In this episode of Behind the Curtain, hosts Steve Luther and Van Hohe sit down with Dr. Wendy Combs, founder and principal of Cedar + Kind. Dr. Combs shares her inspiring transition from a 20-plus-year corporate career—leading enterprise-wide talent development strategies across 142 hospitals and 2,200 care sites for major health systems like Kaiser Permanente and CommonSpirit Health—to creating a deeply personal, grief-informed estate transition service.

Dr. Combs unpacks the complex emotional and practical weight that comes with clearing out a home after losing a loved one or navigating major life transitions like downsizing or becoming an empty nester. The conversation explores the psychology of physical belongings, the power of preservation, and how Cedar + Kind acts as a "forcing function" to help families honor the past while thoughtfully clearing a path for what's next.

• Corporate Leadership to Heart-Centered Service: Dr. Combs discusses her background in clinical psychology, organizational change, and project management at tech and healthcare giants like Intel, Kaiser Permanente, and CommonSpirit Health.
• The Psychology of Belongings: Discover why over 55% of Americans feel overwhelmed by physical clutter and how everyday objects carry complex layers of both joy and sorrow during life transitions.
• "Help You Never Knew to Ask For": An inside look at how Cedar + Kind combines logistical project management with empathetic support to systematically break down overwhelming estate clear-outs into manageable, non-emotional steps.
• The Meaning Behind the Name: Dr. Combs explains how "Cedar" symbolizes preservation, storage, and strength, while "Kind" reflects the core value of leading with kindness and compassion.
• Preserving Legacy Through Technology: Learn how Dr. Combs incorporates digital story-capturing technology to record audio and video memories tied to family heirlooms, creating lasting legacy books with QR codes for future generations.

"Cedar is the idea of... preservation. It stores, saves, and preserves what's most important. And I really wanted to be myself and fully live the values that I think are important, and one of those is kindness." — Dr. Wendy Combs

Connect with Dr. Combs:

• LinkedIn: Cedar + Kind / Wendy Combs
• Website: www.cedarandkind.com

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