This week we are diving into one topic that we all try to avoid even thinking about—death.

I remember when I was a kid, lying in bed as my mom would tuck me in… and even then--ever the anxiety queen--saying to her, “Mom, I don't want you to die! What even happens when you die?!” And she would say, “Sonni, death is a part of life.”

For my 5-, 6-year-old brain, that was a big statement to process, but I knew it was true. That simplest of explanations about death really is the most essential one.

We prepare for marriage or having children or getting our first job, but we really don’t prepare that much for death. Sure, you may have considered pre-paying your funeral costs to avoid having your kids deal with it… or maybe even grabbed up a burial plot. (It always freaked me out that my parents did this!)

But what of the emotional side of things? Have you ever thought about what you want your final weeks on earth to look like?

This week’s guest is the founder of a group that aims to change the conversation about dying—namely, by starting conversations about dying.

Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider is a physician, founder, speaker, producer, writer and the host of the TED Health Podcast who works as an internist at Crossover Health in San Francisco. She believes that we shouldn’t be scared to prepare for this inevitable part of life, but rather we should address it head on, with humor, with preparation, and with an understanding that this is something we will all have to deal with.

Her nonprofit foundation, EndWell, is focused on transforming the end of life into a human-centered experience.

They’ve created a group of doctors, tech leaders, policy makers and activists who—through education and events—address all the “big questions” and other worries we have about death, with the ultimate goal of creating a future where ending well becomes a measure of living well.

In this episode you’ll hear about the personal story that prompted Dr. Shoshana to start EndWell; the things that people most regret on their death bed; finding support when you or a loved one is sick; what is a death doula? And more.

So whether you’re also pacifying an anxious 5-year-old, or you just want to button up things for your own inevitable conclusion, this episode may just help you see death in a whole new light.