Seeing Death Clearly
Seeing Death Clearly is a show that challenges you to think about your beliefs about death, dying, grief, and living life. I am your host, Jill McClennen, a death doula and end-of-life coach. As a death doula, I found through first-hand experience that the more I came to terms with my thoughts and feelings about death and dying, the more present I became in my everyday life and I hope to share that with you too, how you can live a better life by having a healthier relationship with death and dying. Each episode features a guest who shares their...
Dissection Photography with Brandon Zimmerman
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Death doula and funeral celebrant Jill McClennen hosts Philadelphia-based medical historian Brandon Zimmerman to discuss his 2024 book, “Dissection Photography: Cadavers, Abjection, and the Formation of Identity,” about medical students (1880–1930) taking souvenir photos with cadavers and what the images reveal about coping with death through humor, ritual, and discomfort.Â
Brandon describes modern cadaver lab realities, including fainting, vomiting, sensory reactions, and students naming cadavers, and contrasts today’s mostly donation-based system with past body procurement through grave robbing and unclaimed bodies.Â
They...
Preserving Family Stories with Ralf Ellervee
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Jill McClennen, a death doula and funeral celebrant, hosts Seeing Death Clearly and talks with Ralf Ellervee about preserving life stories as a lasting legacy that supports grief, healing, and conscious living. Ralph shares how interviewing his grandfather—an Estonian surgeon deported to Siberia at age nine—showed him how easily memories can be lost, especially with dementia, serious illness, or unexpected death.Â
He explains why long audio recordings often go unused, while a printed book with photos becomes a timeless keepsake families reread and pass...
Psychomanteum Mirror Gazing for Grief Healing: with Dr. Irene Blinston
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On Seeing Death Clearly, death doula and funeral celebrant Jill McClennen speaks with transpersonal psychologist Dr. Irene Blinston about her research on grief healing, consciousness, and paranormal encounter experiences. Blinston explains the psychomanteum—an environment of darkness, quiet, sensory reduction, and angled mirror gazing originally developed by Dr. Raymond Moody—where grieving participants try to connect with deceased loved ones and become their own medium.Â
She outlines the three-phase, single-session process (preparation with mementos, up to 60 minutes mirror gazing, and debrief), eligibility screening to avoid harm, and reports that...
A Death Doula's Guide to Dementia Support with Lori Rizzo
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In this episode of Seeing Death Clearly, I speak with Lori Rizzo, a death doula in the Philadelphia area, about her transition from corporate leadership and training into end-of-life care. Lori shares how her personal experiences led her to this work and why she has become especially passionate about supporting individuals living with dementia and the people who care for them.
We discuss the challenges many families face after a dementia diagnosis, including stigma, isolation, and the overwhelming amount of information that can be difficult to navigate. Lori explains why education...
The Jewish Journey Through Loss: Rituals, Grief, and Healing with Batya Ludman and Gina Junger
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Death doula and funeral celebrant Jill McClennen hosts clinical psychologist Batya Ludman and Jewish educator Gina Junger to discuss their book, The Jewish Journey Through Loss: From Death to Healing, and how Jewish mourning traditions support grief and healing.Â
They explain active rituals like shoveling dirt at burial, tearing a ribbon or garment, and sitting shiva as a week-long “permission to grieve,” with visitors bringing food, stories, and support while mourners set the tone.Â
They describe stages after shiva...
Digital Legacy: Cumulus Memorial Platform with Alexander Josephson
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In this episode, I talk with Alexander Josephson, a Toronto-based architect whose father's cancer diagnosis unexpectedly led him into the world of digital legacy and remembrance.
When his father asked him to design a memorial, Alex began thinking about how we honor and remember the people we love. In a time when so much of our lives exists online, he wondered if there was a better way to preserve stories, memories, photographs, videos, and family history for future generations. That question eventually led him to create Cumulus, a...
Suicide Loss and Healing Through Writing with Wendy Juergens
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On Seeing Death Clearly, death doula and funeral celebrant Jill McClennen talks with Wendy Juergens about grief, dying, and healing through writing, including end-of-life planning and conscious living. Wendy shares the story of her son Nick, a Navy veteran who died by suicide nearly 14 years ago at age 32, and how writing her book, Hey, It’s Me, helped her stay connected to him, learn more about his life, and support others facing suicidal crisis or suicide loss.Â
They discuss the stigma and silence around suicide, the importance of ope...
Caring House: Creating Comfort in the Final Days
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Jill McClennen hosts a conversation with David Zartman and Joanna Franco from Caring House, a nonprofit hospice home in Torrance, California. They explain that Caring House serves people in the final days or weeks of a hospice journey, staffed 24/7 by caregivers, and works with many hospice agencies because it is a non-medical residential care facility.Â
Families can visit freely, often stay overnight in reclining chairs, and may bring pets; volunteers include chefs, death doulas, and therapy dogs. The guests describe funding through pay-what-you-can fees, donations, grants, and fundraisers, w...
Behind the Scenes of Funeral Directing with Tasha Dugan and Amanda Kyle of Laurel Hill Cemetery
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Host Jill McClennen, a death doula, end-of-life care planner, and funeral celebrant, interviews Laurel Hill Funeral Directors Tasha Dugan and Amanda Kyle about what funeral directing looks like behind the scenes. They discuss embalming and body preparation, service planning, costs, flowers, paperwork, and supporting families from the first call through the funeral.Â
Amanda shares her path from animal rights work and veterinary care to funeral service, and Tasha describes moving from insurance and autopsy work into full-time funeral directing. They explore why ritual and personalization matter in grief, h...
Grief, Fatherhood, and Breaking the Silence Around Death with Matt Fogelson
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Death doula and funeral celebrant Jill McClennen speaks with Matt Fogelson about growing up in 1980s Manhattan, then losing his workaholic father to lung cancer when Matt was 19 and his father was 46. Matt describes carrying unspoken grief for decades, using pain to stay connected, and how family silence around dying robbed them of meaningful end-of-life conversations.
He shares how music and playing guitar became a private outlet for depression and rage, and later a bridge to his own son, helping him heal and avoid repeating emotional absence. The...
Life Forest Tree Burial Cemetery with Mel Bennett
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Death doula and funeral celebrant Jill McClennen interviews Mel Bennett, founder of Life Forest in New Hampshire, a nonprofit cemetery and public arboretum where human and pet cremated remains are buried with newly planted trees. After caring for her mother through early-onset frontal lobe dementia, Mel received her mother’s ashes in a plastic bag and box, which pushed her to create a more meaningful, healing legacy. She explains how the land is conserved, how each tree is legally protected as a burial monument, and how families get long-term, deeded access using GPS co...
Grief, Impermanence, and End-of-Life Planning with Jermaine Ee
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Death doula and funeral celebrant Jill McClennen hosts Jermaine on Seeing Death Clearly to explore how talking about death can lead to more conscious living.Â
Jermaine shares how a conversation revealed his mother did not understand how her 401(k) connected to real choices, which led him to help her intentionally live out long-held dreams through travel before she died suddenly from a stroke. They discuss grief, regrets, impermanence, and how cultural habits and fear drive inaction around money, dying, and legacy planning, even when tools exist.Â
Jermaine describes family, se...
Breast Cancer, Medical Choice, Informed Consent with Joy Jolie
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Death doula and funeral celebrant Jill McClennan hosts a conversation with Joy Jolie about how repeated loss, grief, and serious illness shaped Joy’s views on dying, healing, and end-of-life planning.Â
Joy describes multiple breast cancer diagnoses in her family, including her own, and shares how her mother declined chemo and radiation, while her sisters faced lasting harm and, in one case, workplace pressure to undergo treatment. Joy explains why she questioned standard cancer care, sought resources like Crispy Cancer and The Truth About Cancer, and emphasized informed consent and personal med...
Pet Loss Grief with a Pet Death Doula Jessica LeBeau-Richman
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Host Jill McClennen, a death doula and funeral celebrant, talks with Jessica LeBeau-Richman, a South Jersey pet death doula, about the often overlooked grief of losing an animal and how people can stay connected through ritual, keepsakes, and conscious goodbyes.Â
Jessica shares how her rescue cat Sammy led her from years of nonprofit social services into end-of-life doula work for pets, and how she supports families with anticipatory grief, quality-of-life decisions, vet-visit advocacy, and after-death choices like burial or cremation.Â
...
Suicide, Grief and Depression with Rae Dumont
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Host Jill McClennen, a death doula and funeral celebrant, speaks with Rae Dumont, a Belgian-born pediatrician turned family therapist, about caring for chronically ill children and why connection and honest, age-appropriate truth matter as much as clinical skill. Dumont discusses her novel, “In the Shadow of Silence,” about a father’s depression and suicide and the different ways children and a spouse who is also a psychiatrist process grief, shame, guilt, anger, and “what if” thinking, especially after sudden or violent loss. They contrast depression-related suicide with end-of-life choices in serious illness, and emphasize...
Abandoned Cemeteries and Lost Burial Grounds with Edward Snyder
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In this episode, Jill McClennen speaks with Philadelphia-area researcher and photographer Edward Snyder about abandoned and forgotten cemeteries and what they reveal about dying, grief, legacy, and conscious living. Ed explains how his interest in cemetery art grew into decades of documenting burial practices and the death care industry, including stories of cemeteries destroyed, built over, or only partly moved, leaving human remains under streets, playgrounds, and parking lots. He cites the Philadelphia Archaeological Forum’s map of 200 historic burial sites. He describes cases like Monument Cemetery near Temple University and the First Ba...
Preserving Life Stories Before We Die with Cristian Cibilis Bernardes
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In this episode my guest Cristian Cibilis Bernardes, founder and CEO of Autograph and I explore how preserving memories can become a powerful part of legacy and end-of-life planning. The conversation highlights why hearing a loved one’s voice and stories can bring comfort, healing, and deeper understanding during grief.
Autograph is a platform designed to preserve people’s life stories before they are lost. Autograph records weekly phone interviews with an AI historian named Walter, capturing real conversations about a person’s memories, relationships, and life lessons. The re...
Death Doula Talk on Medical Aid in Dying and End-of-Life Planning with Joy Rodriquez
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End-of-life doula Joy Rodriguez talks with me about death doula work and supporting people who choose medical aid in dying. Medical aid in dying is often misunderstood and can be hard to access even where it is legal, especially when it is difficult to find participating providers. Joy shares her path from hospice volunteering in Washington to serving as a volunteer client advisor with End of Life Washington, helping families locate eligible doctors, understand the process, and prepare for the day of death.
 She notes that hospice would not allow her t...
A Palliative Doctor on Dying, End-of-Life Planning, and Living Well with David Casarett
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In this episode, a palliative care physician explains how early support and thoughtful end-of-life planning can reduce fear, ease suffering, and improve quality of life for patients and families.
Dr. David Casarett, chief of Palliative Care at Duke Health, describes palliative care as whole-person support that relieves symptoms and helps people make difficult medical decisions, even while receiving aggressive treatment. He contrasts this with hospice, which focuses on comfort for those expected to have six months or less to live.Â
00:17 Welcome to Seeing Death + Meet Dr. David Casarett
From Prison to Peace: Rah Rah’s Story of Survival, Loss, and Healing
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In this episode, for Black History Month, Jill interviews her longtime friend Rashine Curry (Rah Rah), a mother of six from Atlantic City. Rah Rah describes how poverty, racism, and systemic bias shaped her life, including incarceration, untreated mental illness, and medical neglect in prison. She shares major losses: her daughter’s father was murdered when the baby was six months old, her longtime partner and father of her other children was murdered, and she was not allowed to attend his funeral while incarcerated. She also recounts her brother’s murder, being rape...
True Love and Healing After Loss: Marcy Shrewsbury Lopez's Journey
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In this episode of Seeing Death Clearly, host Jill McClennen, a death doula and funeral celebrant, speaks with Marcy Shrewsbury Lopez about her extraordinary love story and journey through grief.Â
Marcy shares her experience being married to her husband, who was 46 years older than her, and the deep connection they shared until his death at 98 years old.Â
She reflects on the challenges of caregiving and her path to healing through art, teaching, and nature. Marcy also discusses her me...
Innovations in End-of-Life Care with Funeral Director Ken Biery
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In this episode of Seeing Death Clearly, host Jill McClennen, a death doula and funeral celebrant, is joined by Ken Biery, a seasoned funeral director and founder of the Funeral Service Collective. Ken shares his journey from military service into the funeral profession and the experiences that shaped his commitment to innovation and family-centered care.
Together, they explore how the funeral industry is evolving, including emerging ideas such as sustainable memorials, underwater cemeteries, and the growing role of live-streamed services. The conversation also highlights...
Living with Memory Disability, Overcoming Challenges, and Finding Purpose with Thomas Dixon
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In this episode, I’m joined by Thomas Dixon, a Philadelphia native with a powerful and deeply personal story. Thomas shares his journey from working in psychiatry research to teaching middle school in South Korea, and the life-altering shift that followed a near-fatal accident in 2010. After being hit by a car, Thomas developed epilepsy and a permanent episodic memory disability that reshaped his daily life—and his sense of purpose.
Living with memory loss led Thomas to write his memoir, I'm Sorry, That's Awesome, and to develop ME.mory...
Grieving and Healing: Spirit Communication with Christian Millward
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In this episode of 'Seeing Death Clearly,' host Jill McClennen talks with Christian Millward, a mother of six from Idaho, about her journey with grief and spirit communication. Christian shares how the deaths of her mother and seven-week-old daughter, Indi, led her to discover her spiritual connection and create the Indie Star Cards, a tool to help people communicate with loved ones who have passed away.Â
They discuss emotional awareness, generational trauma, and the importance of having an exit strategy for antidepressant use during pregnancy. Kristen also emphasizes the importance o...
Memoir Writing and Legacy with Michael Williams
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In this episode, Michael Williams, the founder of Memoir Studio, discusses his transition from end-of-life planning to helping people write their memoirs. They explore the therapeutic power of storytelling, especially for older adults, and how sharing personal stories can offer emotional and historical value. Michael emphasizes the importance of acknowledging life's ups and downs, regrets, and failures in memoir writing. Michael shares touching stories of his clients finding their voices and the profound impact of preserving legacies through narrative.
00:35 Guest Introduction: Michael Williams
<...Reflecting on Life, Death, and the Journey Ahead with Stephen Wilson
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In this end-of-year episode of Seeing Death Clearly, host Jill McClennen sits down with her husband Steven to reflect on three years of podcasting. As the year 2025 closes, they discuss personal and professional highlights, stoicism, aging, and emotional experiences with death and grief. They delve into broader societal issues like elder care in the United States and the balance of everyday life. Jill also shares plans for future episodes, re-inviting past guests to explore their evolving perspectives. This candid conversation touches on navigating uncertainty, staying connected, and living intentionally.
<...
End-of-Life Conversation with Barbara Karnes, RN
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In this episode, I welcome back Barbara Karnes to discuss the journey of transitioning from 'we' to 'me' after her husband Jack's death.Â
Barbara shares heartfelt stories about her early days in hospice care, highlighting the value of understanding daily responsibilities and her experiences with end-of-life preparations, emphasizing the importance of discussing finances and duties early.Â
We also discuss how death doulas play a role in modern hospice care, her thoughts on medical aid in dying, the creation of her widely beneficial book...
Death Doula Insights About The Importance of End-of-Life Planning
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In this episode of 'Seeing Death Clearly,' host Jill McClennen, a death doula and funeral celebrant, welcomes Marni Blank, a former attorney turned entrepreneur and end-of-life doula. They discuss the emotional and logistical challenges families face regarding end-of-life planning. Marni shares her personal journey, including her mother's serious accident, which highlighted the importance of having essential paperwork in order.Â
The conversation focuses on the significance of open discussions about end-of-life wishes, the role of a death doula, and practical advice for organizing important documents. T...
Navigating Grief and Embracing Spirituality with Dave Roberts
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In this episode of Seeing Death Clearly, Dave Roberts talks about his journey navigating grief after the death of his daughter, Janine. Roberts, an addictions counselor and psychology professor, shares his perspectives on spirituality, the afterlife, and the different ways he and his wife coped with their loss while supporting each other. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining bonds with loved ones, embracing varying beliefs, and the role of community in healing. Roberts discusses how his experience has transformed his approach to living genuinely and offers tips for those dealing with loss...
Navigating Grief and Gratitude During the Holidays
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In this special Thanksgiving episode, Jill McClennen discusses the complex emotions of gratitude and grief that many people experience during the holidays. Early in the morning, Jill felt a mix of thankfulness and sadness and realized that she was not alone in these feelings. Holidays often amplify what we're already feeling, creating a paradox of joy and sorrow, especially when dealing with the loss of loved ones, relationship issues, or even societal pressures.Â
Jill emphasizes the importance of acknowledging grief instead of suppressing it. She recounts her personal experiences, including the l...
Understanding Death Doula Work: Compassion, Grief, and End-of-Life Support with Tolley Casper's
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In this episode of Seeing Death Clearly, Jill McClennen sits down with Tolley Casparis, a death doula from Southern California, to explore the realities of supporting people at the end of life. They discuss the emotional challenges of caregiving, the importance of community, and how conscious preparation can create healing for both the dying and their loved ones. This conversation offers insight into the compassionate, yet often misunderstood, work of death doulas.
Tolley shares what it truly means to guide someone through their final days, addressing emotions that often go unnamed...
Jonathan Foster on Grief, Love, and Reimagining Faith After Loss
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Jonathan Foster joins the conversation to share the story behind Indigo, his book about the life and death of his daughter, Quincy. This episode explores how a parent’s grief can reshape faith, deepen compassion, and reveal new ways to heal and live consciously. It offers an honest look at love, loss, and the courage it takes to rebuild meaning after tragedy.
He explains how losing her forced him to rethink long-held beliefs about God, certainty, and what it means to love without conditions. Jonathan describes how this he...
Navigating End-of-Life Care with Princella Seymour
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In this episode, our guest is Princella Seymour, a social worker with decades of experience in geriatrics and dementia care. Princella shares how she was called into elder care work, why early planning is essential, and what families often struggle with when a loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia.Â
Together, they explore the emotional, financial, and logistical realities of caregiving, along with the federal and state resources that many people don’t know are available. Princella highlights the importance of honest conversations, clear...
Exploring Grief and Death Conversations with the Creator of Morbid Curiosity Kimberley Mead
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In this episodeI talk with Kimberley Mead, a grief therapist who transitioned from a career in the arts at age 40. Kimberley shares her journey into grief therapy and the development of her game, Morbid Curiosity, which has sparked transformative conversations about death. She discusses the importance of storytelling in grief therapy and how her game fosters deeper connections and meaningful conversations about mortality.Â
The episode also highlights the profound impact of discussing death on personal relationships and societal attitudes towards grief. Jill and Kimberley delve int...
Overcoming Loss and Finding Joy with JoBeth Polley
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In this episode of the podcast 'Seeing Death Clearly,' host Jill McClennen talks to Jo Beth Polly about her experiences with infertility and the death of her husband from brain cancer. Jo Beth shares how these profound losses shaped her life and career in helping others navigate grief.Â
They discuss the isolating nature of grief, the importance of genuine support, and how such intense experiences can lead to personal growth and a deeper understanding of what truly matters in life. Jo Beth emphasizes that w...
Transforming Funeral Planning and Support with Give Willow
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In this podcast episode, Janet Turkula and Ryan Olivera, the founders of Give Willow, a platform designed to support families during funeral planning by allowing the community to contribute financially. Janet shares her personal story of losing her father at 21 and the struggle her family faced with unexpected funeral expenses, which inspired her to create Give Willow.Â
The platform works like a wedding registry, enabling families to list specific items needed for a funeral, making it easier for friends and family to offer meaningful support. Ryan, who specializes i...
Inside the Life of a Funeral Director with Allyse Worland
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Funeral director and celebrant Allyse Worland shares how her lifelong passion for funeral service began with a personal tragedy and grew into a calling to help others through death, grief, and healing. With sixteen years of experience, she offers a unique look at what it means to care for both the living and the dead—bringing compassion, artistry, and education to end-of-life care. Her story sheds light on how funeral professionals are embracing change, from eco-friendly green burials to more meaningful, personalized celebrations of life.
Allyse has worked in...
Reimagining Death Care: Cemetery Societies with Cheri Wallace
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Funerals in the United States have become unaffordable for many families, often forcing them into debt, fundraising, or unwanted cremations. This episode features Cheri Wallace, who shares a powerful grassroots solution: cemetery societies. By returning to community-based traditions of shared land and collective care, she believes people can reclaim death care in a way that is affordable, sustainable, and rooted in dignity. The conversation highlights how death doulas, grief awareness, and green burial practices are reshaping how we plan for the end of life.
Cheri explains how personal...
Entering Year Four of Seeing Death Clearly
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In this special episode of Seeing Death Clearly, Jill reflects on three years of deep conversations about death, dying, grief, and living fully. As the podcast enters its fourth year, Jill shares what she’s learned from her incredible guests — from Holocaust survivors to hospice workers, death doulas, authors, and more.
She talks about how the podcast has evolved, the lessons it’s taught her, and the moments that have touched her deeply. Jill shares stories that moved her, guests who changed her perspective, and the surprising ways this w...
Facing Grief and Life After Child Loss with Jason Tuttle
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Grief can change the course of a life, and for Jason Tuttle, it became both a personal journey and a calling to help others. As a father and caregiver, he lived through the daily realities of hospital stays, medical decisions, and profound loss. After the death of his son in January 2022, Jason began to share his experiences with grief, end-of-life planning, and conscious living as a way to heal and to guide others through their own journeys.
Jason and his wife were in their twenties when their first...
