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End of Life Conversations: Normalizing Talk About Death, Dying, and Grief

End of Life Conversations: Normalizing Talk About Death, Dying, and Grief

Written by: Rev Annalouiza Armendariz & Rev Wakil David Matthews
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About this listen

What if we could normalize and destigmatize conversations about death and dying, grief, and the many types of loss in our lives?


In this podcast, we'll share people’s experiences with end-of-life. We have reached out to experts in the field, front-line workers, as well as friends, neighbors, and the community, to have conversations about their experiences with death, dying, grief, and loss.


Our goal is to provide you with information and resources that can help us all navigate and better understand this important subject.


Reverent Mother Annalouiza Armendariz and Reverend Wakil David Matthews have both worked for many years in hospice as chaplains and volunteers, and in funeral services and end-of-life planning and companionship. We offer classes on end-of-life planning, grief counseling, and interfaith (or no faith!) spiritual direction.

We would love to hear your feedback and stories. You can email us at endoflifeconvo@gmail.com.


Please subscribe to our Substack here: https://endoflifeconvos.substack.com

We want to thank Wakil and his wife's children for the wonderful song that begins our programs. And we want to thank our excellent editor, Sam Zemkee. We also acknowledge that we live and work on unceded indigenous peoples' lands. We thank them for their generations of stewardship, which continues to this day, and honor them by doing all we can to create a sustainable planet and support the flourishing of all life, both human and more-than-human.

© 2026 End of Life Conversations: Normalizing Talk About Death, Dying, and Grief Social Sciences Spirituality
Episodes
  • On Call 24/7 | The Difficult Reality of Being a Female Funeral Director: What does it take?

    On Call 24/7 | The Difficult Reality of Being a Female Funeral Director: What does it take?
    Jan 21 2026

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    What does it take for a woman to work and thrive as a funeral director? How difficult is it to work in what has long been a male-dominated profession? Are things changing in the funeral industry now that more women are joining the profession?
    In this episode, Rev Wakil and Rev Annalouiza speak with Lisa Baue, a third-generation funeral director and founder of Your Funeral Coach. They discuss Lisa's journey in the funeral industry, the impact of death on personal identity, the importance of women in leadership roles within the profession, and the significance of dealing with one's own grief and mourning while supporting others. Lisa shares insights on pre-planning funerals, the challenges faced in the funeral profession, and the future of funeral services with more young female professionals. She shares insights into how these roles, like ministry, often require unpredictable schedules and nights on call, which can impact personal well-being. We explore strategies for professional development and career guidance, emphasizing the importance of support for career women in the funeral industry.

    Learn more or purchase her book here: Wake-Up Calls by Lisa Baue.

    Funeral Women Lead Foundation

    Join the community to keep the conversation going. Please subscribe, and we'd deeply appreciate it if you chose to support us financially.

    Subscribers will have access to premium content, special online meet-ups, and subscriber chats.

    Support the show

    You can find us on SubStack, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and BlueSky. You are also invited to subscribe to support us financially. Anyone who supports us at any level will have access to Premium content, special online meet-ups, and one on one time with Annalouiza or Wakil.

    And we would love your feedback and want to hear your stories. You can email us at endoflifeconvo@gmail.com.
    Show More Show Less
    40 mins
  • Kicking the Bucket Podcast with Andee Kinzy

    Kicking the Bucket Podcast with Andee Kinzy
    Jan 14 2026

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    You can view this as a video on YouTube! We encourage you to do so and to like and subscribe to our channel. And it really helps our statistics if you listen all the way to the end.

    In this engaging conversation, Andee Kinzy, creator of the Kicking the Bucket podcast, discusses the importance of addressing caregiving and end-of-life topics through humor and storytelling. The podcast aims to empower families to have difficult conversations about death, using fiction as a tool to facilitate these discussions. Kinsey shares her personal experiences with death, the creative process behind the podcast, and the challenges of engaging audiences in serious topics. The conversation highlights the significance of community engagement through listening clubs and the role of humor in navigating the complexities of death.

    Special early access for End of Life Conversations with Annalouiza and Wakil listeners!
    While Kicking the Bucket makes its way through the festival circuit, you get exclusive early access before the public release.
    Unlock it here: https://improvedarts.org/kickingthebucketpodcast
    Access Code: KTBPODEOLCON

    • Website: https://improvedarts.org/kickingthebucketpodcast
    • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kickingthebucketpodcast
    • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kickingthebucketpodcast
    • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kickingthebucketpodcast
    • LinkedIn (Podcast Page): https://www.linkedin.com/company/kicking-the-bucket-podcast
    • LinkedIn (Andee Kinzy): https://www.linkedin.com/in/andeekinzy

    Support the show

    You can find us on SubStack, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and BlueSky. You are also invited to subscribe to support us financially. Anyone who supports us at any level will have access to Premium content, special online meet-ups, and one on one time with Annalouiza or Wakil.

    And we would love your feedback and want to hear your stories. You can email us at endoflifeconvo@gmail.com.
    Show More Show Less
    44 mins
  • The Difference That Changes Everything | Psychological Healing When a Cure Isn't Possible

    The Difference That Changes Everything | Psychological Healing When a Cure Isn't Possible
    Jan 7 2026

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    You can view this as a video on YouTube! We encourage you to do so and to like and subscribe to our channel. And it really helps our statistics if you listen all the way to the end.

    In this conversation, we speak with Cobie Whitten, a psycho-oncology consultant, about her experiences with death, the importance of emotional, psychological, and spiritual support for cancer patients and their caregivers. We explore the distinct difference between healing and cure, noting that they are not interchangeable. Cobie shares her profound experiences facilitating Harmony Retreats, describing it as the most significant healing journey imaginable, emphasising how a wellness retreat can foster personal growth and contribute positively to mental health, highlighting that true healing goes beyond mere physical recovery.

    We discuss the need for open conversations about death and dying. The dialogue emphasises the importance of quality of life, self-care, and living authentically in the face of terminal illness.

    Please take a few moments to fill out our audience survey.

    Harmony Hill Retreats

    Book - Talking About Death Won't Kill You

    Author Irvin Yalom's Website

    Support the show

    You can find us on SubStack, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and BlueSky. You are also invited to subscribe to support us financially. Anyone who supports us at any level will have access to Premium content, special online meet-ups, and one on one time with Annalouiza or Wakil.

    And we would love your feedback and want to hear your stories. You can email us at endoflifeconvo@gmail.com.
    Show More Show Less
    37 mins
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