Death Curious
By Death Curious
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Death CuriousJan 06, 2023
Episode 13: Looking at Funerals from Alternative Perspectives
This week we return to my conversation with Christopher Stoll, artist, illustrator, and my very dear friend. Chris is the owner and creator behind Multiverse Books and, as a very important person in my own life, is one of the people I most frequently talk with about hard things– like death. I wanted to have Chris on the show because until now, we’ve only featured people within the death care profession as guests. I thought it would be insightful and balanced to provide space for conversations about death with people who have experienced grief from the other side of things. Chris has a unique perspective because, like me, he is queer and polyamorous. This means that also like me, Chris has a unique take on traditional funerals and memorial services that aren’t necessarily designed with people like us in mind. In this conversation, we talk about funeral planning and traditional memorial services from a queer and polyamorous perspective.
Created and hosted by Aries Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone. Produced by Parting Stone.
For more Death Curious content get our newsletter, and follow us on TikTok and Instagram. Death Curious is produced by Parting Stone. To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 12: Mortuary School and Funeral Professional Licensing
This week I have the pleasure of talking with Faith Haug (she/her) Program Chair of the Mortuary Science program at Arapaho Community College. This conversation covers unique aspects of the Arapaho Mortuary Science program and more general mortuary program requirements. We also discuss the fact that Colorado doesn’t require funeral directors to be licensed individually. This conversation happened at the end of 2023, just a few weeks after a funeral care disaster was discovered at Return to Nature Funeral Home in Colorado Springs. Since then, colorado lawmakers have presented a bill to require individual funeral director licensing, like every other US state. However, my conversation with Faith will reveal, that licensing might not be the only answer to preventing tragedies like the one at Return to Nature.
Created and hosted by Aries Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone. Produced by Parting Stone.
For more Death Curious content get our newsletter, and follow us on TikTok and Instagram. Death Curious is produced by Parting Stone. To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 11: AI and the Future of Death Care
This week we return to my conversation with Chase Downs (he/him), Demand Gen Specialist at Gather, an innovative technology platform built specifically for funeral homes, that helps both funeral directors and families. In this part of our conversation, Chase and I discuss AI and the future of Death Care… how AI could impact death care workspaces, the death planning process, memorial services, and more. We talk about the absolute necessity of personalization in death care practices, and where AI might fall short in delivering the services that grieving families deserve.
We recorded this episode in the spring of 2023, and a lot has evolved in AI and its role in our world since then, so stay tuned after our convo for some extra content from me.
Created and hosted by Aries Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone. Produced by Parting Stone.
For more Death Curious content get our newsletter, and follow us on TikTok and Instagram. Death Curious is produced by Parting Stone. To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 10: Destigmatizing Death from Suicide Pt. 1
Content warning: this episode is all about suicide, and grief from suicide loss. This topic might be triggering or challenging for some people, so if that’s you, skip this one and join us next month. If you or a loved one struggle with suicidal ideation, call or text 988 to reach the national suicide and crisis hotline.
This week I’m so excited to bring Dr. Sara Murphy (she/her) back to the podcast to talk about destigmatizing suicide, suicidality, and surviving the loss of a loved one to suicide. Dr. Murphey is a death educator, Certified Thanatologist, and suicidologist with fifteen years of scholarly, pedagogical, and professional experience in the field. She is a faculty member at the University of Rhode Island where she teaches undergrad and graduate courses in the fields of thanatology and suicidology. In this episode, we dive into why suicide has always been a stigmatized cause of death (even though suicidality is a widespread occurrence across humanity) and ways that we can work toward dismantling that stigma. We also cover how dismantling suicide stigma helps folx who ideate suicide feel safer seeking and getting help, and also allows us to better support people who are grieving the loss of a loved one to suicide.
Created and hosted by Aries Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone. Produced by Parting Stone.
For more Death Curious content get our newsletter, and follow us on TikTok and Instagram. Death Curious is produced by Parting Stone. To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 9: Evolving International Death Care
This week, I welcome Jennifer Muldowney (she/her), also known as The Glam Reaper, onto the podcast to talk about how death care is evolving around the world today. Jennifer founded Muldowney Memorials a death planning company that offers celebrant services and specialized memorial planning. She is also the creator of the Glam Reaper Podcast. In this episode, we talk about how Jennifer found her way into death care, the differences between the funeral service profession in America, and Ireland, where Jen is from, and the directions we see death care going in in the near future.
This is part one of my talk with Jennifer.
Created and hosted by Aries Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone. Produced by Parting Stone.
For more Death Curious content get our newsletter, and follow us on TikTok and Instagram. Death Curious is produced by Parting Stone. To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 8: Taxidermy and Tangible Grief, Part 1
This week, I have the absolute pleasure of talking with Kiki Klonis (she/her) from Burning Sentients taxidermy. Kiki and I talk about processing grief in tangible ways, like creativity, art, and, for Kiki, taxidermy. We discuss how grieving actually led to Kiki’s career as a taxidermist, what that journey has entailed, and how, for many people, getting to have a continued relationship with the remains of our loved ones and pets can be a huge aid in moving through the grief process. Kiki is actually based here in Santa Fe, NM (Unceded Tewa Land) so this interview takes place in her home, which is full of truly incredible taxidermied animals. You’ll hear us reference some of her amazing pieces throughout the episode. Content warning: suicide, and details about the taxidermy process are talked about in this episode.
Created and hosted by and Alexandra Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone. Produced by Parting Stone.
For more Death Curious content get our newsletter, and follow us on TikTok and Instagram. Death Curious is produced by Parting Stone. To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 7: Grief, Relationships, and Polyamory
This week we are doing things a little differently… I’m joined by artist, illustrator, and my dear friend and loved one, Christopher Stoll (he/him). Chris is the owner and creator behind Multiverse Books As a very important person in my own life, Chris is one of the people I most frequently talk with about hard things– like death. I wanted to have Chris on the show, because until now, we’ve only featured people within the death care profession as guests. I thought it would be insightful and balancing to provide space for conversations about death with people who have experienced grief from the other side of things. Chris has a unique perspective because, like me, he is queer and polyamorous. Living in these so-called “alternative” worlds necessarily means that grief and interacting with systems like death care, are experienced differently by people like Chris and I. In this episode, we dive into how grief affects relationships, how our relationships inform our grief, and the nuances that come with being polyamorous and experiencing grief.
Created and hosted by and Alexandra Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone. Produced by Parting Stone.
For more Death Curious content get our newsletter, and follow us on TikTok and Instagram. Death Curious is produced by Parting Stone. To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 6: What Happens When We Die?
This week I’m delighted to talk with Brian Waters of Undertaking the Podcast. Brian is a licensed funeral director and CFSP. Our conversation was such an unexpected pleasure because it took some really unexpected turns and departures from what I was expecting, and is really different from what I usually cover in these interviews. In this episode, Brian and I both share our thoughts about what we think happens when people die– both physically and otherwise– and how being curious about the unknown plays a part in dealing with grief.
Content warning: We both talk frankly about the loss of loved ones, and in my case, loss of a loved one to suicide and overdose.
Created and hosted by and Alexandra Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone. Produced by Parting Stone.
For more Death Curious content get our newsletter, and follow us on TikTok and Instagram. Death Curious is produced by Parting Stone. To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 5: The Value of Being Death Curious
This week I return to my conversation with Stephanie Poirier, Partner Success Manager at Parting Stone, to touch on why being a “death curious” person can be beneficial to your family, friends, and community. From starting difficult conversations, to protecting the rights of marginalized folx in end of life care, Death Curious people can help everyone confront death in healthier ways.
Created and hosted by and Alexandra Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone. Produced by Parting Stone.
For more Death Curious content get our newsletter, and follow us on TikTok and Instagram. Death Curious is produced by Parting Stone. To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 4: Death on Social Media
This week I have the pleasure of talking to Eileen Hollis, Licensed Funeral Director at Hollis Funeral Home, about death on social media! Eileen runs the TikTok and Instagram accounts for Hollis Funeral Home and has built a following of nearly a million people between the two platforms. In this episode, we talk about why social media is a great place for death education, what content death curious folx are looking for on social media, and how the internet can actually be a really great place for building community.
Created and hosted by and Alexandra Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone.
For more Death Curious content get our newsletter, and follow us on TikTok and Instagram. Death Curious is produced by Parting Stone. To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 3: Technology and the Death Care Profession
In this episode, I have the pleasure of chatting with Chase Downs (he/him), Demand Gen Specialist at Gather, to talk about Technology in the Death Care Profession. Gather is an innovative technology platform built specifically for funeral homes, that helps both funeral directors and families. Until the Covid-19 pandemic, death care was far behind other professions technology-wise. Chase and I discuss some of the benefits that have come from funeral services moving forward rapidly when it comes to things like live-streamed funeral services, remote memorial planning, and normalizing death care businesses having websites.
Created and hosted by and Alexandra Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone.
For more Death Curious content, get our newsletter and follow us on TikTok and Instagram. Death Curious is produced by Parting Stone. To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 2: The Spiritual Weight of Death Avoidance
This week I’m so excited to return to my conversation with Rev. Cat Webb (they/them), Metaphysical Celebrant, Spiritual Educator, and Psychopomp, to talk about the spiritual weight of death avoidance. Both death avoidance and grief avoidance are pervasive in our society. In this conversation, Rev. Cat and I take a deep dive into how death and loss became taboo subjects, and why avoiding the reality of human ephemerality can have major impacts on mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.
Created and hosted by and Alexandra Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone.
For more Death Curious content, get our newsletter, follow us on TikTok and Instagram. Death Curious is produced by Parting Stone. To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 1: Alkaline Hydrolysis 101
This week I’m excited to talk with Stephanie Poirier, Partner Success Manager at Parting Stone, about all things alkaline hydrolysis! Stephanie was instrumental in getting alkaline hydrolysis legalized in California, and explains this gentle, eco-friendly disposition option in detail for us. We also talk about the intense push-back this disposition method has gotten from funeral professionals, and how important it is to realize the benefits of making this option more widely available.
Created and hosted by and Alexandra Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone.
Death Curious is produced by Parting Stone. For more Death Curious content, get our newsletter, follow us on TikTok and Instagram. To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Deathcare Decoded is now the Death Curious Podcast!
Deathcare Decoded is expanding! We are rebranding to expand our content and mission statement, and in this special transitional episode, I will walk you through the inspiration behind this growth. Death Curious is a platform for death exploration and a community of like-minded, death positive people. We imagine a future in which talking about death is normalized, comfortable, and even encouraged. Through death positive education, our goal is to help you better understand your own mortality, gain confidence talking to others about theirs, and to build a supportive community of mortality explorers.
Created and hosted by and Alexandra Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone.
Produced by Parting Stone. To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 72: The Funeral Rule
This week, we return to my conversation with Mark Harrison (he/him), President of Certified Safety Training, and Ebone Dukes (she/her), Funeral Service Program Director at Northwest Mississippi Community College to talk about the funeral rule, which was recently up for review. We talk about what the funeral rule is, what might be changing about it in the current review period, and the pros and cons that such a rule creates.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 71: What is a Psychopomp?
This week I’m joined by Rev. Cat Webb (they/them), Metaphysical Celebrant, Spiritual Educator and Psychopomp to talk about spirituality at end of life and beyond. In this episode we talk about end of life work that occurs after someone has died, what it means to be a psychopomp, and why it’s important to offer support for diverse spiritual practices in end of life care.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 70: The Demand for Eco-Conscious Deathcare
In this episode I share research and data that I've been gathering, which shows that large numbers of death planners care about having more eco-conscious and green options in death care. We look at studies from Kates Boylston Publications, IBM Institute for Business Value, Passare, and Choice Mutual Insurance that break down what death planners care about, how they make choices, and what they will look for in the future. Spoiler alert: the demand for eco-conscious death care options is only going to grow! I also introduce a huge research project I undertook in 2022 called The Real Eco-Impact of Disposition Methods that reveals the total carbon footprint of the top five most common body disposition methods in the US today, as well as how to make the most harmful ones more environmentally friendly. I'll be releasing that research on this podcast in a series over the next few weeks.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 69: Deathcare Workplace Equity
This week I return to my conversation with Mark Harrison (he/him), President of Certified Safety Training, and Ebone Dukes (she/her), Funeral Service Program Director at Northwest Mississippi Community College, to continue our discussion about equity over equality in the workplace. In this part of the conversation we dive deeper into how meeting people where they are and addressing individual needs, whether that’s your employees, or the families you serve, will make the death care profession a healthier space. We touch on generational, gender, orientation, and racial inequities, and how meeting the needs of all will better serve the whole.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 68: Regulation Compliance and Workplace Equity in Deathcare Part 1
This week I have the pleasure of being joined by Mark Harrison, President of Certified Safety Training, and Ebone Dukes, Funeral Service Program Director at Northwest Mississippi Community College. We talk about the importance of funeral business regulation compliance and the effects that regulations can have on our profession as a whole. We discuss how regulations can help communicate the value of funeral home services to the public, and how CST’s practices are focused on making compliance an equitable experience for all deathcare professionals.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 67: How Talking About Death Can Enrich Lives- Part 2
This week I return to my conversation with Dianne Hullet, death educator, death doula, and founder of Best Life Best Death. In this episode, we continue our conversation about how more open and honest conversations about death and grief can improve the emotional and mental wellbeing of our society. In part two of our conversation we talk about how to explore what needs to be done in your life to prepare for a good death, and how to get started on your death curious journey. We cover some recommended reading from both Diane and myself, and the differences between living in a death denying culture, and a grief denying one.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 66: The Value of Curiosity and Creativity in Death Care
This week, I return to my conversation with Glenda Stansbury, VP of InSight Books, Co-Founder and Dean of the InSight Institute Certified Celebrant Program, adjunct professor in the University of Central Oklahoma’s Funeral Department, and licensed funeral director and embalmer. We discuss the role of celebrants in more detail, and some of the key characteristics that a successful celebrant will have. We also take a deep dive into the value that curiosity and creativity have in our roles as death care professionals, and how these two qualities can make us better funeral arrangers, help us avoid burnout, and are ultimately be assets to the families that we serve.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 65: Parting Stone and Best Life Best Death
This week I return to my conversation with Dianne Hullet, death educator, death doula, and founder of Best Life Best Death. In this part of our conversation, we change things up, and Dianne interviews me about my role at Parting Stone, my own journey into the death profession, and why forward thinking progress in death care is vital. We talk about the value of innovative technologies like solidified remains, and how new options like Parting Stone can help everyone have a better end of life experience.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 64: Death Cafes!
This week, I return to my wonderful conversation with Tiana Dargent (she/her), Founder of Queer Community Deathcare in Ontario Canada, to discuss Death Cafes! We talk about what death cafes are, the benefits they offer, and why death cafes should be available in every community. We also touch on the Queer Community Death Cafe that Tiana runs, and how conversations around death are particularly important for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 63: How Talking about Death Can Enrich Lives- Part 1
This week I have the pleasure of speaking with Diane Hullet (she/her), death educator, death doula, and founder of Better Life Better Death, about how more open and honest conversations about death, dying, and grief can improve the emotional and mental wellbeing of our society. In part one of our conversation we talk about the need for more conversations about death, why these conversations are important for everyone to have, and how to overcome challenges around getting these conversations started with your loved ones.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 62: Cultural Competency and the Role of Ritual in Deathcare
This week, I’m delighted to bring Joél Simone Anthony (she/her) back to Deathcare Decoded. Joél, also known as the Grave Woman, is a sacred grief practitioner, licensed funeral director, and deathcare educator. She joins us this week to talk about some of her new courses on Cultural Competency in funeral service, and how diversifying our education as funeral professionals will benefit everyone that we serve. We also discuss the importance ritual in the role of a death care provider, and how creating opportunities for ritual building for your families might be easier than you think.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 61: Guiding Better Bereavement Care
This week, I return to my conversation with Cara McCarty (she/her), Founder and CEO of Betterleave, a bereavement care company which helps employers provide grief support and bereavement care benefits to employees. In this episode, we discuss how death care and bereavement regulations and laws differ state-by-state, and how Betterleave provides resources for helping local communities understand what services are available in their area. We also cover how funeral homes and deathcare providers can work with Betterleave to provide better bereavement care and resources to both their employees and the families they serve.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (they/them), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 60: Directing the Future of Deathcare
This week, I return to my conversation with Glenda Stansbury (she/her), VP of InSight Books, Co-Founder and Dean of the InSight Institute Certified Celebrant Program, adjunct professor in the University of Central Oklahoma’s Funeral Department, and licensed funeral director and embalmer. This week we talk about the current trajectory that the funeral profession is on, some of the biggest hurdles to recruiting and retaining the next generation of deathcare employees, and how funeral professionals today can have a hand in shaping and directing the future of deathcare.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (they/she), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 59: Making Deathcare a Safer Space for the LGBTQIA2S+ Community
This week we return to my conversation with Tiana Dargent (she/her), founder of Queer Community Deathcare in Ontario Canada, to talk about how to make death and end of life care a safer space for the LGBTQIA2S+ population. We talk about specific roadblocks this community has to receiving safe and equitable care, why more queer-identifying deathcare workers are a good thing, and some steps that deathcare businesses can take to better understand and serve the specific end-of-life needs of this population.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (they/she), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 58: Betterleave on the Value of Better Bereavement Care
This week, I have the pleasure of speaking with Cara McCarty (she/her), founder and CEO of Betterleave, a bereavement care company which helps employers provide grief support and bereavement care benefits and resources to employees. In this episode, Cara shares the personal story of why she started Betterleave, the three pillars of support the company provides, and why bereavement support is vital for positive company culture and long term employee success, as well as changing the larger societal conversation around death, dying, and grief.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (she/they), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 57: The Value of Celebrant Services
This week, I have the absolute joy of talking with Glenda Stansbury (she/her), VP of InSight Books,and Co-Founder, Dean of the InSight Institute Certified Celebrant Program, adjunct professor in the University of Central Oklahoma’s Funeral Department, and licensed funeral director and embalmer. Glenda discusses how Insight Books got its start, how Insight Institute created it’s Celebrant program, and why celebrant services are valuable to every funeral home. We also cover the value of celebrant services for cremation families specifically, and how these services can help prepare the funeral profession as a whole for changes that are on our industry’s horizon.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (she/they), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
The Kates Boylston Publications survey mentioned in the episode can be found here.
Episode 56: Why Do We Need Queer Death Support?
This week, I have the pleasure of talking with Tiana Dargent (she/her), founder of Queer Community Deathcare in Ontario Canada which offers a space of support for all members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in matters regarding end of life, death, dying, and grief.. In part one of this conversation, Tiana shares her personal journey to providing accessible death care support and and hosting death cafe’s for the queer and trans community. We talk about why having death and end of life care support specifically for the queer community is important, and how the needs of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community can be met in better ways for all in the death profession.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (she/they), Director of Outreach and Education at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 55: The Role of Marketing in Deathcare Employee Recruitment and Retention
This week, I return to my conversation with Courtney Gould Miller (she/her), Chief Strategy Officer at MKJ Marketing and Chief Marketing Officer at Tribute Technology, to talk about the role that marketing can play in solving the challenge of recruiting and retaining quality funeral service professionals. We talk about the value of online continuing education, like the program that MKJ marking offers, how accurately marketing your business to prospective employees can help attract the right talent, and the need for a broader conversation about jobs in the funeral profession and death care in general.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (she/her), Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 54: Cremation Marketing and The Future of Ecommerce Business in Deathcare
This week I return to my conversation with Courtney Gould Miller (she/her), Chief Strategy Officer at MKJ Marketing and Chief Marketing Officer at Tribute Technology, to talk about successful marketing for cremation services and the future of ecommerce business in deathcare. We discuss how good marketing strategies can help educate families about cremation options, the role that ecommerce cremation business plays in the funeral profession of today, and what the future of cremation businesses look like with the rise of the DIY deathcare consumer.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (she/they), Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 53: Innovations in Deathcare Today and Tomorrow
This week I return to my conversation with Lauren Bowser (she/her), Owner and Manager of Cusick Funeral Home to discuss unconventional areas of innovation in the deathcare space. We talk about the value of moving the profession forward with new technologies like green embalming fluids and products, the role of social media in continued learning and best practices for morticians and embalmers, and the need for more widespread education about eco-conscious cremation options in the deathcare profession.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (she/they), Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 52: Keys to Marketing Success for Deathcare Businesses
This week I have the pleasure of talking with Courtney Gould Miller (she/her), Chief Strategy Officer at MKJ Marketing and Chief Marketing Officer at Tribute Technology, about the relationship between good marketing strategies and business success in deathcare. We discuss the value of working with a marketing firm with specific expertise in the deathcare profession, the specifics of what a good marketing strategy can do to grow your business, and where to start if your company is pursuing digital marketing for the first time.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (she/they), Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 51: Modern Tradition- Funeral Business Ownership in Today's World
This week I have the pleasure of speaking with Lauren Bowser (she/her), Owner and Manager of Cusick Funeral Home in Somerville New Jersey, to talk about being a first generation funeral business owner in today’s deathcare world. We discuss changes that funeral businesses saw during the Covid-19 pandemic, the differences between being an independent tradesman and owning a funeral home, and advice for other young funeral professionals stepping into first time funeral home ownership.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo (she/they), Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe (he/him), Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 50: Cemetery Equity
This week, I return to my conversation with Mel Bennett, Creator and Co-Founder of Life Forest, to talk about equity in cemeteries and permanent placement options. We discuss various ways that burial has historically been inequitable, various situations that might warrant special care and consideration, and how to make sure that families choosing permanent placement receive the support that they need today and moving forward.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo, Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe, Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 49: The Value of Death Care Conventions
This week I am joined by Dr. Sara Murphy and Timothy McLoone to talk about the value and experience of deathcare conventions and conferences. Timothy McLoone is a Licensed Funeral Director & Certified Celebrant and Dr. Sara Murphy is a death educator, certified thanatologist, and suicidologist with fifteen years of scholarly, pedagogical, and professional experience in the field. In this interview, we break down the benefits of attending death care conventions from continuing education to the expo floor, and talk about how these opportunities for learning and networking can help push the profession forward.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo, Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe, Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 48: Cemetery Law and the Value of Permanent Placement
This week, I return to my conversation with Mel Bennett, Creator and Co-Founder of Life Forest, to talk about cemetery law and the value of permanent placement for families choosing cremation. We discuss what the process of starting a new cemetery is like, and the best way to protect the rights and legacy of buried cremains. We also touch on why permanent placement can be such an important option for families choosing cremation.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo, Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe, Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 47: Disenfranchised Grief
Dr. Sara Murphy is a death educator, Certified Thanatologist (Association for Death Education and Counseling), and suicidologist with fifteen years of scholarly, pedagogical, and professional experience in the field. In this conversation we discuss disenfranchised grief, what it is, what causes it, and everything that funeral professionals need to know to help families avoid it. We talk about body language and verbal cues that will help families feel safe and comforted during funeral arranging, and touch on the importance of funeral directors prioritizing their own mental health while working with grieving families.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo, Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe, Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 46: Life Forest- Permanent Placement for Cremated Remains
This week, I talk with Mel Bennett, Creator and Co-Founder of Life Forest, about building the first cemetery created specifically for cremation families seeking burial for their loved ones’ remains. Mel shares her personal journey into the deathcare space, walks listeners through the grounds at life forest, and explains the in’s and outs of choosing permanent placement for cremated remains with a tree as the memorial marker, which is precisely what Life Forest uniquely offers.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo, Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe, Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 45: Reflecting on Covid-19 and the Future of the Funeral Profession
This week I return to a previous interview with Sandra Walker, Vice President of Strategic Business at Fairmount Memorial Association, to reflect on what her experience has been like as a deathcare professional during the Covid-19 pandemic. Sandra gives an honest account of what funeral service was like for most of 2020, how her funeral business approach shifted in 2021, and offers excellent advice that is still very relevant for funeral professionals moving forward into the ongoing pandemic world of 2022.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo, Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe, Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 44: Intro to Thanatology with Dr. Sara Murphy
This week, I am joined by Dr. Sara Murphy, death educator, Certified Thanatologist (Association for Death Education and Counseling), and suicidologist with fifteen years of scholarly, pedagogical, and professional experience in the field. In this conversation we discuss the in’s and outs of thanatology as a field, and how thanatology overlaps with funeral care and the work of funeral service professionals.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo, Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe, Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 43: The Value of Marketing and Strong Aesthetics for Funeral Businesses
This week I return to my conversation with Morgan Yarborough, Services Manager at Recompose, to talk about branding, marketing, and aesthetics in funeral businesses. We touch on the importance of funeral homes having both well designed physical spaces, and an appealing online presence in today’s deathcare world, and why putting time and energy into designing both of those things well is a smart business strategy. We also discuss what the death-planners of today and tomorrow are looking for, and how being authentic in your branding is key to any successful marketing strategy.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo, Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe, Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 42: Eco-Consciousness and the Future of Funeral Services
This week I return to my conversation with Brie Smith, Services Director at Return Home, to talk about the importance of eco-consciousness in the funeral profession. Studies show that consumers across industries are changing their purchasing behaviors to be more eco-friendly, and death planning is no exception. We talk about the low carbon footprint of Natural Organic Reduction, innovative ways that some crematories and funeral service companies are acting to reduce their environmental impact, and how this conversation will be important to the future of deathcare.
You can find return home on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and other social media platforms.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo, Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe, Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 41: The Future of Deathcare in a Changing World
This week I return to my conversation with Dr. Sara Murphy and Timothy McLoone to talk about grief and deathcare looking forward in the time of covid, and beyond. Timothy McLoone is a Licensed Funeral Director & Certified Celebrant and Dr. Sara Murphy is a death educator, certified thanatologist, and suicidologist with fifteen years of scholarly, pedagogical, and professional experience in the field. We discuss how the deathcare profession has changed quickly in many ways since the onset of the pandemic, including new insights as to what death planning families want and need, the importance of ritual building in the grieving process regardless of disposition method, the continued rise in cremation, and the role of innovation in the future of the space.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo, Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe, Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 40: Slowing Down the Death Planning Process
This week I talk with Brie Smith, Services Director at Return Home, about the value of slowing down deathcare processes for grieving families. With the emergence of new, alternative forms of disposition like natural organic reduction which inherently take a long time, funeral professionals at the cutting edge of deathcare are seeing a huge benefit to going slow and allowing space for families to process their grief. Brie discusses how Return Home’s 60+ day process allows families to form relationships with the deathcare professionals taking care of their deceased loved ones and allows more time for building and experiencing grief rituals. We also talk about how this mentality could be beneficial across the profession in both how we work with families, and within internal deathcare company culture.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo, Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe, Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 39: Connecting with the LGBTQIA+ Community
This week we are joined by Dr. Sara Murphy and Timothy McLoone to discuss their recent NFDA Continuing Education Course “Connecting with the LGBTQ+ Community.” Timothy McLoone is a Licensed Funeral Director & Certified Celebrant at William R. May Funeral Home, in Glenside, PA and Dr. Sara Murphy is a death educator, certified thanatologist, and suicidologist with fifteen years of scholarly, pedagogical, and professional experience in the field. She is also a faculty member at the University of Rhode Island and affiliate faculty member in the Thanatology Graduate Program at Marian University. They discuss why it’s important for funeral businesses to understand how to better serve the LGBTQIA+ community, both from a business and a humanitarian standpoint. They also talk about some of the most important takeaways from their lecture given at the 2021 NFDA Convention and why starting and continuing this conversation is vital to the future of deathcare.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo, Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe, Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.
Episode 38: Ritual Building in Deathcare
This week I return to my conversation with Morgan Yarborough, Services Manager at Recompose, to talk about the importance of ritual building for grieving families. We talk about some of the ways that Recompose helps support families in ritual building including a walk-through of their carbon cycle laying-in ritual and being open to and supportive of at-home family care for deceased loved ones. We also touch on why ritual is important for all families despite the chosen disposition method.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo, Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe, Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website or sign up for Parting Stone's monthly webinar here.
Episode 37: The Evolution of Cremation Services 2
This week, I return to my conversation with Barbara Kemmis, executive director of CANA to talk about her 10 year anniversary in that role. We discuss CANA’s educational and research programs and the role that data collection and research plays in strategically planning funeral businesses. We talk about CANA’s annual statistics report, it’s notorious accuracy, and future predictions about cremation in the US. We also touch on what Barbara predicts her next 10 years at CANA will look like including a more gender-diverse funeral profession and increasing conversations around mental health support.
Produced and Hosted by and Alexandra Jo, Content Manager at Parting Stone, and Co-Hosted by Justin Crowe, Founder & CEO of Parting Stone.
To learn more about Parting Stone and solidified remains visit Parting Stone's website.