Podcast
End-of-Life University
Hosted by Karen Wyatt MD · ENGLISH
Dr. Karen Wyatt, hospice physician and author of "7 Lessons for Living from the Dying," interviews experts on all aspects of the end-of-life, including: caring for the dying, funeral and burial practices, planning for the end-of-life, conscious dying, grief and loss, caregiver support, afterlife, death and the arts, and community initiatives to improve end-of-life care. Access show notes at www.eolupodcast.com
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Episodes
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Ep. 559 Healing Grief After Homicide Through After-Death Communication with Jan Canty PhD
3d ago01:03:33Tap to summarizeLearn about the grief experienced by homicide survivors and how some have found comfort through after-death communication with their loved ones. About the guest: My guest Dr. Jan Canty is a psychologist, author, former podcaster, and a homicide survivor. She has written three books related to homicide and grief including her latest book: Rekindled: Healing Grief Through the Science and Experience of After-Death Communication. She shares how she became interested in studying after-death communication through her work supporting homicide survivors, including the scientific basis for these studies. She also discusses The Aftermath Conference: the first-ever national gathering for homicide survivors coming up September 11-13. Learn more at her website: jancantyphd.com Get the book here Watch on YouTube Listen here: In this episode: How Jan became interested in after-death communication through her work with homicide survivors The impact of stigma and taboos about homicide death for survivors Why homicide survivors find after-death communication to be helpful and life-changing How the experience of after-death communication is often pathologized Why reductionistic science can’t fully study something like after-death communication because it can’t be measured How to ask questions about after-death communication Why grief clinicians need to know more about ADC Why these experiences should not be negated or dismissed when patients bring them up Suggestions for people struggling with grief after a homicide death Homicide deaths are usually complicated by the presence of law enforcement and the media Why listening to a homicide survivor is what is needed rather than saying the “right thing” Why Jan is planning a national gathering for homicide survivors and their supporters Links mentioned in this episode: Resources Learn more and Register for The Aftermath Conference Help Texts for people experiencing grief Book recommendation: What Now? Navigating the Aftermath of Homicide and Suicide by Jan Canty PhD Book recommendation: Nothing to Fear by Julie McFadden Related episodes Deathbed Dreams and Visions with Christopher Kerr, MD End-of-Life Visions and Other Experiences with Barbara Karnes RN Shared Death Experiences: How They Transform Dying and Living with William Peters What Really Matters Podcast: My View of the Afterlife Other links 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying by Karen Wyatt MD Latest post on Substack: Letting Go of Guilt What Really Matters Podcast: How Do I Forgive Myself? Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Soul Join the team at Patreon.com/eolu Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal Transcript Jan Canty InterviewDownload
Transcribe →Ep. 558 Filling the Gaps in End-of-Life Education, Support, and Community with Suzanne B. O’Brien RN
1w ago01:05:28Tap to summarizeLearn about the need for more education around death, dying, and grief to help us create more compassionate communities that are better prepared for the end of life. About the guest: My return guest Suzanne O’Brien is the founder and CEO of Doulagivers Institute and a pioneer in the global Death Doula movement. She is the recipient of numerous awards for her contribution to end-of-life care around the world and the author of the book The Good Death: A Guide for Supporting Your Loved Ones Through the End of Life. She discusses why this moment is right for expanding community education and awareness about end-of-life issues and how learning about death can help us fully live. In addition she describes her upcoming free webinar on “Death Doula Secrets” to mentor doulas on Suzanne’s framework for successful death doula business development. Learn more at her website: doulagivers.com Register for Death Doula Secrets Webinar: August 5th August 13th Get the book here. Watch on YouTube Listen here: In this episode: The evolution of end-of-life care and education over the past 15 years How COVID 19 awakened many people to the reality of mortality and exposed gaps in care Families are still largely overwhelmed and uneducated about providing care for their loved ones at end of life How political and healthcare decision-makers remain poorly informed about end of life issues Suzanne’s experience of community death care while traveling in Zimbabwe many years ago and how it informed her current work Why broader cultural change around death and dying requires mass education in our communities We need to help people with their fear of death through education if we want to see more change Options for the management of suffering at the end of life, including terminal sedation, are not fully understood by most people Death is the greatest teacher about how to live The importance of gratitude and presence for bringing meaning to life Links mentioned in this episode: Resources: The Good Death by Suzanne O’Brien RN Doulagivers FREE Level 1 Training The Journey from Ego to Soul by Karen Wyatt MD The Ego and It’s Immortality Projects – What Really Matters Podcast The Path of Presence from the Field Guide to What Really Matters Related episodes: The Good Death: An End-of-Life Guide with Suzanne B. O’Brien RN Training End-of-Life Doulas for the World with Suzanne O’Brien RN Podcast Playlist: Death Education with Karen Wyatt MD Other links: Hospice Wisdom with Barbara Karnes Resource Page 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying by Karen Wyatt MD Latest post on Substack: Letting Go of Guilt What Really Matters Podcast: How Do I Forgive Myself? Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Soul Join the team at Patreon.com/eolu Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal Transcript: Suzanne O’Brien Interview<a href="https://eolupodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Suzanne-OBrien-Intervi...
Transcribe →Ep. 557 The Grieving Body: Loss as a Healing Opportunity with Mary-Frances O’Connor PhD
2w ago01:02:51Tap to summarizeLearn about the impact of grief on the physical body and how the stress of grief and loss can lead to healing. About the guest: My special guest Dr. Mary-Frances O’Connor is a professor of psychology at the University of Arizona, where she directs the Grief, Loss and Social Stress (GLASS) Lab, investigating the effects of grief on the brain and the body. Her book The Grieving Brain was included on Oprah’s list of Best Books to Comfort a Grieving Friend and was the subject of a previous interview on this podcast. Today she discusses her latest book The Grieving Body: How the Stress of Loss Can Be an Opportunity for Healing, which is being released in paperback format on August 1, 2026. Learn more at her website: maryfrancesoconnor.org Get the book here Watch on YouTube Listen here: In this episode: How Mary-Frances was inspired to do research on grief As a society we tend to ignore the body and grief can push us further in that direction Why we need to pay attention to the messages from our bodies, particularly when we are grieving The importances of social connectedness during grief and all of life Sitting with someone who is calm can help us co-regulate when we are stressed in our grief Why bereavement should be a public health issue How we gradually build capacity to carry our grief Why every experience of grief is different for us – and that’s natural and normal How there is a lack of studies on crying in bereavement even though it has multiple functions Emotional tears contain different hormones than irritant tears Cardiovascular events related to acute grief Strategies for managing grief holistically and growing through the process Links mentioned in this episode: Resources Upaya Zen Center: Death / Dying / Grief Upaya Zen Center: Compassion and Love Key Research Publications by Mary-Frances O’Connor PhD Related episodes The Grieving Brain: The Science of Love and Loss with Mary-Frances O’Connor PhD Grief and Bereavement on the Hospice Journey with Barbara Karnes RN Grief 2 Growth: Loss, Consciousness, and Overcoming Racism with Brian Smith Other links Hospice Wisdom with Barbara Karnes Resource Page 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying by Karen Wyatt MD Latest post on Substack: Letting Go of Guilt What Really Matters Podcast: How Do I Forgive Myself? Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Soul Join the team at Patreon.com/eolu Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal Transcript Mary-Frances O’Connor InterviewDownload
Transcribe →Ep. 556 Zen Caregiving: A Mindful Approach to Caring for Others with Roy Remer
3w ago01:06:09Tap to summarizeLearn about mindfulness and compassion-based tools to nurture and empower caregivers as they serve the needs of others. About the guest: Roy Remer is the executive director of the Zen Caregiving Project in San Francisco and the lead creator of the Mindful Caregiving Education curriculum. He is an educator and end-of-life caregiver since 1997 and a dedicated practitioner in the Soto Zen tradition. Roy is also the author of Zen Caregiving: How to Care for Yourself While Caring for Others. Learn more at the website: ZenCaregiving.org Get the book here Watch on YouTube Listen here: In this episode: Being a caregiver is part of the human experience and will affect most of us Caregiving can be a pathway for growth but certain illnesses (especially dementia) can exact a huge toll on caregivers The value of learning genuine presence How this book can help everyone be better prepared in the future to become a caregiver How serving others differs from helping, which is outcome focused Our compassion is incomplete if we don’t also care for ourselves Caregivers do not receive adequate preparation or support physically, emotionally, or spiritually for the task of caring for others Why grief and guilt are common experiences of caregivers Simple rituals for processing grief while providing care Links mentioned in this episode: Resources: Caregiver Self Assessment Questionnaire Caregiver Online Support Circles Guided Meditations for Caregivers Field Guide to What Really Matters: Presence Related episodes: Navigating Life as a Dementia Caregiver with Beverly Thorn PhD Care Boss: Strategies for Family Caregivers with Jennifer A. O’Brien Practical Tools for Home Caregivers with Barbara Karnes RN Contemplative Practices for Death and Grief with Sensei Koshin Paley Ellison Other links: What Really Matters Podcast: Presence – The Most Important Skill for Uncertain Times Hospice Wisdom with Barbara Karnes Resource Page 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying by Karen Wyatt MD Latest post on Substack: We Need Another Word for Grief What Really Matters Podcast: Roses for Tracey and Grief with Wings Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Soul Join the team at Patreon.com/eolu Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal Transcript: Roy Remer InterviewDownload
Transcribe →Ep. 555 Funeral Photography as an Act of Service and Love with Nell Aburto
Jul 1300:58:28Tap to summarizeLearn about the value of preserving photographic memories of funeral services for grief and bereavement. About my guest: Today’s guest is Nell Aburto, a portrait photographer based in Minneapolis MN who offers funeral and memorial photography, which is largely unheard of in this industry. She discusses why people might want to consider hiring a photographer for a funeral service, the benefits of having a photographic record of such a celebration, and what it’s like to work in this profession. Learn more at her website: mnfuneralphotography.com Watch on YouTube Listen here: In this episode: How Nell was inspired to specialize in funeral photography Why it’s nearly impossible for family members to take photographs of a funeral or memorial service How it is still considered taboo by some people to take photos at funerals The benefits she experiences from this work How photographs are an important part of family history How funeral photography can help us normalize death as part of life Why funerals can be a time of transformation and healing Links mentioned in this episode: Resources: Check out the beautiful gallery of photographs on Nell’s website here Continuing Bonds Theory of Grief Related episodes: Still, Life: A Photographic Journey Through Grief with Sarah Treanor Through the Camera Lens: Right, before I die with Andrew George It’s Your Funeral: A “Fun” Guide to Planning for the End of Life with Kathy Benjamin Other links: Hospice Wisdom with Barbara Karnes Resource Page 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying by Karen Wyatt MD Latest post on Substack: We Need Another Word for Grief What Really Matters Podcast: Roses for Tracey and Grief with Wings Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Soul Join the team at Patreon.com/eolu Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal Transcript: Nell Aburto InterviewDownload
Transcribe →Ep. 554 After-Death Communication and Developing Intuition with Purnima Sinha
Jul 601:00:34Tap to summarizeLearn how a near-death experience and after-death communication with her mother led to increased spiritual awareness and intuition for Purnima. About my guest: My guest Purnima Sinha has certificates in LifeStyle Medicine and Meditation & Psychotherapy for the Harvard School of Medicine. She taught meditation to patients for many years and has been researching consciousness for over three decades. Today she discusses the mystical experiences she has had throughout her life including after-death communication with her mother following her death. She has assisted many people at the end of life and has taught many others how to access and utilize intuition. Watch on YouTube Listen here: In this episode: How her mother’s death and after-death communication was a catalyst for her spiritual growth How her parents early teaching about karma and seva have influenced her life Why forgiveness played an important role in her spiritual transformation The nature of her near-death experience How she started receiving messages from her mother Why fear makes it impossible to receive after-death or intuitive communication Why love and gratitude are the best practices to cultivate in your life How the mind and the ego can interfere with receiving guidance Links mentioned in this episode: Resources: International Association for Near Death Studies – IANDS.org Hello from Heaven Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle Surviving Death – Netflix Series Related episodes: Helping “Stuck Souls” Cross Over with Father Nathan Castle The Afterlife of Billy Fingers and Learning About Life and Death with Annie Kagan Leave Your Light On: The Life and Afterlife of Ryder Buck with Shelley Buck and Kathy Curtis Other links: The Path of Forgiveness (from the Field Guide to What Really Matters) 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying by Karen Wyatt MD Latest post on Substack: We Need Another Word for Grief What Really Matters Podcast: Roses for Tracey and Grief with Wings Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Soul Join the team at Patreon.com/eolu Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal Transcript: Purnima Sinha InterviewDownload
Transcribe →Ep. 553 Compassionate Schools: Education on Illness, Dying, and Grief for Children with Dr. Sally Paul and Bert Quintiens
Jun 2900:58:31Tap to summarizeLearn how the Compassionate Schools model can foster better support for children and young people experiencing grief, illness and loss.. About the guests: My guests Dr. Sally Paul and Bert Quintiens have developed a how-to guide for Compassionate Schools that we discuss in today’s conversation. Sally is a Senior Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland where she teaches and researches in the areas of bereavement, death education, and public health approaches to palliative care. Bert is a researcher at the End-of-Life Care Research Group at Vrije Universiteit in Brussels, Belgium. He focuses on Compassionate Communities and Compassionate Cities and how initiatives like Compassionate Schools can help normalize conversations about death and caregiving. Get the Compassionate Schools How to Guide at the link below: Compassionate Schools How-To Guide Watch on YouTube Listen here: In this episode: What is a Compassionate School Why is it important for schools to address the existence of death and grief for students and staff Children can cope with difficult situations when given age-appropriate information Why culture change can happen faster with a “bottom up” approach How each compassionate school is unique and meets the particular needs of a community Tips for introducing Compassionate Schools to your community Obstacles and resistance to this work Why it’s important to start with small goals like placing books on death and grief in the school library How to support teachers in having conversations with grieving children Links mentioned in this episode: Resources: The Resilience Project | Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief Bereavement Charter Mark for primary schools | Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief Compassionate Schools: A How-to Guide – The European Learning Network, Compassionate Schools – University of Strathclyde (Guide available in multiple languages on this page) Related Episodes: Compassionate Communities and End-of-Life Care with Elizabeth Johnson, Erin Collins and Qwynn Galloway-Salazar How to Help Children With Grief and Talk to Them About Death with Joe Primo Trauma, Grief and Resilience for Children in 2020 with Linda Goldman Other Links: Hospice Wisdom with Barbara Karnes Resource Page 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying by Karen Wyatt MD Latest post on Substack: We Need Another Word for Grief What Really Matters Podcast: Roses for Tracey and Grief with Wings Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Soul Join the team at Patreon.com/eolu Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal Transcript: Sally Paul and Bert Quintiens InterviewDownload
Transcribe →Ep. 552 Drummer Girl: How a Child’s Near-Death Experience Changed Her Life
Jun 2200:51:15Tap to summarizeLearn how a childhood near-death experience sparked a lifelong search for spiritual meaning in life and death. About the guest: My guest Sally Dukes has been a small business owner, psychotherapist, editor, and middle school teacher and she is also the author of a newly published memoir titled drummer girl: A Story of Life After Death. The book tells the story of Sally’s near-death experience as a child and how it changed her thoughts on life and death and inspired a lifelong spiritual journey. She discusses the book and the travel stories that are highlighted within it while expressing her hope that readers will come away with less fear of death. Learn more at her website: sallydukes.com Get the book here Watch on YouTube Listen here: In this episode: The story of Sally’s NDE at age 3 How wanting to understand that experience fueled her search throughout life The isolation experienced after such an extraordinary event that others don’t understand Why she views it as a sacred experience How medicine can pathologize occurrences that can’t be explained rationally Sally’s travels in India and Burma Why she no longer fears death Links for this episode: Resources: What Really Matters episode: My View of the Afterlife Proof of Heaven and the Afterlife with Dr. Eben Alexander EOLU recording: Supernatural Stories from the Dreams of a Hospice Physician Related Episodes: Near-Death Experiences and Healthcare with Heidi Walsh and Lilia Samoilo NDE’s and After-Death Communication in Hospice Work with Scott Janssen Other Links: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying by Karen Wyatt MD Latest post on Substack: We Need Another Word for Grief What Really Matters Podcast: Roses for Tracey and Grief with Wings Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Soul Join the team at Patreon.com/eolu Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal Sally Dukes InterviewDownload
Transcribe →Ep. 551 Spiritual Bypassing and Complicated Grief with Dr. Terri Daniel
Jun 1501:00:17Tap to summarizeLearn about a symposium on spiritual bypassing in situations of grief and bereavement and why it’s important to look at this. About the guest: My return guest this week is Dr. Terri Daniel who is an end-of-life educator, inter-spiritual hospice chaplain, and grief counselor. She is the founder of the Conference on Death, Grief and Belief and the Ask Doctor Death podcast. Over the years she has helped thousands of people learn to live, die and grieve more consciously while exploring the intersection of psychology and spirituality, and the influence of toxic theology on the experience of dying and grieving. She is the author of four books on death and grief. Today we discuss spiritual bypassing which is the focus of Terri’s upcoming online Symposium on July 25th. Learn more about the Symposium and Terri’s work at the website: deathgriefandbelief.com Watch on YouTube Listen here: In this episode: What is spiritual bypassing? There is both positive and negative religious coping Positive coping involves taking action toward restoration When spiritual bypassing may serve a positive purpose Bereavement assessment tools and their usefulness Characteristics of various types of spiritual struggle Prolonged grief vs complicated grief The importance of community and ritual for addressing grief Instrumental vs intuitive grieving Some questions like “Why did God let this happen” can never be answered Links for this episode: Resources: Register for the Symposium here Book: Wild and Holy – A Journey Through Grief, Guilt, and Grace in Italy Substack Post: How the Fear of Death Makes Us Easier to Manipulate What Really Matters Podcast: What’s the Difference Between Belief and Faith? What Really Matters Podcast: What is Toxic Positivity? Related Episodes: How Religion Can Harm the Grief Process with Terri Daniel Understanding the Fear of Death with Kelvin Chin Other Links: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying by Karen Wyatt MD Latest post on Substack: Grief Stew, Bypassing Pain, and Talking to AI What Really Matters Podcast: Grieving the Chosen Goodbye Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Soul Join the team at Patreon.com/eolu Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu. And thanks to Donna Stafford for making a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free. Transcript: Terri Daniel InterviewDownload
Transcribe →Ep. 550 Changing the Culture Around Palliative Care with Jared Rubenstein MD
Jun 800:49:56Tap to summarizeLearn how this doctor’s animated videos are helping to share information and create culture change around palliative care in medicine and in the public at large. About the Guest: My guest Dr. Jared Rubenstein is a pediatric palliative care doctor and medical educator. He uses metaphor, animation, and satire to help people get comfortable with challenging topics. He is the program director for the Baylor College of Medicine Pediatric Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship. He discusses his passion for teaching all healthcare workers how to incorporate palliative care into their work and improving the acceptance of palliative care for both the public and the medical system, using animated videos. Learn more at his website and watch his videos on YouTube: jaredrubensteinmd.com Check out his YouTube Channel Watch this interview on YouTube Listen here: In this episode: How his childhood paved the way for his current work How he uses animated videos to teach about palliative care Why we need to change the public image of palliative care and the healthcare system at the same time How to talk to doctors who resist palliative care referrals How both palliative care and hospice are underutilized because of late referrals The need for short pitches to share information about palliative care in various situations (including cocktail parties!) Why palliative care is now truly the standard of care The need to change the toxic culture of overwork in medicine Links for this episode: Resources: Dr. Jared Rubenstein on Instagram: @drjrubenstein Substack Post: The Minimalist Approach to the End of Life Substack Post: The Weight No One Sees – Hidden Grief and Guilt in Healers What Really Matters Podcast: The Hidden Work of Bearing Bad News Related episodes: How to Train Your Doctor with Dr. Matthew Tyler Palliative Care: What’s Needed Now and in the Future with Dr. John Mulder Addressing Inequity in Palliative Care with Dr. Kelli Stajduhar Other links: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying by Karen Wyatt MD Latest post on Substack: What I Didn’t Understand About Medical Aid in Dying What Really Matters Podcast: Grieving the Chosen Goodbye Leave me a message by email: kwyattmd@comcast.net, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Support your local bookstore by buying my books on Bookshop and Indiebound: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying and The Journey from Ego to Soul Join the team at Patreon.com/eolu Buy me a coffee Donate on Paypal If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu. And thanks to Jenna for buying me 3 coffees and Kathleen Ginn for making a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free. Transcript: Jared Rubenstein MD InterviewDownload
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