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call. www.endoflifeclarity.com Instagram Facebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity Circle LinkedIn TikTok

Send us Fan Mail Grief isn't just something we experience when someone dies. It can show up during major life changes, the end of relationships, aging, and losses we may not even recognize as grief. Learning to acknowledge these experiences can help us better understand our emotions and find ways to move through them. In this episode of Seeing Death Clearly, host Jill McClennen, a death doula and funeral celebrant, talks with Nikki Smith, also known as Nikki the Death Doula, a death doula and grief coach in Columbus, Ohio. Together, they explore the many forms of grief, including pet loss, breakups, perimenopause, empty nesting, and changes in our bodies and identities. They discuss disenfranchised grief, losses that often go unrecognized or unsupported, and the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including missed milestones, disrupted funerals, and the experiences of healthcare workers. Jill and Nikki also talk about anger as a natural part of grieving, why families sometimes struggle when someone they love is dying, and how the media can create unrealistic expectations about death and grief. A meaningful part of their conversation focuses on the difference between accepting a loss and simply acknowledging that it is happening. They explore how recognizing the reality of a situation, even when we aren't ready to accept it, can be an important part of healing. They also discuss the value of end-of-life planning, how preparing ahead can ease some of the burden on loved ones, and why we can't plan for or control everything that happens at the end of life. 00:00 Acknowledge Not Accept 00:16 Meet The Host 01:21 Introducing Nikki Smith 02:33 Grief Coaching Training 03:38 Grief Beyond Death 04:36 Perimenopause Body Changes 08:19 Aging And Identity Shifts 11:25 Disenfranchised Life Grief 12:45 COVID Assumptive World Loss 17:00 Anger In Grief 18:26 Move Anger Through Body 19:59 Family Conflict And Denial 22:04 Saying Death Out Loud 23:40 Denial and Euphemisms 25:10 Movies vs Real Dying 26:31 Funerals and Real Grief 27:49 Good Grief Podcast 30:16 Fears Dementia and ALS 31:28 Losing Mom Suddenly 34:00 Death Planning Limits 36:39 Talk It Through Family 39:16 Resources and Wrap Up www.nikkithedeathdoula.com https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/nikkideathdoula/ https://www.facebook.com/NikkitheDeathDoula My episode with Nikki on her podcast Good Grief https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/nikkideathdoula/episodes/177--Death-Doula-Showdown--My-conversation-with-Jill-of-End-of-Life-Clarity-e3ppe9u/a-acu2iiu Support the show Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support  Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast.  Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life.  [email protected]  https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call. www.endoflifeclarity.com Instagram Facebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity Circle LinkedIn TikTok

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Seeing Death Clearly, Sarah Vosburg shares the complicated reality of caregiving, grief, memory care, and learning to give herself grace for decisions made during an incredibly difficult time. Caring for a parent with dementia can mean making difficult choices without knowing whether there is a “right” answer. Host Jill McClennen, a death doula and funeral celebrant, talks with Sarah, a retired school psychologist and author of Who Will Name the Bees? Sarah cared for her mother as dementia changed their relationship and eventually led to nine difficult months in memory care before her mother died in 2008. Sarah shares some of the choices she faced as her mother’s needs changed, including concerns about unsafe driving, questions about her mother’s marriage, hospitalization, medication, and the challenges of navigating memory care. She describes caregiving as an “amateur business,” because families are often expected to make life-changing decisions without training or a clear roadmap. After her mother died, Sarah began writing down memories that came to her during the night. Those memories eventually became a memoir weaving together caregiving, family history, poetry, grief, and the unusual conversation that inspired the book’s title. Jill and Sarah also talk about caregiver burnout, loneliness, healing after caregiving ends, and the role writing can play in preserving a person’s legacy. Their conversation connects with many of the questions found in death doula work and end-of-life planning: how families care for one another through dying and loss, how grief changes over time, and how facing mortality can become part of conscious living. Sarah’s story is a reminder that caregiving rarely comes with perfect answers—and sometimes healing begins with looking back at what happened with a little more grace. 00:00 Feeling Less Alone 00:17 Meet the Host and Guest 01:46 Sarah’s Background 02:36 Why Name the Bees 06:22 Beekeeping Lore and Loss 08:43 Turning Grief Into a Memoir 11:34 Writing Process and Structure 15:54 Publishing and Timeline 16:19 Cancer, Chemo, and Dementia 18:24 Memory Care and Hard Decisions 23:35 Caregiving Frustrations 24:59 Memory Care Failures 26:33 Grace and Hindsight 27:33 Audiobook Family Voices 28:21 Taking Away the Keys 31:11 Stop Arguing Dementia 33:28 Panini Generation Pressure 36:37 Caregiver Burnout and Loneliness 38:44 Finding Yourself Again 41:22 Book Links and Bee Names 43:07 Closing Thanks and Time https://www.sarahvosburgh.com whowillnamethebees.com Support the show Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support  Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast.  Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life.  [email protected]  https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call. www.endoflifeclarity.com Instagram Facebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity Circle LinkedIn TikTok

Send us Fan Mail What could end-of-life care look like if caring for people who are dying became more of a community responsibility? In this episode, Jill talks with nurse Hannah Fowler about small, community-based homes for people at the end of life and the role these spaces can play for people who may not have family, caregivers, or a safe place to die. Hannah shares how her work in nursing and hospice eventually brought her to the Center for Conscious Living & Dying in Asheville, now called Emberlight. She and Jill talk about the value of keeping these homes small and rooted in their communities, as well as Jill’s involvement in creating a similar three-bed home in Philadelphia. They also get into some of the harder questions surrounding this work. How do death doulas charge for care when so much of what they provide is presence, time, reassurance, and education?  Why are some hospice organizations hesitant to work alongside doulas, while others are finding ways to collaborate? Hannah shares some of what she learned from being part of a community caring for people who were dying, including how the model supported not only residents, but volunteers, caregivers, and hospice professionals. The conversation also explores the personal side of doing this work—trauma, triggers, boundaries, shadow work, and the ways being close to death can bring us face-to-face with parts of ourselves we may otherwise avoid. Hannah now brings these experiences into her work through the School of the Red Skywalker, where she offers community circles, mentorship, education, and leadership support focused on creating healthier ways of caring for ourselves and one another. 00:00 Letting Go of Perfection 01:26 Meet Hannah Faller 02:47 Starting a Community Home 04:33 Charging for Presence 08:28 Emberlight Model 10:13 Hospice and Doula Bridge 11:59 Volunteer Firekeeping Care 16:25 Overnight Staffing Reality 18:57 Building Volunteer Community 20:09 Finding Connection and Belonging 22:13 Separation and Meaning 23:58 Shadow Work at Bedside 25:08 Death as Catalyst 27:39 Triggers and Limits 29:29 Loving Activation 31:11 Bridging Spirit and Shadow 33:29 Choosing Hard Experiences 37:06 Adaptations and Integration 38:34 Witnessing Without Judgment 39:35 Numbing and Forgiveness 41:49 Red Skywalker Offerings 44:16 Ripple Effects and Rebuilding 46:53 Ways to Work Together 48:00 Closing Thanks and Ripples  https://www.redskywalker.school [email protected] Support the show Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support  Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast.  Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life.  [email protected]  https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call. www.endoflifeclarity.com Instagram Facebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity Circle LinkedIn TikTok

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Seeing Death Clearly, I talk with psychology professor Dr. Anya Schultz, who teaches a course on the Psychology of Death and Dying. Her classroom gives students permission to explore subjects many of us are taught to avoid, often leading them to question their assumptions about death, grief, funerals, and what it means to say goodbye. Anya shares some of the exercises she uses with her students, including writing goodbye letters, imagining their own deaths, creating funeral programs and eulogies, and using the Go Wish card game to think about what matters most at the end of life. We also talk about the expectations we place on grief and how easily those expectations can make someone wonder whether they are grieving “correctly.” Our conversation expands beyond death to the many other losses we experience throughout life—changes in relationships, identity, health, roles, and the future we thought we would have. We explore why children benefit from honest, age-appropriate conversations about death rather than being completely shielded from it, and how the language adults use can shape a child’s understanding of loss. Anya also shares how her own experiences with caregiving, motherhood, illness, and having a daughter with cystic fibrosis have influenced the way she approaches death and uncertainty. Throughout our conversation, we come back to something at the heart of Seeing Death Clearly: talking openly about death isn’t only about preparing for the end of life. It can help us better understand loss and change, show up for the people we love, and think more intentionally about how we want to live while we’re here. 00:00 Societal Grief Scripts 00:18 Podcast Setup and Guest 02:26 Inside the Death and Dying Class 03:57 Aha Moments and Goodbye Letters 07:12 Real Feelings Versus Expectations 12:18 Grief Beyond Death 14:18 Talking to Kids About Death 17:52 Parenting With Illness Reality 22:15 Avoidance Religion and Meaning 26:39 Celebrating Life at Funerals 27:44 Why Rituals Matter 28:46 Funerals Are Evolving 29:38 Living Wakes and Parties 31:17 Grief Before Death 34:12 Caregiving Reality Check 35:55 Finding Beauty in Death 37:57 Life Cycles and Seasons 39:39 Students Plan Their Funerals 42:46 Death and Rebirth Meditation 45:38 Fears About the Process 46:43 Caregiver Worries and Illness 48:02 Closing and Contact Info [email protected] Support the show Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support  Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast.  Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life.  [email protected]  https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call. www.endoflifeclarity.com Instagram Facebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity Circle LinkedIn TikTok

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Seeing Death Clearly, I’m joined by writer and father of six Steve Beal Sr. for a conversation about family stories, grief, faith, and what we can learn when we take the time to really listen to the people who came before us. Steve shares how traveling with his mother to New Brunswick, Canada, to visit aging relatives eventually led him to begin recording the stories and experiences that would become a book about family, memory, and what he calls “generation jumping”, intentionally connecting with older generations and preserving their stories before they are lost. We talk about what happened when Steve brought his aunt back to the family farm and how being in that familiar place brought memories and stories back to the surface. We also talk about the stories our relatives tell over and over, why those repetitions can mean something different after someone dies, and how laughter and grief can exist right alongside each other. Steve and I also discuss what our children learn by watching us care for aging family members, the importance of making room for deeper conversations, and the awareness that we don’t always have as much time with the people we love as we think we do. Faith is also an important part of Steve’s story. He shares how Christian hope has shaped the way he understands death and grief, including his experiences with family funerals, while still leaving room for the sadness and mourning that come with losing someone we love. At the heart of our conversation is something simple: ask the questions, listen to the stories, spend the time, and pay attention to the people you love while they are still here. 00:00 Intentionality Matters 00:15 Meet Jill and Steve 02:52 How the Book Began 05:39 New Brunswick Roots 06:46 From Sports to Spirit 10:43 Publishing and Purpose 14:04 Taking Elders Home 19:13 Hope and Grief 22:20 Grandmother Funeral Memory 23:34 Hymns and Poetry 24:23 Celebration Amid Loss 25:23 Laughs at Funerals 26:04 Bible on Grief 28:05 Dad’s Wake Stories 31:34 Record Family History 33:21 Modeling Care for Elders 36:26 Questions for Grammy 41:07 Nature and God Connection 44:25 Where to Find Steve Blog: 1inawesomewonder.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SteveBealSr Substack: https://substack.com/@inhumbleadoration Generation Jumping on Amazon: https://a.co/d/09QBc3on Support the show Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support  Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast.  Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life.  [email protected]  https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call. www.endoflifeclarity.com Instagram Facebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity Circle LinkedIn TikTok

Send us Fan Mail When Lila Glasoe Francese’s sister Carolyn was diagnosed with glioblastoma in 2015, life changed quickly. Carolyn underwent surgeries and a trial treatment before dying 13 months later at just 46 years old, leaving behind a seven-year-old son and a family learning how to live with an enormous loss. In this episode of Seeing Death Clearly, Lila joins death doula and funeral celebrant Jill McClennen for a conversation about what grief actually looks like over time, not as something we simply move through and leave behind, but as something that continues to become part of our lives. Lila shares what it was like to lose her sister, help raise Carolyn’s son, and redefine what family looked like alongside her husband and brother-in-law. Now, a decade after Carolyn’s death, grief can still appear unexpectedly through milestones, memories, scents, songs, and other reminders that bring the past immediately into the present. Jill and Lila also talk about our culture’s discomfort with sadness and the pressure people can feel to be “okay” after loss. They explore why we need more honest conversations about illness, dying, caregiving, and grief and the importance of finding the people who are willing to show up and help when life becomes overwhelming. Writing became one of the ways Lila processed her own experience. What began with journaling eventually grew into her books, The Situation: A Radical Journey Through Sisterhood and Life Amplified: The Search for Resilience After Loss. Sharing her story also opened the door for other people to share losses they had been carrying, demonstrating how storytelling can create connections around experiences that are often kept private. The conversation also explores legacy, community, family, and what loss can teach us about the things we spend our lives accumulating compared with the people and relationships that ultimately matter most. At the heart of this episode is something Jill has learned through many conversations with guests over the years: grief doesn’t simply end. We learn how to carry what we’ve lost while continuing to live, love, connect, and make meaning in the life that is still here. 00:00 Grief Changes You 01:51 Meet Lila and Her Story 02:27 Glioblastoma and Writing Through Loss 06:44 Sharing Stories Heals 11:00 Triggers and Sense Memories 15:17 Milestones Without Her 19:21 Redefining Family After Loss 23:05 Find the Helpers 26:58 Honest End of Life Talk 36:49 Living Fully and Letting Go 37:22 Stuff vs People 42:51 Books and Closing Thoughts https://www.amazon.com/Situation-Radical-Journey-Thru-Sisterhood https://www.instagram.com/lifeamplifiedbook/ https://lifeamplifiedbook.com/the-situation-a-radical-journey-thru-sisterhood/ Support the show Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support  Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast.  Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life.  [email protected]  https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call. www.endoflifeclarity.com Instagram Facebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity Circle LinkedIn TikTok

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Seeing Death Clearly, I’m joined by hospice nurses and end-of-life doulas Jan Booth and Trish Rux, authors of Dying Matters: Eight Conversations That Can Change Your Life. We talk about why conversations about serious illness, caregiving, and end-of-life wishes need to begin long before a crisis. Through their years of hospice and palliative care experience, Jan and Trish have seen how often families find themselves making difficult decisions without having talked about what matters most to the person they love. We explore why end-of-life planning is about much more than completing an advance directive. It’s also about understanding our values, thinking about who will care for us, talking honestly with the people in our lives, and building the support we may need as circumstances change. Jan and Trish also share how their experiences as nurses led them into death doula work and why doulas can be valuable guides during serious illness, not only during the final days of life. We talk about the continued confusion surrounding hospice and death doula care and why, even after decades of hospice, our culture still struggles to talk openly about dying. A big part of our conversation centers on community and caregiving. We discuss how isolated caregiving can become and what it might look like to rebuild circles of support around people who are seriously ill and their caregivers. We talk about practical approaches such as Share the Care, along with my own experience helping organize around-the-clock community support for someone who was dying. And, as so often happens on this podcast, a conversation about death becomes a conversation about life. Jan, Trish, and I talk about how facing our mortality can help us become clearer about what matters, strengthen our relationships, express gratitude and forgiveness, and have important conversations while we still have the opportunity to have them. Their book, Dying Matters, offers eight practical, heart-centered conversations designed to help individuals, families, caregivers, and communities begin talking about serious illness, caregiving, grief, loss, legacy, and the end of life before a crisis forces those conversations to happen. 00:00 Life Skills for Dying 00:19 Meet the Guests 01:39 Jan’s Hospice Journey 03:38 Trish’s Parallel Path 04:17 Why Change Is Slow 08:28 Beyond Advance Directives 10:26 Serious Illness Doula Role 14:01 Rebuilding Care Communities 16:30 Care Circle in Practice 23:35 Share the Care Model 25:10 Why Community Is Hard 32:13 Book and Discussion Guide 34:47 Mortality as Motivation 39:01 Resources and Where to Find 41:25 Closing and Next Steps [email protected] deathdoulas.com https://bookshop.org/p/books/dying-matters-8-conversations-that-can-change-your-life/cf554f4ee1eb868f Support the show Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support  Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast.  Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life.  [email protected]  https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call. www.endoflifeclarity.com Instagram Facebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity Circle LinkedIn TikTok

Send us Fan Mail Today, I’m joined by long-term care specialist Raymond Lavine for a conversation about something many of us don’t think about until we’re already in the middle of it: how we’re going to manage and pay for care as we get older. Raymond and I talk about what long-term care actually means. It isn’t necessarily medical care. It can be help with bathing, dressing, eating, getting to appointments, moving safely through your home, or managing the everyday tasks that allow you to continue living your life. We also talk about what happens when there hasn’t been a plan in place and family members suddenly become caregivers. Caregiving can have an emotional, physical, and financial impact, especially when everyone is trying to make decisions in the middle of a crisis. Raymond shares three important questions he believes we should all consider when thinking about our future care: Where do you want to receive care? Who do you want to provide it? And how will you pay for it? We talk about why those questions are much easier to answer before care is actually needed, as well as some of the assumptions people make about what Medicare, Medicaid, or other programs will cover. Raymond also explains long-term care insurance, how it differs from disability insurance, what typically qualifies someone to begin receiving benefits, and why waiting until you need care can mean you've waited too long to explore some of your options. But preparing for long-term care isn't only about buying insurance. It can also mean looking at whether your home will work for you as you age, organizing important documents, sharing passwords and account information with someone you trust, talking with the people who may eventually be involved in your care, and making your wishes known. Raymond also shares some of his own family's experiences with long-term care and how those experiences have shaped the work he does today. This conversation is ultimately about giving ourselves and the people we love more choices. We can't predict exactly what our later years will look like, but we can think ahead about what matters to us and make a plan before a crisis makes those decisions for us. If this episode has you thinking about your own future care, I offer end-of-life care planning sessions to help you think through your wishes, organize the practical pieces, and have these conversations with the people who matter to you. You can visit my website to learn more or schedule a complimentary call. 00:00 Why Plan Ahead 00:22 Meet The Host 01:55 Raymond’s Backstory 03:56 Why Long Term Care 08:07 Insure Yourself First 09:58 What Caregiving Means 11:13 Three Key Questions 17:15 Planning Beyond Insurance 21:02 Government Isn’t Guaranteed 22:39 When To Buy Coverage 27:31 Real Costs And Family Stories 30:06 How Policies Pay Out 33:07 Disability Vs Long Term Care 36:23 Where Raymond Works 38:48 Tools And Life Skills 41:04 Closing And Next Steps Raymond's web portal:  www.lavineltcins.com Social Media:  a. https://www.youtube.com/@RaymondLavine b. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ltc-benefits c. https://substack.com/@raymondlavine1 Raymond Lavine Lavine: LTC Benefits Telephone or Text message: 253.275.6091 www.lavineltcins.com Video: https://raymondlavineofficial.com Support the show Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support  Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast.  Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life.  [email protected]  https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call. www.endoflifeclarity.com Instagram Facebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity Circle LinkedIn TikTok

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Seeing Death Clearly, I’m joined by end-of-life doula Sonja Koenig for a conversation about grief, family, advocacy, and what it really means to prepare for the end of life. Much of Sonja’s perspective has been shaped by the death of her brother Juan, a Marine who lived with serious health challenges for 16 years, including kidney failure, dialysis, COPD, and heart problems. During his final hospitalization, Sonja and her mother found themselves advocating for his care while also trying to make important decisions and complete documents that should ideally have been addressed long before a crisis. After Juan died, Sonja was confronted with another difficult reality: how much had been left unfinished. Important paperwork, personal wishes, financial matters, and other details still needed attention at a time when the family was already grieving. That experience reinforced something Sonja now emphasizes in her work: end-of-life planning isn’t only for people who are elderly, seriously ill, or actively dying. Preparing ahead of time can make an enormous difference for the people we leave behind. We talk about practical steps such as organizing important documents, discussing healthcare wishes, completing advance directives, and making sure the people you trust know where to find the information they may someday need. Sonja also shares ideas for legacy planning, including writing letters or creating videos that allow loved ones to hold onto stories, memories, and messages long after someone is gone. Our conversation also explores Sonja’s changing relationship with death and grief, including how the death of a close friend helped her begin seeing death as a natural part of life rather than something to avoid talking about. We discuss how children experience grief, including Sonja’s experience supporting her young nephew after Juan’s death, and why honest, age-appropriate conversations can help children understand loss rather than leaving them to make sense of it on their own. Sonja also shares the work behind her “R U Ready? Prepare With Purpose” program, which encourages individuals and families to begin these conversations and organize their affairs before an emergency forces them to. Ultimately, this episode is a reminder that preparing for death isn’t about expecting the worst. It’s about making our wishes known, reducing uncertainty, preserving what matters to us, and making things a little easier for the people we love when the time comes. 00:00 Facing Death Honestly 00:18 Meet the Host and Guest 01:32 Sonja’s Life and Family 03:13 Gardening as Healing 03:53 From Fear to Calling 10:17 Bugs Boundaries and Nature 17:44 Juan’s Illness Story 19:10 Getting Affairs in Order 22:30 Advocacy at the Hospital 25:29 Aftermath and R U Ready 26:36 Purpose Through Loss 29:28 Missing the Family Chef 32:52 Helping a Child Grieve 38:33 Legacy Beyond Money 40:45 Normalize End of Life Planning 43:54 Premarital Planning Gap 45:42 Book and Course Details 50:31 Final Resources and Farewell eolcareinstitute.org [email protected] Amazon END OF LIFE PEACE OF MIND FOR YOUR FAMILY: LEAVE A LEGACY YOUR FAMILY WILL REMEMBER https://a.co/d/00YVI7rD Support the show Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support  Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast.  Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life.  [email protected]  https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call. www.endoflifeclarity.com Instagram Facebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity Circle LinkedIn TikTok

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Seeing Death Clearly, death doula and funeral celebrant Jill McClennen talks with life coach, author, and publisher Mia Godfrey about what it means to rebuild your life after profound loss. Mia's story is one of resilience, but it isn't a story of "getting over" grief. Instead, it's about learning to carry loss while continuing to move forward. Mia shares what it was like growing up in communist Romania, losing her father as a young adult, and struggling with alcohol and prescription pills as she tried to cope with overwhelming grief. She reflects on meeting her late husband during a mission trip, moving to the United States, and the devastating shock of becoming a widow at just 35 years old when he died unexpectedly from heat stroke at the age of 42. The conversation also explores Mia's experience caring for her sister during an 11-month battle with ovarian cancer before her death in 2023. That loss eventually led Mia to begin therapy, opening another chapter in her own healing journey. Together, Jill and Mia discuss how grief changes throughout our lives, why every loss is different, and how support can come from unexpected places. Throughout the episode, they explore the importance of community, the courage it takes to ask for help, and why comparing grief only creates more suffering. Mia shares how writing became part of her healing process, eventually leading her and her husband to start Scribble Pages Publishing, where they help others tell their own stories and preserve their legacies. Jill and Mia also talk about caregiving, self-care, holding space for someone who is grieving without trying to fix their pain, and why conversations about death and end-of-life planning are ultimately conversations about love. They discuss the value of legacy work, preparing loved ones for the future, and creating meaning even after life's most difficult experiences. Whether you've experienced the death of a spouse, parent, sibling, or another significant loss—or you're supporting someone who has—this episode offers compassionate insights into grief, resilience, healing, and finding hope after unimaginable change. 00:00 Grief Is Personal 01:30 Meet Jill And Mia 02:13 Sudden Loss Of Husband 04:57 Faith And Community Support 06:39 Starting Over Alone 13:19 Father Loss And Addiction 18:34 Orphanage Work And Education 19:28 New Life In America 21:33 Caring For Sister 23:37 Remarriage And Blended Family 26:10 Sister Loss Grief 27:29 Therapy To Book 28:52 Self Publishing Journey 29:53 Writing Routine Evolution 30:15 Books Two And Three 31:51 Lessons From Grief 35:05 Holding Space Better 38:42 Wellness Coaching Focus 42:02 Retreats And Courses 43:18 Where To Find Mia 44:08 Publishing Others Next 46:01 Unexpected Global Readers 47:21 Caregiver Self-Care 48:47 Podcast Closing Call https://www.instagram.com/miagodfreyauthor/ https://www.amazon.com/Buried-Not-Broken-Survival-Sisterhood/dp/B0G6Y12J29 miagodfrey.com Support the show Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support  Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast.  Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life.  [email protected]  https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call. www.endoflifeclarity.com Instagram Facebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity Circle LinkedIn TikTok

Send us Fan Mail When someone dies, the grief is only part of what families are carrying. Along with the emotional pain often comes a long list of decisions, paperwork, phone calls, family dynamics, and practical tasks that can feel impossible to manage while you're mourning.  In this episode of Seeing Death Clearly, death doula and funeral celebrant Jill McClennen talks with Sarah Baldwin, founder of Restfully, about why navigating loss shouldn't have to be so overwhelming and how better support can help people focus on what matters most. Sarah shares the deeply personal experience that inspired Restfully. After her mother died from lung cancer, she found herself facing the same confusing and fragmented system that so many families encounter after a death. Although her mother's death had been expected, nothing truly prepared her for the emotional weight or the practical responsibilities that followed. Drawing on her background in finance and operations, Sarah realized there had to be a better way to connect people with trustworthy resources during one of the most difficult times of their lives. Together, Jill and Sarah explore the reality that grief doesn't begin only after someone dies.  Anticipatory grief can be just as profound, and even when families know a death is coming, they often feel unprepared for everything that follows. They discuss how logistical demands—finding hospice, planning a funeral, cleaning out a home, managing paperwork, or coordinating services—can leave little room to simply grieve. A major focus of the conversation is the importance of personalized grief support. Sarah explains Restfully's four grief personas—Open Heart, Quiet Anchor, Steady Hand, and Seeker—and how each reflects a different way people process loss and seek help. Rather than assuming everyone grieves the same way, these personas encourage a more compassionate, individualized approach to communication and support. Sarah also shares how Restfully is expanding beyond educational resources into practical tools designed to make help easier to find. The platform is developing a vetted vendor directory and a "solution database" that allows people to search by the problem they're trying to solve—whether they need a funeral home, hospice provider, death doula, estate attorney, home cleanout service, grief counselor, or another type of support. They also discuss scholarship opportunities and other efforts to make these services more accessible to people who might otherwise struggle to afford them. The conversation touches on the challenges of building a mission-driven business in the end-of-life space. Sarah talks openly about balancing the desire to provide meaningful support with the realities of sustaining an organization financially. Jill and Sarah also discuss how grief often shows up in unexpected ways, including anger expressed online, family conflict, or emotional reactions that may not immediately be recognized as grief at all. Throughout the episode, both emphasize that there is no single "right" way to grieve. People need different kinds of information, different kinds of support, and different timing. Meeting people where they are—with practical resources, compassion, and without judgment—can make an enormous difference during one of life's hardest experiences. Whether you're planning ahead, supporting someone who is seriously ill, grieving the loss of a loved one, or simply interested in improving end-of-life care, this conversation offers thoughtful insights into making death and grief a little less overwhelming and a lot more human. 00:00 Death Connects Us 01:21 Meet Sarah Baldwin 02:15 What Is Restfully 02:49 Why She Started 05:55 Losing Her Mom 08:43 Clearing Space To Grieve 09:36 Unexpected Logistics Stress 12:27 Building The Team 13:21 Four Grief Personas 17:14 How The Personas Formed 20:37 Sitting With Unknowns 22:55 Death Work And Cultural Shift 25:27 Evolving Doula Roles 26:59 Grief Fuels Online Anger 31:40 Personal Grief and Triggers 34:05 Breaking Comment Loops 37:14 Rounding Up on People 39:15 Charging for Care Work 42:17 Restfully Solution Database 48:32 Where to Find Sarah 49:24 End of Life Planning Offer https://www.restfullycare.com/ https://www.restfullycare.com/grief-personas  [email protected]   Support the show Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support  Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast.  Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life.  [email protected]  https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call. www.endoflifeclarity.com Instagram Facebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity Circle LinkedIn TikTok

Send us Fan Mail Death doesn't have to be a taboo topic. In this episode of Seeing Death Clearly, death doula and funeral celebrant Jill McClennen is joined by Annalouiza Armendariz and Wakil  David Matthews, interfaith ordained ministers and co-hosts of the End of Life Conversations podcast. Together, they explore how talking openly about death, dying, and grief can reduce fear, strengthen communities, and help people make more informed decisions about the end of life. Drawing from their work in funeral service, spiritual care, education, and end-of-life support, Annalouiza and Wakil  share practical insights into preparing for death while also reflecting on the emotional, spiritual, and social aspects of living well. The conversation covers a wide range of topics, including advance care planning, hospice, advance directives, medical aid in dying (MAID), voluntarily stopping eating and drinking (VSED), grief, caregiving, and the growing need for stronger community support. They also discuss the unique challenges faced by people who are aging or dying without close family, why affordable end-of-life support is often difficult to access, and how mutual aid and neighborhood connections can help fill those gaps. Jill, Annalouiza, and Wakil also talk about teaching children to speak honestly about death, the importance of using clear language instead of euphemisms, and why normalizing these conversations benefits people of every age. They don't shy away from subjects that are often avoided, including the physical realities of dying, mental health, caregiver burnout, and the ways fear and silence can make the dying process more difficult for everyone involved. Whether you're planning ahead, supporting someone who is seriously ill, working in healthcare, or simply curious about how we can approach death with greater openness and compassion, this episode offers thoughtful perspectives and practical ideas that can help make these conversations feel less overwhelming. Talking about death won't make it happen sooner—but avoiding the conversation can leave families unprepared. By planning ahead, building community, and learning to have honest conversations, we can reduce anxiety, support one another more effectively, and ultimately live with greater intention. 00:00 Compassionate Caregiving 00:15 Meet the Hosts 01:57 How Their Podcast Began 03:35 Podcasting Lessons Learned 05:13 The Many Hats They Wear 07:07 Planning Class and Nonprofit 08:44 Aging Alone and Affordability 11:30 Rebuilding Community Support 13:23 What to Say in Grief 15:14 Saying Death Out Loud 19:53 Raising Death Literate Kids 23:17 Narcan and Hard Talks 24:44 Mental Health and MAID 28:18 Disability and MAID Ethics 30:55 Dying as Sacred Process 31:55 Caregiving Over Numbing 34:32 Hospice Story and Anxiety 38:29 Shame and Everybody Poops 43:54 Facilities and Community Options 47:29 Legal Risks and Compassion 49:01 Wrap Up and Resources 50:19 End of Life Planning CTA https://www.buzzsprout.com/2257447 https://endoflifeconvos.substack.com/ https://www.jaguar-journey.com/ Support the show Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support  Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast.  Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life.  [email protected]  https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call. www.endoflifeclarity.com Instagram Facebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity Circle LinkedIn TikTok

Send us Fan Mail Host Jill McClennen, a death doula and funeral celebrant, speaks with Northern California end-of-life doula Lori Goldwyn about death doula work, grief, and end-of-life planning. Lori explains how childhood fear of death, her background in women’s health, and her mother’s death in 2010 moved her from birth doula work into hospice volunteering and then end-of-life doula care after training with INELDA in 2016.  They discuss parallels between birth and dying, how advance directives can be hard to follow during medical crises, and the emotional weight of decisions like intubation and life support.  Lori shares her first experience supporting a medical aid in dying (MAID) client, including the complex medication process and her initial guilt, and both emphasize informed choice, compassionate support, and the need to relieve families from managing these intense moments alone. 00:00 Families Shouldn’t Carry This 00:12 Meet Your Host and Guest 01:33 Lori’s Path to Doula Work 04:39 Birth and Death Parallels 08:09 When Plans Meet Reality 12:17 God’s Will and Medical Choices 15:49 VSED and Family Conflict 18:30 First MAID Client Story 22:05 MAID Protocols and Stress 24:10 Why Families Hire Support 25:23 Reaching Prescribing Doctors 26:00 Doula Credibility Gap 28:32 Questions Patients Should Ask 29:57 Why Doulas Fill Gaps 31:58 MAID Timing Pressures 33:17 First MAID Case Lessons 35:26 Aftercare and Adrenaline 38:02 Teamwork and Pricing 40:22 Making Doula Work Sustainable 47:45 Wrap Up and Resources 48:34 Vacation and Planning Offer https://MorituriDoulaServices.com  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567692093960  Support the show Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support  Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast.  Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life.  [email protected]  https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call. www.endoflifeclarity.com Instagram Facebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity Circle LinkedIn TikTok