Embracing End of Life: Integrating Psychedelics, Community, and Conscious Dying

In this insightful conversation, Corey and Susie discuss Corey's journey from Denver to Maui, where she now works in the end-of-life space as a death doula and hospice assistant. Corey shares her personal story of moving to Maui, transforming her life, and fully immersing herself in the local culture. They delve into the integration of psychedelics into end-of-life care, highlighting the potential to alleviate fear, anxiety, and unnecessary suffering in dying individuals. Corey also reflects on her experiences at the Psychedelic Science Conference, her work with various organizations, and the importance of presence-centered care. The discussion covers educational paths for those interested in the field, the importance of community support, and the potential transformative power of conscious dying practices. Through real-life stories and heartfelt insights, they explore how embracing death can lead to a more fulfilling and connected life.

00:00 Introduction and Greetings

00:13 Journey to Maui

01:31 Life and Work in Maui

04:07 Psychedelics and End of Life Care

05:37 Integrating Psychedelics into End of Life Care

15:22 Facing Death and Nourishing Life

18:10 The Role of Death Doulas

24:06 Personal Reflections and Experiences

35:43 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Corey Westbury, MS, CHPNA (she/her) serves the Maui community as a minister, end-of-life educator, death doula, mentor, group facilitator, and certified hospice and palliative nursing assistant at Hospice Maui.

Her commitment to restoring deathcare as a sacred service galvanized after attending Doorway Into Light’s death doula training, an initiation that prompted her to realign her life and fully dedicate herself to the path.

Corey is the newest team member at Doorway Into Light, a non-profit organization on Maui founded by Reverend Bodhi Be, his wife Leilah Be, and Ram Dass. Doorway Into Light’s mission is to empower and support families and communities in Hawaii with holistic care of the aging and dying, including those in hospice, care of those who’ve passed, and counseling and care for grieving families. She is humbled to deepen into the work Ram Dass helped birth in the field of conscious dying in America.

Deeply devoted to the spiritual teachings of Neem Karoli Baba, Corey embodies a peaceful presence and a heart-centered approach to life and death. She holds space to honor the sacred mystery of life’s transitions, offering her light as a beacon for those navigating the thresholds of dying and grief. In her community, she is known as “a gem star weaving her magic into the hearts she touches”. Corey lives on Maui in the North Shore community of Haiku with an ever-growing collection of plants and her elderly cat, Pearl.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corey-westbury-chpna-19aa6522/

Website: www.doorwayintolight.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thedeathstore

Instagram: @thedeathstoremaui

* The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully by Frank Ostaseksi

* From Doorway Into Light - Facing Death, Nourishing Life (flyer attached)Date/time: September 29-November 13. This 7-week online training meets 2x each week for 2 hours (14 classes total). Mondays and Thursdays 10am-12pm Hawaii TimeCorey and the team at Doorway Into Light will guide us in deepening our relationships with death and dying, as well as to deeper meaning and purpose in our life. This training is for all those who wish to prepare for their dying time and their death, those who may care for a dying loved one, those who currently work in the fields of caring for the dying and their families, those wishing to or are being called to work in these fields, and those who care about the world.

For The Dying by John O’Donohue, “To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings” 2008

May death come gently towards you,

Leaving you time to make your way

Through the cold embrace of fear

To the place of inner tranquility.

May death arrive only after a long life

To find you at home among your own

With every comfort and care you require.

May your leave-taking be gracious,

Enabling you to hold dignity

Through awkwardness and illness.

May you see the reflection

Of your life's kindness and beauty

In all the tears that fall for you.

As your eyes focus on each face,

May your soul take its imprint

Drawing each image within

As companions for the journey.

May you find for each one you love

A different locket of jewelled words

To be worn around the heart

To warm your absence.

May someone who knows and loves

The complex village of your heart

Be there to echo you back to yourself

And create a sure word-raft

To carry you to the further shore.

May your spirit feel

The surge of true delight

When the veil of the visible

Is raised, and you glimpse again

The living faces

Of departed family and friends.

May there be some beautiful surprise

Waiting for you inside death,

Something you never knew or felt,

Which with one simple touch

Absolves you of all loneliness and loss,

As you quicken within the embrace

For which your soul was eternally made.

May your heart be speechless

At the sight of the truth

Of all your belief had hoped,

Your heart breathless

In the light and lightness

Where each and every thing

Is at last its true self

Within that serene belonging

That dwells beside us

On the other side

Of what we see.

In episode seven of 'This Mortal Life,' Susie shares a deeply personal and emotional journey from self-loathing to self-love. She recounts discovering a box of old photos that starkly contrasted her self-perception with her actual past appearance. Susie details her struggles with feelings of unworthiness, exacerbated by a series of unsuccessful rhinoplasties aimed at fixing both her deviated septum and her self-esteem. With the help of a life coach, Susie learned to love herself, realizing that true self-worth comes from within and not from external changes. She emphasizes the importance of letting go of self-hate to begin the path to self-love. Susie’s story is a powerful reminder that appearances can be deceiving and that personal acceptance is an ongoing process.

00:00 Introduction and Episode Setup

00:48 Rediscovering Memories and Self-Worth

02:26 The Journey of Self-Love

05:31 Struggles with Physical Appearance

08:39 The Path to Inner Happiness

10:47 Reflections on Aging and Self-Acceptance

12:04 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode, Susie and her colleague Meg from Wise Moves with Meg introduce a new course dedicated to exploring grief through a combination of ritual, teaching, and body processing. Hear Meg’s personal story of overcoming physical and emotional turmoil through somatic coaching and mindful movement. Learn how grief is a profound bodily experience and a powerful teacher, often neglected in modern society's pursuit of constant happiness. Moving With Grief: Discover how embracing grief can lead to wisdom and deeper self-awareness. This episode is for anyone curious about a holistic approach to handling grief, designed to witness, acknowledge, and process it in a thoughtful, mindful way.

In episode five of 'This Mortal Life,' Susie Ruth discusses her recent move to Arizona to help her aging father and her spontaneous decision to buy a house there. She delves into the concept of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, explaining how understanding different 'parts' of oneself has helped her reconcile her nomadic lifestyle with a newfound desire for stability. Susie shares personal anecdotes about reconciling these conflicting parts and the joy and contentment she's found in her new home. She also emphasizes the importance of self-love and forgiveness through parts work, and briefly mentions an upcoming interview with a friend about a course they are developing together.

In the fourth episode, Susie discusses her involvement in a listening program with coach Mark Butler and a group of coaches, emphasizing the importance and impact of simply listening to each other. She shares her excitement about starting a community listening room and reflects on the valuable stories she’s discovered through listening sessions. Susie also narrates her challenging experience as a cadet in the California Highway Patrol at age 21, detailing the physical and emotional struggles, the hostile work environment, and her eventual decision to quit. She concludes by sharing a poignant 'letter from Love' inspired by Elizabeth Gilbert’s project, expressing the wisdom and support she receives through these personal writings. Susie invites listeners to subscribe and share their own stories or letters from love

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Living Life to the Fullest: Conversations with Musician Laura Doherty. In this episode of This Mortal Life, host Susie welcomes her first guest, children's musician Laura Doherty. Laura shares her inspiring journey of transitioning to a full-time music career at 40 and discusses her experiences in both children's music and adult stand-up comedy. Laura also opens up about the personal challenges she's faced, including caring for her mother with dementia following her father's passing. The episode explores themes of courage, creativity, and resilience while providing practical advice for pursuing one's dreams and dealing with life's hardships. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction 01:06 Laura's Journey to Full-Time Musician 03:01 Advice for Aspiring Musicians 04:42 Inspiration and Songwriting Process 07:01 Laura's New Children's Book 09:32 Exploring Stand-Up Comedy 17:28 Dealing with Personal Challenges 19:28 Caring for a Parent with Dementia 25:07 Conclusion and Where to Find Laura 25:50 Poetic Reflection

Understanding Grief: From Personal Loss to Helping Others. In this episode of 'This Mortal Life,' Susie Ruth shares her profound story of grief, which began with the end of a significant relationship and the subsequent challenges she faced, including supporting her stepdaughter through leukemia. Susie discusses how these experiences led her to become a grief coach, emphasizing that grief is not limited to death but can stem from various losses, including unmet expectations and traumatic events. She also highlights the physical impact of grief on the body and the importance of processing it fully. Susie's personal journey illustrates the multifaceted nature of grief and the various ways it can transform our lives.

This Mortal Life — A Summary of Podcast Episode 1

by Susie Ruth

Welcome to the very first episode of This Mortal Life.

I’m Susie — a grief guide, death doula, and lover of messy, honest conversations about what it means to be alive, to grieve, to heal, and to be human.

This podcast was born from a longing for something quieter, deeper, and more spacious than the constant noise of modern life—a place where we can gather, listen, and remember what matters.

In this episode, I share my story: how I came to this work, what grief and healing have taught me, and why I believe now more than ever we need spaces where sadness and joy can sit side by side.

Why This Podcast Exists

Everything feels so loud these days—a nonstop chorus of opinions, outrage, and pressure to keep performing. I wanted to create a quieter place, a space where you can show up exactly as you are.

Not to fix yourself. Not to hustle for healing.

But to be witnessed. To be reminded that you belong.

I’ll be bringing you weekly episodes with guests who have lived through loss, wrestled with what it means to be mortal, and found surprising beauty along the way.

A Little About Me

I’ve spent most of my life in the healing arts — as a massage therapist for 33 years, a flight attendant for 22 of those years, and now as a death doula and grief coach.

My journey into this work began not with death, but with grief. Deep, old, unnamed grief. Some of it was mine. Some of it was ancestral. Some of it came from trauma so early I couldn’t remember it, but my body carried it like a roadmap.

I’ve learned that trauma lives in the body. And that healing happens slowly, in small, titrated doses. Not through force. Not by bypassing our sadness. But by sitting with it, moving with it, breathing and feeling through it.

What You Can Expect Here

This won’t be a podcast about quick fixes. It won’t be a highlight reel.

It will be honest, real, tender, messy, and beautiful.

We’ll discuss death, grief, love, belonging, and the ordinary.

I’ll also share essays on Substack — including letters from Love (Liz Gilbert’s project), Personal stories, and resources for navigating your grief and healing.

If you ever want to share your story, know there’s a place for you here.

A Note Before You Go

Thank you for listening to my first episode. It’s imperfect, like all of us, and that feels exactly right.