This is a conversation you won’t want to miss. Join Nicole as she delves into a profound conversation with Christa Ovenell, who refers to herself as Death's Apprentice. In this episode, Christa shares her unique journey from a career in education to becoming a licensed funeral director and end-of-life doula. Discover the importance of embracing conversations about death, the misconceptions surrounding embalming, and the emotional depth of working in death care. Christa's insights challenge societal norms and encourage listeners to reflect on their own end-of-life plans. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion that promises to change the way you view life's final chapter and consider what preparations you can start discussions with your loved ones about, no matter one’s age. Host: Nicole Spencer Guest: Christa Ovenell Executive Producers: Glenn Milley https://www.instagram.com/goforglenn and Bessie Fong https://www.instagram.com/bessiefong New episodes air every Tuesday. Be sure to subscribe and leave a review! Join us on this spiritual journey by staying connected: Watch all episodes on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@spirituality.for.skeptics Follow on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spirituality.for.skeptics and TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@spirituality.forskeptics Join Nicole’s Substack https://nicolerspencer.substack.com/ Who should Nicole interview next? Share your thoughts with us at hello@spiritualityforskeptics.com ABOUT THE GUEST: Christa Ovenell is a community educator, licensed funeral director, and end-of-life doula, and the founder of Death’s Apprentice Education & Planning. A simple message underpins all her work: death is part of life, and it's time we started treating it that way. Christa is known for her grounded, approachable way of talking about death and dying: never sensationalizing the subject, just using these conversations as an essential tool for living well. She supports individuals, families, workplaces, and communities to think ahead, talk openly, and prepare thoughtfully for illness, aging, and death. Her approach is neither clinical nor abstract; it is rooted in real-world experience, deep listening, and a belief that informed choice and human connection can dramatically reduce fear and distress. With a background that spans adult education, funeral service, and hospitality, Christa brings professional expertise and lived understanding to her work. She is particularly interested in “living loss,” dementia, home death, grief-aware workplaces, and values-based end-of-life planning. She also mentors emerging death doulas and educators, offering an honest counterpoint to overly romanticized narratives about death work, and emphasizing sustainable, community-centered models of care. At the heart of Christa’s work is a simple but radical idea: that death literacy is a form of collective care. By normalizing conversations about mortality, legacy, and care, she helps people reclaim agency, reduce unnecessary suffering, and show up for one another with more confidence and compassion. Whether she’s facilitating a workshop, speaking to a room full of leaders, supporting a family through incapacity/end-of-life planning, or advocating for greener end-of-life options, Christa creates spaces that are thoughtful, spacious, and deeply human. She is known for balancing seriousness with light humour and profound warmth, and for always making room for both darkness and light. Christa lives and works in Vancouver, British Columbia, and offers her programs throughout North America. www.deathsapprentice.ca https://www.instagram.com/deathsapprentice.ca/ ABOUT THE HOST: Nicole Spencer is the host and curator of Spirituality for Skeptics, a show that explores the shift from doubt to belief through raw, transformative conversations. Raised without spirituality or religion, she never expected to find herself on this path. In her mid-30s, mentors and personal experiences opened her to curiosity about the unseen, inspiring her to create a space where others could explore freely without dogma or prescription. Before launching the show, Nicole built and sold two coaching companies at different stages of her career. Most recently, she scaled a business coaching brand to 8-figures in six years, generating over $13 million in that time. The success was rewarding and she remains grateful for it, but even at the height of achievement she sensed there was something more. Stepping away, she turned her focus to the deeper pursuit of peace, fulfillment, and meaning. Through unpolished, emotionally honest stories, Spirituality for Skeptics offers a rare space for those who doubt but long to believe.
