The Death and Resurrection Doula Podcast

https://deathandresurrectiondoula.com
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Biweekly

Welcome to The Death & Resurrection Doula Podcast, where Christian theology, spiritual formation, and end-of-life accompaniment meet in thoughtful and hope-filled conversation. Hosted by Christian End-of-Life Doula Practitioner and theologian Laurel Nicholson, this podcast explores how resurrection hope shapes the life of the Church through presence, preparation, caregiving, and community. Through conversations with pastors, doulas, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, each episode invites listeners into a deeper vision of discipleship shaped by the crucified and risen Christ.

  1. 5d ago

    Nourishing the Soul: Music Therapy at End of Life

    Laurel Nicholson and her husband Ed meet in conversation again, this time to discuss the importance of Music Therapy in end-of-life care. Ed works as a music therapist in a local hospice and shares how music has a unique ability to reach people in ways that words often cannot, offering comfort, peace, and connection during life's final chapter. In this episode, Laurel & Ed explore the profound role of music therapy in end-of-life care, where familiar songs can awaken memories, evoke deep emotional responses, and bring moments of clarity—particularly for those living with dementia. Beyond its therapeutic benefits, music can serve as a powerful form of spiritual ministry, offering solace, meaning, and companionship to those who are dying. Join us as they explore how the personal relationship between a music therapist and a patient contributes to healing, nurturing the soul and creating sacred moments of connection, comfort, and grace for everyone. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Music Therapy in Hospice Care 01:43 The Role of a Music Therapist 04:32 Personal Experiences with Music Therapy 06:30 The Importance of Connection at the Bedside 09:51 Music Therapy as Part of the Hospice Team 16:48 The Spiritual Aspect of Music Therapy 22:25 Closing Thoughts on Music and Dying Follow us on social media and learn more about our Death and Resurrection Doula Training at: Website: ⁠https://deathandresurrectiondoula.com/⁠   Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/thedeathandresurrectiondoula⁠  Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/thedeathandresurrectiondoula/⁠  LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-death-resurrection-doula/⁠   YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thedeathandresurrectiondoula⁠

    26 min

  2. May 23

    G.R.I.E.F. with Heather Horton

    In this insightful interview, Heather Horton shares her journey from a successful tax attorney to a grief recovery specialist and podcast host. She discusses how faith, relationships, and understanding grief through a spiritual lens can transform pain into power, offering a unique framework based on the word 'GRIEF' to navigate life's challenges.The experience of back-to-back life-changing events sharpened Heather's understanding of God's plans and mercy. In invite you to listen as Heather shares her incredible story of loss and renewal revealing that peace and healing only come through letting go and letting Christ be your identity.00:00 Introduction to Grief and Healing10:08 Navigating Grief in Professional Life19:59 The Role of Faith in Grief Recovery29:49 The G.R.I.E.F. Framework for Healing40:02 Conclusion and Reflections on GriefResources:Podcast: Grief Unplugged on AppleContact Heather: https://bookme.name/HeatherDHorton/lite/heart-to-heart-conversation Follow us on social media and learn more about our Death and Resurrection Doula Training at: Website: ⁠https://deathandresurrectiondoula.com/⁠  Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/thedeathandresurrectiondoula⁠  Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/thedeathandresurrectiondoula/⁠  LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-death-resurrection-doula/⁠  YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thedeathandresurrectiondoula⁠

    42 min
  3. Love Beyond the Grave: A Widow's Story

    May 5

    Love Beyond the Grave: A Widow's Story

    Meet Gloria Massingill, a widow and hospice bereavement group speaker, sharing her inspiring journey through grief, faith, and service. Discover how faith transforms pain into purpose, the importance of hospice care, and the power of community in healing.Gloria joins the Death & Resurrection Doula podcast from Mobile, AL. She is a faithful Christian woman with a heart for ministry! She loves to serve God in helping shape the hearts and minds of the young and old. She is a retired preschool and kindergarten teacher, a mother and grandmother, and the widow of the love of her life, Kenny. The early education classroom gave her an opportunity to witness to young families and now, after one year of widowhood, Gloria spends her time witnessing to new widows through a hospice bereavement group. In this episode, Gloria shares about human weakness and God's transforming power to save and renew love. Her love story with Kenny will leave you longing to love like Christ more and more each day.Visit https://saadhospice.com/ to learn more.(00:00) Introducing Gloria and the Saad Hospice Retreat Center (01:46) Meeting Ken as a High School Sweetheart (03:37) A Teaching Career That Became a Ministry (06:12) Marriage Transformed Through Christ (07:13) Walking Through the Deaths of Their Parents Together (11:20) Grieving Ken’s Absence, Not His Healing (15:07) Bereavement, Brokenness, and a New Ministry (19:00) Learning to Live as a Widow (22:18) Carrying Ken’s Legacy Forward (26:20) Ministering From the Place of Brokenness (30:30) A Marriage That Reflected God’s Love (31:35) The Last Dance to “The Goodness of God” (34:14) The Final Ambulance Ride and Sacred GoodbyeFollow us on social media and learn more about our Death and Resurrection Doula Training at: Website: https://deathandresurrectiondoula.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedeathandresurrectiondoula Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedeathandresurrectiondoula/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-death-resurrection-doula/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedeathandresurrectiondoula

    36 min
  4. A Song in Her Heart: Music, Memory, and Faith Across Generations — with Kathy Dye

    Apr 21

    A Song in Her Heart: Music, Memory, and Faith Across Generations — with Kathy Dye

    What does it mean to carry a song in your heart—even when memory fades? In this inspiring conversation, Kathy Dye shares her journey as a writer of children’s books and Bible studies that emphasize hope, faith, and legacy across generations. With warmth and wisdom, Kathy reflects on her passion for aging gracefully, mentoring younger women, and using storytelling and music to nurture faith within families. Kathy recounts the deeply personal story behind her children’s book A Song in Her Heart, inspired by her mother’s lifelong love of singing and the way music became a bridge of connection through the long journey of dementia. Her story offers a tender glimpse into how love, memory, and faith can endure even as the mind changes. We also explore Kathy’s beloved Kit Kat Camp children’s series, where life lessons unfold through the loving guidance of a grandmother, and her upcoming Bible study, The Song of Our Heart, which invites women to live with God as the melody shaping their daily lives. This episode speaks to daughters, mothers, grandmothers, caregivers, and anyone walking alongside aging loved ones. Together, we consider how music, memory, and faith can become sacred tools of connection—especially in seasons of decline, caregiving, and legacy-making.Learn more about Kathy and her work at https://www.kathydyeauthor.com/ (00:00) Introduction and Meeting Kathy Dye (02:09) Alzheimer’s, Music, and Lasting Memory (04:10) A Personal Tribute to Kathy’s Mother (06:23) Faith, Singing, and Connection Through Dementia (08:00) Writing Children’s Books and Teaching Life Values (10:48) Kit Kat Camp and Lessons for the Next Generation (12:01) Legacy, Storytelling, and Passing Down Faith (13:30) Why Older Women Should Not “Bow Out” (18:00) Bible Study, Community, and Women Supporting Women (22:30) Writing, Retirement, and Creative Calling (27:00) Final Reflections on Aging, Purpose, and FaithFollow us on social media and learn more about our Death and Resurrection Doula Training at: Website: https://deathandresurrectiondoula.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedeathandresurrectiondoula Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedeathandresurrectiondoula/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-death-resurrection-doula/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedeathandresurrectiondoula

    28 min
  5. The Valley of Dry Bones: Stories of Resurrection

    Apr 7

    The Valley of Dry Bones: Stories of Resurrection

    Nothing is beyond the reach of God's spirit! In this podcast episode, Laurel & Ed Nicholson share their story beyond Laurel's initial end-of-life doula care for Ed's mom, Marilyn. Their marriage stems from a deep friendship culitvated through difficult valleys of divorce in thier first marriage. God's will is to heal us individually and collectively to experience God's design for marriage lived in freedom through grace.  Beyond restoration of this sacred union, Laurel & Ed discuss their careers -- waiting on God's timing to build and restore what He calls us to for our families, our communities, and the world. No valley is too desolate for God's restorative power to bring new life from dead bones. (00:00) Introduction and Theme of Resurrection (02:06) Eternal Life and Present-Day Renewal (05:00) Experiencing Death Through Life Circumstances (09:00) Trusting God’s Plan and Letting Go of Control (12:00) Resurrection in Scripture and Lazarus (15:00) Living with Hope in a Broken World (18:30) Redefining Success and Restoration (20:30) Hospice Music Therapy and End-of-Life Impact (24:20) Final Encouragement and PrayerFollow us on social media and learn more about our Death and Resurrection Doula Training at: Website: https://deathandresurrectiondoula.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedeathandresurrectiondoula Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedeathandresurrectiondoula/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-death-resurrection-doula/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedeathandresurrectiondoula

    25 min
  6. The Four Grief Personas with Sarah Baldwin

    Mar 24

    The Four Grief Personas with Sarah Baldwin

    Today on the The Death & Resurrection Doula Podcast,host Laurel Nicholson is joined by Sarah Baldwin, co-founder of Restfully and creator of the Grief Persona framework, to discuss how people experience and process grief.Sarah shares her personal journey into this work following the loss of her mother, and how her background in data analytics led her to identify patterns in the way individuals navigate loss. Together, Laurel and Sarah explore the four grief personas—the Open Heart, the Steady Hand, the Quiet Anchor, and the Seeker—offering a helpful lens for understanding the different ways people respond to grief.The conversation highlights how these differences can create tension, especially during end-of-life care or funeral planning, but also how they can become a pathway to better communication and even healing. Laurel reflects on how this framework intersects with Christian theology, reminding listeners that while grief is an inevitable part of life, it is not without meaning, nor without hope in Christ.(00:00) Introduction & Sarah Baldwin’s Story (01:00) The Loss That Inspired Restfully (05:00) The Four Grief Personas Explained (07:00) Moving Between Grief Personas (09:00) Anthropology, Faith & Human Nature in Grief (11:00) Why Different Grief Styles Create Conflict (13:00) Finding Healing Through Understanding Others (15:00) Communicating Your Grief Needs Clearly (17:00) Practical Tools for Navigating Grief (21:30) How to Get Started with RestfullyFollow us on social media and learn more about our Death and Resurrection Doula Training at: Website: https://deathandresurrectiondoula.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedeathandresurrectiondoula Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedeathandresurrectiondoula/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-death-resurrection-doula/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedeathandresurrectiondoula

    40 min
  7. Resurrection Hope: A Death & Resurrection Doula Training Conference Highlight

    Mar 10

    Resurrection Hope: A Death & Resurrection Doula Training Conference Highlight

    In this episode, Laurel Nicholson explores the Christian perspective on death, resurrection, and end-of-life care, emphasizing the importance of hope and spiritual preparation alongside practical planning for a good death. For believers, resurrection is our greatest hope and shapes how we approach death. Join us as we explore the practical steps involved in preparing for a good death—one rooted in spiritual peace and the comfort of community support. As Christians, we proclaim Christ’s victory over death, transforming our view of dying and the afterlife from a terrifying prospect into the promise of God’s eternal love.(00:00) Welcome and vision for the doula community (02:12) A Christian understanding of a “good death” (04:40) Death as an enemy and God’s mercy (09:49) Resurrection, immortality, and the body (13:31) Why Christian doulas are different (17:57) Witnessing resurrection hope in end-of-life care (22:38) Early Christians and the hope of resurrection (29:48) Immortality revealed in Christ alone (33:24) The interim state and comfort for believers (36:42) Closing encouragement and invitationFollow us on social media and learn more about our Death and Resurrection Doula Training at: Website: https://deathandresurrectiondoula.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedeathandresurrectiondoula Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedeathandresurrectiondoula/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-death-resurrection-doula/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedeathandresurrectiondoula

    39 min
  8. Death to Control, Resurrection into Freedom

    Feb 24

    Death to Control, Resurrection into Freedom

    In this episode of The Death & Resurrection Doula Podcast, Laurel Nicholson shares the profoundly personal story behind the creation of her Christ-centered end-of-life doula training program.Raised in a Christian home, Laurel quietly battled body image struggles, disordered eating, over-exercising, and an unrelenting drive for control that spanned decades and led to deep physical, emotional, and spiritual exhaustion. She found that no amount of affirmations, discipline, lifestyle change—or even marriage and motherhood—could bring lasting freedom. After reaching a breaking point in her early forties, Laurel experienced a profound turning toward the gospel. At the same time, witnessing her grandmother’s end-of-life struggles clarified a sobering truth: self-effort cannot heal the human heart, true transformation must come from outside ourselves through Christ alone.Laurel describes her healing as a story of death and resurrection—death to control, self-reliance, and shame, and resurrection into freedom, surrender, and service. That personal redemption now shapes her vocational calling. In a culture where the “death positive” movement is largely secular, she believes Christians are called to accompany the dying with resurrection hope rooted firmly in Christ and in the promise of peace that surpasses all understanding. (01:02) The Struggle with Control and Body Image (05:40) The Gospel as True Freedom (07:20) Death and Resurrection in My Own Story (10:50) Resurrection Hope and End-of-Life Care (14:00) Building a Faith-Based Training Community (17:40) Serving the Dying with Confidence in ChristFollow us on social media and learn more about our Death and Resurrection Doula Training at: Website: https://deathandresurrectiondoula.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedeathandresurrectiondoula Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedeathandresurrectiondoula/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-death-resurrection-doula/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedeathandresurrectiondoula

    21 min
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About

Welcome to The Death & Resurrection Doula Podcast, where Christian theology, spiritual formation, and end-of-life accompaniment meet in thoughtful and hope-filled conversation. Hosted by Christian End-of-Life Doula Practitioner and theologian Laurel Nicholson, this podcast explores how resurrection hope shapes the life of the Church through presence, preparation, caregiving, and community. Through conversations with pastors, doulas, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, each episode invites listeners into a deeper vision of discipleship shaped by the crucified and risen Christ.

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