Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula

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What happens when your body begins to change the way you move through the world? 

In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli talks with Marlene Fox, founder and CEO of Steady Buddy, about living with multiple sclerosis, changing mobility, fear of falling, independence, and learning when to ask for help. 

Marlene shares her experience of being diagnosed with MS in 1998 and how her relationship with movement has changed over time. Once an avid runner, cyclist, an...

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How can music help us process grief when there are feelings we struggle to put into words? 

In this episode of Comforting Closure: Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli talks with Canadian singer-songwriter Mandi Leigh about grief, suicide loss, and how songwriting became an important part of her healing. 

Mandi shares the story of Mark, a close friend whose death by suicide became a pivotal moment in her life. She talks openly about being one of the last people to speak wi...

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How does losing a parent in childhood shape the rest of your life? And is it ever possible to truly feel at home after profound loss? 

In this episode of Comforting Closure: Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli sits down with author Jacque Gorelick to discuss her memoir, Map of a Heart. Together, they explore the lifelong impact of childhood grief, the search for belonging, and how early loss can influence our relationships, parenting, and sense of identity well into adulthood. 

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How do you explain dementia to a child? More importantly, how do you help them continue building a meaningful relationship with someone they love?

In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, host Traci Arieli is joined by author and actor Evan Bass Zeisel to discuss his children's book, How to Play with a Grandma. Together, they explore practical ways families can help children stay connected with grandparents and other loved ones living with dementia.

Drawing on his...

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Can travel help you heal after the loss of someone you love? 

In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, host Traci Arieli is joined by Janice Waugh, founder of Solo Traveler, for a conversation about grief, healing, identity, and finding your way forward after loss. 

After the death of her husband Ron, Janice found herself facing a question that many grieving people eventually ask: Who am I now? What followed was no...

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What if the most important part of end-of-life care isn't medical at all? 

In this episode of Comforting Closure – Conversations with a Death Doula, host Traci Arieli sits down with Kari Sims Anthon, co-founder of the Peaceful Presence Project, to explore the growing movement of community deathcare. 

Drawing from her personal experiences caring for both of her parents during their final months, Kari shares how those journeys inspired her to help build compassionate communities that better support people facing serious illness, caregiving, deat...

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What role does creativity play in healing? Can music, art, storytelling, and community help people navigate grief and loss? 

In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli sits down with Brad Wolfe, founder of Reimagine, for a conversation about grief, creativity, connection, and the ways people find meaning after loss. 

Brad shares how music became a source of healing while supporting a close friend through cancer, how his family's Holocaust history shaped his understanding of grief, an...

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What could end-of-life care look like if healthcare professionals and death doulas worked together? 

In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli talks with returning guest Kacie Gikonyo, RN, death doula, author, educator, and founder of Death Doula School, about the gaps that still exist between healthcare and death care. 

Doctors, nurses, social workers, chaplains, hospice professionals, and death doulas all have important roles to play. But many healthcare professionals receive very little education about death, dy...

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What does it really look like to date again after losing a spouse? 

In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli sits down with author and relationship coach Abel Keogh to talk about life, love, and moving forward after loss.

After losing his first wife to suicide, Abel found himself facing questions many widows and widowers struggle with: When is the right time to date again? How do you handle feelings of guilt? What do you s...

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What if the skills we use to support someone through grief could also help us navigate conflict, disagreement, and division? 

In this episode of Comforting Closure: Conversations with a Death Doula, host Traci Arieli sits down with Liz Vogel, Executive Director of New Pluralists, to discuss the connection between grief, empathy, identity, and human connection. 

Drawing from her work in Pluralism and her training as an end-of-life doula, Liz shares how the practices of presence, curiosity, deep listening, and honoring another person's ex...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli discusses one of the most emotional and difficult decisions many older adults and families face: should you age in place or move? 

Joined by Kim Costa, Realtor and author of Live in Your Wheel House, they discuss how decisions around home, independence, caregiving, safety, grief, and community are deeply connected to quality of life as we age. 

Together, they talk about the fear many people feel about leaving th...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli speaks with Jared Walker, founder of Dollar For, about the hidden side of medical bills, hospital financial assistance, and why so many patients never hear about the programs that may help them. 

Most people assume that when a medical bill arrives, the number is final. But many hospitals offer charity care and financial assistance programs that patients never hear about. Jared shares how he went from raising money to pay h...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure: Conversations with a Death Doula, host Traci Arieli welcomes registered nurse, death doula, educator, and Death Doula School founder Kacie Gikonyo for an honest conversation about what death doulas really do and why this work is gaining so much attention. 

Together, they discuss the relationship between hospice and death doulas, the importance of planning ahead, common misconceptions about end-of-life doulas, and why preparing for death can help us live with greater intention. Kacie also shares her journey from n...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli sits down with Christy Bork, National Program Manager at Pet Peace of Mind, for an important conversation about what happens to pets when someone becomes seriously ill, enters hospice, or dies. 

For many people, pets are family. But when end-of-life planning begins, pets are often overlooked. This episode explores the emotional and practical realities families face when there is no clear plan in place for beloved animals. 

Together, Tr...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli sits down with Andrew Gordon of the Marshall Allen Project to talk about one of the most stressful parts of healthcare that families are rarely prepared for, medical billing. 

When someone is sick, aging, caregiving, or facing end-of-life decisions, the last thing families should have to worry about is fighting confusing bills, navigating insurance denials, or figuring out whether they were overcharged. But for many people, that becomes part of t...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure – Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli looks at how technology is reshaping the way we remember the people we love. Joined by architect and CEO Alex Josephson, founder of Cumulus, they discuss the shift from physical memorials to digital legacy, and what that means for future generations. 

Together, they discuss the difference between being seen and being truly remembered, the role of design in creating meaningful digital spaces, and how platforms built for connection often fall short whe...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli speaks with Trish Rux and Jan Booth, nurses, end-of-life doulas, and co-authors of Dying Matters: 8 Conversations That Can Change Your Life. 

Together, they discuss the conversations most families avoid and why those conversations matter more than any document. Drawing from decades of bedside experience, Trish and Jan share ways to talk about end-of-life care, values, comfort, relationships, and what truly matters before a crisis happens. 

Key takeaways include: 

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli sits down with Dan Fischer, founder of the One Last Wave Project, to talk about grief, connection, and what it means to carry on a relationship with someone you love after they die. 

After losing his father to pancreatic cancer, Dan found himself searching for a way to process his grief. What started as writing his father’s name on a surfboard and paddling into the ocean became something much lar...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli explores a question more people are beginning to ask: does AI have a place in grief? 

Joined by Traci Gwozdz, grief educator and advisor to Reflekta, this conversation looks at how artificial intelligence is being used to preserve memories, support grief, and maintain connection after loss. Drawing from her own experience of losing both parents and her son, Traci G shares how grief evolves, what it means to integrate loss, a...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli sits down with Peter Abraham, BSN, RN, to talk about the real experience of hospice care, beyond what most families are told. 

They walk through what hospice nursing looks like today, including heavy caseloads, time pressure, burnout, and the limits nurses face at the bedside. Peter shares firsthand stories about where care breaks down, what families are often unprepared for, and why gaps in education and support still exist.  

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What actuallhttps://www.hjertehagen.nety happens in a shamanic journey, and can it really shift the way we experience grief? 

In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli looks at the role of shamanism in grief, death, and the unknown. Joined by Lisa Cox, a death midwife and shamanic practitioner, this conversation looks at shamanism as a grounded, experiential practice rather than something abstract or performative. 

Together, they discuss what a shamanic journey is, how it di...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli explores funeral planning and why it matters long before a death occurs. 

She is joined by Dan Ford, President of Alderson-Ford Funeral Homes and President of the National Funeral Directors Association. Drawing from his experience working with families, Dan shares what happens when no plans are in place and how that affects loved ones during an already difficult moment. 

Together, they talk about when families typically reach out to...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli sits down with Michael A. Light, Clinical Social Worker at Harborview Medical Center, to talk about what happens when someone is seriously ill and has nowhere to go. 

In the United States, many people assume care will be there when it’s needed. But that is not the reality for everyone. For people experiencing homelessness, serious illness often unfolds across the street, shelters, and hospital systems that are not built to...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli explores grief, connection, and a little-known practice called the psychomanteum. Joined by Dr. Irene Blinston, researcher, author, and grief practitioner, they talk about what this experience actually looks like, how it is used in grief work, and what people report during and after a session. 

This conversation breaks down the structure of a psychomanteum, including the controlled environment, altered state of consciousness, and guided process. Dr. Blinston discusses her research, i...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure – Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli discusses one of the hardest questions families face: when is it time for hospice. Joined by David Zartman and Joanna Franco from Caring House Hospice, they talk about what hospice really is, why families often wait too long, and how to start the conversation with a loved one. 

This conversation focuses on real experiences inside a hospice home, including what care looks like, how families respond, and what shifts when support is...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli discusses long-term care planning and the question most people avoid: who will take care of you if you need help. 

Joined by Raymond Lavine, founder of Lavine LTC Benefits, they walk through what long-term care really looks like and why so many families are unprepared. This conversation goes beyond insurance. It focuses on caregiving, independence, and the real impact on families when there is no plan in place. 

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