Conservation and Closure: Life Forest and Helping Children Grieve

In this episode of On Death Care, host Tony Russo sits down with Stephanie Rush and Amanda Goodell, co-authors of the award-winning children’s book, You Can Always Talk to Possum at Life Forest. The book was recently honored by the ICCFA as the most personalized service/memorial for a cemetery in their 2025 Keeping It Personal Awards.The authors discuss the inspiration behind the book, which was born from a need to help young children understand loss and find closure while visiting Life Forest, a unique conservation cemetery in New England.Key Discussion Points:* The Origin Story: How a connection through roller derby led to a collaboration between Life Forest co-founder Mel Bennett and mental health professionals to create a resource for grieving families.* A Simple Approach to Complex Emotions: Why the authors chose to use forest animals and a “matter-of-fact” tone to make the stages of grief relatable for children of all backgrounds.* Beyond the Headstone: An exploration of Life Forest’s mission, where loved ones are memorialized with trees, bushes, and plants rather than traditional gravestones.* The Creative Process: Writing a collaborative book during the COVID-19 lockdown and working with an international artist to capture the specific landscape of a conservation forest.* The Workbook Component: The book includes structured activities, like painting memorial rocks and writing letters, to help children process their emotions tangibly.* Advice for Parents: “If a child is old enough to love, they’re old enough to grieve”.Links & Resources:* Official Website: On Death Care* Free Resource: The workbook mentioned in the episode is available for free download online.* Listen Further: Check out Tony Russo’s previous interview with Life Forest co-founder Mel Bennett. Get full access to On Deathcare at ondeathcare.substack.com/subscribe