Episodes
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#268 What Is Coming Back Like? with Lorri Brewer, Near Death Experiencer, Author
*Sensitive Content. Please note: there is a disturbing real-life incident recounted in this episode. This week on BLBD I talk with a woman who experienced a Near Death Experience during a medical emergency. As Lorri Brewer says, “The emergency ended quickly. Coming back did not.” What was it like...
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#267 Tales of Mystery and Ghosts with Orion Couling, New Orleans tour guide, story teller, magic maker
Last year I was so lucky to travel to the fascinating city of New Orleans in October, where I met Orion Couling as my Ghost Tour Guide. In 2026, Orion jumped on BLBD #217 with two stories: a creepy story fitting for the season, and also a beautiful story of connection, travel and a wildlife...
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#266 Insights from the Inside with Aaron Klink, Chaplain
Today I’m in conversation with Aaron Klink, a chaplain with nearly 25 years of experience in hospice care. What role do chaplains play in providing spiritual support to patients and families at the end of life? How do family dynamics, forgiveness, and deep listening come into play? And how can...
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#265 Children and Recalled Past Lives with Marieta Pehlivanova from the University of Virginia’s Division of Perceptual Studies
Did you know that it is more common than you might think for children to talk about past life experiences? From acting out their previous occupations to having phobias and fears explained; from birthmarks related to their deaths to recalling places or previous families – you may be intrigued by...
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#264 Near Death Experiences: What Do We Know? with Marieta Pehlivanova from the University of Virginia’s Division of Perceptual Studies
Perhaps you’ve heard about Near Death Experiences and are curious to know more. Marieta Pehlivanova, trained in cognitive neuroscience, statistics and psychiatry, is one of the people who has helped bring more quantitative methods to this subject. While the general public and parapsychology often...
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#263 Family Dynamics and Rewriting Our Stories with Joon Park, Chaplain and Author
What happens to our family dynamics when death enters the room? Hospital Chaplain and author J.S. Park has spent more than a decade at the bedside, witnessing the ways complicated relationships, love, grief, and long-held family stories often rise to the surface in a crisis. In this conversation,...
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#262 More Things in Heaven and Earth: Susan Grau on Mediumship and the Unseen
I’ve always wanted to explore questions with an intuitive medium, and Susan Grau is all that and more. From her early childhood near-death experience and her explanation of the “clairs,” to her insights about consciousness, connection, and what may exist beyond what we can see — Susan is an...
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#261 A Crack in Our Certainty: Sarah Kerr on Death, Mystery, and What We Believe
One of my favorite people to explore topics like “the edge of mystery” with is Sarah Kerr. I hope that this conversation puts a small crack in your certainty of what’s “real,” and shifting that — even just a little — might change your thinking in interesting and unexpected ways. In this episode…
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#260 From the Archives: One Year After the Death of a Spouse: Barbara Karnes Reflects (Originally aired October 2024)
I chose this episode to share again, because I think it is so personal. It could be easy to forget that BK is “merely human,” and think that the most educated among us does everything perfectly. Hearing Barbara describe her experience in the year after her dear husband died, gave me so much food...
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#259 From the Archives: More Real than Real: Dreams, Visions and Healing Experiences at the End of Life (Originally aired March 2022) Dr Christopher Kerr
This episode has intrigued so many people, as Dr Chris Kerr is one of those folks who has brought a research lens to what is sometimes dismissed. What if we took the unusual experiences of those who are dying and understood them to be “more real than real”? This episode gets the conversation…
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#258 From the Archives: Doulas - From the First Breath to the Last: A Conversation with a Birth Doula and an End-of-Life Doula (Originally aired May 2023) – Gabby Jimenez and Claudia Peñate
This episode is a favorite with listeners, because who doesn’t want to hear a birth doula and a death doula describe what they do? The range of support they offer through these two large human transitions moves me every time I hear about it. For more information on Best Life Best Death please…
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#257 From the Archives: The Four Things That Matter Most (Originally aired March 2023) – Dr Ira Byock
This episode is a classic, and I am eternally grateful to Dr Byock for talking with this “small potatoes” podcaster back in March of 2023. Echoing other practices, including the ancient Hawaiian practice of Hoʻoponopono, Dr Byock talks about the importance of “I love you, I forgive you/please...
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#256 Signs from the Other Side – Anna and Diane Hullet, authors of The Sky Painter
This week my daughter and I talk about our recent publishing adventure of writing two children's books together. We explore the personal experiences that inspired our first book about "energy bubbles" and our second about death, loss, and signs from loved ones. How did this second book come to...
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#255 Slow Down! There’s no Tiger on your Tail – Sarah Heinss, Muse Therapy
What might we do to slow down in this modern world, where so much moves at a frenetic pace? In addition to working with "burned-out creatives" in her therapy practice, Sarah Heinss combines her knowledge of human psychology with a background in video editing to create thought-provoking social…
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#254 Love Never Dies – Janell Flores Bolte, Soul Coach, Teacher, Writer
“The language of synchronicities is the language of the other side” – so says Janell Flores Bolte, author of Death, A Love Story. This conversation is a fascinating one, ranging from how the brain works to stories of signs from loved ones who have died. When Janell’s husband died, after defying…
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#253 The Guy with Stage 4 Breast Cancer — Jake Messier
Jake Messier says it like it is! As a man diagnosed with breast cancer, he’s decided to shape what that means and how that is perceived, for himself and for all the people out there who don’t know that this is a thing. With breast cancer for women deeply researched and heavily funded, Jake is a...
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#252 Tips from Dead People, Part 2 – Mary McGreevy
My guest this week found a creative niche reading obituaries online, and this has turned out to be informative, moving, funny, and insightful! It is truly story telling at its finest and most concise. Enjoy Part 2, in which Mary and I explore three more unique obituaries and have a sneak peek of...
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#251 Tips from Dead People, Part 1 – Mary McGreevy
Who would have thought that reading obituaries on social media could be so informative, moving, funny, and insightful?? Mary McGreevy tried it and found a solid audience. First, she shared obits she had collected over time. Now, devoted fans from all over send her the most extraordinary stories…
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#250 Too Poor to Die – Amy Shea, PhD
What does it mean to be “too poor to die”? Author and researcher Amy Shea took a deep dive into how poverty affects the end of life. What happens when you die with no money and no family to collect the remains? What are the trajectories that lead someone to be buried in a potter’s field, aka…
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#249 An Apprenticeship with Sorrow – Diane Hullet reads Francis Weller
I so appreciate the wisdom and writing of Francis Weller. His book The Wild Edge of Sorrow: Rituals of Renewal and the Sacred Work of Grief has been a touchstone for me, and now this book offers more perspective on grief, aging, sorrow, and “times of uncertainty.” Listen this week as I read…
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#248 A Day in the Life of a Death Doula – Vanessa Johnston, End-of-Life Doula
Have you ever wondered what a “death doula” does? Doulas offer compassion, guidance, and information to help people better understand their options around the end of life. This week, I talk with Vanessa Johnston, an active doula in Colorado, as she shares “a day in the life of a doula.” How do...
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#247 Mortality Movies to See Before You Die – Gail Rubin, Author, Educator, and “The Doyenne of Death”
Gail Rubin, author of several books and articles, talks with me about her latest book, 98.6 Mortality Movies to See Before You Die: Remarkable Films and TV Shows to Discuss Death and Plan Ahead. Been looking for some summer movie ideas? This book by the Doyenne of Death and this BLBD episode has...
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#246 Living with Grief and Sharing It All – Mark Burkholder, Writer and Content Creator
When Mark Burkholder’s wife, Paige, was diagnosed with a very rare, very aggressive form of cancer, what did they do? They dug in, pushed hard, and faced the truth. They knew very quickly that this cancer had a 5-year survival rate of 0%, so they leaned into treatment and living deeply as best…
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#245 Meaningful Endings – Jane K. Callahan, Author, End of Life Doula
Join me and end-of-life doula and author Jane Callahan as we talk about meaningful endings. As she explains, “Because medicine has always been predicated on the idea of fixing, saving, and caring, we began to treat death that way – morphing society's view of death into primarily a medical and...
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#244 Funerals, Bodies, Preplanning, Oh My! – Bob Arrington, Spokesperson for the National Funeral Directors Association
In this episode, I talk with longtime funeral professional Bob Arrington. We explore body disposition, funerals, celebrations of life, cremation, and more. What does it mean to “pre-plan,” and why does it matter? How do practices around caring for the dead vary across regions and over time? As…
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#243 From the Archives: As Good as Hospice Can Be – There Are Gaps (Originally aired Oct 2023) – Susan Elliott, End of Life Coach and Doula
One of my favorites episodes is with Susan Elliott, End of Life Coach and Doula. Susan talks candidly about her mother’s death, and about all that hospice had to offer… but also what was missing. After her mother’s death, Susan became a doula, and felt that there was so much that could have been...
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#242 Medical Aid in Dying, Part 2, What You Need to Know! – Dr Barbara Morris, Geriatrician and President of End of Life Options Colorado
This week – more about Medical Aid in Dying. The advocacy organization called End of Life Options Colorado and Dr Barbara Morris are all about education and access, for patients, families and physicians. If someone gets a sudden and terrible diagnosis, how can families quickly learn more? When is...
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#241 Medical Aid in Dying, Part 1, Myth Busting! – Dr Barbara Morris, Geriatrician and President of End of Life Options Colorado
Everyone I meet has questions about Medical Aid in Dying. What is it? Where is it legal? Who chooses this and why? What are the requirements for eligibility? Join me and Dr Barbara Morris to learn more, bust some myths, and come away with a better understanding of what this end of life option is...
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#240 8 Conversations That Can Change Your Life, Part 2 – Janet Booth, MA, RN and Trish Rux, RN
This week, I’m again joined by Janet Booth, MA, RN and Trish Rux, RN to talk about their book Dying Matters: 8 Conversations That Can Change Your Life. In this episode, we explore the second half of the book, looking at what’s “behind the paperwork.” As Jan says, “The paperwork might lay down the...
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#239 8 Conversations That Can Change Your Life, Part 1 – Janet Booth, MA, RN and Trish Rux, RN
What if you found a book that would truly lay the groundwork for why conversations about the end of life matter so much? What if this book could jumpstart conversations with family, friends, and your community? What if it even had a Discussion Guide in the back, filled with ideas? This episode…
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#238 From the Archives: What Does Active Dying Look Like?(Originally aired April 2023) – Julie McFadden, aka Hospice Nurse Julie
One of my most listened-to episodes, with Hospice Nurse Julie. Tune in to hear Julie, in her characteristic practical and charismatic way, describe what really happens when we die. Key to know: we rarely die like we do in the movies. Instead, the body shuts down gradually. In this classic BLBD...
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#237 Dementia and Caregiving – Beverly Thorn, Professor Emerita, End-of-Life Doula and Author
Beverly Thorn knows dementia firsthand, and her book Before I Lose My Own Mind: Navigating Life as a Dementia Caregiver is an empowering, realistic guide for caregivers, friends, spouses, and anyone who will be touched by dementia. And guess what, folks? That’s pretty much all of us. Estimates…
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#236 Aging Is Not a Straight Line Process – Jacob Kendall, PhD, Creator of 4D™ Aging
How do we talk about aging in a way that actually helps us live better? In this episode of Best Life Best Death, we zoom out. Way out. Jacob Kendall and I look at aging not just as a personal experience, but as a cultural story and a national issue. What happens when we’re willing to widen the...
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#235 Feeling Grief, Part 2 – Krista St-Germain, Grief Expert, Widow, and Host of The Widowed Mom Podcast
What is grief, really? And how do we actually work with it? In this conversation, Krista St-Germain offers a clear and humane definition: Grief is the natural human response to a perceived loss. From there, we explore how the goal isn’t to “get to the end” of grief; the goal is to integrate the...
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#234 Feeling Grief, Part 1 – Krista St-Germain, Grief Expert, Widow, and Host of The Widowed Mom Podcast
Krista St-Germain knows the experience of grief, deeply. As a widow and coach, she is an expert at discussing this complex feeling. In this episode, we have a conversation about her life, her husband’s death, what it means to feel feelings, and the spiral of post-traumatic growth. She…
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#233 Caregiving: The Most Stressful Role We Overlook – Rosanne Corcoran, Host of Daughterhood the Podcast
Rosanne Corcoran knows caregiving from the inside. When her mother moved in with vascular dementia, Rosanne became her primary caregiver for years, navigating the daily realities, emotional toll, and quiet endurance that so often go unseen. Today, she channels that lived experience into advocacy…
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#232 Funeral Photography: What It Is and Why It Matters – Nell Arbuto, Founder of Minnesota Funeral Photography
This episode explores the small-yet-potentially-vast world of funeral photography. When everyone we love is gathered in one place, often for the last time, what might it mean to have photographs of that moment? Is it comforting? Intrusive? Sacred? I’m joined by Nell Arbuto, founder of Minnesota...
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#231 Medical Aid in Dying: A Daughter’s Perspective – Michelle Lapierre, MAiD Advocate
In my view, Michelle Lapierre was fortunate: she and her mother talked openly about end-of-life choices well before those conversations became necessary. And when her mother did become terminally ill, she was clear about her choice: to use Medical Aid in Dying, which has been legal in Colorado...
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#230 After Traumatic Loss: Writing, Dreams, and Continuing Bonds – Samantha Rose, Author of Giving Up the Ghost
Giving Up the Ghost is a memoir about traumatic loss, identity, and the slow work of letting go, not just of people, but of the versions of ourselves we thought we would be. In this episode, I talk with author Samantha Rose about the transformations that accompanied the loss of her mother to...
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#229 What Do We Need to Do After Someone Dies? – Marni Blank, Founder of Begin with the End, End-of-Life Planner and Death Doula
Marni Blank is an “after-loss professional.” What does that mean? Imagine someone with a legal background, lived experience of loss, a steady head for details, and the ability to step in and quarterback the team when someone in your life has died. That’s what an after-loss professional can be. I...
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#228 How to Make Your Death Kinder to Those You Love – Marni Blank, Founder of Begin with the End, End-of-Life Planner and Death Doula
My guest this week will nudge you to think about what you’ve already taken care of – and what’s still unfinished – when it comes to end-of-life planning. Marni Blank and I dive into some of the most fascinating (and often avoided) questions: What gets in the way of getting things done? What...
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#227 What Are the Components of Aging Well? – Dr. Charlotte Grinberg, Founder of To Life Primary Care and Longevity
From her early experiences as a young birth doula, through medical school, into working in oncology and hospice, this doctor has seen beauty and denial go hand-in-hand. Realizing that many of us die from diseases created by choices in how we live, she now offers a primary care practice focused on...
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#226 Aging Well: Staying Curious, Flexible and Joy-Full – Mary Schinhofen, Writer and Nonagenarian
Join me in conversation with a dynamic woman in her nineties who founded a writing group with friends that is now a sustaining source of inspiration and shared connection. We know that social connection is key to staying engaged as we age, and Mary reflects on what she’s learned about why it...
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#225 Words at the Threshold: What We Say as We're Nearing Death – Diane Hullet, Doula, Educator and Founder of Best Life Best Death
This week’s BLBD podcast brings something a little different: it's story time! Listen this week to hear a few of my favorite sections and ideas from this beautiful book by Lisa Smartt, Words at the Threshold: What We Say as We're Nearing Death. As a linguist, she became interested in what people...
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#224 Gaps in Care! What are they? — Dr Bob Uslander of Empowered Endings and True Palliative Care
Are you ready for some real talk about what may be missing in your healthcare experience? Dr. Bob Uslander highlights the “gaps in care” we rarely name — gaps in planning, knowledge, understanding treatment options, and navigating care needs, including hospice. How does poor coordination in our...
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#223 Navigating a Smooth Transition from Hospital to Home Care – Dr Bob Uslander of Empowered Endings
This week, Dr. Uslander and I dive into the often-overlooked transition from hospital to home. How can that shift go more smoothly? What does it really take to understand a discharge summary? And how can families prepare for a period that is so often confusing, rushed, and chaotic? Unfortunately,...
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#222 Creativity, Crafting, Loss and Grief — Lauren Carroll, Co-Founder of La Mort and Deathwives
Starting in her twenties—and quickly shaped by an experience of profound love and loss—Lauren Carroll has devoted her life to the funeral profession and the wider end-of-life field. In guiding people through loss and grief, she’s found that creativity can offer the action we instinctively seek....
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#221 An Invitation to Slow Down – Rhea Mader, Thanatologist, End of Life Practitioner, Meditation and Yoga Nidra guide
Here with the holiday of Thanksgiving in the US in 2025, join us for a chat about Rhea’s experience as a Chaplain, and the idea of finding a bit of slower “turtle time” when we need it. Rhea leads us in a guided meditation in which we can rest, welcome all of ourselves, and let it allll jussst...
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#220 What is the Purpose of Death? Part 2 – David Maginley Psychospiritual Specialist, Author
More from author, cancer survivor and psychospiritual specialist David Maginley! Building on our conversation from last week, David and I continue to explore the impact of Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada. As he says, “This goes far beyond the hospital bed and goes to the heart of our...
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#219 What is the Purpose of Death? Part 1 – David Maginley, Psychospiritual Specialist, Author
Ready for a deep dive? You can’t get much deeper than asking: What is the purpose of death? This episode is about Medical Assistance in Dying, yes, but that is only the avenue in for a next-level discussion. What are the psycho-spiritual dynamics around death? What does it mean that the ego...
About this show
Conversations about mortality -- life, death and what matters most.
Hosted by
Diane Hullet
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