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I was first introduced to Caitlin Doughty through the Ask a Mortician YouTube channel in 2012. Caitlin Doughty is a mortician, advocate, and bête noire of the traditional funeral industry. In 2011 she founded the funeral reform collective The Order of the Good Death, which has spawned the death positive movement. Her educational web series "Ask a Mortician" has been viewed almost 200 million times and all three of her books Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, From Here to Eternity, and Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? were New York Times bestsellers.
Caitlin was the first funeral director (and might I add first female funeral director) that I ever saw articulacy, honestly and publicly discuss the good, bad, and ugly about the death care industry while challenging the way we “do death” in this country. She was also the first person to encourage me to expand my blogspot.com blog into a YouTube page. Over the years I have watched not only her YouTube channel, but she and her career blossom. The thing that I respect most about Caitlin is that though she has amassed countless supporters through her books, social media, public speaking and non-profit, she seems to remain grounded while balancing the role of the observer and advocate. I recently interviewed Caitlin for the Death and Grief Talk Podcast and consider this episode to be Milestone for The Grave Woman because Caitlin is truly someone in this industry that not only look up to but respect. During our time together I connect with Caitlin heart to heart as she shares how she maintains the balance of her online success and real-life experience, practices self-care, avoids appropriating those that invite her into their sacred space of loss, grief, and celebration and much more. The greatest take away from our interview is that though speaking truth to power, advocacy, educating and speaking up for others can be exhausting, BUT the work that so many of us are doing in death care to create a more equitable, option focused and leveled environment for consumers and death care professionals alike is necessary and not without the reward of positive progressive change. Connect with Caitlin Online Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thegooddeath/ and https://www.instagram.com/ordergooddeath/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OrderoftheGoodDeath Twitter https://twitter.com/OrderGoodDeath?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Website www.orderofthegooddeath.com About the Death & Grief Talk Podcast Death and grief are sacred aspects of our human journey that we all witness, honor, and process uniquely. The Death and Grief Talk Podcast is here to host open and honest conversation about the questions, fears, anxieties, and emotions that we all experience when someone dies. I am your host The Grave Woman. I'm a licensed funeral director, embalmer, insurance agent and scared death/grief care practitioner. I have over a decade of experience working in the death care industry. I am dedicated to helping everyone navigate individual journeys to find peace and purpose with life, death, and grief. Ways you can listen on the go: Anchor FM https://anchor.fm/deathandgrieftalk Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3mdh03y... Watch on YouTube www.youtube.com/thegravewoman Follow @thegravewoman on social media
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“If someone can't respect another person's gender identity, pronouns, or other aspect of their identity or sexuality, a safe, healthy environment where consent can be comfortably given is not possible. Respecting someone's gender identity, whatever it may be, is key to a healthy relationship.” – Speak About It
I love having conversations that challenge my perspective, open my mind all the while educating and stretching the boundaries of my understanding, compassion, and empathy. One such conversation topic is that of identity. According to my latest Google search, identity is defined as the unique set of characteristics that can be used to identify a person as themself and no one else. The word identity can be used in different ways in different contexts. On a personal level, identity often refers to a person's sense of self, meaning how they view themself as compared to other people. In this episode of The Death & Grief Talk Podcast, I participate in a beautiful exchange with my death care colleague Alexandra Jo about the nuances of identity while exploring the manners in which we can respect autonomy, properly use gender affirming language, and how remaining curious impacts the way we honor one another’s identity and humanity not only in life but also in death. Alexandra (they/them) is the Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone and is a Certified Celebrant through InSight Institute. They are a first-generation deathcare professional who is passionately death-curious with over three years of experience researching and creating forward-thinking content for the funeral profession. They produce and host the Deathcare Decoded podcast and write regularly for Connecting Directors and other industry publications. Alexandra also gives continuing education lectures on innovation in the funeral profession at death care conferences around the country. One of the biggest takeaways from my conversation with Alexandra and lessons that I have learned over the past few years through serving as a vessel for conversations about race and death is that it is okay to make mistakes when operating with the intention of learning and growing. It creates safety and allows for exchange free of judgement, criticism and most importantly fosters our instinctual need and desire for curiosity. Connect with Alexandra Jo Online Listen to the Death Care Decoded / Death Curious Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/5EZljk9bSoPDfjhIbS2kU4?mc_cid=c422c02322&mc_eid=697d0c0a3e Connect on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/deathcurious/?hl=en Follow on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@deathcurious?lang=en Visit the Website https://partingstone.com/ About the Death & Grief Talk Podcast Death and grief are sacred aspects of our human journey that we all witness, honor, and process uniquely. The Death and Grief Talk Podcast is here to host open and honest conversation about the questions, fears, anxieties, and emotions that we all experience when someone dies. I am your host The Grave Woman. I'm a licensed funeral director, embalmer, insurance agent and scared death/grief care practitioner. I have over a decade of experience working in the death care industry. I am dedicated to helping everyone navigate individual journeys to find peace and purpose with life, death, and grief. Ways you can listen on the go: Anchor FM https://anchor.fm/deathandgrieftalk Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3mdh03y... Watch on YouTube www.youtube.com/thegravewoman Follow @thegravewoman on social media According to Wikipedia, Hoodoo is a set of spiritual practices, traditions, and beliefs created and concealed from slaveholders by enslaved Africans in North America. Hoodoo evolved from various traditional African religions, practices, and in the American South incorporated with various elements. In this installment of The Death and Grief Talk Podcast Mrs. Lisa Jones, hoodoo practitioner and owner of Memphis Conjure defines her sacred practice passed down through maternal generations for over 100 years as simply “a pathway to peace” that has been demonized and misunderstood by white observers and lazy tongues.
I was introduced to Mrs. Jones through her TikTok videos in which she uses discusses spiritual works, healing and ritual practice to promote and educate about her practice and spiritual products and services. I felt an instant attraction to and connection with Mrs. Jones. She reminded me of my Mama Julie, aunts, grandmothers and other women in my life who knowingly or unknowingly have practiced within our Gullah/ Geechee culture and community to navigate the spiritual journey of life, death and grief while supporting and sustaining our black and indigenous community. Through her business Memphis Conjure Mrs. Jones sells Delta Style Hoodoo Products made by hand. She also creates and distributes ritually charged oils, powders & all things hoodoo including but not limited to mojo/nation sacks & bags, oils, powders, honey jars that are properly prepared to offer remedies for various conditions and enhance spiritual practice. Her practice and products are crafted according to a hoodoo tradition & style, taught to her by her grandmom & mom. Her family has practiced conjure/spiritual work & root work for over 108 years. Her great-grandmom, grandmother and mother were root workers and her grandmother worked on Beale Street during the 40's as a root worker & spiritual advisor. According to her website “Hoodoo in all its variants is predominately considered a southern phenomenon. Many regions in the south can attribute conjure and rootwork to elders and ancestors who were exposed to the craft. Many were slaves who brought many traditions from the continent of Africa and other regions, or possibly native Americans who were adept at planting and seasonal anomalies. Many consider the craft evil or spooky and may not quite understand the correlations between survival and coping with the trauma of enslavement. Many books introduce the curious to the mystery of hoodoo and other crafts. We suggest reading these books with an open mind and seek to understand the “Why’s of Hoodoo” before the “How’s of Hoodoo". It is a practice forged of necessity and trauma and the legacy of our African American ancestors. We are forever agonized at what they suffered and seek to move forward in honor of all the lives before us & those who managed to persevere". Connect with Memphis Conjure online: Website www.memphisconjure.com Email memphisconjure@gmail.com TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@memphisconjure/video/7185711551523966251 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CJfdw25nRcA/ About the Death & Grief Talk Podcast Death and grief are sacred aspects of our human journey that we all witness, honor, and process uniquely. The Death and Grief Talk Podcast is here to host open and honest conversation about the questions, fears, anxieties, and emotions that we all experience when someone dies. I am your host The Grave Woman. I'm a licensed funeral director, embalmer, insurance agent and scared death/grief care practitioner. I have over a decade of experience working in the death care industry. I am dedicated to helping everyone navigate individual journeys to find peace and purpose with life, death, and grief. Ways you can listen on the go: Anchor FM https://anchor.fm/deathandgrieftalk Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3mdh03y... Watch on YouTube www.youtube.com/thegravewoman Follow @thegravewoman on social media “What you want in a mentor is someone who truly cares for you and who will look after your interests and not just their own. When you do come across the right person to mentor you, start by showing them that the time they spend with you is worthwhile.” – Vivek Wadhwa
It is impossible to overstate the importance of having professional black mentors in the end of life and death care industry. Individuals who selflessly give of themselves, teach, encourage, uplift, and provide opportunity without being competitive all the while allowing apprentices, students, and professionals to stand on their shoulders and to build careers while passing the baton forward. Historically those who’ve held positions of power and influence have been white male gatekeepers. For young black professionals like myself and those that are constantly emerging, seeking help, guidance, direction, and support from these gatekeepers has been intimidating, disappointing and unfruitful. Luckily this changing. In 2019, I was blessed to meet my mentor Mrs. Anita Grant. Anita Pollard Grant, RN, MS, BSN, AAS, MLD-C is the Founder and CEO of GranEnterprise LLC, the parent copy of the NBE Review Coach. Anita graduated cum laude from the Medical University of South Carolina in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science degree. As an undergraduate, she was a member of Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society for Nursing. After graduation, Anita became a licensed Registered Nurse and a Commissioned Officer in the United States Navy Nurse Corps. During those active-duty years, she gained hands-on experience in Same Day Surgical Care and Behavioral Health Nursing and in supervising staff, facilitating interdisciplinary communication and coordinating patient care. Years later, Anita transitioned to the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps where she served as a Nurse Manager as well as a National Healthcare Recruiter with the Department of Justice/Federal Bureau of Prisons, a Nurse Consultant/Surveyor with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and a Senior Program Manager for the National Institute of Corrections. In May 2021, Anita retired as an O6/Captain from the USPHS after almost thirty (30) years of honorable service. Anita has been an answer to my prayers since the first time we met. Over the years she has poured into me in ways that would take too long to share in this 500-word blog. I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Anita for The Death and Grief Talk Podcast. Though she and I have worked extensively together over the past 3 years developing course, trainings and much more and surprisingly, after all this time and sharing I had no idea what bought her to the death care industry. During our time together, Anita and discuss the foundation of her career in the armed services, her transition into funeral services and her passion for combing her unique life experience, academic and professional skills to help students nationwide achieve licensure in both funeral directing and embalming. Anita also shared what legacy she hopes to leave behind. Connect with Anita Online Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NBESuccess/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nbereviewcoach/?hl=en Website www.nbereviewcoach.com About the Death & Grief Talk Podcast Death and grief are sacred aspects of our human journey that we all witness, honor, and process uniquely. The Death and Grief Talk Podcast is here to host open and honest conversation about the questions, fears, anxieties, and emotions that we all experience when someone dies. I am your host The Grave Woman. I'm a licensed funeral director, embalmer, insurance agent and scared death/grief care practitioner. I have over a decade of experience working in the death care industry. I am dedicated to helping everyone navigate individual journeys to find peace and purpose with life, death, and grief. Ways you can listen on the go: Anchor FM https://anchor.fm/deathandgrieftalk Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3mdh03y... Watch on YouTube www.youtube.com/thegravewoman Follow @thegravewoman on social media When someone passes away having personalized memorial keepsakes such as keychains, cups, t-shirts, jewelry, programs, fans, headstones, grave markers, and other items that reflect the personality, image, and encompass the essence of those that we have lost brings a level of comfort and peace that can not be explained. Having tangible things to hold, see and lean into can never replace our dearly departed loved ones but they do offer endless benefits that soothe and help us process our grief.
Traditionally in the death care industry companies and corporations that manufacture, distribute, and sell memorial keepsakes as well as other items and merchandise available for purchase to consumers by funeral homes and in online storefronts are historically white owned and operated. This leads me to ponder how much more meaningful, and impactful memorials keepsakes and other merchandise could be if they were not only created with intention and distributed through vendors who share cultures with and understand the communities that they serve. This shift could be tremendous for not only consumers but death care professionals, funeral homes, and cemeteries alike. This could also replace the historically appropriative and sales driven development of items that target BIPOC consumers specifically. In this episode of The Death & Grief Talk Podcast; I have the honor of speaking with Latifa Franks; a young black female death care merchandise and memorial keepsake vendor. Latifa is fonder of C. Jackson Memorial Company which is fondly after her mother. C. Jackson Memorial Company was birthed out of Latifa’s desire to not only serve her community of Baltimore, Maryland but black communities worldwide with affordable, professional, high quality memorial keepsakes while honoring the legacy of her mother Cassandra Jackson who passed away when Latifa was only 10 years old. On her website, Latifa sells several keepsakes including personalized memorial apparel, jewelry, portrait LED lights, urns and much more which can be personalized to reflect the image or likeness of loved ones and pets alike. Not only is Latifa using her company to serve, but she also uses her social media platforms to educate and give behind the scenes access into her daily life as a mortuary student and crematory operator. Connect with C. Jackson Memorial Company online Website: https://www.cjmemorialcompany.com/ Social Media: @c. jacksonmemorailcompany About the Death & Grief Talk Podcast Death and grief are sacred aspects of our human journey that we all witness, honor, and process uniquely. The Death and Grief Talk Podcast is here to host open and honest conversation about the questions, fears, anxieties, and emotions that we all experience when someone dies. I am your host The Grave Woman. I'm a licensed funeral director, embalmer, insurance agent and scared death/grief care practitioner. I have over a decade of experience working in the death care industry. I am dedicated to helping everyone navigate individual journeys to find peace and purpose with life, death, and grief. Ways you can listen on the go: Anchor FM https://anchor.fm/deathandgrieftalk Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3mdh03y... Watch on YouTube www.youtube.com/thegravewoman Follow @thegravewoman on social media How Black & Indigenous Communities Use Euphemisms, Parables and Proverbs as Tools for Preplanning2/1/2023 Have you ever heard the sayings “eat the fish and spit out the bones” or “don’t throw the baby out with the bath water? Am I the only one who feels like they sound like some sort of secret language? These coded messages are known as euphemisms. Euphemisms are defined by Webster as a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing. For many, conversations about end of life, health care and planning for death and dying are considered private, personal, and not to be discussed in of doctors, nurses, home health aides, funeral directors and others considered to be “mixed company” or strangers. For far too long, this has led to the misconceptions that black, indigenous and other communities of color simply are not capable of or simply do not care to preplan for end of life, health and death care needs including but not limited to funeral and burial planning. This could NOT be further from the truth.
Let me explain, euphemisms derive from proverbs or parables which I like to think of as the short and sweet way of communicating vitally important messages while preserving the messages integrity and protecting privacy. Euphemisms, proverbs, and parables are often used by Black and Indigenous elders in collaboration with story telling and sharing to preserve language and culture and are as old as the Egyptian hieroglyphs. They are methods of communications preserved for sharing wisdom, information, secrets, insight, desires and serve as a form of establishing trust between the giver and receiver of their message. In this episode of The Death and Grief Talk Podcast, I speak with Zeena Regis and Elisha Hall Ph.D. in hopes of giving insight into the methods, language and sacred euphemistic language used amongst members of Black and Indigenous communities as it relates to expressing, planning for and executing desires for the inevitable. Elisa Hall Ph.D. is a Systems Thinker that fuses strategic planning, healing, and community organizing into all of his pursuits. His praxis explores how African and Indigenous values can be used as best-practice and the creation of better policies. He uses his passion of creative expression to tell the untold and share the unshared. Leveraging information and innovation across communities and continents is his life's work. He develops compassion within organizations and provide the path to deepen their diversity, equity, and inclusion. Zeena Regis currently serves as the Faith Engagement Manager at Compassion & Choices, the nation’s oldest, largest and most active nonprofit working to improve care, expand options and empower everyone to chart their end-of-life journey. Zeena was selected as a 2021-2022 fellow in Collegeville Institute’s Emerging Writers Mentorship Program. Her training includes a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from Agnes Scott College and a Master of Divinity from Columbia Theological Seminary. Zeena is also a playwright and her latest work, A Free Black Woman's Guide to Death & Dying, was selected for the Synchronicity Theatre's arts incubator project and premiered in May 2022. Connect with Dr. Hall Online Website www.elishahall.com Music https://unitedmasters.com/m/63b83d2fac4cd62c620c5d39 Connect with Zeena Online Website www.ZenaRegis.com About the Death & Grief Talk Podcast Death and grief are sacred aspects of our human journey that we all witness, honor, and process uniquely. The Death and Grief Talk Podcast is here to host open and honest conversation about the questions, fears, anxieties, and emotions that we all experience when someone dies. I am your host The Grave Woman. I'm a licensed funeral director, embalmer, insurance agent and scared death/grief care practitioner. I have over a decade of experience working in the death care industry. I am dedicated to helping everyone navigate individual journeys to find peace and purpose with life, death, and grief. Ways you can listen on the go: Anchor FM https://anchor.fm/deathandgrieftalk Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3mdh03y... Watch on YouTube www.youtube.com/thegravewoman Follow @thegravewoman on social media Have you ever met someone or someone’s who you just immediately click with, where the conversation flows and your almost finishing one another’s sentences? This is exactly how I felt like speaking with the ladies of Grief After Dark connecting and sharing experiences about life being a self-fulfilling prophesy, learning to heal our inner child through our experiences with grief, sensuality, pleasure, taking full autonomy over our life and grief experiences through filtering who and what has access to us, the ability to channel messages, exploring the full spectrum of creativity and so much more.
In this installment of The Death and Grief Talk Podcast, my guest are D. Anaya and Mikki. D. and Micki describe themselves as two normal(ish) friends who have survived some dark waters both together and separately. In their Grief After Dark podcast, they look at the whole human emotional drama in the face, beginning with a deep dive into life, death, and the complexities of grieving. It is their hope that they can help other that are treading the dark waters of grief and loneliness and serve as a resource to the support systems of on the voyage to better understand and connect. D. Anaya is a creative artist, artist, writer, visionary and advocate for helping others navigate their journeys with grief in ways that are not only true to themselves but to also tap into our innate creativity to and spiritual connection and use it as light during our darkest hours. Mikki has a passion for gemstones and through her company Moonstar Charms creates beautiful pieces with emotional, physical, and spiritual healing properties. She also is a detail girl and take as much time as she needs to create each piece of her art with loving care and an appropriate amount of perfectionism. She is particular about my "ingredients" because she cares very much about what she does and believe that each piece will, in time, go to the person it's exactly right for. Mikki brings this attention to detail and passion for seeing the beauty even in the roughest of situations to Grief After Dark as she and D explore the nuances of grief. Connect with Grief After Dark Online Instagram https://www.instagram.com/griefafterdark/ Website www.griefafterdark.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/griefafterdark/ Adventures of Grief Girl https://www.instagram.com/adventuresofgriefgirl/ Modern Charms Jewelry https://www.etsy.com/shop/MoonstarCharms About the Death & Grief Talk Podcast Death and grief are sacred aspects of our human journey that we all witness, honor, and process uniquely. The Death and Grief Talk Podcast is here to host open and honest conversation about the questions, fears, anxieties, and emotions that we all experience when someone dies. I am your host The Grave Woman. I'm a licensed funeral director, embalmer, insurance agent and scared death/grief care practitioner. I have over a decade of experience working in the death care industry. I am dedicated to helping everyone navigate individual journeys to find peace and purpose with life, death, and grief. Ways you can listen on the go: Anchor FM https://anchor.fm/deathandgrieftalk Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3mdh03y... Watch on YouTube www.youtube.com/thegravewoman Follow @thegravewoman on social media “There is nothing more powerful than to clearly articulate our intention to the universe and trust boldly in its desire to not only deliver but to also unfold itself before us as our path to enlightenment. What is your intention?”
- The Grave Woman “My intention is to alleviate unnecessary suffering in the world. Suffering is a spectrum; it doesn’t mean that we are in crisis and that that there is something wrong with us or that we are in a clinical space. The ways in which we are experiencing the world right now and the sickness of the unhelpful darkness is something that because of its consistency and exacerbation of our societal collapse causes me to ask the question what remains? What do we have that is ours? For me, I choose to hold on to my joy.” -Dr. Crystallee Crain Ph.D. In this installment of The Death and Grief Talk Podcast I had the honor of connecting on a soul level with Dr. Crystallee Crain. Crystallee Crain Ph.D. (she/her/hers) is an interdisciplinary public health scholar and human rights activist. She has academic roots in sociology, political science, and psychology. She specializes in exposing the layers of institutional inequality while supporting communities to shift ways of being and practice to improve life chances by bridging the worlds of academia, healing, and activism. During our time together we discussed the difference sleep has on our perspectives and experience in the world, the importance of not allowing our realm which is full of adversity, struggling and suffering to steal our innate ability to experience and posses joy, the importance of personal agency as a method of self-preservation as well as mental health, and her personal journey with navigating grief caused by loosing a close friend during to an accidental drug overdose and how she intentionally holds space for joy in her grief and profession. Crystallee’s body of work represents a collective need to strengthen our responses to violence through transformative means, the need for liberatory practices, and a focus on healing as a revolutionary strategy for change. Crystallee holds an academic appointment with California State University – East Bay (Department of Political Science). She’s also the elected board chair of the Seeding Justice Foundation (PDX).Crystallee is the Founder & Principal Consultant of Prevention at the Intersections an organization that works to prevent violence and other forms of harm through community-based research and people-centered projects. At Prevention at the Intersections, she publishes two open-access journals CATALYST and The Beauty of Black Creation. The 2nd Edition of her textbook - A People’s Primer: Dispatches on Politics & Social Change (2022) came out this year. Dr. Crain facilitates trainings with an emphasis on trauma, prevention science, and community capacity-building. She has worked with organizations across the country to support them in actualizing their values in the development and implementation of their mission and vision. You can learn more about her at www.preventionagenda.org, www.bestlifecoach.co and at www.crystalleecrain.org. Connect with Dr. Crain on Social Media LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystalleecrain/ Twitter: @crystalleecrain IG: drcryscrain Ways to listen on the go: Anchor FM https://anchor.fm/deathandgrieftalk Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3mdh03y... How bold must we be to offer back to life in the form of accepting death what no longer serves or affirms our journey? What if our perception of the end, of death, of life are severely warped by the limitations of our Western society to embrace and return to the natural order of LIFE? These and so many other questionings float through the collective mind at times ready to be explored at times shunned away due to universal fears that we share. Why are we here? What is our purpose? How long do I have left and what am I supposed to do?
In this installment of the Death and Grief Talk Podcast; I have the honor of speaking with Aurianna Joy. I discovered Aurianna through her YouTube channel and instantly felt a connection and curiosity about her journey with Ayahuasca. Her transparency and vulnerability in sharing her health and spiritual journey inspired me during one of the more challenging and unfulfilling chapters of my life while motivating me to connect with and believe the inner voice that kept telling me there was more. 8 years later we connected on social media and when she agreed to be interviewed for my podcast, I knew the universe manifested our connection. It is my hope that through hearing her story you too will be inspired to release what is no longer serving or affirming your life while opening your hands, arms, and heart to expand and reach for more. Aurianna Joy is a Somatic Intimacy Coach and trauma trained Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner based in Bend, Oregon who supports women all over the globe in reclaiming their essential nature and embodying their natural rhythms through private mentorship, group coaching programs, workshops, ceremonies, and retreats. Aurianna has spent 13+ years deeply involved in the personal development industry and has 8 years of professional experience in the coaching industry. She draws upon multiple influences to create unique, highly customized experiences for her clients. Her work is greatly inspired by: • Amazonian & Andean Shamanism • Yoga, Taoist, & Buddhist Philosophy • Reiki & Energy Healing • Dance & Movement Therapy • Tantra & Sacred Sexuality • Ancestral Womb Healing • Karmic Astrology • Human Growth & Developmental Psychology • Jungian Archetypal Psychology & Shadow Work • Trauma-Informed Neuroscience Aurianna is deeply committed to the spiritual liberation of all beings on the planet and is fiercely devoted to the collective reclamation of the archetypal Wild Woman. Connect with Aurianna on social media Website: www.auriannajoy.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/aurianna.explores Instagram: @auriannajoy Ways to listen on the go: Anchor FM https://anchor.fm/deathandgrieftalk Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3mdh03y... I love having conversations with death care professionals and people in general who are not afraid to show up naked and be 1,000% authentically who they are. In this installment of The Death and Grief Talk Podcast with The Grave Woman; I have the honor of exploring this and so much more with Eileen Hollis of Hollis Funeral Home. Eileen known worldwide as @HollisFuneralHome is a licensed funeral director and embalmer who operates her family-owned funeral home with her father in Syracuse, NY. Eileen grew up in the funeral home the will someday own and has gained a tremendous social media following through sharing her day-to-day experiences, funny stories, struggles and professional experience.
During our time together Eileen and I share laughs, tears and discuss so much and realized that we have more than we could imagine in common. Vulnerability, fear, anticipatory grief, and paralyzing anxiety are not words that you expect to hear your local funeral director use to describe their day-to-day experience but believe it or not; many funeral and death care professionals struggle with these emotions and so much more. The problem is that we don’t feel safe talking about them because “this is what we’re supposed to be able to handle”. Society has convinced us that sacrificing our humanity is required to be enabled to serve but this could not be further from the truth. We share paranormal experiences, talk about the pressure of living up to the tremendous and beautiful familial legacies that are actively being created for us, creating work life balance, address the pressures of maintain a social media presence and balancing online “fame” with integrity while not allowing the ego to become inflated, and connect deeply through the desire to embody and commit to the disciplines of consistency and compassion. We also spend time exploring the importance of death care professionals understanding their natural limitation and the importance of seeking our additional resources to better serve our communities. Much of this involves the importance being culturally competent. Eileen discusses what she has gained from taking my course Cultural Competency: Black Hair, Skin and Cosmetic Care for Death Care Professionals. It simultaneously fills and fuels me when I can share in candid moments like those I shared with Eileen. Moments drenched full of true expression and sharing with from the heart about shared challenges and successes. Speaking openly about fears creates freedom. Learning to lean into vulnerability dissolves the callus of isolation. Embracing grief allows for love to ebb and flow authentically. Addressing and honoring the existence of an anxiety allows intention to lead. Our intention in sharing our stories and experiences is to hopefully encourage and empower you to live authentically and make room for vulnerability, mental health support, intention, and community to hold space in yours. Thank you. Ways to listen on the go: Anchor FM https://anchor.fm/deathandgrieftalk Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3mdh03y... To Learn more about Eileen Hollis please use these links: Website www.hollisfuneralhome.com Instagram @HollisFuneralHome TikTok @HollisFuneralHome Tell her @thegravewoman sent you! |
AuthorJoél Simone Anthony, also known as ‘The Grave Woman,’ is a licensed funeral director and embalmer. She is dedicated to eliminating misconceptions about post-life preparation while stimulating an open, honest and straight forward discussion about death. You can submit your comments, questions and requests to thegravewoman@gmail.com or by using our contact page. |