PODCAST · society
Dying to Know More
by Ashley Haugen
Let's start at the end. No one talks about death, and yet it's something we're all going to do at some point. I'm dying to know more about all facets of death , so that's why I launched the podcast. From death doulas to casket companies to grief experts to industry disruptors and so much more, we're talking about it all!And tune in for the new DTKM Minis, bite-sized episodes that dive into various related topics and give a high-level yet meaningful view in five minutes or less.
Episodes
-
What Funeral Directors Wish You Knew About Death, Grief, and Their Work
Most people will work with a funeral director at some point in their lives, but few of us know what the job is really like.In this episode, we chat with Allyse Worland, a first-generation funeral director, embalmer, National Funeral Directors Association spokesperson, and leader at Gather, to…
more -
Author Mindy Merrell Dishes on the The Dark Side of Biscuit and Cornbread Culture
In this episode of Dying to Know More, I welcome cookbook author, "Chopped" winner and culinary historian Mindy Merrell to explore the surprising, forgotten links between Southern staples, public health, and mortality.Mindy breaks down the historical dark side of self-rising flour and cornmeal,...
-
Dan the Funeral Man on Going Viral, Funeral Myths, and Putting the Fun in Funeral
If you've spent any time on TikTok or Instagram lately, there's a good chance you've come across Dan the Funeral Man strutting down a short red carpet with an urn in hand. What started as a creative way to talk about death care has turned into a viral phenomenon, complete with runway walks,...
-
HK Lee Makes the Case for Conservation Burial
What if the most environmentally friendly thing you ever do happens after you die?In this episode of Dying to Know More, we talk with HK Lee, founder of Aeon Woods Conservation Cemetery, about her mission to create the first conservation natural burial cemetery in New York's Hudson Valley. She...
-
70% of Americans Have No Estate Plan. Jill Mastroianni Works to Change That.
Seventy percent of Americans have no estate plan at all, but according to estate planning attorney Jill Mastroianni, the biggest mistake isn't having the wrong documents. It's assuming everyone needs the same plan.In this episode of "Dying to Know More," Jill breaks down the estate planning…
more -
What the Dying Teach Us About Living
What can people facing the end of life teach the rest of us about living right now? In this episode of Dying to Know More, palliative care chaplain Cody Hufstedler shares what he’s learned from hundreds of deathbed conversations as well as the intimate conversations he's had with terminal…
more -
Grief, Guilt, and Letting Go: A Raw Conversation About Suicide Loss
What happens when grief hits all at once, and how do you survive it? In this episode of Dying to Know More, author Samantha Rose shares the raw, disorienting reality of losing her mother to suicide and the unexpected ways she found healing.An Emmy Award-winning writer and bestselling author,...
-
What Growing Up in a Funeral Home Taught Katie Radel About Life
Growing up in a funeral home is more than just a "fun fact," it can provide a life-altering perspective on how to live. Growing up in her family's third-generation funeral home taught Katie Radel so many beautiful lessons about living that can only be found by witnessing death.In this episode of...
-
A Guide to Caregiving, End-of-Life Planning and Navigating the "Sunset Stage" with Ebony Leary
In this episode of Dying to Know More, we welcome Ebony Leary, founder of My Sunset Doula. As a former hospice nurse and current death doula and end-of-life planning professional, Ebony demystifies the caregiving journey. We discuss the "pink flags" of cognitive decline, how families can access...
-
Dying Authentically: How to Ensure Your True Self is Honored
Death is universal, but the way we are treated in death isn't always equal. On this episode of Dying to Know More, death and grief doula Lauren Seeley explains death literacy, specifically for the LGBTQ+, trans, and sex worker communities, marginalized groups who often face the risk of being...
-
Why I Celebrated My Father's Death (And How I Survived 2025)
"He was the meanest man on earth." Alice Sullivan doesn't hold back in this episode as she recounts the moment she found out her abusive father had passed away—and why she and her siblings toasted with margaritas.But 2025 had more in store. From navigating a $17,000 "hoarder house" cleanup to...
-
Living with Stage 4 Cancer: Melanie Ezell's Journey of Courage, Boundaries, and Presence
In this deeply moving conversation, Melanie Ezell shares her experience living with stage 4 ovarian cancer since 2022 while raising her 5-year-old son Velzy. A former yoga instructor, surfer, and athlete with the BRCA1 genetic mutation, Melanie offers profound insights on mortality, motherhood…
more -
He Scatters Ashes at Sea for a Living. Here's What Happens When We Let Go.
Captain Steve Ferdinando never imagined he'd be scattering ashes at sea for a living. But after 20 years in the fleet lease business, a simple request from a friend changed everything and led him to found Ashes2Oceans, a company helping families say goodbye on the water.In this episode, Captain...
-
The Funeral Registry That's Changing How We Support Grieving Families | GiveWillow.com Founders
When Janet Turkula lost her father at 21, she and her siblings faced an impossible situation: planning a funeral they couldn't afford while trying to grieve. Years later, when a friend's family faced the same struggle, Janet discovered there was no modern way to help — no gift registry for...
-
Becky Robison on What Really Happens When Your Parents Die
When Becky Robinson lost both her parents within three years, she discovered the overwhelming chaos of settling an estate, even when her parents had planned ahead. From death certificates to "ghost cars" titled to deceased parents, from medallion signature guarantees to probate court confusion,...
-
What No One Tells You About Wills, Trusts, and What Happens to Your Stuff When You Die
In this episode, we talk with estate planning attorney Will Ha of William Ha Law. He shares his keen insights on what a trust is and does, the hassles of probate, determining guardianship, advanced directives and so much more. Plus he explains common misconceptions that people have regarding…
more -
What Being a Deputy Coroner is Really Like: Clair Valeriano Tells All
On this episode of Dying to Know More, Deputy Coroner Clair Valeriano shares what it's really like to work the scene of a death, her favorite part of her job, and details you may be surprised to find out. Find out more about the fascinating field of forensics with this bright and brilliant...
-
Kristin Scaglione on Anticipatory Grief
We are launching our podcast with our first episode focused on anticipatory grief. We talked with Kristin Scaglione, whose husband Mike passed away on March 1, 2025, after an 18-month battle with lung cancer. She shares what the anticipatory grief was like for her and her children, shares the…
more -
Lisa Pahl, Founder & CEO of The Death Deck
Lisa Pahl is a hospice and emergency medicine social worker. It is through her work that she also became the co-founder and CEO of The Death Deck, a lively game that sparks conversation around death and dying as well as our individual desires for what we want our own end of life experiences to…
more -
What Is Death Anxiety and How You Can Beat It
In this episode, Gwen Taylor, a mom and therapist, shares her personal journey of experiencing fear of death after the tragic and traumatic loss of her mother. Her insights into psychology and mental health offer guidance on emotional healing and navigating grief after a trauma and tragedy. Get…
more -
Ghosts Hauntings, Spirit Energy, and a Bit of Patience: Meet Paranormal Investigator Gina Black
Gina Black is a paranormal investigator and author who has spent the past near-decade learning and teaching about paranormal activity and ghosts. She also recently released her new book, Etched in Stone: Decoding Hidden Meanings in Cemeteries, which uncovers the some fascinating historical facts...
-
What Can We Learn From Dead People? Ask Mary McGreevy!
Mary McGreevy is a lifelong obituary consumer, and on her wildly popular Tips From Dead People social channels, she shares the hidden messages she finds in some of the most moving, humorous, and — as she says — savage obituaries. But it's what she hopes to accomplish by sharing those "tips" that...
-
The Modern Mortician Melissa Meadow Shares Shocking Lessons Learned, Green Burial Intel and More
On this episode of Dying to Know More, The Modern Mortician (aka Melissa Meadow) shares some unreal (shocking, actually, but we don't want to be too dramatic...) stories from her decades in the industry as well as her keen and incredibly beautiful experience in the green burial and eco-friendly...
-
What is a Digital Afterlife? | A Dying to Know More Mini
In the past, people left behind belongings and memories. Today, we also leave a massive digital footprint ... our online lives that continue after we’re gone. This is what’s called a digital afterlife.What happens to your digital legacy when you die? From social media accounts to online assets…
more -
Inside Titan Casket: How Scott Ginsberg & Josh Siegel Are Changing the Funeral Industry
Meet Scott Ginsberg and Josh Siegel of Titan Casket—two men on a mission to bring transparency, choice, and even a little humor to an industry that hasn’t changed in over a century. In this episode, you’ll hear how they’re reshaping funeral planning, explore their one-of-a-kind casket selection...
-
What is a Death Doula? One-on-One With Suzanne Kilpatrick
Death doula and hospice nurse Suzanne Kilpatrick joins the Dying to Know More podcast to share more about what a death doula is and does, the importance of this role in end-of-life transitions, and what led her to do this important work. Center for Conscious Living and Dying -...
-
The History of Embalming | Dying to Know More Mini
In this Dying to Know More Mini episode, we dive into the history of embalming, tracing its origins from ancient Egyptian mummification (and even before!) to the rise of embalming in the Civil War and its place in modern funeral traditions. Learn how embalming shaped the way societies honor the...
-
Dying to Know More Presents: Kelly Roberts of SendOff: Funerals Reimagined
Kelly Roberts is disrupting the funeral industry with his fresh take on funerals. The SendOff founder shares with Dying to Know More listeners what compelled him to launch his company, what a truly customized sendoff can look like, and more.SendOff : Funerals Reimagined:...
-
Talking About Grief With Kristin Keiper-Berneman, Founder of Good Grieve Nashville
On this episode of Dying to Know More, we talk to Kristin Keiper-Berneman, founder of Good Grieve Nashville. She is on a mission to help teacher parents and adults how to help children navigate their grief. Children's grief is much different for adults' grief. She works with families and groups...
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
Let's start at the end. No one talks about death, and yet it's something we're all going to do at some point. I'm dying to know more about all facets of death , so that's why I launched the podcast. From death doulas to casket companies to grief experts to industry disruptors and so much more, we're talking about it all!And tune in for the new DTKM Minis, bite-sized episodes that dive into various related topics and give a high-level yet meaningful view in five minutes or less.
HOSTED BY
Ashley Haugen
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Dying to Know More have?
Dying to Know More currently has 29 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Dying to Know More about?
Let's start at the end. No one talks about death, and yet it's something we're all going to do at some point. I'm dying to know more about all facets of death , so that's why I launched the podcast. From death doulas to casket companies to grief experts to industry disruptors and so much more,...
How often does Dying to Know More release new episodes?
Dying to Know More has 29 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Dying to Know More?
You can listen to Dying to Know More on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Dying to Know More?
Dying to Know More is created and hosted by Ashley Haugen.
URL copied to clipboard!