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 made this podcast. From death doulas to casket companies to grief experts to morticians, I'm talking to them all.
Episodes
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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…
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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,...
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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,...
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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...
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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…
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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…
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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,...
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Pet Loss Grief? There’s a New App for That!
What happens when success no longer feels meaningful and grief changes everything? In this episode, we talk with entrepreneur-turned-death doula Phil Benavides, who walked away from a thriving tech company after experiencing multiple personal losses during COVID. What followed was a complete life...
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It's Not "Just a Pet": The Silent Stigma of Pet Loss with Koryn
When we lose a human loved one, society rolls out a "red carpet" of support. Meals are delivered, bereavement leave is granted, and our grief is validated. But when a "soul dog" or a beloved feline companion passes, pet parents are often met with silence, awkwardness, or the dismissive sentiment...
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Cremation ... By Water? Philip Flores, Jr., on Aquamation
More families are asking about water cremation, but very few people actually understand how it works. In this episode of Dying to Know More, we talk with Philip Flores, Jr., a pioneer in the aquamation industry, about the science, ethics, and growing demand for this environmentally conscious...
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"I Grew Up in a Funeral Home"
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...
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Mandy Benoualid is Giving Memorials a Much-Needed Makeover
Mandy Benoualid, founder of Keeper and Talk Death, shares what led her to reimagine and modernize the memorial space. She also shares the most popular article on Talk Death for 11 years running, her most profound experiences in this space and more. Enjoy this enlightening episode of Dying to Know...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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…
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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...
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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...
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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,...
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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…
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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 woman....
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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...
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Paranormal Investigator Gina Black of SheHaunts.com
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...
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The Most Innovative Tool Helping People Navigate Grief
Rhea Perkins is the founder of Away Message and Ask Robin, two tech tools that are designed to help people navigate the loss of a loved one and the subsequent grief. On this episode, she shares her own tales of loss and how as she can no longer hear her mother's voice, it sparked these two...
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Why I'm Dying to Know More
For anyone who has asked why I make this podcast and am so interested in death, here you go.
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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...
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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…
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Basics of the Funeral Rule — and Why You Should Care
Learn about the Funeral Rule and how the FTC put rules in place to offer consumer protection during funeral planning. This video explains your consumer rights and the importance of price transparency when working with a funeral home. The funeral rule ensures fair practices during one of life's…
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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...
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The Critical Role of Embalming During the Civil War
Embalming has a critical role in history dating back centuries. In this DTKM Mini, we discuss how the Egyptians really put embalming on the map, and then we journey through history and look at how critical this science became during the Civil War, and finally we take a critical look at its...
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What is a Digital Afterlife? A DTKM Mini Episode
Before the internet, when someone died, the only things they left behind were tangible belongings and treasured memories. Today, though, when you die, you leave an entire digital footprint behind. It's called your digital afterlife, and it's actually becoming something people are becoming more…
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The Fascinating History and Timeline of Obituaries
Discover the fascinating history of obituaries—how they began, what they reveal about society, and how they’ve evolved into modern storytelling. This episode explores their role as both public record and personal tribute.
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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...
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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…
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Lisa Pahl, Founder 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…
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Suzanne Kilpatrick, Death Doula
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. SHOW NOTES: Center for Conscious Living and Dying -...
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Kelly Roberts, Founder of SendOff
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. SHOW NOTES: SendOff : Funerals Reimagined:...
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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 made this podcast. From death doulas to casket companies to grief experts to morticians, I'm talking to them all.
HOSTED BY
Ashley Haugen
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Dying to Know More have?
Dying to Know More currently has 37 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 made this podcast. From death doulas to casket companies to grief experts to morticians, I'm talking to them all.
How often does Dying to Know More release new episodes?
Dying to Know More has 37 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.
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