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In this episode, I’m joined by Ladybird Morgan and Sonya Dolan of Mettle Health, where we explore what it means to accompany others through dying, grief, and the tender work of being human.

You might be wondering why I recorded an episode on death and grief, and how that fits into Motherlands, which began as a resource for the families I support through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

What I’ve slowly come to realize is that Motherlands has grown into a deeper calling to hold honest, sometimes uncomfortable, conversations on caregiving as a personal, collective, and ecological practice.

As someone who has walked closely with death in my own life, I no longer want to meet it with fear. And the more I talk about it, the more I realize it’s something we need to discuss openly as a community.

I know this episode might not be the easiest one to press play on. But sometimes the conversations we avoid are the ones we need the most. Because the truth is, death touches all of us. It doesn’t wait for the right moment.It doesn’t ask permission. It arrives suddenly, messy, and it changes everything.

We talk about how to show up for someone in deep loss.How to comfort them, without trying to fix anything; by being a loving presence.How to support children in understanding what death means.How to be with people whose pain might look different than yours.

These are the life skills that aren’t really taught but all of us will need.

Sonya’s path into hospice and palliative care began with personal loss, shaped further by her own experience as a breast cancer survivor. With a background in hospice administration, she co-founded Mettle Health alongside BJ Miller, and brings a rare, heart-forward perspective on caregiving both professionally and personally.

Ladybird is a nurse, social worker, and end of life care practitioner with over two decades of experience supporting people through profound life transitions. She’s worked with organizations like Mettle Health, Doctors Without Borders, Zen Hospice Project, and co-founded The Humane Prison Hospice Project. Her work is rooted in contemplative practice, psychedelic care, and deep presence.

This podcast is only made possible by the support of this community. Please show you support by becoming paid subscriber at keelysemler.substack.com.

3:22 The gap areas in end-of-life care

10:25 Seeing people’s wholeness, both inside and outside of systems

14:34 How to offer support to someone dealing with health issues

21:16 Talking to children about death

31:39 Cultural and moral understanding of death and its impact on care

36:12 Embracing vs fearing or avoiding death

Behind Closed Doors Extended Interview includes:

43:57 Creating space for conversations around suffering and pain

50:05 How to allow for end-of-life conversations with clinicians and families

56:15 Finding ways to connect through terminal illness

1:01:18 Keeping a loved one alive after their death

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