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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

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Death doula and funeral celebrant Jill McClennen hosts Philadelphia-based medical historian Brandon Zimmerman to discuss his 2024 book, “Dissection Photography: Cadavers, Abjection, and the Formation of Identity,” about medical students (1880–1930) taking souvenir photos with cadavers and what the images reveal about coping with death through humor, ritual, and discomfort.

Brandon describes modern cadaver lab realities, including fainting, vomiting, sensory reactions, and students naming cadavers, and contrasts today’s mostly donation-based system with past body procurement through grave robbing and unclaimed bodies.

They explore ethical issues raised by a recent Pennsylvania grave robbing case tied to the oddities market, cemetery neglect, and stewardship, including how criminalizing ownership of human remains may drive the trade underground.

00:00 Faith Meets Dissection

02:24 Meet Brandon Zimmerman

03:56 Why Cadaver Photos Existed

04:57 Modern Lab Coping

07:30 Uncanny Dead Body Reactions

10:59 Preservation Changes Anatomy

13:47 Donations Versus Unclaimed

14:53 Naming the Cadavers

17:31 Recognizing Someone You Knew

19:57 Where Bodies Come From

20:59 Unclaimed Lives Honored

24:23 Cremains Lost in Neglect

28:01 Grave Robbing Returns

29:21 Student Dream Photos

32:17 Oddities Market Economics

35:20 Inside the Storage Locker

38:19 Can You Spot Stolen Bones

42:10 Cemetery Laws and Security

45:59 Wrap Up and Book Info

46:57 Grave Robbing History Deep Dive

https://www.instagram.com/brandozim/

https://www.amazon.com/Dissection-Photography-Cadavers-Abjection-Formation/dp/1529222184

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Jill McClennen, a death doula and funeral celebrant, hosts Seeing Death Clearly and talks with Ralf Ellervee about preserving life stories as a lasting legacy that supports grief, healing, and conscious living. Ralph shares how interviewing his grandfather—an Estonian surgeon deported to Siberia at age nine—showed him how easily memories can be lost, especially with dementia, serious illness, or unexpected death.

He explains why long audio recordings often go unused, while a printed book with photos becomes a timeless keepsake families reread and pass down. Ralph describes how his company, Ethos Books (ethosbook.co), evolved from in-person interviews and writers into an app that guides storytelling, lets users skip or edit answers, and can use AI to identify old photos and add context.

Jill also connects this work to her funeral and end-of-life planning conversations, and offers a complimentary 30-minute call for support.

00:00 You Die Twice

01:56 Meet Ralph Ellervee

03:34 Grandfather’s Siberia Story

04:59 School Project Spark

07:20 Why Books Beat Audio

09:23 Hard Memories Matter

12:28 From Service to App

15:06 Don’t Wait for Dementia

18:00 Family Voices Together

21:43 Photos and AI Context

24:59 Timeless Power of Books

29:05 Every Life Matters

32:19 Stories at End of Life

37:20 Legacy and Second Death

41:16 Where to Find Ethos

42:03 Closing and Next Steps

Homepage: http://ethoslifestories.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theethosbook

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ethos.book/

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jill@endoflifeclarity.com

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On Seeing Death Clearly, death doula and funeral celebrant Jill McClennen speaks with transpersonal psychologist Dr. Irene Blinston about her research on grief healing, consciousness, and paranormal encounter experiences. Blinston explains the psychomanteum—an environment of darkness, quiet, sensory reduction, and angled mirror gazing originally developed by Dr. Raymond Moody—where grieving participants try to connect with deceased loved ones and become their own medium.

She outlines the three-phase, single-session process (preparation with mementos, up to 60 minutes mirror gazing, and debrief), eligibility screening to avoid harm, and reports that 92% of 100 analyzed participants had reduced grief symptoms that lasted over time. Participants described voices, touch, smells, and rare apparitions, including a major transformation in a mother with prolonged grief.

Blinston also discusses her research on childhood religious apparitions, parallels with near-death and UFO encounter themes, and shares where to find her book and resources.

00:00 Grief Contact Breakthrough

00:16 Show Intro and Guest

01:37 What Is a Psychomanteum

03:55 Who Can Participate

06:36 Three Phase Session

09:02 Debrief and Results

11:17 Apparitions Voices and Senses

15:30 Life Changing Case Stories

18:26 Access and Availability Today

20:23 Certification and Wider Uses

22:24 Consciousness Beyond Death

23:40 Mediumship and Timelines

25:03 Grid of Collective Mind

27:01 Doctoral Apparition Research

30:09 Fatima and UFO Parallels

34:39 Which Religions Appear

37:26 End of Life Visions

39:36 Where to Find Irene

41:46 End of Life Planning Help

https://www.youtube.com/@insearchofgnosis

https://portaltohealinggrief.com

https://freebook.portaltohealinggrief.com/

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jill@endoflifeclarity.com

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In this episode of Seeing Death Clearly, I speak with Lori Rizzo, a death doula in the Philadelphia area, about her transition from corporate leadership and training into end-of-life care. Lori shares how her personal experiences led her to this work and why she has become especially passionate about supporting individuals living with dementia and the people who care for them.

We discuss the challenges many families face after a dementia diagnosis, including stigma, isolation, and the overwhelming amount of information that can be difficult to navigate. Lori explains why education, community support, and early planning can make a meaningful difference for both the person living with dementia and their care partners.

Our conversation also explores common misconceptions about hospice care, including the belief that hospice provides around-the-clock caregiving. Lori emphasizes the importance of having conversations about end-of-life wishes long before a crisis occurs and shares her approach of "hope for the best, plan for the rest" when discussing advance care planning.

We talk about the role of death doulas in supporting individuals and families through serious illness, the dying process, and grief. Lori shares how doulas can help create comforting bedside environments through music, reading, ritual, and meaningful connection, while also offering a calm and steady presence when circumstances don't unfold as expected.

In addition, Lori highlights valuable community resources, including Dementia Friendly Pennsylvania, memory cafés, and support groups that help reduce isolation and build connection for families affected by dementia.

Whether you are caring for someone with dementia, planning ahead for the future, or simply curious about the role of a death doula, this conversation offers practical insights, compassionate guidance, and a reminder that no one has to navigate these experiences alone.

In This Episode We Discuss:

• Lori's journey from corporate leadership to death doula work
• Dementia, stigma, and caregiver isolation
• The importance of early end-of-life conversations
• Common misconceptions about hospice care
• Advance directives and end-of-life planning
• Vigil planning and creating meaningful bedside experiences
• The role of death doulas during serious illness and dying
• Dementia Friendly Pennsylvania, memory cafés, and support groups
• Supporting families through uncertainty, grief, and change

www.compassionatecrossingsdoula.com

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https://www.dementiafriendlypa.org/

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Death doula and funeral celebrant Jill McClennen hosts clinical psychologist Batya Ludman and Jewish educator Gina Junger to discuss their book, The Jewish Journey Through Loss: From Death to Healing, and how Jewish mourning traditions support grief and healing.

They explain active rituals like shoveling dirt at burial, tearing a ribbon or garment, and sitting shiva as a week-long “permission to grieve,” with visitors bringing food, stories, and support while mourners set the tone.

They describe stages after shiva, including shloshim and year-long practices, memorial prayers like Mourner’s Kaddish, and customs such as covering mirrors and placing stones on graves.

They also discuss Chevra Kadisha body preparation, simple burial practices, quick burial, differences between Israel and the diaspora, COVID-era online shiva, and the book’s use for mourners, clinicians, and end-of-life decision-making.

00:00 Shiva Permission to Grieve

00:17 Podcast and Guests Intro

02:52 Why They Wrote the Book

04:10 Jewish Funeral Participation

08:41 Sitting Shiva Explained

11:47 Beyond Shiva Ritual Stages

14:07 Chevra Kadisha and Tahara

18:14 Burying Quickly and Memorials

21:14 Differences by Death and Place

25:40 COVID and Zoom Shiva Etiquette

28:34 Covering Mirrors Meaning

31:33 Who the Book Helps

38:19 End of Life and Children

41:18 Where to Find the Book

44:00 Host Closing and Call to Action

The Jewish Journey Through Loss: From Death to Healing

https://a.co/d/03VvOz5E

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In this episode, I talk with Alexander Josephson, a Toronto-based architect whose father's cancer diagnosis unexpectedly led him into the world of digital legacy and remembrance.

When his father asked him to design a memorial, Alex began thinking about how we honor and remember the people we love. In a time when so much of our lives exists online, he wondered if there was a better way to preserve stories, memories, photographs, videos, and family history for future generations. That question eventually led him to create Cumulus, a platform designed to bring those pieces together in one meaningful place.

During our conversation, we explore grief, legacy, ritual, memorialization, and the ways technology can support connection rather than replace it. We also talk about the importance of creating spaces—both physical and digital—that help families remember, share stories, and stay connected across generations.

At one point, Alex gives me a tour of the Cumulus website. If you're listening rather than watching, don't worry. He does a wonderful job describing what he's seeing on screen, making it easy to understand how the platform works and imagine what it offers.

00:18 Meet the Host and Guest

02:13 From Architect to Death Tech

03:24 The Spark Behind Cumulus

06:12 Celebrating Lives and Legacy

07:18 Becoming a Death Doula

09:02 VSED and MAID Debates

16:58 Designing Beautiful Memorial Spaces

21:51 Ritual, Cost, and Modern Funerals

23:59 Building Legacy Continuity

24:36 Marketing End-of-Life Innovation

25:18 Digital Burden After Death

26:11 Storage Trust Vision

28:43 Why Funeral Websites Fail

29:34 Time Capsules for Kids

30:55 Beyond Social Media Grief

32:15 End-of-Life Culture Shift

33:49 Platform Walkthrough Demo

38:01 Shared Control and Costs

39:30 Where to Find Cumulus

40:25 Legacy Projects and Feedback

41:43 Podcast Closing Call to Action

alexanderjosephson (instagram)

cumulusworld (instagram)

cumulus.world (web)

partisanarchitecture (instagram)

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jill@endoflifeclarity.com

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On Seeing Death Clearly, death doula and funeral celebrant Jill McClennen talks with Wendy Juergens about grief, dying, and healing through writing, including end-of-life planning and conscious living. Wendy shares the story of her son Nick, a Navy veteran who died by suicide nearly 14 years ago at age 32, and how writing her book, Hey, It’s Me, helped her stay connected to him, learn more about his life, and support others facing suicidal crisis or suicide loss.

They discuss the stigma and silence around suicide, the importance of open, age-appropriate talks with children about death—especially through pet loss—and how talking and storytelling can prevent isolation.

Wendy describes researching veterans’ challenges returning home, exploring post-traumatic growth, and creating a “Grief to Growth” workshop while continuing work on a pet loss book and a possible memoir.

00:00 Welcome and Episode Setup

01:09 Meet Wendy Jurgens

02:56 Writing Through Grief

04:19 Pet Loss and Kids

06:14 The Writing Process

10:06 Nick’s Story Begins

13:03 Signs and Medium Messages

16:56 Post Traumatic Growth

19:09 Breaking Suicide Silence

22:26 Talking Openly Saves Lives

24:17 Going Public With the Mission

25:27 Sibling Support Lunches

26:03 Veterans Returning Home

26:46 Nick’s Navy Stressors

29:06 Identity After Leaving

31:04 Losses and Perspective

32:35 Choosing Your Circle

34:20 Feeling Grief Fully

35:50 Book and New Projects

38:27 Writing as Therapy

41:29 Closing and Next Steps

https://www.wendyjuergens.com

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jill@endoflifeclarity.com

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