In this episode, we explore how death shapes family dynamics across generations and cultures. Funeral director Linda Lee reflects on 30 years of guiding families through the practical and emotional realities of funerals, from disputes over eulogies and heirlooms to questions of inheritance and who’s included—or left out—of the will.

Author Katherine Ashenburg shares her own experiences of mourning and insights from her book The Mourner’s Dance:What We Do When People Die, tracing the history of rituals like wearing black and covering mirrors, and showing how cultural traditions have long helped families carry grief together.

Katherine Ashenburg’s book is both a personal reflection about her daughter’s creation of rituals around her fiancé’s death, and a broader consideration of both the history and the current state of death-related practices around the world. In the conversation with Katherine Ashenburg in this episode many of the examples discussed pertain to British or Western European traditions, but of course they represent only a tiny sliver of the world’s experience.

Links & Resources

• Visit the Mount Pleasant Group website for more information and resources.
• The Mourner’s Dance: What We Do When People Die by Katherine Ashenburg
• Grieving Beyond Gender: Understanding Diverse Grieving Styles by Kenneth Doka and Terry Martin
• See the MPG Pre-Planning Guide to learn more about your options and steps to take.
• Learn more about Linda Lee’s historical journey in death care
• The BAO's Memorial Planning Guide is a useful tool to collect information to plan services.

Please note that the opinions expressed by the hosts and guests are their own and do not necessarily represent the views or beliefs of Mount Pleasant Group.

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What does a good death look like, and who helps make it possible? In our first episode of Sorry For Your Loss, Denise and John explore the role of end-of-life doulas through the story of Shelley Carr, who cared for her partner Daniel after his glioblastoma diagnosis. With the support of end-of-life doula Sue Phillips, Shelley navigated the emotional and practical challenges of Daniel’s final days. Sue, who is the former vice president of the End-Of-Life Doula Association of Canada, shares how she came to this work, why talking about death matters, and how doulas offer presence, guidance, and comfort during life’s most difficult moments.

Visit the Mount Pleasant Group website for more information and resources.

Learn more about the End-Of-Life Doula Association of Canada

Check out Sue Philips’ recommendations: Hsien Seow and Dr. Sammy Winemaker’s book, Hope For The Best, Plan For The Rest and their podcast, The Waiting Room Revolution.

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Let's talk about death. It's a conversation many shy away from, but it’s something everyone will experience. In Sorry for Your Loss, we explore the questions we often avoid: What happens to a body after it’s taken away? How do you talk about death with kids? And what should you say—or not say—to someone in their final days?

Hosted by author and former media executive Denise Donlon and death care professional John Monahan, this podcast aims to normalize the inevitable and help us all navigate the often uncomfortable conversations surrounding death.

Join us as we explore what happens when you die, how to prepare, the costs of death care, the options for sustainable burials, and how professionals like embalmers cope with working in a death-centered industry. Through expert guests and candid discussions, Sorry for Your Loss pulls back the veil on the world of dying and death, offering a sensitive and informative approach to understanding what lies ahead.

This podcast is your user guide to the end—or beyond.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.