What if the healing you’ve been chasing for years… could happen in a single moment?

In this episode, Jennifer Muldowney sits down with Dr. Irene to explore something deeply human, the need for closure, connection, and peace after loss. Irene shares her work around the psychomanteum, a quiet, sensory-deprived space designed to help people feel close to loved ones who have passed. But what unfolds in that space isn’t always what you’d expect.

What makes this conversation powerful isn’t just the idea of connecting with the afterlife. It’s the reminder that so much of what we carry, grief, anger, longing, is waiting to be released. And sometimes, all we really need is the space to face it honestly..

Key Topics:

-Processing grief and emotional pain through immersive experiences

-Letting go of the need for validation from loved ones who have passed

-Creating space to express unspoken words and unresolved feelings

-Understanding how inner healing can happen without external confirmation

-Exploring alternative ways people seek connection, closure, and peace

Quotes from the episode:

“There is no white knight on a white horse coming to rescue you, you have to rescue yourself.”

— Jennifer Muldowney

I spent my whole life trying to be good enough… and in that moment, I realized I already was.

— Irene Blinston

Timestamps:

[01:05] The Research Behind Contacting the Dead: Irene explains how her work in transpersonal psychology led her to study the psychomanteum, a sensory-deprivation chamber designed to help grieving people connect with loved ones who have passed.

[02:20] 92% of Participants Felt Their Grief Reduce: The astonishing research result behind the book, showing that most participants experienced meaningful relief, and that the change lasted over time.

[03:12] What Actually Happens Inside the Chamber: Some people felt a presence. Others saw colors, symbols, images, or even apparitions. This is where the episode moves from theory into the truly fascinating.

[09:08] The Father Wound That Healed in One Session: Irene shares the deeply personal moment that changed her life, releasing a lifelong need for her father’s approval and replacing it with something far more powerful.

[13:11] No One Is Coming to Rescue You: A moving reflection on self-worth, healing, and the hard truth that real peace begins when you stop waiting for validation from other people.

[14:10] Who This Experience Is Not For: An important and grounded discussion on safety, mental health screening, and why this kind of work must be handled with great care.

[19:06] Becoming Your Own Medium: Irene explains what makes this work so different, and why having the experience yourself can be more powerful than hearing messages through someone else.

[21:05] Can This Become a Real Healing Practice?: Irene shares her vision for rebuilding, training facilitators, and turning this rare work into something more available for people who are grieving.

Connect with Irene Blinston at:

Websites -support@portaltohealinggrief.com

Connect with Jennifer/The Glam Reaper on socials at:

Instagram - / jennifermuldowney

TikTok - / therealglamreaper

YouTube - / @theglamreapermuldowney

LinkedIn - / jennifermuldowney

Facebook Page - / muldowneymemorials

Email us - glamreaperpodcast@gmail.com

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What happens when the people who stand beside grief every day are expected to carry it quietly?

In this episode, Jennifer Muldowney sits down with Dwight, a former funeral director turned therapist, for a deeply honest conversation about the emotional toll of working in death care. Having lived both roles, Dwight speaks with real understanding about what funeral professionals hold day after day, the sorrow they witness, the stories they carry, and the parts of themselves they often have to set aside just to keep going.

Together, they talk about how little support exists for the mental health of people in funeral service, and how often their pain goes unseen. They explore the silence, the stigma, and the weight of doing work that asks so much from the heart while giving so little room to process it. This episode also shines a light on the importance of community, shared understanding, and spaces like Funeral Professional Peer Support where people can finally feel less alone.

Tune in for a moving conversation about grief, compassion, and what it means to care for others when no one has taught you how to care for yourself.

Key Topics:

-The hidden mental health toll of funeral work
-Why funeral professionals often suffer in silence
-The lack of real support for people in death care
-How stigma keeps funeral directors in the shadows
-The need for research, resources, and peer support in funeral service

Quotes from the episode:

“If we would just face the fact that we are dying, we live better and we love more.”
— Jennifer Muldowney

“No one in these mental health spaces are talking about funeral directors. And that to me is alarming."
— Dwight Thompson

Timestamps:

[01:43] Funeral Professionals Are Human Too
[03:18] Dwight’s Journey from Funeral Work to Therapy
[06:49] Seeking Help and Not Being Understood
[08:37] The Gap in Mental Health Training
[09:36] Why Funeral Directors Are Not First Responders
[14:31] The Overlooked Reality of Funeral Service
[17:58] Stigma Around Death Care Work
[21:20] The Power of Peer Support
[33:02] Why the System Needs Outside Help
[36:26] What Comes Next for the Industry

Connect with Dwight Thompson at:
Websites - https://www.funeralpeersupport.ca/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dwight-thompson-msw-rsw-rmft-s-31160621a/
Email: dwight@ottawapsychotherapyservices.ca

Connect with Jennifer/The Glam Reaper on socials at:
Instagram - / jennifermuldowney
TikTok - / therealglamreaper
YouTube - / @theglamreapermuldowney
LinkedIn - / jennifermuldowney
Facebook Page - / muldowneymemorials
Email us - glamreaperpodcast@gmail.com
Shop Merch - https://the-glam-reaper.printify.me/p...
Listen to The Glam Reaper Podcast on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
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In this season six premiere, Jennifer Muldowney welcomes viral sensation and dear friend Vivienne Sayers for a St. Patrick’s Day conversation that goes beyond surface-level celebration. Together, they explore the bittersweet soul of Ireland, from red carpets like the Oscars to the sacred traditions of the Irish wake. They unpack why Irish culture has long been a masterclass in holding both joy and deep, generational grief at the same time.

They dive into the power of visceral storytelling through films like Hamnet, share the hilarious realities of being Irish in New York, including a mortifying run-in with Ed Sheeran, and reflect on how Irish identity is evolving. The conversation highlights how the traditional Irish funeral is entering a “chrysalis stage,” shifting alongside changing beliefs and modern perspectives. They also challenge the drinking stereotypes tied to St. Patrick’s Day, encouraging a return to deeper roots like language, community, and the ancient practice of keening.

Tune in for a celebration of the “Yin and Yang” of the Emerald Isle: the heart that smiles, the soul that cries, and the community that holds it all together.

Key Topics:

The Dual Soul: Navigating the “tear and the smile” in Irish culture

Keening and The Craic: The role of professional mourners and the social nature of Irish wakes

The Modern Irish Identity: Moving beyond stereotypes and reclaiming language and heritage

Generational Trauma vs Wealth: How history shapes emotional expression and resilience

Wake 2.0: Why funerals and life itself require community, connection, and presence

Quotes from the episode:

"There’s room for everyone at the table, no matter what industry... even if you're bloody identical twins, they still create their own corners of the world for themselves."

— Jennifer Muldowney

"America has generational wealth; Ireland has generational trauma. And we totally laugh about it, but... we are looking to broaden the Irish narrative of who we are as people."

— Vivienne Sayers

Timestamps:

[02:16] Irish Excellence: Discussing the Oscars, the Rugby Triple Crown, and Jessie Buckley’s visceral performance in Hamnet.

[05:57] The "So Irish" Airport Encounter: A red carpet for celebrities, but no one to help with the heavy lifting.

[07:54] The Ed Sheeran Incident: A hilarious story of mortification and mocking a global superstar to his face in Williamsburg.

[10:33] The Irish in NYC: Why Irish people message you after they see you in a bar rather than approaching directly.

[14:09] The Social Event of the Season: Why the rural Irish funeral is a communal milestone worth preserving.

[16:13] The Chrysalis Stage: How declining church influence is changing funeral experiences for younger generations.

[19:06] Beyond the Green Beer: A call to support Irish culture, language, and businesses.

[25:32] Corned Beef vs Boiled Ham: The contrast between Irish-American traditions and growing up in Ireland.

[29:26] The Art of Keening: Exploring the history of the Bean Chaointe and the lasting impact of ritual mourning.

Connect with Vivienne Sayers at:

Websites - https://viviennesayers.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vivienne_in_nyc/

Connect with Jennifer/The Glam Reaper on socials at:

Instagram - / jennifermuldowney

TikTok - / therealglamreaper

YouTube - / @theglamreapermuldowney

LinkedIn - / jennifermuldowney

Facebook Page - / muldowneymemorials

Email us - glamreaperpodcast@gmail.com

Shop Merch - https://the-glam-reaper.printify.me/p

Listen to The Glam Reaper Podcast on Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast

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