Ask Doctor Death Sat, 09 May 2026 14:29:37 -0400 http://www.deathgriefandbelief.com en-us © 2026 Ask Doctor Death yes ec8dc5cc-39aa-523c-af18-076477dd57d2 episodic false Do you have a question for Doctor Death? Email us with your question, and we'll discuss it on the show!

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]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) Death, hospice, spirituality, grief, bereavement, healing, mental health https://storage.buzzsprout.com/9ecd6iyboc2u20ed59ou4y7heb2o?.jpg Ask Doctor Death http://www.deathgriefandbelief.com Ep 46: Spiritual Bypassing and the Law of Attraction - with Andrew Jasko, MDiv, MPhi, MA Ep 46: Spiritual Bypassing and the Law of Attraction - with Andrew Jasko, MDiv, MPhi, MA Andrew is a psychotherapist, comparative religion scholar, and survivor of high-control Evangelical and Pentecostal Christianity. Raised  as the son of a minister, he served as a missionary to India and worked as a minister before experiencing a profound deconversion and recovery from religious trauma, which informs both his clinical work and academic research on high-control religion.
 
Andrew holds an MPhil in Classical Indian Religion from the University of Oxford, an MDiv from Princeton Seminary, and an MA in Counseling Psychology from Golden Gate University. His training across Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, and psychological traditions enables him to examine religious systems comparatively and understand how belief, authority, and practice shape psychological experience in high-demand groups.
 
 He specializes in working with survivors from Christian, Evangelical, Pentecostal, charismatic, New Age, neo-tantric, Hindu- and Buddhist-influenced, and other high-control environments. His approach integrates Internal Family Systems (IFS), EMDR, depth therapy, mindfulness, and faith deconstruction. Through Life After Dogma (www.lifeafterdogma.org), he combines survivor insight, scholarship, and trauma-informed psychotherapy to help clients unwind conditioning, heal shame, reclaim agency, and rebuild identity. 

Andrew is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT146397) supervised by Dr. Crystal Quarry.

 


The article we discussed in today's interview can be found HERE.

Andrew's website:  www.lifeafterdogma.org

]]> Andrew is a psychotherapist, comparative religion scholar, and survivor of high-control Evangelical and Pentecostal Christianity. Raised  as the son of a minister, he served as a missionary to India and worked as a minister before experiencing a profound deconversion and recovery from religious trauma, which informs both his clinical work and academic research on high-control religion.
 
Andrew holds an MPhil in Classical Indian Religion from the University of Oxford, an MDiv from Princeton Seminary, and an MA in Counseling Psychology from Golden Gate University. His training across Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, and psychological traditions enables him to examine religious systems comparatively and understand how belief, authority, and practice shape psychological experience in high-demand groups.
 
 He specializes in working with survivors from Christian, Evangelical, Pentecostal, charismatic, New Age, neo-tantric, Hindu- and Buddhist-influenced, and other high-control environments. His approach integrates Internal Family Systems (IFS), EMDR, depth therapy, mindfulness, and faith deconstruction. Through Life After Dogma (www.lifeafterdogma.org), he combines survivor insight, scholarship, and trauma-informed psychotherapy to help clients unwind conditioning, heal shame, reclaim agency, and rebuild identity. 

Andrew is an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT146397) supervised by Dr. Crystal Quarry.

 


The article we discussed in today's interview can be found HERE.

Andrew's website:  www.lifeafterdogma.org

]]> Buzzsprout-19117671 Sun, 03 May 2026 15:00:00 -0700 3728 46 full false EP 45: Spiritual Bypassing: With Clint Heacock and Janice Selbie EP 45: Spiritual Bypassing: With Clint Heacock and Janice Selbie
NOTE:  Apologies for the poor audio quality on Dr. Daniel's microphone.
It wasn't discovered until after recording that the wrong mic was in use!


 In support of our upcoming Symposium on Spiritual Bypassing: Counseling and Support Perspectives, two noted experts sit down with Dr. Daniel to discuss their experiences growing up in high-demand religious communities and their exposure to this method of negative religious coping. 

Dr. Clint Heacock  is the host of The Dismantling Doctrine Podcast. The show is dedicated to raising awareness of the dangers posed by cults and other high-control religious groups; the agenda of the Christian Right and Dominion theology; and providing resources to those suffering from religious trauma syndrome after leaving religion behind. 

Janice Selbie  was born into a charismatic Christian home, attending Pentecostal, Vineyard, and other Evangelical churches and in her 30sbecame ultraconservative, donning a head-covering, homeschooling their children, and rejecting any vestiges of secular life. After breaking free later in life, she began to study the impact of religion and religious trauma sexuality, gender roles and equality, social justice, and more, and went on to earn a Diploma of Applied Psychology and Counselling. She counsels people who struggle with religious trauma, and runs "divorcing religion" workshops throughout the U.S. and Canada. 

]]>
NOTE:  Apologies for the poor audio quality on Dr. Daniel's microphone.
It wasn't discovered until after recording that the wrong mic was in use!


 In support of our upcoming Symposium on Spiritual Bypassing: Counseling and Support Perspectives, two noted experts sit down with Dr. Daniel to discuss their experiences growing up in high-demand religious communities and their exposure to this method of negative religious coping. 

Dr. Clint Heacock  is the host of The Dismantling Doctrine Podcast. The show is dedicated to raising awareness of the dangers posed by cults and other high-control religious groups; the agenda of the Christian Right and Dominion theology; and providing resources to those suffering from religious trauma syndrome after leaving religion behind. 

Janice Selbie  was born into a charismatic Christian home, attending Pentecostal, Vineyard, and other Evangelical churches and in her 30sbecame ultraconservative, donning a head-covering, homeschooling their children, and rejecting any vestiges of secular life. After breaking free later in life, she began to study the impact of religion and religious trauma sexuality, gender roles and equality, social justice, and more, and went on to earn a Diploma of Applied Psychology and Counselling. She counsels people who struggle with religious trauma, and runs "divorcing religion" workshops throughout the U.S. and Canada. 

]]> Buzzsprout-19049328 Mon, 20 Apr 2026 16:00:00 -0700 3513 45 full false EP 44: Death Positive Practices, Imagery and Icons from the Victorian Era EP 44: Death Positive Practices, Imagery and Icons from the Victorian Era In this fascinating trip to the Victorian era we learn about a world in which people had a much healthier relationship with death than we have today, and the roots of what became the popular practice of commercial mediumship in the UK and the U.S. 

Our guest Jennifer Ingraham collects, buys and sells antiques specfically related to death and mourning in the Victorian period. Her collection of unique objects includes memorial hair wreaths, clothing, post-mortem photography, viewing coffins, and a wide variety of curious ceremonial objects that were commonly used at the time.  She also shares fascinating stories about the spiritualist movement in the early 20th century and its views of death and the afterlife in contrast to the restricted, medicalized views held today.

Some key points: 

  • How Queen Victoria influenced how we grieve
  • How the industrial revolution changed our relationship with death
  • Wealth, power and social change 
  • Changes within the church, abundance of new denominations 
  • Science, medicine, and death rates 
  • Death Items of the Victorians: 
  • Spiritualism and the Seance 
  • Famous individuals that attended/hosted seances 
  • Spiritualism as entertainment (and its downfall)
  • Changing views of death 

To see some of  Jennifer's collection visit:
https://www.facebook.com/p/Stair-11-100054252080350/


ABOUT JENNIFER: 

Jennifer Ingraham livesat the foot of the Beartooth mountains in rural Montana with her husband and two daughters. After growing up in a family of educators, Jennifer earned her undergraduate degree in secondary English education before choosing to pursue antiques as a full-time career.  Collecting, buying, and selling death and mourning related antiques has become her focus for the last decade. Her involvement in the field of mourning and death memorabilia, as well as her own personal losses, led to her to current pursuit of a Master’s in Thanatology degree at Marian University.



]]> In this fascinating trip to the Victorian era we learn about a world in which people had a much healthier relationship with death than we have today, and the roots of what became the popular practice of commercial mediumship in the UK and the U.S. 

Our guest Jennifer Ingraham collects, buys and sells antiques specfically related to death and mourning in the Victorian period. Her collection of unique objects includes memorial hair wreaths, clothing, post-mortem photography, viewing coffins, and a wide variety of curious ceremonial objects that were commonly used at the time.  She also shares fascinating stories about the spiritualist movement in the early 20th century and its views of death and the afterlife in contrast to the restricted, medicalized views held today.

Some key points: 

  • How Queen Victoria influenced how we grieve
  • How the industrial revolution changed our relationship with death
  • Wealth, power and social change 
  • Changes within the church, abundance of new denominations 
  • Science, medicine, and death rates 
  • Death Items of the Victorians: 
  • Spiritualism and the Seance 
  • Famous individuals that attended/hosted seances 
  • Spiritualism as entertainment (and its downfall)
  • Changing views of death 

To see some of  Jennifer's collection visit:
https://www.facebook.com/p/Stair-11-100054252080350/


ABOUT JENNIFER: 

Jennifer Ingraham livesat the foot of the Beartooth mountains in rural Montana with her husband and two daughters. After growing up in a family of educators, Jennifer earned her undergraduate degree in secondary English education before choosing to pursue antiques as a full-time career.  Collecting, buying, and selling death and mourning related antiques has become her focus for the last decade. Her involvement in the field of mourning and death memorabilia, as well as her own personal losses, led to her to current pursuit of a Master’s in Thanatology degree at Marian University.



]]> Buzzsprout-16846024 Sun, 23 Mar 2025 15:00:00 -0700 3320 44 full false EP 43: Barbara Karnes RN EP 43: Barbara Karnes RN

Barbara Karnes, RN is an award winning end of life educator, award winning nurse, NHPCO Hospice Innovator award winner 2018 & 2015 International Humanitarian Woman of the Year.

While at the bedside of hundreds of people during the dying process, Hospice Pioneer Barbara Karnes noticed that each death was following a near identical script. Each person was going through the stages of death in almost the same manner and most families came to her with similar questions. These realizations led Barbara to sit down and write Gone From My Sight, "The Little Blue Book" that changed the hospice industry.  

Gone From My Sight is the original, and remains the most widely used, patient/family educational booklet on the signs of approaching death. It has been in print continuously since 1985 and has sold over 35 million copies world wide. With its publication and distribution, Barbara created one of the most important tools in the end of life movement today.  

]]>

Barbara Karnes, RN is an award winning end of life educator, award winning nurse, NHPCO Hospice Innovator award winner 2018 & 2015 International Humanitarian Woman of the Year.

While at the bedside of hundreds of people during the dying process, Hospice Pioneer Barbara Karnes noticed that each death was following a near identical script. Each person was going through the stages of death in almost the same manner and most families came to her with similar questions. These realizations led Barbara to sit down and write Gone From My Sight, "The Little Blue Book" that changed the hospice industry.  

Gone From My Sight is the original, and remains the most widely used, patient/family educational booklet on the signs of approaching death. It has been in print continuously since 1985 and has sold over 35 million copies world wide. With its publication and distribution, Barbara created one of the most important tools in the end of life movement today.  

]]> Buzzsprout-15916262 Sun, 13 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0700 3078 full false EP 42: Life with Ghosts: After-Death Communication and Continuing Bonds with the Deceased EP 42: Life with Ghosts: After-Death Communication and Continuing Bonds with the Deceased Today's interview with writer/director/producer Stephen Z. Berkley touches on a vast spectrum of topics related to interdimensional communication, mediumship and bereavement, as addressed in his award-winning documentary, Life With Ghosts. 

While Stephen has worked in multiple capacities inside the media industry for more than 30 years, Life With Ghosts is his first fully self-produced feature film. The story idea came with the death of Stephen’s father, when shortly afterwards, his mother began reporting interactions with whom she believed to be Dad's ghost — a real-life Mrs. Muir situation… which naturally begs the question: Are ghosts a real phenomenon or are they merely symptomatic of profound grief? Life With Ghosts is the culmination of a seven-year investigation into the nature of love, loss and after-death communication and features three survivors' quests for answers.

For more about the film and Stephen's work, click HERE to view his recently-published TED talk, and visit the film's website at www.LifeWithGhosts.com

]]> Today's interview with writer/director/producer Stephen Z. Berkley touches on a vast spectrum of topics related to interdimensional communication, mediumship and bereavement, as addressed in his award-winning documentary, Life With Ghosts. 

While Stephen has worked in multiple capacities inside the media industry for more than 30 years, Life With Ghosts is his first fully self-produced feature film. The story idea came with the death of Stephen’s father, when shortly afterwards, his mother began reporting interactions with whom she believed to be Dad's ghost — a real-life Mrs. Muir situation… which naturally begs the question: Are ghosts a real phenomenon or are they merely symptomatic of profound grief? Life With Ghosts is the culmination of a seven-year investigation into the nature of love, loss and after-death communication and features three survivors' quests for answers.

For more about the film and Stephen's work, click HERE to view his recently-published TED talk, and visit the film's website at www.LifeWithGhosts.com

]]> Buzzsprout-15824489 Thu, 26 Sep 2024 17:00:00 -0700 2778 full false EP 41: Dr. Christopher Kerr - Dreams and Visions of the Dying EP 41: Dr. Christopher Kerr - Dreams and Visions of the Dying Ever since his 2015 TED talk, Christopher Kerr MD had rapidly risen to become a household name in the field of death and afterlife studies.  His background in research has evolved from bench science towards the human experience of illness as witnessed from the bedside, specifically patient’s dreams and visions at the end of life. The results of his studies generated enormous response in the non-medical community, both nationally and internationally, through coverage that has included the New York Times, Huffington Post, The Atlantic, BBC, Scientific American and Psychology Today.

Dr. Kerr has overseen the integration and expansion of palliative care into local hospitals and developed one of the nation’s largest home-based palliative care programs, Home Connections, and Essential Care for Children. He has lectured and published on innovative program models that are designed to better align patient/family services to the complexity of needs inherent to advanced illness. Learn more about Dr. Kerr at DrChristopherKerr.com.

Read Dr. Kerr's extraordinary research HERE.

He will be one of our honored speakers at the upcoming
CONFERENCE ON DEATH GRIEF AND BELIEF 
online August 24, 2024. 

]]> Ever since his 2015 TED talk, Christopher Kerr MD had rapidly risen to become a household name in the field of death and afterlife studies.  His background in research has evolved from bench science towards the human experience of illness as witnessed from the bedside, specifically patient’s dreams and visions at the end of life. The results of his studies generated enormous response in the non-medical community, both nationally and internationally, through coverage that has included the New York Times, Huffington Post, The Atlantic, BBC, Scientific American and Psychology Today.

Dr. Kerr has overseen the integration and expansion of palliative care into local hospitals and developed one of the nation’s largest home-based palliative care programs, Home Connections, and Essential Care for Children. He has lectured and published on innovative program models that are designed to better align patient/family services to the complexity of needs inherent to advanced illness. Learn more about Dr. Kerr at DrChristopherKerr.com.

Read Dr. Kerr's extraordinary research HERE.

He will be one of our honored speakers at the upcoming
CONFERENCE ON DEATH GRIEF AND BELIEF 
online August 24, 2024. 

]]> Buzzsprout-15454925 Mon, 22 Jul 2024 12:00:00 -0700 767 full false EP 40: Dr. Joshua Black on Grief Dreams EP 40: Dr. Joshua Black on Grief Dreams Dr. Joshua Black is one of the presenters at our upcoming 2024 Conference on Death, Grief and Belief (online August 24, 2024).  His reasearch on the dreams of the bereaved provides a foundation for helping grieving individuals use new tools for processing loss.  

Dr. Black holds a MA and PhD in Psychology. He is a grief and bereavement researcher, speaker, educator, and host of the Grief Dreams podcast. His work focuses on dreams and continuing bonds after loss, including prenatal and pet loss. As one of the leading academic experts in grief dreams, which can be dreams of the deceased, Joshua has directed his efforts on raising awareness about this fascinating phenomenon through media interviews, including PBS Next Avenue, Los Angeles Times, CBC News, and Toronto Sun, in addition to speaking engagements and workshops. 

Dr. Black currently works as the Bereavement Initiative Manager for the BC Centre for Palliative Care, where he is leading grief and bereavement research. He also teaches psychology courses at the University of the Fraser Valley. His long-term research goals are to continue to serve and raise awareness of those who are bereaved and those who are not being provided the necessary grief support. 

Dr. Black lives on the unceded Stó:lō Territory known to settlers as the Fraser Valley and lower Fraser Canyon of British Columbia, Canada.

IMPORTANT LINKS:

How Grief Dreams Can Help You Heal

Attend Our 2024 Conference!
Online, Saturday August 24. 

TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER AND STAY INFORMED ABOUT
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS, EVENTS AND PODCAST EPISODES, CLICK HERE.


]]> Dr. Joshua Black is one of the presenters at our upcoming 2024 Conference on Death, Grief and Belief (online August 24, 2024).  His reasearch on the dreams of the bereaved provides a foundation for helping grieving individuals use new tools for processing loss.  

Dr. Black holds a MA and PhD in Psychology. He is a grief and bereavement researcher, speaker, educator, and host of the Grief Dreams podcast. His work focuses on dreams and continuing bonds after loss, including prenatal and pet loss. As one of the leading academic experts in grief dreams, which can be dreams of the deceased, Joshua has directed his efforts on raising awareness about this fascinating phenomenon through media interviews, including PBS Next Avenue, Los Angeles Times, CBC News, and Toronto Sun, in addition to speaking engagements and workshops. 

Dr. Black currently works as the Bereavement Initiative Manager for the BC Centre for Palliative Care, where he is leading grief and bereavement research. He also teaches psychology courses at the University of the Fraser Valley. His long-term research goals are to continue to serve and raise awareness of those who are bereaved and those who are not being provided the necessary grief support. 

Dr. Black lives on the unceded Stó:lō Territory known to settlers as the Fraser Valley and lower Fraser Canyon of British Columbia, Canada.

IMPORTANT LINKS:

How Grief Dreams Can Help You Heal

Attend Our 2024 Conference!
Online, Saturday August 24. 

TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER AND STAY INFORMED ABOUT
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS, EVENTS AND PODCAST EPISODES, CLICK HERE.


]]> Buzzsprout-15442850 Fri, 19 Jul 2024 16:00:00 -0700 745 full false EP 39: Richard Groves on Deathbed Mystics: A Universal Experience EP 39: Richard Groves on Deathbed Mystics: A Universal Experience We are very honored to have Professor Richard Groves with us today, and as part of our roster for the 2024 Conference on Death, Grief and Belief, which takes place ONLINE on August 24. 

Richard is an internationally respected teacher of the sacred art of living and dying. A chaplain for more than twenty five years, Richard speaks nine languages and has earned graduate degrees in theology, ethics, world religions and law. Richard and his wife, Mary, are the founders of the Sacred Art of Living Center in Bend, Oregon.

More than 20,000 students around the world, including health care professionals, faith community leaders and the larger public, have graduated from the Groves’ spiritual education programs. Richard is co-author of The American Book of Living & Dying: Lessons in Healing Spiritual Pain, and the creator of The Anamcara Project, a first-of-its-kind internship in the sacred art of living and dying.

For more about Richard's work, visit
 https://sacredartofliving.org/about-our-programs/

Our August 24 conference:
https://deathgriefandbelief.com/2024-summer-dgb-conference/

TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER AND STAY INFORMED ABOUT UPCOMING WORKSHOPS, EVENTS AND PODCAST EPISODES, CLICK HERE. 

]]> We are very honored to have Professor Richard Groves with us today, and as part of our roster for the 2024 Conference on Death, Grief and Belief, which takes place ONLINE on August 24. 

Richard is an internationally respected teacher of the sacred art of living and dying. A chaplain for more than twenty five years, Richard speaks nine languages and has earned graduate degrees in theology, ethics, world religions and law. Richard and his wife, Mary, are the founders of the Sacred Art of Living Center in Bend, Oregon.

More than 20,000 students around the world, including health care professionals, faith community leaders and the larger public, have graduated from the Groves’ spiritual education programs. Richard is co-author of The American Book of Living & Dying: Lessons in Healing Spiritual Pain, and the creator of The Anamcara Project, a first-of-its-kind internship in the sacred art of living and dying.

For more about Richard's work, visit
 https://sacredartofliving.org/about-our-programs/

Our August 24 conference:
https://deathgriefandbelief.com/2024-summer-dgb-conference/

TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER AND STAY INFORMED ABOUT UPCOMING WORKSHOPS, EVENTS AND PODCAST EPISODES, CLICK HERE. 

]]> Buzzsprout-15435557 Thu, 18 Jul 2024 08:00:00 -0700 653 full false EP 38: Gregory Shushan PhD on Near-Death Journeys Across Cultures and Throughout History EP 38: Gregory Shushan PhD on Near-Death Journeys Across Cultures and Throughout History We are thrilled to have Dr. Shushan with us again this year. His body of work in the field of near-death studies is unrivaled  on near-death experience is unrivaled. 

He is a historian of religions, an award-winning author, and the leading authority on near-death experiences and the afterlife across cultures and throughout history. His books include The Next World: Extraordinary Experiences of the Afterlife, Near-Death Experiences in Indigenous Religions, and Near-Death Experience in Ancient Civilizations (coming soon from Inner Traditions). His forthcoming titles include The Historical Anthology of Near-Death Experiences, and Mind Dust and White Crows: The Psychical Research of William James (both as editor). 

Dr. Shushan is a Visiting Research Fellow at University of Winchester's Centre for Death, Religion and Culture; Adjunct Professor of Thantaology at Marian University; and Research Fellow of the Parapsychology Foundation. He was formerly Perrott-Warrick Researcher at University of Oxford's Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion;  Scholar-in Residence at the Centro Incontri Umani (The Cross Cultural Centre), Ascona, Switzerland; and Honorary Research Fellow at the Religious Experience Research Centre, University of Wales Trinity Saint David. He has lectured at universities in the UK, Ireland, and Switzerland and has given numerous talks on his research in nine countries, and has appeared on the History Channel.


Here's what leading scholars are saying about his work:

“Gregory Shushan has produced the most important scholarly work on near-death experiences in the last thirty years. He describes the process by which, despite regular attempts to marginalize its power, the NDE has been perhaps the most important shaper of religious creativity in human history. This is a journey and an argument as fascinating and as engrossing as the social history of mankind itself.” -- Allan Kellehear, Clinical Professor, University of Vermont.

“Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions is a tour de force.  By comparing recorded cases from North America, Africa, and Oceania, Shushan presents a compelling argument for the centrality of near-death experiences to the development of religious ideas across time and culture. Any future discussions of NDEs and the origins of religion will need to take Shushan’s major contribution into account.”  --
Fiona Bowie, Research Affiliate, School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, Oxford University; and founder of Afterlife Research Center

 

“Gregory Shushan’s new book provides a uniquely insightful and provocative analysis of near-death experiences that documents their formative influence on worldwide beliefs about an afterlife. His ethnological perspective results in a more comprehensive understanding of NDEs than a purely biological or psychological model can provide, and suggests that afterlife beliefs are rooted not in culture but in the universal human experience of NDEs. This book is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand NDEs and their role in society.” --
Bruce Greyson, Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia.


READ MORE:
https://www.gregoryshushan.com/

Dr. Shushan will be presenting at our 2024 Conference on Death, Grief and Belief, online Saturday August 24, 2024.  DETAILS HERE   


TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER AND STAY INFORMED ABOUT UPCOMING WORKSHOPS, EVENTS AND PODCAST EPISODES, CLICK HERE. 

]]> We are thrilled to have Dr. Shushan with us again this year. His body of work in the field of near-death studies is unrivaled  on near-death experience is unrivaled. 

He is a historian of religions, an award-winning author, and the leading authority on near-death experiences and the afterlife across cultures and throughout history. His books include The Next World: Extraordinary Experiences of the Afterlife, Near-Death Experiences in Indigenous Religions, and Near-Death Experience in Ancient Civilizations (coming soon from Inner Traditions). His forthcoming titles include The Historical Anthology of Near-Death Experiences, and Mind Dust and White Crows: The Psychical Research of William James (both as editor). 

Dr. Shushan is a Visiting Research Fellow at University of Winchester's Centre for Death, Religion and Culture; Adjunct Professor of Thantaology at Marian University; and Research Fellow of the Parapsychology Foundation. He was formerly Perrott-Warrick Researcher at University of Oxford's Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion;  Scholar-in Residence at the Centro Incontri Umani (The Cross Cultural Centre), Ascona, Switzerland; and Honorary Research Fellow at the Religious Experience Research Centre, University of Wales Trinity Saint David. He has lectured at universities in the UK, Ireland, and Switzerland and has given numerous talks on his research in nine countries, and has appeared on the History Channel.


Here's what leading scholars are saying about his work:

“Gregory Shushan has produced the most important scholarly work on near-death experiences in the last thirty years. He describes the process by which, despite regular attempts to marginalize its power, the NDE has been perhaps the most important shaper of religious creativity in human history. This is a journey and an argument as fascinating and as engrossing as the social history of mankind itself.” -- Allan Kellehear, Clinical Professor, University of Vermont.

“Near-Death Experience in Indigenous Religions is a tour de force.  By comparing recorded cases from North America, Africa, and Oceania, Shushan presents a compelling argument for the centrality of near-death experiences to the development of religious ideas across time and culture. Any future discussions of NDEs and the origins of religion will need to take Shushan’s major contribution into account.”  --
Fiona Bowie, Research Affiliate, School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, Oxford University; and founder of Afterlife Research Center

 

“Gregory Shushan’s new book provides a uniquely insightful and provocative analysis of near-death experiences that documents their formative influence on worldwide beliefs about an afterlife. His ethnological perspective results in a more comprehensive understanding of NDEs than a purely biological or psychological model can provide, and suggests that afterlife beliefs are rooted not in culture but in the universal human experience of NDEs. This book is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand NDEs and their role in society.” --
Bruce Greyson, Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia.


READ MORE:
https://www.gregoryshushan.com/

Dr. Shushan will be presenting at our 2024 Conference on Death, Grief and Belief, online Saturday August 24, 2024.  DETAILS HERE   


TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER AND STAY INFORMED ABOUT UPCOMING WORKSHOPS, EVENTS AND PODCAST EPISODES, CLICK HERE. 

]]> Buzzsprout-15406376 Fri, 12 Jul 2024 17:00:00 -0700 872 near death experience, afterlife full false EP 37: Dr. Kenneth Doka on Mystical Experiences at the Bedside EP 37: Dr. Kenneth Doka on Mystical Experiences at the Bedside In support of our upcoming Summer 2024 Death, Grief and Belief Conference, one of our esteemed speakers, Dr. Ken Doka, spoke with us about two phenomena that often occur as death approaches... terminal lucidity and nearing-death awareness.


For an overview of Dr. Doka's stellar credentials, click HERE. 

TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER AND STAY INFORMED ABOUT UPCOMING WORKSHOPS, EVENTS AND PODCAST EPISODES, CLICK HERE. 

]]> In support of our upcoming Summer 2024 Death, Grief and Belief Conference, one of our esteemed speakers, Dr. Ken Doka, spoke with us about two phenomena that often occur as death approaches... terminal lucidity and nearing-death awareness.


For an overview of Dr. Doka's stellar credentials, click HERE. 

TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER AND STAY INFORMED ABOUT UPCOMING WORKSHOPS, EVENTS AND PODCAST EPISODES, CLICK HERE. 

]]> Buzzsprout-15359364 Wed, 03 Jul 2024 16:00:00 -0700 1168 full false EP 36: Medical Aid in Dying: A Chaplain’s Perspective EP 36: Medical Aid in Dying: A Chaplain’s Perspective Ep. 439 Medical Aid in Dying: A Chaplain’s Perspective with Rev. Dr. Terri Daniel  
 
This episode aired on 1/22/24 on Dr. Karen Wyatt's
END OF LIFE UNIVERSITY podcast.

This episode includes:
 
. The history of medical aid in dying in Oregon
. How EOLCOR (End-of-Life Choices Oregon) assists people who want to utilize medical aid in dying
. The wide variations in hospice policies around medical aid in dying
. Dilemmas around communicating with family members who don’t support MAID
. How MAID differs from suicide and why we need to understand that difference
. A beautiful end-of-life ritual Terri created for a person utilizing MAID
. Why some chaplains feel conflicted about supporting medical aid in dying
. Religious objections to MAID
. The “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy about MAID in some hospices
. Dementia directive for advance care planning

Recent Articles:
Ep. 438 How to Choose the Best Hospice for Your Loved One with Barbara Karnes RN
Ep. 437 Holding Space for Birth and Death with Amy Wright Glenn
BONUS: Casting Call for Docuseries on Grief with Kim Clevenger
Ep. 436 Highlights of 2023: The Best of the Best with Karen Wyatt MD
Ep. 435 Home Funerals as an Option After Death with Jerrigrace Lyons

TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER AND STAY INFORMED ABOUT UPCOMING WORKSHOPS, EVENTS AND PODCAST EPISODES, CLICK HERE. 

]]> Ep. 439 Medical Aid in Dying: A Chaplain’s Perspective with Rev. Dr. Terri Daniel  
 
This episode aired on 1/22/24 on Dr. Karen Wyatt's
END OF LIFE UNIVERSITY podcast.

This episode includes:
 
. The history of medical aid in dying in Oregon
. How EOLCOR (End-of-Life Choices Oregon) assists people who want to utilize medical aid in dying
. The wide variations in hospice policies around medical aid in dying
. Dilemmas around communicating with family members who don’t support MAID
. How MAID differs from suicide and why we need to understand that difference
. A beautiful end-of-life ritual Terri created for a person utilizing MAID
. Why some chaplains feel conflicted about supporting medical aid in dying
. Religious objections to MAID
. The “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy about MAID in some hospices
. Dementia directive for advance care planning

Recent Articles:
Ep. 438 How to Choose the Best Hospice for Your Loved One with Barbara Karnes RN
Ep. 437 Holding Space for Birth and Death with Amy Wright Glenn
BONUS: Casting Call for Docuseries on Grief with Kim Clevenger
Ep. 436 Highlights of 2023: The Best of the Best with Karen Wyatt MD
Ep. 435 Home Funerals as an Option After Death with Jerrigrace Lyons

TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER AND STAY INFORMED ABOUT UPCOMING WORKSHOPS, EVENTS AND PODCAST EPISODES, CLICK HERE. 

]]> Buzzsprout-14394159 Sun, 28 Jan 2024 16:00:00 -0800 3553 full false EP 35: A Veterinarian Talks About Euthanasia for Animals EP 35: A Veterinarian Talks About Euthanasia for Animals Dr. Deborah Aronson is a Philadelphia veterinarian who has a unqiue background for her work in end-of-life care for animals and grief support for the people that love them.  At one point in her career, after she'd had a private veterinary practice for several years, she trained as chaplain in a human hospital to develop her spiritual care skills. Observing the suffering of dying patients on life support created a stark contrast with the compassion we show to our pets when they face life-threatening illness or injury.

Deborah Aronson VMD, cVMA, has been working in small animal primary care since graduating from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 2001. In 2008 she launched Final Blessings, a housecall euthanasia service specific to cats. She obtained certification in veterinary medical acupuncture in 2014, and then launched Main Line Veterinary Integrative Practice LLC, offering in-home palliative and end of life care for all small animals.

Deborah  has followed her passion in providing spiritual care by volunteering as a NOMV Lifeboat peer supporter and advocate, as well as intensive interfaith chaplaincy training in clinical pastoral education (CPE). 

TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER AND STAY INFORMED ABOUT UPCOMING WORKSHOPS, EVENTS AND PODCAST EPISODES, CLICK HERE. 

]]> Dr. Deborah Aronson is a Philadelphia veterinarian who has a unqiue background for her work in end-of-life care for animals and grief support for the people that love them.  At one point in her career, after she'd had a private veterinary practice for several years, she trained as chaplain in a human hospital to develop her spiritual care skills. Observing the suffering of dying patients on life support created a stark contrast with the compassion we show to our pets when they face life-threatening illness or injury.

Deborah Aronson VMD, cVMA, has been working in small animal primary care since graduating from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 2001. In 2008 she launched Final Blessings, a housecall euthanasia service specific to cats. She obtained certification in veterinary medical acupuncture in 2014, and then launched Main Line Veterinary Integrative Practice LLC, offering in-home palliative and end of life care for all small animals.

Deborah  has followed her passion in providing spiritual care by volunteering as a NOMV Lifeboat peer supporter and advocate, as well as intensive interfaith chaplaincy training in clinical pastoral education (CPE). 

TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER AND STAY INFORMED ABOUT UPCOMING WORKSHOPS, EVENTS AND PODCAST EPISODES, CLICK HERE. 

]]> Buzzsprout-12818824 Tue, 09 May 2023 17:00:00 -0700 2769 full false EP 34: The Yucky Stuff EP 34: The Yucky Stuff CONTENT WARNING!

This conversation addresses bodily death and disposition, and contains graphic descriptions of what happens to a body during death, mortuary care, decomposition, cremation and more. If these topics are uncomfortable for you, listen with caution (or skip this episode). 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr. Wyatt and Dr. Daniel talk with Michaelene Dowers, an Indiana-based funeral director who is licensed in seven states and teaches  courses in funeral services for death care professionals who seek guidance in culturally or socially sensitive decedent care.

With nearly a decade of experience as a funeral director in Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, California, Indiana, Oregon, and Idaho, Michaelene is experienced at navigating the many variations in funeral service law and protocol found throughout the United States. 

She holds a  B.A. in religious studies from Grand Canyon University, an M.A. in emergency/crisis management from American Military University, and an M.A. in thanatology (study of death and dying, grief, loss and bereavement) from Marian University that will have conferred in Summer of 2023. Michaelene currently serves as an adjunct professor in the funeral service degree programs at Mid-America College of Funeral Service and at Arapahoe Community College in Denver, as well being a visiting lecturer in funeral service at other colleges nationwide.

LINKS OF INTEREST... 

Tales from the Lawn Crypt podcast: https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthelawncrypt/

Tales from the Lawn Crypt Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/talesfromthelawncrypt

Funeral Service Education:
https://www.instagram.com/quietus_bee

Contact Michaelene:
Michaelene@QuietusBee.com 

]]> CONTENT WARNING!

This conversation addresses bodily death and disposition, and contains graphic descriptions of what happens to a body during death, mortuary care, decomposition, cremation and more. If these topics are uncomfortable for you, listen with caution (or skip this episode). 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr. Wyatt and Dr. Daniel talk with Michaelene Dowers, an Indiana-based funeral director who is licensed in seven states and teaches  courses in funeral services for death care professionals who seek guidance in culturally or socially sensitive decedent care.

With nearly a decade of experience as a funeral director in Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, California, Indiana, Oregon, and Idaho, Michaelene is experienced at navigating the many variations in funeral service law and protocol found throughout the United States. 

She holds a  B.A. in religious studies from Grand Canyon University, an M.A. in emergency/crisis management from American Military University, and an M.A. in thanatology (study of death and dying, grief, loss and bereavement) from Marian University that will have conferred in Summer of 2023. Michaelene currently serves as an adjunct professor in the funeral service degree programs at Mid-America College of Funeral Service and at Arapahoe Community College in Denver, as well being a visiting lecturer in funeral service at other colleges nationwide.

LINKS OF INTEREST... 

Tales from the Lawn Crypt podcast: https://www.instagram.com/talesfromthelawncrypt/

Tales from the Lawn Crypt Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/talesfromthelawncrypt

Funeral Service Education:
https://www.instagram.com/quietus_bee

Contact Michaelene:
Michaelene@QuietusBee.com 

]]> Buzzsprout-12661668 Sun, 16 Apr 2023 16:00:00 -0700 4223 full true EP 33: Dr. Korie Leigh - Helping Children Manage Grief and Loss EP 33: Dr. Korie Leigh - Helping Children Manage Grief and Loss Dr. Korie Leigh is a child life specialist and grief counselor whose new book What Does Grief Feel LIke is for chidren who are grieving, and includes a guide for parents and caregivers on how to support a child's journey through loss and grief.   

In this episode Dr. Leigh addresses an array of topics, incuding pet death, preparing children for attending funerals, the best (and the worst) language to use when talking to children  about death, and the importance of death education in early childhood.

The book can be purchased in all the usual places, but we recommend purchasing it from www.bookshop.org, which helps to support local bookstores.    
 

About Dr. Leigh

With training as a child life specialist and grief counselor, Dr. Korie Leigh has spent over 16 years specializing in working with children and families experiencing grief and loss. As an associate professor and program director, she teaches graduate courses on child development, death, dying, and bereavement.  Dr. Leigh obtained her Ph.D. in transpersonal psychology, where she wrote her dissertation on the lived experiences of bereaved parents. She also holds an M.A. in public health and grief counseling and a B.A. in child development. She speaks and presents at national and regional conferences on issues of grief, loss, and coping. Dr. Leigh lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

]]> Dr. Korie Leigh is a child life specialist and grief counselor whose new book What Does Grief Feel LIke is for chidren who are grieving, and includes a guide for parents and caregivers on how to support a child's journey through loss and grief.   

In this episode Dr. Leigh addresses an array of topics, incuding pet death, preparing children for attending funerals, the best (and the worst) language to use when talking to children  about death, and the importance of death education in early childhood.

The book can be purchased in all the usual places, but we recommend purchasing it from www.bookshop.org, which helps to support local bookstores.    
 

About Dr. Leigh

With training as a child life specialist and grief counselor, Dr. Korie Leigh has spent over 16 years specializing in working with children and families experiencing grief and loss. As an associate professor and program director, she teaches graduate courses on child development, death, dying, and bereavement.  Dr. Leigh obtained her Ph.D. in transpersonal psychology, where she wrote her dissertation on the lived experiences of bereaved parents. She also holds an M.A. in public health and grief counseling and a B.A. in child development. She speaks and presents at national and regional conferences on issues of grief, loss, and coping. Dr. Leigh lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

]]> Buzzsprout-12364797 Thu, 02 Mar 2023 16:00:00 -0800 2172 full false EP 32: Whitewashing Violence in the Hebrew Bible - with Rev. Caffie Risher EP 32: Whitewashing Violence in the Hebrew Bible - with Rev. Caffie Risher  Rev. Caffie Risher is a Christian pastor and grief counselor who is deeply aware  of the presence of toxic theology in scripture and in the teachings of the church. She infuses her ministry for the bereaved with clear, critical thinking and a non-dogmatic approach to spirituality in the process of grief and mourning.  

Caffie has early recollections of walking dirt roads in the south with her grandmother  Jessie Mae where they would take care of relatives and community members when there was a death in the family or if someone was sick and needed help.  Both her mother, Earlene Williams Risher, and grandmother taught her Christ-care, compassion, and pastoral concern for others at an early age.

 For Caffie, it is life’s experiences, her own mortality, death of loved ones, personal loss, grief, educational experiences, and certifications that have all shaped and equipped her for this journey to minister hope and healing to those who are hurting. 

In 2002 she  was appointed to the position of “Minority Scholar” teaching public speaking and introduction to business courses at Passaic County Community College.  Eighteen years later she holds the position of a tenured Assistant Professor and Academic Coordinator of Public Speaking in the Fine and Performing Arts Department.  She teaches Public Speaking, Business Communication, Business Writing, and Death and Dying courses.  She also serves as chair of the Distinguished Lecturer Series and faculty advisor to the Power in Christ Christian Club who won the Emerging Club Award for excellent campus involvement and exceptional leadership.

Prior to this, she held a post at New York Theological Seminary where she taught for several years in the Certificate of Ministry program.   


For more on this topic, read this article:
Does the Hebrew Bible Sanctify Mass Murder… and Disregard the Resulting Trauma?


]]>  Rev. Caffie Risher is a Christian pastor and grief counselor who is deeply aware  of the presence of toxic theology in scripture and in the teachings of the church. She infuses her ministry for the bereaved with clear, critical thinking and a non-dogmatic approach to spirituality in the process of grief and mourning.  

Caffie has early recollections of walking dirt roads in the south with her grandmother  Jessie Mae where they would take care of relatives and community members when there was a death in the family or if someone was sick and needed help.  Both her mother, Earlene Williams Risher, and grandmother taught her Christ-care, compassion, and pastoral concern for others at an early age.

 For Caffie, it is life’s experiences, her own mortality, death of loved ones, personal loss, grief, educational experiences, and certifications that have all shaped and equipped her for this journey to minister hope and healing to those who are hurting. 

In 2002 she  was appointed to the position of “Minority Scholar” teaching public speaking and introduction to business courses at Passaic County Community College.  Eighteen years later she holds the position of a tenured Assistant Professor and Academic Coordinator of Public Speaking in the Fine and Performing Arts Department.  She teaches Public Speaking, Business Communication, Business Writing, and Death and Dying courses.  She also serves as chair of the Distinguished Lecturer Series and faculty advisor to the Power in Christ Christian Club who won the Emerging Club Award for excellent campus involvement and exceptional leadership.

Prior to this, she held a post at New York Theological Seminary where she taught for several years in the Certificate of Ministry program.   


For more on this topic, read this article:
Does the Hebrew Bible Sanctify Mass Murder… and Disregard the Resulting Trauma?


]]> Buzzsprout-11844872 Fri, 09 Dec 2022 12:00:00 -0800 1741 full false EP 31: Ken Doka PhD - Grief and Resilience- Part Two EP 31: Ken Doka PhD - Grief and Resilience- Part Two In the field of death and bereavement studies, Dr. Ken Doka is one of today's premiere thought leaders and researchers  (his publications and credits are too numerous to list, but you can find them all HERE). To name just a few,  he's written and/or co-authored numerous books that are used as required texts in college courses on psychology and grief, including:

. Dying & Death: Life & Living
. When We Die: Extraordinary Experiences at Life’s End
. Living with Grief since COVID-19
. Intimacy and Sexuality during Illness and Loss
.  Aging America: Coping with loss, dying, and death in later life
. Transforming Loss: Finding Potential for Growth
. When Grief Is Complicated,  
. The Longest Loss: Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia
. Helping Adolescents Cope with Loss

... and many more.

In addition to these books, he has published over 100 articles and book chapters.  Dr. Doka is editor of both Omega: The Journal of Death and Dying and Journeys: A Newsletter to Help in Bereavement. He has an ongoing blog for Psychology Today entitled Good Mourning.

We are delighted to welcome him as a presenter  in our upcoming
SYMPOSIUM ON DEATH AND BEREAVEMENT STUDIES.

]]> In the field of death and bereavement studies, Dr. Ken Doka is one of today's premiere thought leaders and researchers  (his publications and credits are too numerous to list, but you can find them all HERE). To name just a few,  he's written and/or co-authored numerous books that are used as required texts in college courses on psychology and grief, including:

. Dying & Death: Life & Living
. When We Die: Extraordinary Experiences at Life’s End
. Living with Grief since COVID-19
. Intimacy and Sexuality during Illness and Loss
.  Aging America: Coping with loss, dying, and death in later life
. Transforming Loss: Finding Potential for Growth
. When Grief Is Complicated,  
. The Longest Loss: Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia
. Helping Adolescents Cope with Loss

... and many more.

In addition to these books, he has published over 100 articles and book chapters.  Dr. Doka is editor of both Omega: The Journal of Death and Dying and Journeys: A Newsletter to Help in Bereavement. He has an ongoing blog for Psychology Today entitled Good Mourning.

We are delighted to welcome him as a presenter  in our upcoming
SYMPOSIUM ON DEATH AND BEREAVEMENT STUDIES.

]]> Buzzsprout-11805997 Sat, 03 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0800 2032 full false EP 30: Robert Neimeyer, PhD - Grief and Resilience - Part One EP 30: Robert Neimeyer, PhD - Grief and Resilience - Part One We are very excited to presesnt this interview with Robert A. Neimeyer, Ph.D., who is among the leading researchers in the field of death and bereavement. His work is legendary, and when you listen to this podcast, you'll find him to be extremely compassionate, articulate and wise. 

Dr. Neimeyer is a professor in the department of psychology, University of Memphis, and also serves as director of the Portland Institute for Loss and Transition, which offers training and certification in grief therapy.  Since completing his doctoral training  in 1982, he has published 30 books, including a series of volumes on Techniques of Grief Therapy and Grief and the Expressive Arts, the latter with Barbara Thompson, and serves as Editor of the journal Death Studies.

He has published more than  500 articles and book chapters, and is currently working to advance a more adequate theory of grieving as a meaning-making process, both in his published work and through his frequent professional workshops for national and international audiences. 

Neimeyer served as president of the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC), and chair of the International Work Group for Death, Dying, & Bereavement. In recognition of his  contributions, he has been granted the Eminent Faculty Award by the University of Memphis, made a fellow of the clinical psychology division of the American Psychological Association, and given Lifetime Achievement Awards by both the Association for Death Education and Counseling and the International Network on Personal Meaning.

Related Links of Interest:
The Portland Institute for Loss and Transistion
Robert Neimeyer website
Robert Neimeyer's books
Symposium on Death and Bereavement Studies
Marian University Thanatology Program
 

]]> We are very excited to presesnt this interview with Robert A. Neimeyer, Ph.D., who is among the leading researchers in the field of death and bereavement. His work is legendary, and when you listen to this podcast, you'll find him to be extremely compassionate, articulate and wise. 

Dr. Neimeyer is a professor in the department of psychology, University of Memphis, and also serves as director of the Portland Institute for Loss and Transition, which offers training and certification in grief therapy.  Since completing his doctoral training  in 1982, he has published 30 books, including a series of volumes on Techniques of Grief Therapy and Grief and the Expressive Arts, the latter with Barbara Thompson, and serves as Editor of the journal Death Studies.

He has published more than  500 articles and book chapters, and is currently working to advance a more adequate theory of grieving as a meaning-making process, both in his published work and through his frequent professional workshops for national and international audiences. 

Neimeyer served as president of the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC), and chair of the International Work Group for Death, Dying, & Bereavement. In recognition of his  contributions, he has been granted the Eminent Faculty Award by the University of Memphis, made a fellow of the clinical psychology division of the American Psychological Association, and given Lifetime Achievement Awards by both the Association for Death Education and Counseling and the International Network on Personal Meaning.

Related Links of Interest:
The Portland Institute for Loss and Transistion
Robert Neimeyer website
Robert Neimeyer's books
Symposium on Death and Bereavement Studies
Marian University Thanatology Program
 

]]> Buzzsprout-11785941 Tue, 29 Nov 2022 19:00:00 -0800 2523 full false EP 29: There Are No Stages of Grief - BONUS EPISODE EP 29: There Are No Stages of Grief - BONUS EPISODE Hello friends!

In preparation for a training program I'm designing for a local hospice, I've decided to record this commentary on the "stage theory" of grief so that this information can be easily accessible to students.  It's a short episode, and it's loaded with important information for anybody who works professionally with bereavement, or for any bereaved person who wants to better understand the mourning process. 

Here are some of the supportive materials I mentioned in the podcast. Perhaps the most important -- and most relevant to this conversation -- is the first one, Stroebe & Schut's discussion about the stages of grief:

. Bereaved Persons Misguided Through the Stages of Grief
. Therese Rando’s “Six Rs of Mourning”
. William Worden’s “Tasks of Mourning.” 


 

]]> Hello friends!

In preparation for a training program I'm designing for a local hospice, I've decided to record this commentary on the "stage theory" of grief so that this information can be easily accessible to students.  It's a short episode, and it's loaded with important information for anybody who works professionally with bereavement, or for any bereaved person who wants to better understand the mourning process. 

Here are some of the supportive materials I mentioned in the podcast. Perhaps the most important -- and most relevant to this conversation -- is the first one, Stroebe & Schut's discussion about the stages of grief:

. Bereaved Persons Misguided Through the Stages of Grief
. Therese Rando’s “Six Rs of Mourning”
. William Worden’s “Tasks of Mourning.” 


 

]]> Buzzsprout-11551849 Sun, 23 Oct 2022 11:00:00 -0700 766 full false EP 28: What Dying Children Know EP 28: What Dying Children Know When a child is terminally ill, parents agonize over how to tell the child about their prognosis, and how to decide when to stop treatment when a cure is no longer possible. Their anguish is fueled by a range of ethical, emotional and spiritual dilemmas, and there is never an easy or an obvious answer.

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Steinhorn, an academic pediatrician who practices intensive care and hospice medicine for children.  He led the Judith Nan Joy Integrative Medicine Research Initiative at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago from 2002-2010 and founded palliative care programs at major children’s hospitals.  He is currently developing children’s hospice programs in Washington, DC and San Diego, California.  Dr. Steinhorn has additional training in energy medicine, yoga, meditation, and shamanism, studying with teachers from the Foundation for Shamanic Studies, the Four Winds Society, and Dr. Carl Greer, and has brought shamanic healing approaches to his critical care practice in children’s hospitals across the country.   

LINKS:

To learn more about Dr. Steinhorn's work, click HERE.

Watch Dr. Steinhorn and his collaborator Jana Din demonstrate their transpersonal medicine approach  in this nationally broadcast television segment titled "Shamans in the ICU." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBQ7QKmHwAY


]]> When a child is terminally ill, parents agonize over how to tell the child about their prognosis, and how to decide when to stop treatment when a cure is no longer possible. Their anguish is fueled by a range of ethical, emotional and spiritual dilemmas, and there is never an easy or an obvious answer.

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Steinhorn, an academic pediatrician who practices intensive care and hospice medicine for children.  He led the Judith Nan Joy Integrative Medicine Research Initiative at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago from 2002-2010 and founded palliative care programs at major children’s hospitals.  He is currently developing children’s hospice programs in Washington, DC and San Diego, California.  Dr. Steinhorn has additional training in energy medicine, yoga, meditation, and shamanism, studying with teachers from the Foundation for Shamanic Studies, the Four Winds Society, and Dr. Carl Greer, and has brought shamanic healing approaches to his critical care practice in children’s hospitals across the country.   

LINKS:

To learn more about Dr. Steinhorn's work, click HERE.

Watch Dr. Steinhorn and his collaborator Jana Din demonstrate their transpersonal medicine approach  in this nationally broadcast television segment titled "Shamans in the ICU." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBQ7QKmHwAY


]]> Buzzsprout-10603960 Wed, 11 May 2022 19:00:00 -0700 3040 full false EP 27: What Happens When we DON'T Die? EP 27: What Happens When we DON'T Die? Since the beginning of human thought, we've pondered the great metaphysical question,  "What happens when we die?" But now, thanks to modern medical technology, a new question has emerged that has practical, down-to-earth implications...  "What happens when we don't die?"

In today's episode, Dr. Karen Wyatt and Dr. Terri Daniel explore an aspect of end-of-life care that is not often discussed, and may even be a bit difficult to listen to.  Because today we're talking about about the horrors of life extension,  and we give some powerful examples of what happens when we're kept alive far past the point when the body is ready to die a natural death.  It's an uncomfortable topic, because it addresses scenarios and outcomes that could  potentially apply to any of us.   

RELATED LINKS: 

. Oregon Death with Dignity Q&A
. Dementia Provision for Advance Directives
. End-of-Life University podcast
. The Conference on Death, Grief and Belief


RELATED STATISTICS:

. The population of Americans  65 and older is projected to grow from 58 million in 2021 to 88 million by 2050

 
 . In 1901, only 50 percent of white females survived to the age of 60 years, and only about 5 percent of those survived to the age of 90.  By contrast, in In 2004, about 90 percent of white females survived to the age of 60, and more than 25 percent   survived to the age of 90.[2]

. While older adults comprise just 12% of the population, they make up approximately 18% of suicides. men ages 85 and older having the highest rate of any group in the country  [3]



[1] https://www.alz.org/media/Documents/alzheimers-facts-and-figures.pdf
[2]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK51841/#:~:text=Only%204.5%20percent%20(about%201.5,million)%20live%20in%20the%20community.
[3] https://www.ncoa.org/article/suicide-and-older-adults-what-you-should-know

]]> Since the beginning of human thought, we've pondered the great metaphysical question,  "What happens when we die?" But now, thanks to modern medical technology, a new question has emerged that has practical, down-to-earth implications...  "What happens when we don't die?"

In today's episode, Dr. Karen Wyatt and Dr. Terri Daniel explore an aspect of end-of-life care that is not often discussed, and may even be a bit difficult to listen to.  Because today we're talking about about the horrors of life extension,  and we give some powerful examples of what happens when we're kept alive far past the point when the body is ready to die a natural death.  It's an uncomfortable topic, because it addresses scenarios and outcomes that could  potentially apply to any of us.   

RELATED LINKS: 

. Oregon Death with Dignity Q&A
. Dementia Provision for Advance Directives
. End-of-Life University podcast
. The Conference on Death, Grief and Belief


RELATED STATISTICS:

. The population of Americans  65 and older is projected to grow from 58 million in 2021 to 88 million by 2050

 
 . In 1901, only 50 percent of white females survived to the age of 60 years, and only about 5 percent of those survived to the age of 90.  By contrast, in In 2004, about 90 percent of white females survived to the age of 60, and more than 25 percent   survived to the age of 90.[2]

. While older adults comprise just 12% of the population, they make up approximately 18% of suicides. men ages 85 and older having the highest rate of any group in the country  [3]



[1] https://www.alz.org/media/Documents/alzheimers-facts-and-figures.pdf
[2]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK51841/#:~:text=Only%204.5%20percent%20(about%201.5,million)%20live%20in%20the%20community.
[3] https://www.ncoa.org/article/suicide-and-older-adults-what-you-should-know

]]> Buzzsprout-10408088 Sat, 09 Apr 2022 11:00:00 -0700 3308 full false EP: 26 - To Infinity and Beyond - with Peter Panagore, MDiv EP: 26 - To Infinity and Beyond - with Peter Panagore, MDiv Rev. Peter Panagore has been pronouced dead twice; once after freezing to death while ice climbing, and again, years later, after a heart attack.  Both times he returned with memories of a detailed out-of-body journey. Peter now hosts Not Church: Mysticism. No Doctrine. No Dogmaon his YouTube Channel, where he deconstructs The Bible in light of his near-death experiences.

In this episoide, Peter describes --  in great detail --  the exact process of dying, which in itself is quite stunning. But beyond that, he was also able to remember what he perceived and felt in the non-physical state commonly known as death.

A graduate of Yale Divinity School with a focus on western mysticism, Peter is a two-time Near-death Experiencer and International Audible best-selling author of Heaven Is Beautiful: How Dying Taught Me That Death Is Just the Beginning, His first best-seller, Two Minutes for God: Quick Fixes for the Spirit, is drawn from among the seventeen hundred inspirational stories of hope he wrote and told on his daily two-minute TV/FM spot for 15 years, broadcast on two NBC-TV stations in New England reaching 30 million views each year. His Yale master’s degree focused on The Classics of Western Mysticism, and he also holds a BAin English Literature from the University of Massachusetts.


Visit Peter's website:
https://www.peterpanagore.love/

Learn about THE CONFERENCE ON DEATH, GRIEF AND BELIEF
http:www.deathgriefandbelief.com

]]> Rev. Peter Panagore has been pronouced dead twice; once after freezing to death while ice climbing, and again, years later, after a heart attack.  Both times he returned with memories of a detailed out-of-body journey. Peter now hosts Not Church: Mysticism. No Doctrine. No Dogmaon his YouTube Channel, where he deconstructs The Bible in light of his near-death experiences.

In this episoide, Peter describes --  in great detail --  the exact process of dying, which in itself is quite stunning. But beyond that, he was also able to remember what he perceived and felt in the non-physical state commonly known as death.

A graduate of Yale Divinity School with a focus on western mysticism, Peter is a two-time Near-death Experiencer and International Audible best-selling author of Heaven Is Beautiful: How Dying Taught Me That Death Is Just the Beginning, His first best-seller, Two Minutes for God: Quick Fixes for the Spirit, is drawn from among the seventeen hundred inspirational stories of hope he wrote and told on his daily two-minute TV/FM spot for 15 years, broadcast on two NBC-TV stations in New England reaching 30 million views each year. His Yale master’s degree focused on The Classics of Western Mysticism, and he also holds a BAin English Literature from the University of Massachusetts.


Visit Peter's website:
https://www.peterpanagore.love/

Learn about THE CONFERENCE ON DEATH, GRIEF AND BELIEF
http:www.deathgriefandbelief.com

]]> Buzzsprout-10198000 Thu, 31 Mar 2022 11:00:00 -0700 4747 full false EP 23: Separating Myth From Meaning - With Joshua Bowen, PhD EP 23: Separating Myth From Meaning - With Joshua Bowen, PhD Joshua Bowen PhD  graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 2017 with a Ph.D. in Assyriology and a minor in Hebrew Bible, and  specializes in the Sumerian, Akkadian, and Hebrew languages.  In this interview, he educates us about the ancient texts that pre-date the  Hebrew bible and provided the myths and stories upon which biblical narratives were built. We talk specifically about the Exodus story, and the methods used by scholars to determine what is historically accurate  and what is not. For anybody interested in religious history, or even in religious devotion, this conversation can help you separate the myth from the meaning. 

As well as his Ph.D., Josh holds a B.S. in Religion from Liberty University, a Th.M. in the Old Testament from Capital Bible Seminary, and a M.A. in Near Eastern Studies from the Johns Hopkins University. He has published four books, including the best-selling The Atheist Handbook to the Old Testament, Volume I, Did the Old Testament Endorse Slavery?, Learning to Pray in a Dead Language, and Learn to Read Ancient Sumerian: An Introduction for Complete Beginners (co-authored with his wife, Megan Lewis). He also has two books forthcoming (2022): The Atheist Handbook to the Old Testament, Volume II, and Learn to Read Ancient Sumerian, Volume II.

. Check out Joshua's YouTube channel HERE

. Read Joshua's book, THE ATHEIST HANDBOOK TO THE OLD TESTAMENT
(or listen to the audio book).
 

]]> Joshua Bowen PhD  graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 2017 with a Ph.D. in Assyriology and a minor in Hebrew Bible, and  specializes in the Sumerian, Akkadian, and Hebrew languages.  In this interview, he educates us about the ancient texts that pre-date the  Hebrew bible and provided the myths and stories upon which biblical narratives were built. We talk specifically about the Exodus story, and the methods used by scholars to determine what is historically accurate  and what is not. For anybody interested in religious history, or even in religious devotion, this conversation can help you separate the myth from the meaning. 

As well as his Ph.D., Josh holds a B.S. in Religion from Liberty University, a Th.M. in the Old Testament from Capital Bible Seminary, and a M.A. in Near Eastern Studies from the Johns Hopkins University. He has published four books, including the best-selling The Atheist Handbook to the Old Testament, Volume I, Did the Old Testament Endorse Slavery?, Learning to Pray in a Dead Language, and Learn to Read Ancient Sumerian: An Introduction for Complete Beginners (co-authored with his wife, Megan Lewis). He also has two books forthcoming (2022): The Atheist Handbook to the Old Testament, Volume II, and Learn to Read Ancient Sumerian, Volume II.

. Check out Joshua's YouTube channel HERE

. Read Joshua's book, THE ATHEIST HANDBOOK TO THE OLD TESTAMENT
(or listen to the audio book).
 

]]> Buzzsprout-9662410 Sat, 19 Mar 2022 07:00:00 -0700 4103 full false EP 25: Leaving Religion: A Step-by-Step Guide with Clint Heacock PhD EP 25: Leaving Religion: A Step-by-Step Guide with Clint Heacock PhD Dr. Clint Heacock gives us a sneak peek at the the presentation he'll be giving at our 2022 CONFERENCE ON DEATH GRIEF AND BELIEF, in which he will share a  practical roadmap for the deconstruction journey.

This information is relevant -- and critical -- for a growing segment of our population. In Pew Research Center surveys conducted in 2018 and 2019, 65% of American adults described themselves as Christians, down 12 points over the past decade. Similarly, the number of people who identify as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular,” has increased by 9% since 2009.

Clint is a former evangelical pastor and bible college teacher. He holds a PhD in preaching and biblical studies from the University of Chester in the UK. Although he grew up in a fundamentalist Christian environment, he has since deconstructed his former faith and walked away from Christianity altogether. Since leaving evangelicalism he has been the host of The MindShift Podcast. The aim of the show is to educate people on the dangers of the Christian Right, dominion theology, destructive cults, and religious trauma syndrome--and help reconstruct their lives, post-religion.

You can find Clint in all the usual places:

Website: mindshiftpodcast.co.uk
On Twitter:  @MindShift2018
On Facebook: The Mindshift Podcast Group
 

]]> Dr. Clint Heacock gives us a sneak peek at the the presentation he'll be giving at our 2022 CONFERENCE ON DEATH GRIEF AND BELIEF, in which he will share a  practical roadmap for the deconstruction journey.

This information is relevant -- and critical -- for a growing segment of our population. In Pew Research Center surveys conducted in 2018 and 2019, 65% of American adults described themselves as Christians, down 12 points over the past decade. Similarly, the number of people who identify as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular,” has increased by 9% since 2009.

Clint is a former evangelical pastor and bible college teacher. He holds a PhD in preaching and biblical studies from the University of Chester in the UK. Although he grew up in a fundamentalist Christian environment, he has since deconstructed his former faith and walked away from Christianity altogether. Since leaving evangelicalism he has been the host of The MindShift Podcast. The aim of the show is to educate people on the dangers of the Christian Right, dominion theology, destructive cults, and religious trauma syndrome--and help reconstruct their lives, post-religion.

You can find Clint in all the usual places:

Website: mindshiftpodcast.co.uk
On Twitter:  @MindShift2018
On Facebook: The Mindshift Podcast Group
 

]]> Buzzsprout-10273797 Fri, 18 Mar 2022 07:00:00 -0700 2926 full false EP. 24: Spiritual But Not Religious - with Dr. Terri Daniel EP. 24: Spiritual But Not Religious - with Dr. Terri Daniel
If you identify as “spiritual but not religious,” you are not alone. Do you know there’s now an acronym for that?  It’s called S.B.N.R., and it’s a new buzzword that signals a growing trend

In this audio excerpt from the 2022 Symposium on Death and Bereavement Studies, Dr. Terri Daniel explains what it means to be “Spiritual But Not Religious." As more and more Americans relinquish specific religious identities , the movement has earned its own acronym… SBNR. Along with the designation of SBNR, two additional categories have emerged known as “none” (no particular religious affiliation) and ”done” (no longer affiliated). 

The rise of “Nones, Dones and SBNRs” (N/D/SBNR) in America’s spiritual landscape is a source of heated debate in many theological circles, and as one might expect, opinions are often divided along party lines. Conventional religious communities think it’s unacceptable to “cherry pick” spiritual ideas and cobble together a personal theology.  But on the other side of the aisle, progressive thinkers can’t imagine relating to the divine any other way. 

As an example of two vastly different views from noted theologians, Harvard Divinity professor Harvey Cox  observes that “people are drawn more to the experiential than to the doctrinal elements of religion.”[1]  And in stark contrast, UCC minister Rev. Lillian Daniel disdainfully refers to SBNR theology as a “cheap god of self-satisfaction.” [2]
 

Read more here:
https://deathgriefandbelief.com/spiritual-but-not-religious/

Learn about our CONFERENCE ON DEATH, GRIEF AND BELIEF:
http:www.deathgriefandbelief.com

]]>
If you identify as “spiritual but not religious,” you are not alone. Do you know there’s now an acronym for that?  It’s called S.B.N.R., and it’s a new buzzword that signals a growing trend

In this audio excerpt from the 2022 Symposium on Death and Bereavement Studies, Dr. Terri Daniel explains what it means to be “Spiritual But Not Religious." As more and more Americans relinquish specific religious identities , the movement has earned its own acronym… SBNR. Along with the designation of SBNR, two additional categories have emerged known as “none” (no particular religious affiliation) and ”done” (no longer affiliated). 

The rise of “Nones, Dones and SBNRs” (N/D/SBNR) in America’s spiritual landscape is a source of heated debate in many theological circles, and as one might expect, opinions are often divided along party lines. Conventional religious communities think it’s unacceptable to “cherry pick” spiritual ideas and cobble together a personal theology.  But on the other side of the aisle, progressive thinkers can’t imagine relating to the divine any other way. 

As an example of two vastly different views from noted theologians, Harvard Divinity professor Harvey Cox  observes that “people are drawn more to the experiential than to the doctrinal elements of religion.”[1]  And in stark contrast, UCC minister Rev. Lillian Daniel disdainfully refers to SBNR theology as a “cheap god of self-satisfaction.” [2]
 

Read more here:
https://deathgriefandbelief.com/spiritual-but-not-religious/

Learn about our CONFERENCE ON DEATH, GRIEF AND BELIEF:
http:www.deathgriefandbelief.com

]]> Buzzsprout-10198221 Sun, 06 Mar 2022 12:00:00 -0800 3511 full false EP 22: The Thinking Atheist - with Seth Andrews EP 22: The Thinking Atheist - with Seth Andrews Meet Seth Andrews, a former Christian broadcaster and believer of 30 years who escaped the bonds of fundamentalism to become one of the leading voices for atheism and free thought. His podcast The Thinking Atheist, is one of the most popular atheist communities on the internet, offering a relaxed environment and a rage-free challenge to the religious beliefs that defined his youth.

Firmy rooted in his faith (and with a perfect radio voice), Seth hosted a show on Christian radio from 1990 to 2000. But a series of personal and political events triggered his doubts about  Christian doctrine, and in 2004, after watching a video of atheist Christopher Hitchens debating Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, Seth decided to leave his religion.

Finding no community of other atheists in his area, he decided to build an atheist community online. He created a website and Facebook page, both called The Thinking Atheist, to connect with other non-believers online.

 Find Seth here:

Twitter
The Thinking Atheist
Facebook
Seth's new book!

 Seth will be a keynote speaker at our
2022 CONFERENCE ON DEATH, GRIEF AND BELIEF 

]]> Meet Seth Andrews, a former Christian broadcaster and believer of 30 years who escaped the bonds of fundamentalism to become one of the leading voices for atheism and free thought. His podcast The Thinking Atheist, is one of the most popular atheist communities on the internet, offering a relaxed environment and a rage-free challenge to the religious beliefs that defined his youth.

Firmy rooted in his faith (and with a perfect radio voice), Seth hosted a show on Christian radio from 1990 to 2000. But a series of personal and political events triggered his doubts about  Christian doctrine, and in 2004, after watching a video of atheist Christopher Hitchens debating Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, Seth decided to leave his religion.

Finding no community of other atheists in his area, he decided to build an atheist community online. He created a website and Facebook page, both called The Thinking Atheist, to connect with other non-believers online.

 Find Seth here:

Twitter
The Thinking Atheist
Facebook
Seth's new book!

 Seth will be a keynote speaker at our
2022 CONFERENCE ON DEATH, GRIEF AND BELIEF 

]]> Buzzsprout-10056342 Fri, 11 Feb 2022 07:00:00 -0800 4350 full false EP 21: Near-Death Experiences: A Feedback Loop of Cultural Influence - with Dr. Gregory Shushan EP 21: Near-Death Experiences: A Feedback Loop of Cultural Influence - with Dr. Gregory Shushan This episode will introduce you to the most in-depth research available to date on NDEs throughout history and across cultures... with some fascinating information about how those accounts have influenced religoius beliefs and cultural practices over time.

Our guest Gregory Shushan PhD  is the leading authority on near-death experiences in  historical reports.  He points out, among other things, that stories of NDEs over thousands of years have contributed to the establishment of religious beliefs, and conversely, those beliefs also influence what we experience in our NDEs. 

Gregory is a research fellow of the Parapsychology Foundation, and was formerly Perrott-Warrick Researcher at University of Oxford's Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion;  Scholar-in Residence at the Centro Incontri Umani (The Cross Cultural Centre), Ascona, Switzerland; and Honorary Research Fellow at the Religious Experience Research Centre, University of Wales Trinity Saint David. He has lectured at universities in the UK, Ireland, and Switzerland and has given numerous talks on his research in nine countries, and has appeared on the History Channel.

 

GREGORY'S WEBSITES:
Article on how near-death experiences inform afterlife beliefs
GregoryShushan.com
New book! The Next World: Extraordinary Experiences of the Afterlife

MEET GREGORY AT THE 2022 CONFERENCE ON DEATH, GRIEF AND BELIEF!
www.deathgriefandbelief.com

]]> This episode will introduce you to the most in-depth research available to date on NDEs throughout history and across cultures... with some fascinating information about how those accounts have influenced religoius beliefs and cultural practices over time.

Our guest Gregory Shushan PhD  is the leading authority on near-death experiences in  historical reports.  He points out, among other things, that stories of NDEs over thousands of years have contributed to the establishment of religious beliefs, and conversely, those beliefs also influence what we experience in our NDEs. 

Gregory is a research fellow of the Parapsychology Foundation, and was formerly Perrott-Warrick Researcher at University of Oxford's Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion;  Scholar-in Residence at the Centro Incontri Umani (The Cross Cultural Centre), Ascona, Switzerland; and Honorary Research Fellow at the Religious Experience Research Centre, University of Wales Trinity Saint David. He has lectured at universities in the UK, Ireland, and Switzerland and has given numerous talks on his research in nine countries, and has appeared on the History Channel.

 

GREGORY'S WEBSITES:
Article on how near-death experiences inform afterlife beliefs
GregoryShushan.com
New book! The Next World: Extraordinary Experiences of the Afterlife

MEET GREGORY AT THE 2022 CONFERENCE ON DEATH, GRIEF AND BELIEF!
www.deathgriefandbelief.com

]]> Buzzsprout-10016682 Sat, 05 Feb 2022 07:00:00 -0800 3450 full false BONUS EPISODE - Why We're So Interested in Death BONUS EPISODE - Why We're So Interested in Death This is a special bonus episode where Dr. Karen and Dr. Terri interview each other .

We decided it was time to do some self-disclosure so that our listeners could learn more about the unique experiences that inspired us to pursue careers in end-of-life care.   

If you've ever wondered what would make someone want to spend their time in the presence of death and grief, you'll find a lot of answers in this episode.

Our backstories are very different, but come from a similar source... an instinct to process our own losses through witnessing and supporting the grief of others. 

And a lifelong interest in the journey of the soul.

RELATED LINKS:

Karen's website
Terri's website
The Conference on Death, Grief and Belief

]]> This is a special bonus episode where Dr. Karen and Dr. Terri interview each other .

We decided it was time to do some self-disclosure so that our listeners could learn more about the unique experiences that inspired us to pursue careers in end-of-life care.   

If you've ever wondered what would make someone want to spend their time in the presence of death and grief, you'll find a lot of answers in this episode.

Our backstories are very different, but come from a similar source... an instinct to process our own losses through witnessing and supporting the grief of others. 

And a lifelong interest in the journey of the soul.

RELATED LINKS:

Karen's website
Terri's website
The Conference on Death, Grief and Belief

]]> Buzzsprout-10000673 Wed, 02 Feb 2022 12:00:00 -0800 3492 bonus false EP 20: Thank God I'm Atheist - with Dan Beecher EP 20: Thank God I'm Atheist - with Dan Beecher Dan is one half of the brilliantly funny team that hosts the THANK GOD I'M ATHEIST podcast, which recently marked its 500th episode!

Co-host Frank Feldman wasn't available for the interview unfortunately, but Dan did a fantastic job of educating us about all things ExMo (Ex-Mormon), and the absurdities of bibical literalism, blind allegiance to faith doctrines and the "unapologetically cheesy" videos used by Mormons to convert people via Facebook.

Both Frank and Dan grew up as Mormon kids in Salt Lake City, but fled the cult-like environment as soon as they were old enough to use their critical thinking  skills.  Their podcast  tackles the issues of the day and recasts them in an Atheist light, sharing humorous and entertaining perspectives on politics, current events, and all things religious or otherwise.

And.... Frank and Dan will be keynote speakers at our upcoming CONFERENCE ON DEATH, GRIEF AND BELIEF!

(APOLOGIES FOR SOME ROUGH SPOTS IN THE AUDIO! )


]]> Dan is one half of the brilliantly funny team that hosts the THANK GOD I'M ATHEIST podcast, which recently marked its 500th episode!

Co-host Frank Feldman wasn't available for the interview unfortunately, but Dan did a fantastic job of educating us about all things ExMo (Ex-Mormon), and the absurdities of bibical literalism, blind allegiance to faith doctrines and the "unapologetically cheesy" videos used by Mormons to convert people via Facebook.

Both Frank and Dan grew up as Mormon kids in Salt Lake City, but fled the cult-like environment as soon as they were old enough to use their critical thinking  skills.  Their podcast  tackles the issues of the day and recasts them in an Atheist light, sharing humorous and entertaining perspectives on politics, current events, and all things religious or otherwise.

And.... Frank and Dan will be keynote speakers at our upcoming CONFERENCE ON DEATH, GRIEF AND BELIEF!

(APOLOGIES FOR SOME ROUGH SPOTS IN THE AUDIO! )


]]> Buzzsprout-9871561 Tue, 11 Jan 2022 19:00:00 -0800 3935 full false EP19: Ultra Orthodox EP19: Ultra Orthodox Today Dr. Death speaks with Pesach Eisen, MCH-LP,  a psychotherapist and researcher focusing primarily on the intersection of religious disaffiliation and mental health. He was raised in an ultra-Orthodox Hasidic Jewish faith community, from which he departed during his 20s. In his current role at a non-profit organization called Footsteps, he offers individual and group psychotherapy to those who have left or are contemplating leaving Orthodox Jewish communities. 

Both personally and professionally, he has wrestled with themes such as dignity, faith, humanity, identity, loss, meaning, morality, mortality, religion, spirituality, trauma, values, death, grief, and belief. 

Pesach holds a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology and neuroscience, as well as a Master of Arts degree in mental health counseling.

Our interview covers  a lot of fascinating topics, including: 

  • Do  we really have a choice about our inherited religion if we're never taught to develop critical thinking skills or inner resources?

  • Can grief be managed by customs and traditions rather than allowing it to follow its natural trajectory toward healing?   

  • Do the benefits of living in a supportive community outweigh the cost of suppressing our authentic self?
     

    Films about Orthodox Judaism:

    ONE OF US
    TREMBLING BEFORE G-D
    UNORTHODOX
    SHTISEL
]]> Today Dr. Death speaks with Pesach Eisen, MCH-LP,  a psychotherapist and researcher focusing primarily on the intersection of religious disaffiliation and mental health. He was raised in an ultra-Orthodox Hasidic Jewish faith community, from which he departed during his 20s. In his current role at a non-profit organization called Footsteps, he offers individual and group psychotherapy to those who have left or are contemplating leaving Orthodox Jewish communities. 

Both personally and professionally, he has wrestled with themes such as dignity, faith, humanity, identity, loss, meaning, morality, mortality, religion, spirituality, trauma, values, death, grief, and belief. 

Pesach holds a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology and neuroscience, as well as a Master of Arts degree in mental health counseling.

Our interview covers  a lot of fascinating topics, including: 

  • Do  we really have a choice about our inherited religion if we're never taught to develop critical thinking skills or inner resources?

  • Can grief be managed by customs and traditions rather than allowing it to follow its natural trajectory toward healing?   

  • Do the benefits of living in a supportive community outweigh the cost of suppressing our authentic self?
     

    Films about Orthodox Judaism:

    ONE OF US
    TREMBLING BEFORE G-D
    UNORTHODOX
    SHTISEL
]]> Buzzsprout-9621438 Sat, 27 Nov 2021 13:00:00 -0800 3422 full false EP 18: In the Realm of Death and Dreaming EP 18: In the Realm of Death and Dreaming Today we are delighted to be speaking with Johanna Lunn, director of the film In the Realm of Death & Dreaming, which  is the first of four documentaries in a series entitled When You Die. In the film, Johanna asks the big question... Does consciousness continue after death, or is it lights out? 

Johanna guides viewers on a personal journey to find answers by exploring stories of near death experiences, deathbed visions and mystical journeys.  She also speaks with leading clinicians and researchers who have spent their careers studying these experiences and the nature of consciousness.  

The documentary features:  Dean Radin, PhD, Chief Scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences;  Ann Marie Chiasson, MD, School of Integrative Medicine, U. of AZ;  Anthony Bossis, PhD, NYU Medical Centre psilocybin trials;  Penny Sartori, PhD author of The Transformative Power of Near Death Experiences;  Peter Fenwick, MD, Neuropsychologist and author of The Art of Dying;  Andrew Holecek, author of Preparing to Die; David Maginley, author Beyond Surviving, and others.

Johanna is an award-winning filmmaker who has worked in film and television for more than 35 years. In that time, she has helped start up a PBS station in Colorado; created a ground-breaking children’s film festival in Canada; and was Artistic Director of the Atlantic Film Festival. She was also head of CTV’s Atlantic Canadian Development Office; launched specialty channel IFC Canada; produced and directed over 150 hours of award-winning television; and directed five documentary films, one of which won Best Documentary in its class at Hot Docs International Documentary Film Festival for Forgiveness: Stories for Our Time.    

  • Watch the trailer for In the Realm of Death & Dreaming  HERE. 
  • Learn more about The Afterlife Conference HERE
  • SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter 
]]> Today we are delighted to be speaking with Johanna Lunn, director of the film In the Realm of Death & Dreaming, which  is the first of four documentaries in a series entitled When You Die. In the film, Johanna asks the big question... Does consciousness continue after death, or is it lights out? 

Johanna guides viewers on a personal journey to find answers by exploring stories of near death experiences, deathbed visions and mystical journeys.  She also speaks with leading clinicians and researchers who have spent their careers studying these experiences and the nature of consciousness.  

The documentary features:  Dean Radin, PhD, Chief Scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences;  Ann Marie Chiasson, MD, School of Integrative Medicine, U. of AZ;  Anthony Bossis, PhD, NYU Medical Centre psilocybin trials;  Penny Sartori, PhD author of The Transformative Power of Near Death Experiences;  Peter Fenwick, MD, Neuropsychologist and author of The Art of Dying;  Andrew Holecek, author of Preparing to Die; David Maginley, author Beyond Surviving, and others.

Johanna is an award-winning filmmaker who has worked in film and television for more than 35 years. In that time, she has helped start up a PBS station in Colorado; created a ground-breaking children’s film festival in Canada; and was Artistic Director of the Atlantic Film Festival. She was also head of CTV’s Atlantic Canadian Development Office; launched specialty channel IFC Canada; produced and directed over 150 hours of award-winning television; and directed five documentary films, one of which won Best Documentary in its class at Hot Docs International Documentary Film Festival for Forgiveness: Stories for Our Time.    

  • Watch the trailer for In the Realm of Death & Dreaming  HERE. 
  • Learn more about The Afterlife Conference HERE
  • SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter 
]]> Buzzsprout-8674867 Wed, 09 Jun 2021 12:00:00 -0700 1355 full false EP 17: A Jewish Chaplain's Perspective EP 17: A Jewish Chaplain's Perspective We've had many conversations here on Ask Doctor Death about a variety of religious views, but have rarely touched on Jewish  beliefs and practices around death, dying and bereavement.  In this episode, we are honored to present Rabbi Sarah Rensin, a hospice chaplain with a very  progressive perspective on Judaism. 

Rabbi Sarah was ordained at the Academy for Jewish Religion California in 2015. After ordination, she used her background in fine art and teaching to create a dynamic Jewish education curriculum at the Jewish Day School in Bellevue Washington. During her years working at JDS she continued her education and became certified as a clinical chaplain. She  worked as a rabbi and chaplain at Evergreen Hospice in Washington, and was instrumental in creating programs for spiritual care support for hospital clinicians during the Covid-19 pandemic. In late 2020 Rabbi Sarah moved to Oregon, where she currently works for Signature Hospice. 

]]> We've had many conversations here on Ask Doctor Death about a variety of religious views, but have rarely touched on Jewish  beliefs and practices around death, dying and bereavement.  In this episode, we are honored to present Rabbi Sarah Rensin, a hospice chaplain with a very  progressive perspective on Judaism. 

Rabbi Sarah was ordained at the Academy for Jewish Religion California in 2015. After ordination, she used her background in fine art and teaching to create a dynamic Jewish education curriculum at the Jewish Day School in Bellevue Washington. During her years working at JDS she continued her education and became certified as a clinical chaplain. She  worked as a rabbi and chaplain at Evergreen Hospice in Washington, and was instrumental in creating programs for spiritual care support for hospital clinicians during the Covid-19 pandemic. In late 2020 Rabbi Sarah moved to Oregon, where she currently works for Signature Hospice. 

]]> Buzzsprout-8488955 Sun, 09 May 2021 18:00:00 -0700 3279 full false EP 16: Final Exit EP 16: Final Exit Today's guest is Rev. Kevin Bradley, who serves on the board of the Final Exit Network, an organization that supports the human right to a death with dignity. The Final Exit Network (FEN) believes  that mentally competent adults who suffer from a terminal illness, intractable physical pain, chronic or progressive physical disabilities, or who face loss of autonomy and selfhood through dementia, have a basic human right to choose to end their lives when they judge their quality of life to be unacceptable.

Kevin acts as a spiritual counselor and "exit guide" for FEN's clients, and in our interview he will describe what these roles entail and the variety of spiritual issues he encounters in his work.

Kevin has a Master of Divinity degree from Brite Divinity School, completed an extended post-graduate residency at the VA hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and is ordained in the United Church of Christ. Prior to joining FEN, Kevin testified in the Minnesota Senate in support of medical aid in dying and co-founded Interfaith Clergy for End-of-Life Options. He has served as a hospital and hospice chaplain and is currently a professional writer, speaker, and holistic stress management counselor.

]]> Today's guest is Rev. Kevin Bradley, who serves on the board of the Final Exit Network, an organization that supports the human right to a death with dignity. The Final Exit Network (FEN) believes  that mentally competent adults who suffer from a terminal illness, intractable physical pain, chronic or progressive physical disabilities, or who face loss of autonomy and selfhood through dementia, have a basic human right to choose to end their lives when they judge their quality of life to be unacceptable.

Kevin acts as a spiritual counselor and "exit guide" for FEN's clients, and in our interview he will describe what these roles entail and the variety of spiritual issues he encounters in his work.

Kevin has a Master of Divinity degree from Brite Divinity School, completed an extended post-graduate residency at the VA hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and is ordained in the United Church of Christ. Prior to joining FEN, Kevin testified in the Minnesota Senate in support of medical aid in dying and co-founded Interfaith Clergy for End-of-Life Options. He has served as a hospital and hospice chaplain and is currently a professional writer, speaker, and holistic stress management counselor.

]]> Buzzsprout-8439347 Sat, 01 May 2021 07:00:00 -0700 2886 full false EP 15: Healing the Trauma of Hellfire Indoctrination EP 15: Healing the Trauma of Hellfire Indoctrination In this special episode, Dr. Daniel talks with Andrew Jasko M.Div (MA Counseling Psychology in progress).  Andrew was a Princeton Seminary educated minister and missionary before he left his religion because of the severe psychological trauma he experienced  as a result of toxic beliefs.  He initially rejected religion and spirituality entirely, but then had an unexpected awakening to mystical experiences through psychedelics, meditation and other practices. Unlike many "deconstructed" Christians, Andrew  ultimately found a way to embrace non-physical planes of consciousness without wrapping them in a religious context.

Our conversation covers a lot of ground, from religious trauma syndrome and childhood hell indoctrination to the use of psychedelics to assist individuals in releasing oppressive, fear-based religious ideas and reclaiming a  healthy, authentic connection with spirituality.

LINKS REFERENCED IN THE INTERVIEW

Andrew Jasko's website:
www.LifeAfterDogma. org

Book a Discovery Session with Andrew to learn about coaching: https://innerfreedomsession.as.me/

The Conference on Religious Trauma
https://pheedloop.com/CORT/site/

The Sinners Prayer  for Grief Recovery?! 
https://www.griefshare.org/healing/god

Recommended books on religious trauma:
Leaving the Fold
Breaking Their Will
Grief and God: When Religion Does More Harm Than Healing

 

]]> In this special episode, Dr. Daniel talks with Andrew Jasko M.Div (MA Counseling Psychology in progress).  Andrew was a Princeton Seminary educated minister and missionary before he left his religion because of the severe psychological trauma he experienced  as a result of toxic beliefs.  He initially rejected religion and spirituality entirely, but then had an unexpected awakening to mystical experiences through psychedelics, meditation and other practices. Unlike many "deconstructed" Christians, Andrew  ultimately found a way to embrace non-physical planes of consciousness without wrapping them in a religious context.

Our conversation covers a lot of ground, from religious trauma syndrome and childhood hell indoctrination to the use of psychedelics to assist individuals in releasing oppressive, fear-based religious ideas and reclaiming a  healthy, authentic connection with spirituality.

LINKS REFERENCED IN THE INTERVIEW

Andrew Jasko's website:
www.LifeAfterDogma. org

Book a Discovery Session with Andrew to learn about coaching: https://innerfreedomsession.as.me/

The Conference on Religious Trauma
https://pheedloop.com/CORT/site/

The Sinners Prayer  for Grief Recovery?! 
https://www.griefshare.org/healing/god

Recommended books on religious trauma:
Leaving the Fold
Breaking Their Will
Grief and God: When Religion Does More Harm Than Healing

 

]]> Buzzsprout-8109073 Tue, 09 Mar 2021 11:00:00 -0800 3379 full false EP 14: The Weirdest Afterlife Ever EP 14: The Weirdest Afterlife Ever This episode includes profanity and religion-bashing.
If these things offend you, listen at your own risk.

In this episode, Doctor Death talks with three incredibly funny and brilliant ex-Mormons known in the podcast world as Uncle Dan, Uncle Doug and Uncle Mark... The How-to-Heretics . 

It's a great conversation in which we explore religious belief in general (and the lack thereof), and Mormon cosmology in particular, with its super-weird afterlife scenario.
 
https://howtoheretic.com/about
https://howtoheretic.com/podcast

Interested in topics related to end-of-life, death care, near-death experience
and related afterlife studies?  Subscribe to our newsletter HERE. 


]]> This episode includes profanity and religion-bashing.
If these things offend you, listen at your own risk.

In this episode, Doctor Death talks with three incredibly funny and brilliant ex-Mormons known in the podcast world as Uncle Dan, Uncle Doug and Uncle Mark... The How-to-Heretics . 

It's a great conversation in which we explore religious belief in general (and the lack thereof), and Mormon cosmology in particular, with its super-weird afterlife scenario.
 
https://howtoheretic.com/about
https://howtoheretic.com/podcast

Interested in topics related to end-of-life, death care, near-death experience
and related afterlife studies?  Subscribe to our newsletter HERE. 


]]> Buzzsprout-5960053 Mon, 19 Oct 2020 06:00:00 -0700 4752 full false EP 13: Death and Religious Trauma Syndrome - with Dr. Clint Heacock - WARNING... Politics and Religion Being Discussed! EP 13: Death and Religious Trauma Syndrome - with Dr. Clint Heacock - WARNING... Politics and Religion Being Discussed! WARNING! If you aren't comfortable with conversations about religion or politics, this episode talks about both and how they are entwined in today's America. We also talk about the toxic nature of Judeo-Christian theology and images of God, so if these topics (and a little profanity) make you uncomfortable, we respectfully suggest that you don't listen to this episode. Or if you do, listen at your own risk.

Our guest today is Dr. Clint Heacock, a former Christian, former pastor and former bible college teacher who talks about his childhood in an evangelical cult and his eventual escape from it. He produces The Mindshift Podcast, which focuses on deconstructing views of God, cults and religion. 

In terms of end-of-life care, hospice work and spiritual care for the dying, these issues are extremely important because many of our patients and counseling clients are struggling with theological notions of suffering, biblical edicts about "sinful grief," and the cruelty of proselytizing to someone on their deathbed.
 
If you are questioning your inherited religious beliefs and practices, then Dr. Heacock is someone you'll want to know.  Enjoy the episode!

]]> WARNING! If you aren't comfortable with conversations about religion or politics, this episode talks about both and how they are entwined in today's America. We also talk about the toxic nature of Judeo-Christian theology and images of God, so if these topics (and a little profanity) make you uncomfortable, we respectfully suggest that you don't listen to this episode. Or if you do, listen at your own risk.

Our guest today is Dr. Clint Heacock, a former Christian, former pastor and former bible college teacher who talks about his childhood in an evangelical cult and his eventual escape from it. He produces The Mindshift Podcast, which focuses on deconstructing views of God, cults and religion. 

In terms of end-of-life care, hospice work and spiritual care for the dying, these issues are extremely important because many of our patients and counseling clients are struggling with theological notions of suffering, biblical edicts about "sinful grief," and the cruelty of proselytizing to someone on their deathbed.
 
If you are questioning your inherited religious beliefs and practices, then Dr. Heacock is someone you'll want to know.  Enjoy the episode!

]]> Buzzsprout-5843752 Sun, 11 Oct 2020 13:00:00 -0700 3371 full true EP 12: Death as a Rite of Passage - with Shamanic Practitioner Kitty Edwards EP 12: Death as a Rite of Passage - with Shamanic Practitioner Kitty Edwards Kitty Edwards, MA is the executive director of The Living & Dying Consciously Project. She is an Ayni Energy practitioner who helps those confronted by death find the courage to release their fears, and a graduate of Sandra Ingerman’s Core Shamanism and the Light Body School of The Four Winds Society. She is the co-founder of the No Regrets Project and Conversations on Death in Boulder, Colorado. 

Preparing for death as a rite of passage requires courage and creativity. In this episode, Kitty talks about how to develop personal death awareness rituals based on the wisdom of ancient traditions as well as current research in the field. This work can expand our understanding of the psychological and emotional closure needed in the dying process, and. enable family members, caretakers, medical and hospice staff, grief counselors, and chaplains to more actively support the dying.

Find Kitty's guidebook -- Conscious Transitions - Living with Dying --   HERE. 

]]> Kitty Edwards, MA is the executive director of The Living & Dying Consciously Project. She is an Ayni Energy practitioner who helps those confronted by death find the courage to release their fears, and a graduate of Sandra Ingerman’s Core Shamanism and the Light Body School of The Four Winds Society. She is the co-founder of the No Regrets Project and Conversations on Death in Boulder, Colorado. 

Preparing for death as a rite of passage requires courage and creativity. In this episode, Kitty talks about how to develop personal death awareness rituals based on the wisdom of ancient traditions as well as current research in the field. This work can expand our understanding of the psychological and emotional closure needed in the dying process, and. enable family members, caretakers, medical and hospice staff, grief counselors, and chaplains to more actively support the dying.

Find Kitty's guidebook -- Conscious Transitions - Living with Dying --   HERE. 

]]> Buzzsprout-4927610 Sun, 09 Aug 2020 18:00:00 -0700 3831 12 full false EP 11: Ancestral Medicine: Rituals for Personal and Family Healing - with Daniel Foor PhD EP 11: Ancestral Medicine: Rituals for Personal and Family Healing - with Daniel Foor PhD Daniel is a teacher and practitioner whose training as a doctor of psychology and licensed marriage and family therapist informs his work with earth-honoring traditions such as European pagan paths, Native American ways, Mongolian shamanism, and West African Ifá/Òrìṣà traditions. 

Since 2005 he’s guided hundreds of ancestor trainings, rituals, and talks throughout the world. Daniel has trained with teachers of Mahayana Buddhism, Islamic Sufism, and diverse indigenous paths, including the remnant and returning traditions of his older English, Irish, and German ancestors. As well as studying the culture and languages of the Czech Republic, Mexico, Ecuador, Egypt, Morocco, and Nigeria. 

In this episode, he talks with us about calling on our ancestors to assist in our spiritual work, and how to identify  the "troubled dead" who are not yet ancestors. We also discuss racism,  cultural amnesia and cultural appropriation.


You can find Daniel's book, Ancestral Medicine: Rituals for Personal and Family Healing  HERE.

For information about his classes and workshops, visit https://ancestralmedicine.org/
 

]]> Daniel is a teacher and practitioner whose training as a doctor of psychology and licensed marriage and family therapist informs his work with earth-honoring traditions such as European pagan paths, Native American ways, Mongolian shamanism, and West African Ifá/Òrìṣà traditions. 

Since 2005 he’s guided hundreds of ancestor trainings, rituals, and talks throughout the world. Daniel has trained with teachers of Mahayana Buddhism, Islamic Sufism, and diverse indigenous paths, including the remnant and returning traditions of his older English, Irish, and German ancestors. As well as studying the culture and languages of the Czech Republic, Mexico, Ecuador, Egypt, Morocco, and Nigeria. 

In this episode, he talks with us about calling on our ancestors to assist in our spiritual work, and how to identify  the "troubled dead" who are not yet ancestors. We also discuss racism,  cultural amnesia and cultural appropriation.


You can find Daniel's book, Ancestral Medicine: Rituals for Personal and Family Healing  HERE.

For information about his classes and workshops, visit https://ancestralmedicine.org/
 

]]> Buzzsprout-4817309 Sun, 02 Aug 2020 10:00:00 -0700 3066 11 full false EP 10: Facing Death as a Young Adult: A Study in Conscious Dying with Jeff Black MD EP 10: Facing Death as a Young Adult: A Study in Conscious Dying with Jeff Black MD Jeff Black. MD, MDiv, CAS is a psychiatrist who also happens to be a shamanic practitioner. In addition to his traditional medical and chaplaincy training, he studied energy medicine with native healers from South America and through The Four Winds Society, and is also a Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist.

In this episode, Jeff shares the story of two brothers he treated, ages 19 and 21, who both have Huntington's disease. He describes how he worked with the family through shamanic journeying and other spiritual support processes to face illness and death with hearts and minds wide open.

For more information on Jeff's work with death and dying, visit The Living and Dying Consciously Project.

]]> Jeff Black. MD, MDiv, CAS is a psychiatrist who also happens to be a shamanic practitioner. In addition to his traditional medical and chaplaincy training, he studied energy medicine with native healers from South America and through The Four Winds Society, and is also a Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist.

In this episode, Jeff shares the story of two brothers he treated, ages 19 and 21, who both have Huntington's disease. He describes how he worked with the family through shamanic journeying and other spiritual support processes to face illness and death with hearts and minds wide open.

For more information on Jeff's work with death and dying, visit The Living and Dying Consciously Project.

]]> Buzzsprout-4141091 Thu, 11 Jun 2020 18:00:00 -0700 2386 full false EP 9: Grief, Guilt, Suicide and Stage Theories EP 9: Grief, Guilt, Suicide and Stage Theories This week's guest is Kenneth Doka, PhD, one of the world's leading experts on death, dying and bereavement. Ken is a professor emeritus at the Graduate School of The College of New Rochelle, and senior consultant to the Hospice Foundation of America. He is an award-winning scholar and respected counselor known worldwide for his research.

The Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) presented him with an award for Outstanding Contributions in the Field of Death Education in 1998, Significant Contributions to the Field of Thanatology in 2014 and Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019. He has also received an award for Outstanding Contributions to Thanatology and Hospice,  and the ADEC Lifetime Achievement Award.

Highlights from our conversation include:

. The problem of untrained grief "coaches" offering professional services
. Disenfranchised grief
. The stigma of suicide
. Why stage theories are not helpful


Useful Links:

ABOUT KEN
IS GRIEF COUNSELING EFFECTIVE?
THE ASSOCIATION FOR DEATH EDUCATION AND COUNSELING

]]> This week's guest is Kenneth Doka, PhD, one of the world's leading experts on death, dying and bereavement. Ken is a professor emeritus at the Graduate School of The College of New Rochelle, and senior consultant to the Hospice Foundation of America. He is an award-winning scholar and respected counselor known worldwide for his research.

The Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) presented him with an award for Outstanding Contributions in the Field of Death Education in 1998, Significant Contributions to the Field of Thanatology in 2014 and Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019. He has also received an award for Outstanding Contributions to Thanatology and Hospice,  and the ADEC Lifetime Achievement Award.

Highlights from our conversation include:

. The problem of untrained grief "coaches" offering professional services
. Disenfranchised grief
. The stigma of suicide
. Why stage theories are not helpful


Useful Links:

ABOUT KEN
IS GRIEF COUNSELING EFFECTIVE?
THE ASSOCIATION FOR DEATH EDUCATION AND COUNSELING

]]> Buzzsprout-3949919 Thu, 28 May 2020 08:00:00 -0700 3696 full false EP 8: Dr. Life Meets Dr. Death EP 8: Dr. Life Meets Dr. Death Jordan Justice MD is a double board certified physician in emergency medicine and pediatrics. He is an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, and he's  traveled throughout the world as a medical volunteer in countries that include Kenya, Uganda, Chad, Tibet, India and Israel.

In this conversation, Dr. Justice talks about his work in a major metropolitan hospital dealing with deaths from the Covid 19 virus, and how difficult it can be at times to "keep it human."

RELATED VIDEO: Brilliant interview with an extraordinary doctor on resuscitated patients asking, "Why did you bring me back?"




 

]]> Jordan Justice MD is a double board certified physician in emergency medicine and pediatrics. He is an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, and he's  traveled throughout the world as a medical volunteer in countries that include Kenya, Uganda, Chad, Tibet, India and Israel.

In this conversation, Dr. Justice talks about his work in a major metropolitan hospital dealing with deaths from the Covid 19 virus, and how difficult it can be at times to "keep it human."

RELATED VIDEO: Brilliant interview with an extraordinary doctor on resuscitated patients asking, "Why did you bring me back?"




 

]]> Buzzsprout-3533626 Mon, 27 Apr 2020 19:00:00 -0700 3308 full false EP. 7: Shamanic Journeying in Clinical Settings EP. 7: Shamanic Journeying in Clinical Settings Transforming the Despair and Grief of COVID-19 Isolation Through Shamanic Journeys

David M. Steinhorn, M.D., a specialist in pediatric critical care, palliative care and hospice medicine at Children’s National Hospital, Washington, D.C., and Jana Din, a Shamanic Healing Practitioner and Co-founder/Director of the Tao Center for Healing, are a modern day amalgam between Western medicine and indigenous shamanic healing.

Their unique collaboration  provides shamanic healing support to patients and their family members, and was featured in a nationally broadcast television show, Healing Quest, in a segment titled "Shamans in the ICU." 

Responding to the despair, grief and quarantine that critically ill COVID-19 patients and their loved ones are experiencing, Steinhorn and Din produced a guided shamanic journey specifically to help these patients alleviate feelings of isolation and foster a loving connection with their family members. The journey is gaining recognition among clinicians nationwide, and will hopefully be utilized widely during the Corona pandemic and beyond.

RESOURCES:

]]> Transforming the Despair and Grief of COVID-19 Isolation Through Shamanic Journeys

David M. Steinhorn, M.D., a specialist in pediatric critical care, palliative care and hospice medicine at Children’s National Hospital, Washington, D.C., and Jana Din, a Shamanic Healing Practitioner and Co-founder/Director of the Tao Center for Healing, are a modern day amalgam between Western medicine and indigenous shamanic healing.

Their unique collaboration  provides shamanic healing support to patients and their family members, and was featured in a nationally broadcast television show, Healing Quest, in a segment titled "Shamans in the ICU." 

Responding to the despair, grief and quarantine that critically ill COVID-19 patients and their loved ones are experiencing, Steinhorn and Din produced a guided shamanic journey specifically to help these patients alleviate feelings of isolation and foster a loving connection with their family members. The journey is gaining recognition among clinicians nationwide, and will hopefully be utilized widely during the Corona pandemic and beyond.

RESOURCES:

]]> Buzzsprout-3479170 Thu, 23 Apr 2020 11:00:00 -0700 3290 full false EP. 6: Fear, Loss, Trauma and Grief: Managing Anxiety in Difficult Times EP. 6: Fear, Loss, Trauma and Grief: Managing Anxiety in Difficult Times As the Corona virus epidemic continues, clinical psychologist and bereavement specialist Sonya Lott PhD shares her wisdom about how to manage overwhelming feelings of fear and grief in a crisis. 

Our conversation explores loss, trauma, complicated grief, resilience and healing, with helpful information for individuals and counseling professionals.

Here are some of the resources we discuss:

The Body Keeps the Score - An excellent book on trauma! 

What is Complicated Grief?

What is the Dual Process Model

Helpful guided meditations


What makes for a resilient spirit?

 The American Psychological Association identifies certain inner qualities that may contribute to a person’s capacity for resilience:

. The capacity to make realistic plans and take steps to carry them out.
 . A positive view of yourself and confidence in your strengths and abilities.

. Skills in communication and problem solving.
 . The capacity to manage strong feelings and impulses. 

If you are lacking in any of these areas, work on strengthening them through therapy, meditation and self-improvement practices. 


Contact Dr. Sonya Lott

Contact Dr. Terri Daniel 

  

]]> As the Corona virus epidemic continues, clinical psychologist and bereavement specialist Sonya Lott PhD shares her wisdom about how to manage overwhelming feelings of fear and grief in a crisis. 

Our conversation explores loss, trauma, complicated grief, resilience and healing, with helpful information for individuals and counseling professionals.

Here are some of the resources we discuss:

The Body Keeps the Score - An excellent book on trauma! 

What is Complicated Grief?

What is the Dual Process Model

Helpful guided meditations


What makes for a resilient spirit?

 The American Psychological Association identifies certain inner qualities that may contribute to a person’s capacity for resilience:

. The capacity to make realistic plans and take steps to carry them out.
 . A positive view of yourself and confidence in your strengths and abilities.

. Skills in communication and problem solving.
 . The capacity to manage strong feelings and impulses. 

If you are lacking in any of these areas, work on strengthening them through therapy, meditation and self-improvement practices. 


Contact Dr. Sonya Lott

Contact Dr. Terri Daniel 

  

]]> Buzzsprout-3085333 Sun, 22 Mar 2020 12:00:00 -0700 3184 full false EP. 5: Death and the Corona Virus: Truth, Triage and Moral Injury EP. 5: Death and the Corona Virus: Truth, Triage and Moral Injury This week we talk with Christopher Kerr MD, medical director of Hospice Buffalo, who is conducting breakthrough research on the dreams and visions of the dying. But instead of dreams, today we’re talking about a nightmare, as the Corona virus spreads through the world, and life as we know it grinds to a halt.

Here are some top takeaways from our conversation:
 
How we can help the medical establishment cope with the crisis:  

Make sure that you and your loved ones have your end-of-life plans in place. If a medically-fragile patient comes into the hospital with a “comfort care only” order, it relieves the staff of the moral dilemma involved in triage decisions, and frees up resources for other patients.  

 

Key topics we’re addressing: 
 

  • How do individual citizens prepare for the reality of potential mass deaths?

  • Hospice can help by increasing efforts to educate the public about end-of-life planning.

  • Triage: Who gets a ventilator, and who doesn’t?

  • Length of life vs. quality of life

 

Top quotes from our conversation: 
 

  • Dying is more than a medical equation. It’s the closing of a life

  • In the ER, they’re not going to stop and have a 90-minute conversation about your end-of-life wishes. You’re gonna have plastic down your throat in minutes. 

  • If you’re on the hospice side of the fence, you see the end consequences of medical interventions without full regard for harm.

 

Relevant websites and resources: 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Help keep Doctor Death on the air! Donate via our  PATREON page.

ASK DOCTOR DEATH is a production of The Conference on Death and Afterlife Studies

]]> This week we talk with Christopher Kerr MD, medical director of Hospice Buffalo, who is conducting breakthrough research on the dreams and visions of the dying. But instead of dreams, today we’re talking about a nightmare, as the Corona virus spreads through the world, and life as we know it grinds to a halt.

Here are some top takeaways from our conversation:
 
How we can help the medical establishment cope with the crisis:  

Make sure that you and your loved ones have your end-of-life plans in place. If a medically-fragile patient comes into the hospital with a “comfort care only” order, it relieves the staff of the moral dilemma involved in triage decisions, and frees up resources for other patients.  

 

Key topics we’re addressing: 
 

  • How do individual citizens prepare for the reality of potential mass deaths?

  • Hospice can help by increasing efforts to educate the public about end-of-life planning.

  • Triage: Who gets a ventilator, and who doesn’t?

  • Length of life vs. quality of life

 

Top quotes from our conversation: 
 

  • Dying is more than a medical equation. It’s the closing of a life

  • In the ER, they’re not going to stop and have a 90-minute conversation about your end-of-life wishes. You’re gonna have plastic down your throat in minutes. 

  • If you’re on the hospice side of the fence, you see the end consequences of medical interventions without full regard for harm.

 

Relevant websites and resources: 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Help keep Doctor Death on the air! Donate via our  PATREON page.

ASK DOCTOR DEATH is a production of The Conference on Death and Afterlife Studies

]]> Buzzsprout-3075562 Sat, 21 Mar 2020 09:00:00 -0700 2720 1 6 full false EP. 4: Grief and the Corona Virus: Recognizing Deep Existential Losses EP. 4: Grief and the Corona Virus: Recognizing Deep Existential Losses In this short recording, Dr. Daniel talks about the many types of losses we're experiencing as the Corona virus pandemic throws our lives into chaos. In addition to obvious losses such as the death of a loved one, there are other types of losses that we may not even be aware of, including: 

  • Financial, Material and Worldly Loss – Loss of assets or financial security, or the loss of a job or a project.  The pandemic is causing  massive upheaval in economic stability for everyone, from billionaire investors to the lowest-paid hourly workers.  We are all grieving this loss. 

  • Environmental Loss – The world outside our own homes is no longer safe to inhabit. We are grieving the loss of habit and habitat.

  • Loss of Social Connections – Separation from friends and family, children not being able to play together, no social engagement, no hugging, not touching, etc. Deep, deep grief for this, disruptive to emotional well-being. 

  • Loss of Physical Health – Becoming infected with the virus, or being more acutely aware of one’s physical vulnerabilities.  

  • Institutional – When a corporation, religious body, government or medical system fails to provide the benefits it promises, there can be a profound sense of community loss. We are grieving ALL of those losses right now.

  • Sympathetic loss – Even if we are not directly affected, we feel the grief of the displaced worker or the parent who can’t work because he/she has to stay at home with children who can’t go to school. 

  • Loss of truth - When we cannot rely on our leadership to keep us well-informed with  reliable, truthful information.

  • Loss of Autonomy – We are grieving the loss of our freedoms when we are locked down or quarantined.  

------------------------------------------------------
For more information on community grief ceremonies, visit our SPIRITUALITY AND BEREAVEMENT page 

Our upcoming  Grief as a Mystical Journey workshop

Help keep Doctor Death on the air!
Donate via our  PATREON page.

ASK DOCTOR DEATH is a production of The Conference on Death and Afterlife Studies

]]> In this short recording, Dr. Daniel talks about the many types of losses we're experiencing as the Corona virus pandemic throws our lives into chaos. In addition to obvious losses such as the death of a loved one, there are other types of losses that we may not even be aware of, including: 

  • Financial, Material and Worldly Loss – Loss of assets or financial security, or the loss of a job or a project.  The pandemic is causing  massive upheaval in economic stability for everyone, from billionaire investors to the lowest-paid hourly workers.  We are all grieving this loss. 

  • Environmental Loss – The world outside our own homes is no longer safe to inhabit. We are grieving the loss of habit and habitat.

  • Loss of Social Connections – Separation from friends and family, children not being able to play together, no social engagement, no hugging, not touching, etc. Deep, deep grief for this, disruptive to emotional well-being. 

  • Loss of Physical Health – Becoming infected with the virus, or being more acutely aware of one’s physical vulnerabilities.  

  • Institutional – When a corporation, religious body, government or medical system fails to provide the benefits it promises, there can be a profound sense of community loss. We are grieving ALL of those losses right now.

  • Sympathetic loss – Even if we are not directly affected, we feel the grief of the displaced worker or the parent who can’t work because he/she has to stay at home with children who can’t go to school. 

  • Loss of truth - When we cannot rely on our leadership to keep us well-informed with  reliable, truthful information.

  • Loss of Autonomy – We are grieving the loss of our freedoms when we are locked down or quarantined.  

------------------------------------------------------
For more information on community grief ceremonies, visit our SPIRITUALITY AND BEREAVEMENT page 

Our upcoming  Grief as a Mystical Journey workshop

Help keep Doctor Death on the air!
Donate via our  PATREON page.

ASK DOCTOR DEATH is a production of The Conference on Death and Afterlife Studies

]]> Buzzsprout-3048442 Wed, 18 Mar 2020 11:00:00 -0700 579 1 5 bonus false EP. 3: Home Funerals and Body Care with Jerrigrace Lyons EP. 3: Home Funerals and Body Care with Jerrigrace Lyons Doctor Death talks with death midwife, educator and home funeral guide Jerrigrace Lyons, who gained national  attention when she was featured in the 2005 PBS documentary, A Family Undertaking. She is recognized worldwide as a pioneer in the emerging field of home death care and home funerals, and her certificate program in conscious dying and home funeral guidance has attracted thousands of students since she began offering it in 1995.  

Jerrigrace has facilitated hundreds of family-directed home funerals, and  has appeared in major media that includes The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times and The London Telegraph. 

You can find Jerrigrace at www.FinalPassages.org

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Help keep Doctor Death on the air! Donate via our  PATREON page.

ASK DOCTOR DEATH is a production of The Conference on Death and Afterlife Studies
 

]]> Doctor Death talks with death midwife, educator and home funeral guide Jerrigrace Lyons, who gained national  attention when she was featured in the 2005 PBS documentary, A Family Undertaking. She is recognized worldwide as a pioneer in the emerging field of home death care and home funerals, and her certificate program in conscious dying and home funeral guidance has attracted thousands of students since she began offering it in 1995.  

Jerrigrace has facilitated hundreds of family-directed home funerals, and  has appeared in major media that includes The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times and The London Telegraph. 

You can find Jerrigrace at www.FinalPassages.org

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Help keep Doctor Death on the air! Donate via our  PATREON page.

ASK DOCTOR DEATH is a production of The Conference on Death and Afterlife Studies
 

]]> Dr. Terri Daniel and Dr. Karen Wyatt Buzzsprout-2977249 Tue, 10 Mar 2020 17:00:00 -0700 2297 1 3 full false EP. 2: Hope is Not Always the Answer EP. 2: Hope is Not Always the Answer This recording was from a panel discussion on Conscious Dying in Clinical Settings at the 2015 Afterlife Conference in Norfolk, VA. The panel was moderated by Dr. Karen Wyatt, and included noted NDE research Pim Van Lommel MD, emergency physician Kevin Haselhorst MD, and psychiatrist/shamanic practitioner Jeff Black MD.

Listen in to this fascinating discussion, which is of immeasurable value for clinicians, caregivers and patients.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Help keep Doctor Death on the air! Donate via our  PATREON page.

ASK DOCTOR DEATH is a production of The Conference on Death and Afterlife Studies

]]> This recording was from a panel discussion on Conscious Dying in Clinical Settings at the 2015 Afterlife Conference in Norfolk, VA. The panel was moderated by Dr. Karen Wyatt, and included noted NDE research Pim Van Lommel MD, emergency physician Kevin Haselhorst MD, and psychiatrist/shamanic practitioner Jeff Black MD.

Listen in to this fascinating discussion, which is of immeasurable value for clinicians, caregivers and patients.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Help keep Doctor Death on the air! Donate via our  PATREON page.

ASK DOCTOR DEATH is a production of The Conference on Death and Afterlife Studies

]]> Buzzsprout-2788060 Wed, 19 Feb 2020 11:00:00 -0800 3919 death, dying, rituals, grief, funerals, hospice, hospital, advance directive, end-of-life 1 4 full false EP. 1: Misconceptions and Medical Misunderstandings EP. 1: Misconceptions and Medical Misunderstandings Welcome to the premiere episode of Ask Doctor Death!

In our kick-off episode, the doctors discuss the history of death practices over the last 500 years, and address listener questions about a diverse range of topics, including:

. Pain management in hospice
. Family denial about a terminal diagnosis
. Death denial among doctors
. Staying with the body after death
. Professional certifications in death and dying

This podcast is sponsored by The Conference on Death and the Afterlife. Please consider supporting our work by donating via our PATREON page! 

]]> Welcome to the premiere episode of Ask Doctor Death!

In our kick-off episode, the doctors discuss the history of death practices over the last 500 years, and address listener questions about a diverse range of topics, including:

. Pain management in hospice
. Family denial about a terminal diagnosis
. Death denial among doctors
. Staying with the body after death
. Professional certifications in death and dying

This podcast is sponsored by The Conference on Death and the Afterlife. Please consider supporting our work by donating via our PATREON page! 

]]> Dr. Terri Daniel and Dr. Karen Wyatt Buzzsprout-2764798 Mon, 17 Feb 2020 05:00:00 -0800 3582 1 2 full false BONUS EPISODE: Interview with Psychic Medium Thomas John BONUS EPISODE: Interview with Psychic Medium Thomas John As a special bonus, here's a short but very informative conversation with Thomas John, one of the most popular psychic mediums on the world stage today. It's a very powerful conversation about the relationship between mediumship and grief processing, and the importance of this relationship for education and research about the survival of consciousness after physical death.

If this topic interests you, please visit The Afterlife Conference website, and sign up for our mailing list to stay informed about the conference and and related events. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Help keep Doctor Death on the air! Donate via our  PATREON page.

ASK DOCTOR DEATH is a production of The Conference on Death and Afterlife Studies

]]> As a special bonus, here's a short but very informative conversation with Thomas John, one of the most popular psychic mediums on the world stage today. It's a very powerful conversation about the relationship between mediumship and grief processing, and the importance of this relationship for education and research about the survival of consciousness after physical death.

If this topic interests you, please visit The Afterlife Conference website, and sign up for our mailing list to stay informed about the conference and and related events. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Help keep Doctor Death on the air! Donate via our  PATREON page.

ASK DOCTOR DEATH is a production of The Conference on Death and Afterlife Studies

]]> Dr. Terri Daniel and Dr. Karen Wyatt Buzzsprout-2751697 Sat, 15 Feb 2020 13:00:00 -0800 2533 1 1 bonus false