EP44. Deborah Pascuzzi: What Death Can Teach Us About Living: Stories from an End of Life Companion

I'm turning 40 this year and it's gotten me thinking about death and existence. I've always struggled with knowing that I'd die one day. That's why I've decided to lean into learning more about death to understand what it might have to teach us about life. My guest today is Deborah Pascuzzi, who serves as an End of Life Companion and Complementary Alternative Medicine Certified Practitioner. We talk about: Death & dying:What it's actually like to be present at the moment of deathFeeling a loved one's presence after they passSigns and communication from those who have diedHow death has been medicalized and taken out of our handsEnd of life wisdom:What people regret at the end of their livesHow the dying teach us to live differentlyThe difference between quantity and quality of lifeReclaiming agency over your own deathSpirituality & presence:The soul and what happens after deathSynchronicities and what they meanEnergy, essence, and how we sense othersBeing fully present vs. living in your headPersonal journeys:How Deborah's mother's death called her into this workLeaving corporate life to follow an inner callingHer husband's death and turning an ICU into a sacred spacePractical & psychological:Why we avoid talking about death as a cultureHow facing mortality can reduce anxiety about livingWhat end of life doulas actually doThe fear underneath our relationship with death**Deborah Pascuzzi serves as an End of Life Companion and Complementary Alternative Medicine Certified Practitioner. She is skilled at building partnerships with clients to enable profound self healing and transformation. She helps clients establish balance and wholeness through the use of the energy based therapy of Healing Touch and Qigong. Deborah moved to Green Valley Arizona in 2021 and enjoys sharing her expertise and wisdom as an End of Life Companion.***EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS00:00 – Introduction: turning 40 scream joy , mortality, and why we avoid talking about death02:05 – Meeting Deborah: what an end-of-life companion really does04:30 – Deborah’s first experience with death: her mother’s passing07:20 – Presence after death: sensing essence beyond the body10:15 – Signs, feathers, and ongoing connection with loved ones13:40 – Why death makes us uncomfortable as a culture16:10 – Death as a teacher: emotions, presence, and meaning19:05 – Storytelling at the end of life: legacy and being heard22:45 – Harvesting wisdom, confession, and emotional release26:30 – Curiosity and awe: unconditional love without judgment29:15 – Companioning the dying: surrender, planning, and letting go33:40 – Graceful vs. difficult deaths: regret, resistance, and peace38:10 – “Don’t wait”: what dying people teach us about living41:55 – Legacy work and ethical wills: preserving soul stories46:20 – Grief, widowhood, and walking the path together50:05 – Rituals, celebration of life, and honoring the dead53:40 – Miracles, synchronicity, and being in flow56:40 – Listening to your inner calling and becoming a companion59:30 – Closing reflections: awe, presence, and walking each other home ***RESOURCES MENTIONED:The Art of Dying Well: A Practical Guide to a Good End of Life by Katie ButlerThe Five Invitations by Frank OstaseskiThe Tibetian Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal RinpochePODCAST LINKS:✨ Podcast Website: https://www.innercalling.org/✨ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/innercalling-with-dr-victoria/id1809177408✨ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4K2khwqNKgs90Hs8vrQenZ?si=41beac3235054354✨ Podcast Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_zIrjdevY1Q91PX5woaNtjTDvell1ZJ8&si=lvYtBD2PHmF3bVAXSOCIAL LINKS:✨ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drvictoriaranade✨ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vchranadeWORK WITH DR. VICTORIA + HOPE+WELLNESS✨ Therapy & Psychological Testing at Hope+Wellness: Kind, Compassionate, Evidence-Based Mental Health Care👉 https://www.hope-wellness.comDisclaimer: https://innercalling.org/disclaimer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.