EPISODE · Sep 30, 2025 · 50 MIN
959: Michelle Desmond: Why We Need to Talk About Death, Loss, and Grief at Work
from Shameless Leadership · host Sara Dean
I met Michelle Desmond a few months ago at a birthday gathering for a mutual friend. As Michelle started talking about her work in dying, death, and grief, I had question after question. I realized quickly I had to get her on the pod. I was so excited and grateful when she said yes. This is such an important topic that impacts every single human, yet very few ever talk about it. Michelle is a corporate executive turned thanatologist (expert in dying, death, and bereavement). After experiencing extensive personal losses, she chose to leave a career that included leadership roles in marketing, innovation, and line-of-business management at Verizon, T-Mobile, and Starbucks to pursue a Master of Science degree in the study of thanatology. She is passionate about bringing education, guidance, and innovation to the modern experiences of death and grief. She founded On Grief and Death LLC, through which she offers workshops and classes, 1:1 grief guidance, and consulting to businesses. She has led group and individual programs at companies, as well as the world-renowned Miraval Resort in Tucson. Michelle is an adjunct professor at Marian University, teaching master’s degree students about the role of technology in how we die and grieve. Listen in to hear Michelle share: What thanatology is and why she left a successful corporate career to go into this field The costs of living in a culture that leaves us utterly unprepared for experiencing loss, death, dying, and grief The biggest myths (and corresponding truths) about grief The costs of us not speaking more openly about grief - especially in professional spaces What would be different if we were to normalize talking about grief and loss How companies and individuals can support others through experiences of death and loss of all types Links Mentioned: Connect with Michelle: www.ongriefanddeath.com Michelle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-desmond-811410/ Michelle on Substack: Death and Other Stories Get Michelle’s Book: Death and Other Stories Attend Sara’s October Retreat for Women Business Owners: saradean.com/retreat Join Sara’s Next Business Coaching Cohort (Oct-May): https://saradean.com/influence-ignite-business-group-coaching/ Hire me to speak: saradean.com/speaking Coach with me: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
What this episode covers
I met Michelle Desmond a few months ago at a birthday gathering for a mutual friend. As Michelle started talking about her work in dying, death, and grief, I had question after question. I realized quickly I had to get her on the pod. I was so excited and grateful when she said yes. This is such an important topic that impacts every single human, yet very few ever talk about it. Michelle is a corporate executive turned thanatologist (expert in dying, death, and bereavement). After experiencing extensive personal losses, she chose to leave a career that included leadership roles in marketing, innovation, and line-of-business management at Verizon, T-Mobile, and Starbucks to pursue a Master of Science degree in the study of thanatology. She is passionate about bringing education, guidance, and innovation to the modern experiences of death and grief. She founded On Grief and Death LLC, through which she offers workshops and classes, 1:1 grief guidance, and consulting to businesses. She has led group and individual programs at companies, as well as the world-renowned Miraval Resort in Tucson. Michelle is an adjunct professor at Marian University, teaching master’s degree students about the role of technology in how we die and grieve. Listen in to hear Michelle share: What thanatology is and why she left a successful corporate career to go into this field The costs of living in a culture that leaves us utterly unprepared for experiencing loss, death, dying, and grief The biggest myths (and corresponding truths) about grief The costs of us not speaking more openly about grief - especially in professional spaces What would be different if we were to normalize talking about grief and loss How companies and individuals can support others through experiences of death and loss of all types Links Mentioned: Connect with Michelle: www.ongriefanddeath.com Michelle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-desmond-811410/ Michelle on Substack: Death and Other Stories Get Michelle’s Book: Death and Other Stories Attend Sara’s October Retreat for Women Business Owners: saradean.com/retreat Join Sara’s Next Business Coaching Cohort (Oct-May): https://saradean.com/influence-ignite-business-group-coaching/ Hire me to speak: saradean.com/speaking Coach with me: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks Watch Shameless Leadership episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@saradeanspeaks Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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959: Michelle Desmond: Why We Need to Talk About Death, Loss, and Grief at Work
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