The Other Side with Michael Phoenix

In Episode 5 of The Other Side, I sit down with grief author and speaker Doris Zagdanski.After the heartbreaking loss of her daughter Claire to cot death, and a disappointing experience with a funeral director, Doris found a new purpose supporting others through grief. Over the decades, she has become one of Australia's most respected voices on bereavement, speaking to funeral professionals, celebrants, community groups, and even training the Queensland Police.I'm sure you'll appreciate Doris's authenticity, as well as her practical advice on how to deal with grief, and how to support others who are going through their own grief journey.

Welcome back to The Other Side. I’m your host Michael Phoenix, and today I have a truly inspiring guest - Carly Dalton, the founder of Greenhaven Funerals in Mordialloc. Carly began her career in HR, but after a personal loss, she had a less-than-ideal with a funeral director that inspired her to create something different. For 14 years, she’s been helping families with care and compassion, and now she’s on a mission to empower others to follow in her footsteps.

In Episode 3 of The Other Side, I sit down with mortician and embalmer Sofiya Bouabdullah, owner of Melbourne Mortuary, for a deeply honest conversation about death, grief, and finding purpose in the most unexpected places.Growing up in a Muslim family, Sofiya always felt drawn toward caring for the dead. But at just 12 years old, after witnessing someone take their own life in front of a train, that calling became undeniable.In this episode, Sofiya shares her journey into the mortuary industry, what it’s really like working with the deceased, and the emotional responsibility of supporting families during their darkest moments.

Welcome back to The Other Side Podcast with Michael Phoenix.This podcast is all about the conversations we don’t have often enough - about life, death, grief, purpose, and what it really means to be human.Today’s guest is someone who’s difficult to describe in just one sentence. Warren Roberts is the founder and CEO of Living Legacy Forest, but beyond the title, he’s a visionary. A dreamer. A deeply creative person who wears his heart on his sleeve and isn’t afraid to speak openly about life’s biggest questions.This conversation was raw, honest, emotional at times, and incredibly inspiring. We spoke about legacy, meaning, the fear of death, human connection, and the power of creating something bigger than yourself.Warren has a unique way of seeing the world - and whether you agree with every idea or not, you can’t help but be moved by the passion and authenticity he brings to the conversation.I think this episode will resonate with anyone who’s ever felt different, anyone chasing a vision that others don’t yet understand, or anyone searching for deeper meaning in life.So wherever you’re listening from, thank you for being here.

In this episode of The Other Side, I sit down with Mike Larkan - a name many Melbournians will recognise from his years as the weatherman on Channel 10. But today, Mike is walking a very different path as a funeral celebrant.We explore his unexpected career transition, what drew him into the world of end-of-life ceremonies, and the lessons he's learnt along the way.