End-of-Life University

Learn how to support a grieving person by choosing the best words to say that will actually make a difference. My guest Shelby Forsythia is a grief coach, author, podcast host, and the founder of Life After Loss Academy, an online course and community for grievers. She is the author of Your Grief Your Way, Permission to Grieve, and her latest book Of Course I’m Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving. Her work has been featured in Huffington Post, Bustle, and The Oprah Magazine. Learn more at her website: shelbyforsythia.com Get the book here Watch on YouTube Listen here: This episode includes: How Shelby became a “student of grief” who views loss as a perpetual teacher Three common internal narratives that grieving people face Three simple but transformative phrases to use when supporting someone Why words are the most accessible tool for support of someone grieving The need for grief literacy to prevent the secondary loss of friendships during times of grief The “three Ds“ of grief What is the “second wave of grief” The lack of grief literacy on social media Links mentioned in this episode: Get Wild and Holy on Amazon or Bookshop A Year of Reading Dangerously reading group Of Course I’m Here Right Now Book Club with Shelby Forsythia Shelby’s Supporting Someone Mini-series Latest post on Substack:  The Minimalist Approach to the End of Life What Really Matters Podcast View my  Patreon tier for Soul Supporters and receive extra reflections as a special bonus NEW Gift Guides for Caregivers, People Receiving Care, and People Who are Grieving Get my two newest books!! Stories from the Dark Night and The Tao of Death Get EOLU Podcast Merch here Conversations on Death with ChatGPT – Audiobook here; Print Book here Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Souloin the team at Patreon.com/eolu and receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously! Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu. And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn why “corpse pose” in yoga is a rehearsal for death and how yoga instructors are bringing Death Café into their studio. My guests Leslie Howard and Richard Rosen are both yoga instructors at Nest Yoga in Oakland CA and are co-authors of a new book titled Savasana: Between Breath and Death – a how-to for the final pose. Leslie is a certified death doula and hospice volunteer. Richard is the author of five previous books about yoga. Leslie also facilitates a Death Café that meets regularly at the yoga studio. Learn more at these websites: lesliehowardyoga.com betweenbreathanddeath.com Get the book here Watch on YouTube Listen here: This episode includes: What is Savasana (or Corpse Pose) Corpse pose as a rehearsal for death How it benefits us to have periods of conscious rest like Savasana How Leslie was inspired to become a death doula Incorporating Death Café into the yoga studio How yoga practice can help during times of illness, stress, and at the end of life How breathing helps soothe the nervous system Restorative yoga poses for physical comfort at the end of life Links mentioned in this episode: A Year of Reading Dangerously reading group Get Wild and Holy on Amazon or Bookshop Latest post on Substack:  Becoming an Elder in the Age of Technology What Really Matters Podcast View my  Patreon tier for Soul Supporters and receive extra reflections as a special bonus NEW Gift Guides for Caregivers, People Receiving Care, and People Who are Grieving Get my two newest books!! Stories from the Dark Night and The Tao of Death Get EOLU Podcast Merch here Conversations on Death with ChatGPT – Audiobook here; Print Book here Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Souloin the team at Patreon.com/eolu and receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously! Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my latest patron Karen Sheldahl! And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn about the unusual work of a priest who experiences after-death communication with souls who have become “stuck” in their afterlife journey. My guest Father Nathan Castle is a Dominican priest known for his work in campus ministry and his unusual calling of helping souls who have died suddenly to find peace. He discusses his unique work and how he was called to serve others in this way. He discusses the communications he receives in his dreams and how he began working with the souls who connect with him whose afterlives have been interrupted by unfinished business. He is the host of The Joyful Friar Podcast and the author of four books including his most recent: Afterlife: Interrupted Book 3 – Let Me Explain. Learn more at his website: Nathan-castle.com Get the books here Watch on YouTube Listen here: This episode includes: What he means by “stuck souls” How he first experienced contact from a deceased soul in his dreams Why certain people might get stuck in this way after death What is an “interrupted death experience” Stories of souls he has encountered during after death communication experiences How he works with stuck souls and their guardians to help them cross over How he uses prayer as a subset of love for helping souls In his experience many people who died by suicide felt optionless and just wanted the pain to stop How he manages to be “The Joyful Friar” in the midst of the work he does Advice for the living: Stay in the present moment and don’t be defined by the worst thing that happened to you in order to avoid getting stuck in the afterlife Links mentioned in this episode: A Year of Reading Dangerously reading group Get Wild and Holy on Amazon or Bookshop Latest post on Substack:  Wise Use of AI for Grandparents What Really Matters Podcast View my  Patreon tier for Soul Supporters and receive extra reflections as a special bonus NEW Gift Guides for Caregivers, People Receiving Care, and People Who are Grieving Get my two newest books!! Stories from the Dark Night and The Tao of Death Get EOLU Podcast Merch here Conversations on Death with ChatGPT – Audiobook here; Print Book here Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Souloin the team at Patreon.com/eolu and receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously! Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu. And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn about grief support for widows who are also raising children as they navigate loss and bereavement. My guest Krista St-Germain is a life coach, post-traumatic growth and grief expert, widowed mom, and host of The Widowed Mom Podcast. She coaches and teaches other widows to love life again and shares with us in this conversation what she has learned. She and her work have been featured in Psychology Today, Medium, Thrive Global, Bustle, Psych Central, and Parents Magazine. Learn more at her website: coachingwithkrista.com Watch on YouTube Listen here: This episode includes: The challenges of grieving while raising children How our limited knowledge of grief makes it more difficult to navigate Coping with unexpected effects of grief Myths about what is “normal” in grief What Krista wishes she had known about grief The dual-process model of grief The importance of community in navigating grief How just hearing someone else talk about their grief is helpful Post-traumatic growth and grief Understanding secondary losses and grief Links mentioned in this episode: Krista’s podcast The Widowed Mom A Year of Reading Dangerously reading group Get Wild and Holy on Amazon or Bookshop Latest post on Substack:  Grief on the Third Path What Really Matters Podcast View my  Patreon tier for Soul Supporters and receive extra reflections as a special bonus NEW Gift Guides for Caregivers, People Receiving Care, and People Who are Grieving Get my two newest books!! Stories from the Dark Night and The Tao of Death Get EOLU Podcast Merch here Conversations on Death with ChatGPT – Audiobook here; Print Book here Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Souloin the team at Patreon.com/eolu and receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously! Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu. And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn about a powerful memoir from the life of a death doula who was inspired by his grandmother to sit with the dying. My guest Darnell Lamont Walker is a death doula, Emmy-nominated children’s television writer, producer and explorer. He creates spaces worldwide for healing through storytelling, end-of-life care, and workshops on grief, resilience, unlocking the writer within, and radical empathy. He is the author of the newly published memoir Never Can Say Goodbye: The Life of a Death Doula and The Art of a Peaceful End published by HarperCollins. Learn more at his website: darnellwalker.com Get the book here Watch on YouTube Listen here: This episode includes: How Darnell was first introduced to end-of-life care by his grandmother The power of storytelling Why caring for the dying seems foreign to some people but is actually an innate ability Why we should be training children at a young age to be present with dying or we may pass on our own fear of death Death within the Black community and the impact of systemic racism, generational trauma, and unequal access to healthcare on end-of-life decision-making Why listening first is the best way to build trust and get people to talk about difficult subjects Why we can make better choices for life when we become aware of our mortality Links mentioned in this episode: A Year of Reading Dangerously reading group Get Wild and Holy on Amazon or Bookshop Latest post on Substack:  Grief on the Third Path What Really Matters Podcast View my  Patreon tier for Soul Supporters and receive extra reflections as a special bonus NEW Gift Guides for Caregivers, People Receiving Care, and People Who are Grieving Get my two newest books!! Stories from the Dark Night and The Tao of Death Get EOLU Podcast Merch here Conversations on Death with ChatGPT – Audiobook here; Print Book here Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Souloin the team at Patreon.com/eolu and receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously! Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu. And thanks to Jolynn Deloach for making a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn about a helpful online platform for end-of-life planning and the benefits of using technology for this work. My guest Paul Fried is an entrepreneur who recognized a need to reshape how we think about end-of-life planning. He founded a digital-first platform that focuses on compassionate funeral planning, digital legacy preservation, and emotional wellness titled I Made the Arrangements. He discusses the value of recording our end-of-life wishes and messages digitally for the sake of our loved ones. Paul is also the author of the book Live Fully. Leave Wisely: End-of-Life Planning as the Ultimate Act of Love. Learn more at his website: Imadethearrangements.com Get the book Watch on YouTube Listen here: This episode includes: How Paul’s ancestry and personal history led him to create I Made the Arrangements Why digital planning services are important right now The disastrous consequences of not planning ahead or talking about our end-of-life wishes Why employers are starting to offer online end-of-life planning as a benefit to their employees How technology is rapidly advancing to help people reconnect with holographic images of their loved ones How “wishkeepers” help secure their loved ones’ legacies Resources available on the website Links mentioned in this episode: A Year of Reading Dangerously reading group Get Wild and Holy on Amazon or Bookshop Latest post on Substack:  Grief on the Third Path What Really Matters Podcast View my  Patreon tier for Soul Supporters and receive extra reflections as a special bonus NEW Gift Guides for Caregivers, People Receiving Care, and People Who are Grieving Get my two newest books!! Stories from the Dark Night and The Tao of Death Get EOLU Podcast Merch here Conversations on Death with ChatGPT – Audiobook here; Print Book here Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Souloin the team at Patreon.com/eolu and receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously! Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu. And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn about the beautiful contribution of Dr. Megory Anderson to the field of sacred death and dying and how her legacy lives on 7 years after her death. My guest Jeremy Damec is a NEDA-certified death doula and a grief counselor who has also completed chaplaincy training and worked at a funeral home. He was a friend and mentee of Megory Anderson and knew her well during the years prior to her untimely and unexpected death in 2019. We discuss her pioneering contributions to end-of-life care and her book Sacred Dying along with our own stories of being inspired by Megory’s wisdom on the 7th anniversary since her death. Learn more about Jeremy’s work: jeremydeathandgrief.com deathandgriefworkercollective.com Get Sacred Dying Watch on YouTube Listen here: This episode includes: Megory’s book Sacred Dying as a valuable resource for all death workers How Jeremy got to know Megory Anderson Jeremy’s experience sitting vigil with Megory before she died How Jeremy still learns from Megory in his work Honoring Megory as a pioneer in the sacred aspect of death and dying What Jeremy has been inspired to create through the Death and Grief Worker Collective Links mentioned in this episode: Q&A Session with Megory Anderson Tribute to Megory Anderson Book recommendation: Born Into Loss A Year of Reading Dangerously reading group Get Wild and Holy on Amazon or Bookshop Latest post on Substack:  Start Here – What Really Matters in 2026 What Really Matters Podcast View my  Patreon tier for Soul Supporters and receive extra reflections as a special bonus NEW Gift Guides for Caregivers, People Receiving Care, and People Who are Grieving Get my two newest books!! Stories from the Dark Night and The Tao of Death Get EOLU Podcast Merch here Conversations on Death with ChatGPT – Audiobook here; Print Book here Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Souloin the team at Patreon.com/eolu and receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously! Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my latest patron Leslie Robinson! And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn the history of the hospice movement in the US from one of the original founders. My guest Dr. Robert Buckingham is a Professor Emeritus of Public Health at the University of Michigan and has been a pioneer of the U.S. hospice movement, having played a role in the founding of the very first hospice program in this country. In addition he has co-developed 81 hospice programs across the globe including the firs hospice for children with AIDS in Thailand. He is the author of 12 books – 7 dedicated solely to hospice and palliative care. His latest book is Understanding Loss and Grief for Women. Learn more at his website: rwbuckingham.com Watch on YouTube Listen here: This episode includes: The birth of hospice in America Current threats to the hospice movement Dr. Buckingham’s involvement in developing hospice programs around the world The historical philosophy of hospice care The benefits of providing hands-on care to a loved one at the end of life How the AIDS crisis helped fuel the growth of the hospice movement Lessons learned from dying patients Why he wrote about loss and grief for women and why we need to make sure we include men in grief work Remembering that change takes time and taking the long view on our work Links mentioned in this episode: A Year of Reading Dangerously reading group Get Wild and Holy on Amazon or Bookshop Latest post on Substack:  Start Here – What Really Matters in 2026 What Really Matters Podcast View my  Patreon tier for Soul Supporters and receive extra reflections as a special bonus NEW Gift Guides for Caregivers, People Receiving Care, and People Who are Grieving Get my two newest books!! Stories from the Dark Night and The Tao of Death Get EOLU Podcast Merch here Conversations on Death with ChatGPT – Audiobook here; Print Book here Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Souloin the team at Patreon.com/eolu and receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously! Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu. And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn how and why to write your own obituary as a legacy project. My guest Gail Shapiro is a seasoned writer and editor and also a professional organizer who has guided many people through the details of end-of-life planning. She also helps people write memorable obituaries for themselves and others and today discusses why this process is an important part of end-of-life planning. She shares tips and best practices for writing an obituary and how she can help when we aren’t sure what to include or how to say what we mean. Learn more at her website: gailshapiro.com Listen here: This episode includes: How Gail became interested in obituary writing Why an obituary can also be a legacy project Why should we consider writing our own obituary rather than leaving it to someone else What should an obituary include What should NOT be in an obituary Best practices for writing a beautiful obit How AI can make serious mistakes in obituary writing and cannot replace the human touch What services Gail provides for those who aren’t comfortable doing their own writing Links mentioned in this episode: Get Wild and Holy on Amazon or Bookshop Latest post on Substack:  Finding Light in the Darkness: How Mortality Awareness Illuminates Our Path What Really Matters Podcast View my  Patreon tier for Soul Supporters and receive extra reflections as a special bonus NEW Gift Guides for Caregivers, People Receiving Care, and People Who are Grieving Get my two newest books!! Stories from the Dark Night and The Tao of Death Get EOLU Podcast Merch here Conversations on Death with ChatGPT – Audiobook here; Print Book here Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Souloin the team at Patreon.com/eolu and receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously! Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my latest supporter Adele Flaherty and to Jen Davidson for increasing your pledge. And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

Learn about the spiritual bond between humans and their pets and how it continues after physical death. My guest Miki Jacobs is an internationally acclaimed medium, speaker, and author who shares wisdom and teachings from the spirit world with audiences worldwide. Her lifelong love of animals led her, along with her husband Clayton, to create a sanctuary for rescued animals on their ranch in Southern California. In her book Sacred Wild: The Spiritual World of Animals, Including Pets, and its Interconnectedness with Ours – she explores the spiritual nature of animals and the sacred bond they share with humans, which we discuss in this episode. Learn more at her website: mikijacobs.com Get the book here Watch on YouTube Listen here: This episode includes: How Miki developed her connection with animals and with the spiritual realm We can all teach ourselves to communicate with “the other side” if we choose to and do the necessary spiritual work How mediumship helps with the fear of death Animals are capable of unconditional love because they don’t have an ego For humans our true selves can be obscured by the energy of the ego Animals can detect our wellbeing and recognize when someone is dying The pets we have are meant to be with us if we are open to that – we have “soul contracts” with them Why Miki believes that our animal companions have a spiritual existence after death and continue to accompany us Signs that our departed animal companions might send to us in everyday life or dreams Spiritual growth is hard but the benefits are beautiful – we grow through challenges How connecting with a pet could be the pathway to spiritual growth, including teaching us about impermanence Links mentioned in this episode: Get Wild and Holy on Amazon or Bookshop Latest post on Substack:  How the Fear of Death Makes Us Easier to Manipulate What Really Matters Podcast View my  Patreon tier for Soul Supporters and receive extra reflections as a special bonus NEW Gift Guides for Caregivers, People Receiving Care, and People Who are Grieving Get my two newest books!! Stories from the Dark Night and The Tao of Death Get EOLU Podcast Merch here Conversations on Death with ChatGPT – Audiobook here; Print Book here Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Souloin the team at Patreon.com/eolu and receive free gifts like the “Mind if we talk about death?” mini-poster or Love Your Life sticker or coffee mug. PLUS get our regular bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, monthly What to Watch recommendations, Behind the Scenes Bonus content, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously! Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my latest supporter Marion Folkemer. And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.