Seeing Death Clearly

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

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

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

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

00:18 Meet the Host and Guest

02:13 From Architect to Death Tech

03:24 The Spark Behind Cumulus

06:12 Celebrating Lives and Legacy

07:18 Becoming a Death Doula

09:02 VSED and MAID Debates

16:58 Designing Beautiful Memorial Spaces

21:51 Ritual, Cost, and Modern Funerals

23:59 Building Legacy Continuity

24:36 Marketing End-of-Life Innovation

25:18 Digital Burden After Death

26:11 Storage Trust Vision

28:43 Why Funeral Websites Fail

29:34 Time Capsules for Kids

30:55 Beyond Social Media Grief

32:15 End-of-Life Culture Shift

33:49 Platform Walkthrough Demo

38:01 Shared Control and Costs

39:30 Where to Find Cumulus

40:25 Legacy Projects and Feedback

41:43 Podcast Closing Call to Action

alexanderjosephson (instagram)

cumulusworld (instagram)

cumulus.world (web)

partisanarchitecture (instagram)

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Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life. 

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

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

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

00:00 Welcome and Episode Setup

01:09 Meet Wendy Jurgens

02:56 Writing Through Grief

04:19 Pet Loss and Kids

06:14 The Writing Process

10:06 Nick’s Story Begins

13:03 Signs and Medium Messages

16:56 Post Traumatic Growth

19:09 Breaking Suicide Silence

22:26 Talking Openly Saves Lives

24:17 Going Public With the Mission

25:27 Sibling Support Lunches

26:03 Veterans Returning Home

26:46 Nick’s Navy Stressors

29:06 Identity After Leaving

31:04 Losses and Perspective

32:35 Choosing Your Circle

34:20 Feeling Grief Fully

35:50 Book and New Projects

38:27 Writing as Therapy

41:29 Closing and Next Steps

 https://www.wendyjuergens.com

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Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast. 

Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life. 

[email protected] 

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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. 

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, with no one turned away for inability to pay. They discuss rituals, honoring residents after death, flexible time for families to stay, and staff debriefing and grief.

00:00 What Caring House Is

00:15 Meet the Host

01:25 Meet David and Joanna

02:35 Why Caring House Is Different

03:37 Who It Serves

04:25 Working With Hospices

06:43 Life at End of Life

08:39 Food and Volunteers

09:34 Staffing and Overnight Family

12:50 Admissions and Waitlist

13:59 Nonprofit Funding Model

16:14 Hospice Coverage Reality

18:57 Death Doulas in House

20:09 Facing Death and Control

23:53 Grief Lessons From Work

25:27 Losing Sandra Young

26:11 Lessons From Grief

26:49 Staff Facing Death Daily

29:41 Honoring Residents After Death

30:58 Family Time After Passing

33:57 Rituals Music And Goodbyes

35:51 Pets And Therapy Dogs

38:10 Why Caring Houses Matter

43:46 Support Donate And Connect

45:39 Final Thanks And Planning Help

https://www.yourcaringhouse.org/

https://www.instagram.com/yourcaringhouse/

https://www.facebook.com/YourCaringHouse/

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Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support 

Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast. 

Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life. 

[email protected] 

https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call.

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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. 

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, how death doulas and funeral directors can work together, and how doulas can help families communicate needs during arrangements. 

The conversation also covers weather challenges for burials, hand-dug green burials, pet funerals at Laurel Hill’s pet cemetery, aquamation legislation in Pennsylvania, and how media stories about cremation increase requests for witnessed cremations.

00:00 Doula Trust Story

00:15 Show Intro and Guests

01:59 Amanda’s Path to Death Care

03:20 Tasha’s Funeral Director Journey

06:11 What Funeral Directors Do

10:29 Death Doulas vs Funeral Directors

14:22 Personalization and Embalming Value

15:46 How Doulas Help Arrangements

23:56 Weather and Winter Burials

26:14 Weather Delays Services

27:17 Hand Dug Green Burials

27:59 Pet Cemetery Stories

32:12 Aquamation Legal Push

33:30 Cremation Documentary Fears

35:51 Death Arts Festival Recap

37:46 Death Doulas Meet Funeral Care

41:02 Contact Laurel Hill Team

42:43 Bookstore and Summer Events

44:36 End of Life Planning CTA

https://laurelhillphl.com/

https://www.facebook.com/laurelhillphl

https://www.instagram.com/laurelhillphl/

From Fear of Death to Funeral Director: Tasha Dugan’s Journey at Philadelphia’s Historic Laurel Hill Cemetery

Support the show

Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support 

Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast. 

Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life. 

[email protected] 

https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call.

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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 conversation also explores conscious living, legacy, and end-of-life planning, including the regret of devoting life to work over relationships. Matt discusses his Substack “Fine Tuning,” leaving law, and his memoir, “Fatherhood in a Different Key.”

00:00 Facing Mortality

00:16 Meet the Host and Guest

01:19 Growing Up 80s Manhattan

03:05 Life After New York

04:09 His Father’s Diagnosis

06:43 Decades of Hidden Grief

11:29 Music as a Lifeline

13:31 Denial and No Goodbye

14:57 Why We Avoid Death Talk

19:47 Childhood Grief and First Funeral

22:46 Shiva and Grief Advice

24:12 Music as Emotional Outlet

26:06 Soundgarden and Screaming

28:40 Safe Ways to Let It Out

31:07 From Lawyer to Memoirist

33:30 Cats in the Cradle Reflections

35:44 Writing in the Basement

37:03 Quitting Law and Launching

37:51 Regrets of the Dying

39:39 Family Cycles and Workaholism

43:41 Where to Find Matt

44:34 End-of-Life Planning CTA

https://www.mattfogelson.com/

https://mattfogelson.substack.com/

Restrung Fatherhood in a Different Key

Support the show

Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support 

Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast. 

Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life. 

[email protected] 

https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call.

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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 coordinates and mapping software. Mel shares the science behind their certified wool shrouds that support soil health, plus QR-code memorial markers for equal memorialization. Life Forest prioritizes accessibility, offers free burial for anyone under 20, supports unclaimed deaths, and helps expand similar cemeteries in other states.

00:00 Her Smile in Bloom

00:18 Show and Guest Intro

01:29 Mel’s Roots and Big Question

02:34 Childhood Fear and Mom’s Wisdom

04:40 Dementia Caregiving Journey

07:13 Ashes in a Bag

09:08 From Idea to Life Forest

11:04 Planting the Dogwood

13:09 Building the Arboretum

16:47 Legal Protections for Trees

18:39 Deeded Rights and GPS Mapping

25:15 Wool Shroud Science

28:59 How Families Prepare Remains

31:18 Choosing the Right Tree

32:12 Soil Sun and Pollination

35:03 Public Arboretum Access

36:20 QR Code Memorials

38:57 Pets Fees and Fairness

42:49 Accessibility and Community

43:31 Child Grief Book Project

50:49 Expanding Life Forest Model

54:40 Where to Find Life Forest

55:16 End of Life Planning Call

https://lifeforestcemetery.com/ 

Support the show

Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support 

Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast. 

Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life. 

[email protected] 

https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call.

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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. 

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. 

Jermaine describes family, seasons of life, and the importance of using meaningful things now rather than saving them for later, including receiving gifts as expressions of love. 

He introduces HeirLight, an AI-guided end-of-life planning tool that helps people create wills and other documents more easily and in multiple languages.

00:00 Compounding Blind Spots

00:20 Meet the Host and Guest

01:37 Jermaine on Family and Travel

03:09 Seasons of Life and Regrets

05:58 Money Fear and Die With Zero

09:26 Mom’s 401k Wake Up Call

12:38 Dream Trip and Sudden Stroke

17:18 Inaction and Cultural Barriers

22:34 Buddhism Stoicism and Impermanence

28:20 Vipassana Retreat Story

31:16 Meditation Intensity and Grace

33:07 War Changes Perspective

35:11 Use the Good Stuff

37:55 Learning to Receive

40:47 Perfect Tuesday Mindset

45:07 Time With Elders

47:40 Community Over Stuff

49:59 Building an Estate App

56:06 How the App Works

01:00:38 Simple Will Basics

01:03:12 Closing and Next Steps

https://heirlight.com/en

YouTube video of Jermaine and his parents "They came here with nothing. 40 years later, we went back."

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Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support 

Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast. 

Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life. 

[email protected] 

https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call.

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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. 

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 medical choice. 

The episode also discusses Canada’s MAID program, supporting choice while warning about coercion and lack of support, and touches on psychedelics for depression and death anxiety. Joy shares her shift toward conscious living, legacy, and helping others through her Joy of Resilience work.

00:00 Suffering and Growth

00:17 Meet Jill and Joy

01:31 Joy’s Losses and Awakening

04:12 Seven Breast Cancer Diagnoses

04:54 Coercion and Treatment Pressure

06:53 Searching for Causes

11:26 Informed Consent and Choice

20:49 Quality of Life Conversations

25:00 Sister’s Final Journey

27:09 A Call for Medical Autonomy

27:26 Health Choices Matter

28:31 Hope and Culture Shift

28:43 MAID and Personal Choice

29:55 Slippery Slope Concerns

36:00 Hospice Policies and Oversight

37:59 Eugenics and Human Value

39:27 Mental Illness Gray Areas

40:15 Psychedelics as Treatment

41:27 Family Impact and Nuance

44:40 Grief and Die Wise

48:37 Division and Complexity

50:44 Building Joy Resilience

52:11 Services and Resources

54:49 End of Life Planning

https://joyofresilience.com

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Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast. 

Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life. 

[email protected] 

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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. 

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. 

They discuss the lack of cultural support for pet grief, including shame and limited workplace compassion, and both describe in-home euthanasia as a beautiful experience. 

The conversation highlights how honoring pet loss can support healing, legacy, and more present, intentional living.

01:24 Jessica’s Pet Doula Path

03:11 Sammy’s Story Begins

04:55 Shelter Work to Doula Work

07:13 Why Pet Grief Hits Hard

07:50 In Home Goodbye Rituals

09:52 Keepsakes and Ongoing Bonds

11:55 Older Pets and Second Chances

13:49 Euthanasia Versus Human Endings

15:31 When Is It Time

16:26 Sammy’s Final Day

21:30 Support During Loss

22:46 Becoming a Pet Doula

23:12 Pet vs Human Care

23:45 Quality of Life Assessment

24:29 Pet Memorialization Options

25:53 Pet Doula Training

26:56 Building the Business

29:19 Pet Burial Options

29:56 Backyard Pet Burials

30:54 Personal Burial Stories

32:33 Honoring Animal Remains

34:55 Appreciating Life Through Death

35:49 Tactile Moments with Pets

37:46 Connect with Jessica

38:37 End of Life Planning

Website: https://jessicaendoflifepetdoula.carrd.co/

Instagram: @jessica.petlossdoula

Support the show

Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support 

Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast. 

Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life. 

[email protected] 

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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 presence, compassion, and bearing witness when cure isn’t possible. The conversation also explores embracing mortality, how the mindset at death affects loved ones, preparing children for death through honesty, and the value of end-of-life planning and supportive conversations before a crisis.

01:31 Pediatrics to Family Therapy

03:11 Kids Need Honesty

03:45 Novel and Family Fallout

05:35 Why Fiction Not Memoir

07:22 Suicide Shame and Guilt

09:41 Violent Loss Trauma

11:40 Spouse as Psychiatrist

16:51 You Cant Save Everyone

18:26 Compassion Without Cure

20:48 Accepting Death Frees Life

22:40 End of Life vs Suicide

23:53 Talking Death With Kids

25:36 Hospice Goodbye Story

26:41 Gifts Before Dying

27:03 Tibetan Death Teachings

28:10 Reincarnation And Legacy

29:44 Talking To Kids

32:08 Suicide And Loved Ones

33:16 Facing The Unvarnished Truth

37:03 Supporting Families Too

38:25 Why Write This Book

42:09 Guilt What Ifs And Limits

46:42 Finding The Book

https://www.raedumontwriting.org

In the Shadow of Silence 

Also find the book here

Book Review 

Support the show

Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support 

Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast. 

Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life. 

[email protected] 

https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call.

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