In this episode Dr. Jessica Thomas is joined by Laura Musselman, Director of Development and Communications at the Prison Hospice Project, for a deeply moving conversation about compassion, dignity, and humanity at the end of life behind prison walls. As an end-of-life doula with a background in trauma support, Laura draws on her experience in both end-of-life care and prison programming to support the organization’s growth. Through storytelling,advocacy, and resource development, she helps ensure incarcerated caregivers receive the training and support needed to provide dignified end-of-life care
In this episode, Laura shares how her own experiences with grief led her into hospice work and ultimately to advocating for end-of-life care within the prison system. Together, they explore how prison hospice programs reclaim humanity in environments often defined by punishment, offering connection, meaning, and care where it is least expected.
The conversation highlights thevital role of peer caregivers—incarcerated individuals trained to provide hospice support to their fellow residents. Laura discusses how this training extends beyond practical caregiving skills to include human-centered education around presence, ritual, storytelling, and honoring the dying. For many caregivers, this work becomes a profound source of purpose, healing, andpersonal transformation.
Dr. Thomas and Laura also reflect on the emotional toll carried by caregivers who regularly witness death and loss, emphasizing the importance of community support, ritual, and shared meaning-making. They address the systemic barriers to humane end-of-life care in prisons—including stigma, bureaucracy, and limited resources—and the urgent need to expand prison hospice programs nationwide.
This episode invites listeners to consider what compassion looks like in overlooked spaces, how grief can connect rather than divide us, and why dignity at the end of life must be recognized asa human right—regardless of circumstance.
Takeaways:
· Laura Musselman's personal experiences withgrief inspired her to work in hospice care.
· Hospice care in prisons helps reclaim humanityin a system often defined by punishment.
· Caregivers in prisons often feel a sense ofpurpose and humanity through their work.
· Training for peer caregivers includes bothpractical skills and human-centered modules.
· Community support is crucial for caregivers whoface ongoing grief and loss.
· Personal stories and rituals play a significantrole in the caregiving process.
· Barriers to humane end-of-life care includestigma and bureaucratic obstacles.
· Expanding prison hospice programs is vital forproviding compassionate care.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Transforming Grief
01:03 Laura Musselman's Journey to Hospice Care
03:10 Understanding Hospice in Prisons
05:34 The Impact of Caregiving on Incarcerated Individuals
09:16 Training Peer Caregivers in Prisons
11:21 The Transformative Nature of Caregiving
14:14 Cultural Change Through Compassionate Care
17:32 Anecdotes and Rituals in Caregiving
19:43 The Impact of Compassionate Care in Prisons
24:23 Navigating Grief and Loss in Incarceration
27:21 Barriers to Humane End-of-Life Care
31:25 Expanding Prison Hospice Programs
33:52 The Importance of Research in Prison Care
35:08 Reflections on Compassion and Dignity
Humane Prison Hospice: Resources , Advocacy , Blog
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