Seeing Death Clearly

Jill McClennen

Seeing Death Clearly is a show that challenges you to think about your beliefs about death, dying, grief, and living life. I am your host, Jill McClennen, a death doula and end-of-life coach. As a death doula, I found through first-hand experience that the more I came to terms with my thoughts and feelings about death and dying, the more present I became in my everyday life and I hope to share that with you too, how you can live a better life by having a healthier relationship with death and dying. Each episode features a guest who shares their beliefs and stories about death and dying. These are honest conversations about a topic most of us avoided talking about our entire lives. I am on a mission to change that, one conversation at a time.

  1. Breast Cancer, Medical Choice, Informed Consent with Joy Jolie

    1D AGO

    Breast Cancer, Medical Choice, Informed Consent with Joy Jolie

    Send us Fan Mail Death doula and funeral celebrant Jill McClennan hosts a conversation with Joy Jolie about how repeated loss, grief, and serious illness shaped Joy’s views on dying, healing, and end-of-life planning.  Joy describes multiple breast cancer diagnoses in her family, including her own, and shares how her mother declined chemo and radiation, while her sisters faced lasting harm and, in one case, workplace pressure to undergo treatment. Joy explains why she questioned standard cancer care, sought resources like Crispy Cancer and The Truth About Cancer, and emphasized informed consent and personal medical choice.  The episode also discusses Canada’s MAID program, supporting choice while warning about coercion and lack of support, and touches on psychedelics for depression and death anxiety. Joy shares her shift toward conscious living, legacy, and helping others through her Joy of Resilience work. 00:00 Suffering and Growth 00:17 Meet Jill and Joy 01:31 Joy’s Losses and Awakening 04:12 Seven Breast Cancer Diagnoses 04:54 Coercion and Treatment Pressure 06:53 Searching for Causes 11:26 Informed Consent and Choice 20:49 Quality of Life Conversations 25:00 Sister’s Final Journey 27:09 A Call for Medical Autonomy 27:26 Health Choices Matter 28:31 Hope and Culture Shift 28:43 MAID and Personal Choice 29:55 Slippery Slope Concerns 36:00 Hospice Policies and Oversight 37:59 Eugenics and Human Value 39:27 Mental Illness Gray Areas 40:15 Psychedelics as Treatment 41:27 Family Impact and Nuance 44:40 Grief and Die Wise 48:37 Division and Complexity 50:44 Building Joy Resilience 52:11 Services and Resources 54:49 End of Life Planning https://joyofresilience.com Support the show Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support  Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast.  Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life.  jill@endoflifeclarity.com  https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call. www.endoflifeclarity.com Instagram Facebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity Circle LinkedIn TikTok

    56 min
  2. Pet Loss Grief with a Pet Death Doula Jessica LeBeau-Richman

    MAR 29

    Pet Loss Grief with a Pet Death Doula Jessica LeBeau-Richman

    Send us Fan Mail Host Jill McClennen, a death doula and funeral celebrant, talks with Jessica LeBeau-Richman, a South Jersey pet death doula, about the often overlooked grief of losing an animal and how people can stay connected through ritual, keepsakes, and conscious goodbyes.  Jessica shares how her rescue cat Sammy led her from years of nonprofit social services into end-of-life doula work for pets, and how she supports families with anticipatory grief, quality-of-life decisions, vet-visit advocacy, and after-death choices like burial or cremation.  They discuss the lack of cultural support for pet grief, including shame and limited workplace compassion, and both describe in-home euthanasia as a beautiful experience.  The conversation highlights how honoring pet loss can support healing, legacy, and more present, intentional living. 01:24 Jessica’s Pet Doula Path 03:11 Sammy’s Story Begins 04:55 Shelter Work to Doula Work 07:13 Why Pet Grief Hits Hard 07:50 In Home Goodbye Rituals 09:52 Keepsakes and Ongoing Bonds 11:55 Older Pets and Second Chances 13:49 Euthanasia Versus Human Endings 15:31 When Is It Time 16:26 Sammy’s Final Day 21:30 Support During Loss 22:46 Becoming a Pet Doula 23:12 Pet vs Human Care 23:45 Quality of Life Assessment 24:29 Pet Memorialization Options 25:53 Pet Doula Training 26:56 Building the Business 29:19 Pet Burial Options 29:56 Backyard Pet Burials 30:54 Personal Burial Stories 32:33 Honoring Animal Remains 34:55 Appreciating Life Through Death 35:49 Tactile Moments with Pets 37:46 Connect with Jessica 38:37 End of Life Planning Website: https://jessicaendoflifepetdoula.carrd.co/ Instagram: @jessica.petlossdoula Support the show Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support  Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast.  Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life.  jill@endoflifeclarity.com  https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call. www.endoflifeclarity.com Instagram Facebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity Circle LinkedIn TikTok

    40 min
  3. Suicide, Grief and Depression with Rae Dumont

    MAR 22

    Suicide, Grief and Depression with Rae Dumont

    Send us Fan Mail Host Jill McClennen, a death doula and funeral celebrant, speaks with Rae Dumont, a Belgian-born pediatrician turned family therapist, about caring for chronically ill children and why connection and honest, age-appropriate truth matter as much as clinical skill. Dumont discusses her novel, “In the Shadow of Silence,” about a father’s depression and suicide and the different ways children and a spouse who is also a psychiatrist process grief, shame, guilt, anger, and “what if” thinking, especially after sudden or violent loss. They contrast depression-related suicide with end-of-life choices in serious illness, and emphasize presence, compassion, and bearing witness when cure isn’t possible. The conversation also explores embracing mortality, how the mindset at death affects loved ones, preparing children for death through honesty, and the value of end-of-life planning and supportive conversations before a crisis. 01:31 Pediatrics to Family Therapy 03:11 Kids Need Honesty 03:45 Novel and Family Fallout 05:35 Why Fiction Not Memoir 07:22 Suicide Shame and Guilt 09:41 Violent Loss Trauma 11:40 Spouse as Psychiatrist 16:51 You Cant Save Everyone 18:26 Compassion Without Cure 20:48 Accepting Death Frees Life 22:40 End of Life vs Suicide 23:53 Talking Death With Kids 25:36 Hospice Goodbye Story 26:41 Gifts Before Dying 27:03 Tibetan Death Teachings 28:10 Reincarnation And Legacy 29:44 Talking To Kids 32:08 Suicide And Loved Ones 33:16 Facing The Unvarnished Truth 37:03 Supporting Families Too 38:25 Why Write This Book 42:09 Guilt What Ifs And Limits 46:42 Finding The Book https://www.raedumontwriting.org In the Shadow of Silence  Also find the book here Book Review  Staring at the Sun: Overcoming the Terror of DeathSupport the show Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support  Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast.  Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life.  jill@endoflifeclarity.com  https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call. www.endoflifeclarity.com Instagram Facebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity Circle LinkedIn TikTok

    49 min
  4. Abandoned Cemeteries and Lost Burial Grounds with Edward Snyder

    MAR 15

    Abandoned Cemeteries and Lost Burial Grounds with Edward Snyder

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Jill McClennen speaks with Philadelphia-area researcher and photographer Edward Snyder about abandoned and forgotten cemeteries and what they reveal about dying, grief, legacy, and conscious living. Ed explains how his interest in cemetery art grew into decades of documenting burial practices and the death care industry, including stories of cemeteries destroyed, built over, or only partly moved, leaving human remains under streets, playgrounds, and parking lots. He cites the Philadelphia Archaeological Forum’s map of 200 historic burial sites. He describes cases like Monument Cemetery near Temple University and the First Baptist Church burial ground, where thousands may still remain. They discuss what can happen legally when construction finds remains, the dumping of tombstones along the Betsy Ross Bridge shoreline, neglect and restoration efforts at Mount Moriah, Mount Vernon, and Har Hasetim, and how green burials and community events can fund long-term care.  01:40 Cemetery Photography Obsession 04:51 How Many Hidden Burial Grounds 07:17 Monument and Lafayette Cemeteries 09:04 Construction Finds and the Law 11:09 Tombstones Dumped in Rivers 16:50 Grave Robbing at Mount Moriah 21:59 Turning Cemeteries into Green Space 27:48 Why Cemeteries Get Abandoned 29:12 Green Burial as a Lifeline 35:51 Camden Cemeteries and River Markers https://thecemeterytraveler.blogspot.com/ Abandoned and Forgotten Cemeteries of Philadelphia and its Environs book on Amazon “History Lives at Fort Mifflin” multi-author event April 11, 2026, Fort Mifflin, 6400 Hog Island Rd, Philadelphia, PA 19153 “Abandoned Site Photography” Artist Talk Event with Ed Snyder and Veronika Schmude, April 15, 2026, Plays and Players Theatre, 1714 Delancey St, Philadelphia, PA 19103  “The Challenge of the Abandoned Cemetery” presentation at the Spring 2026 Pennsylvania Chapter meeting of the Association for Gravestone Studies, May 2, 2026, Berks History Center, Reading, PA Seeing Death Clearly episodes mentioned in this podcast: How Natural Burial is Changing End-of-Life Planning with Ed Bixby Reviving Philadelphia’s Forgotten Mount Vernon Cemetery with Brandon Zimmerman Support the show Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support  Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast.  Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life.  jill@endoflifeclarity.com  https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call. www.endoflifeclarity.com Instagram Facebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity Circle LinkedIn TikTok

    42 min
  5. Preserving Life Stories Before We Die with Cristian Cibilis Bernardes

    MAR 8

    Preserving Life Stories Before We Die with Cristian Cibilis Bernardes

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode my guest Cristian Cibilis Bernardes, founder and CEO of Autograph and I explore how preserving memories can become a powerful part of legacy and end-of-life planning. The conversation highlights why hearing a loved one’s voice and stories can bring comfort, healing, and deeper understanding during grief. Autograph is a platform designed to preserve people’s life stories before they are lost. Autograph records weekly phone interviews with an AI historian named Walter, capturing real conversations about a person’s memories, relationships, and life lessons. The recordings are transcribed and organized into private, connected pages that map the people, places, and experiences that shape a life, creating what Cristian describes as a living library of family wisdom. The platform also sets clear boundaries around technology. Instead of creating AI avatars or simulations of the dead, every story is grounded in real recordings to protect authenticity and avoid the ethical concerns that can arise when technology recreates a person who has died. The conversation explores how documenting memories can support healing, strengthen family connections, and encourage more conscious living.  01:36 Autograph Explained 03:22 Time Vault for Families 04:56 Grief and Boundaries 06:35 Stories Shape Identity 08:40 AI and Authentic Memory 13:06 How the Platform Works 16:02 Pricing and Access Model 17:28 Don’t Wait to Record 20:12 Christian’s Origin Story 21:56 AI Translation and Connection 24:02 Love Notes for Later 25:51 Kids Change Everything 26:58 Life Is Hard for Everyone 28:01 Authoring Your Own Story 28:51 Screens and Fading Memories 31:33 Why Walter Is Audio 34:34 Gratitude and Mortality 37:20 Measured Optimism as Founder 38:35 Escaping Algorithm Negativity 41:40 Doing AI Companions Right 44:36 Where to Find Autograph https://www.linkedin.com/in/ccibils https://autograph.ai Support the show Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support  Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast.  Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life.  jill@endoflifeclarity.com  https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call. www.endoflifeclarity.com Instagram Facebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity Circle LinkedIn TikTok

    46 min

  6. MAR 1

    Death Doula Talk on Medical Aid in Dying and End-of-Life Planning with Joy Rodriquez

    Send us Fan Mail End-of-life doula Joy Rodriguez talks with me about death doula work and supporting people who choose medical aid in dying. Medical aid in dying is often misunderstood and can be hard to access even where it is legal, especially when it is difficult to find participating providers. Joy shares her path from hospice volunteering in Washington to serving as a volunteer client advisor with End of Life Washington, helping families locate eligible doctors, understand the process, and prepare for the day of death.  She notes that hospice would not allow her to volunteer if she did that work. After moving to Hawaii, Joy saw how limited education and navigation support left many unaware of the law, so she now offers paid doula support with a sliding scale. They discuss emotional labor, the value of planning early, how a person’s “line in the sand” can change as illness progresses, and keeping clients as the “captains” of their own end-of-life choices. 00:00 Clients Captain Their Ship 00:20 Show Intro And Episode Setup 02:12 Joy Journey Hospice To Washington 05:34 Volunteering And Finding Providers 07:29 Pay Emotional Labor And Access 09:02 Paid Doula Work In Hawaii 15:24 Education Gaps And Public Awareness 17:16 Autonomy Misconceptions And Doctors 21:58 Planning Listening And Lines Shift 28:08 Doulas Versus Social Workers 33:52 Scope Of Practice And Captain Metaphor 41:18 Wrap Up And Where To Find Joy 42:24 Final Call To Action honoluludeathdoula.com Free bereavement group for aid in dying families:  Medical Aid in Dying Group Registration    Community Care Events Medical Aid In Dying Bereavement Support Group Support the show Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support  Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast.  Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life.  jill@endoflifeclarity.com  https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call. www.endoflifeclarity.com Instagram Facebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity Circle LinkedIn TikTok

    42 min
  7. A Palliative Doctor on Dying, End-of-Life Planning, and Living Well with David Casarett

    FEB 22

    A Palliative Doctor on Dying, End-of-Life Planning, and Living Well with David Casarett

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, a palliative care physician explains how early support and thoughtful end-of-life planning can reduce fear, ease suffering, and improve quality of life for patients and families. Dr. David Casarett, chief of Palliative Care at Duke Health, describes palliative care as whole-person support that relieves symptoms and helps people make difficult medical decisions, even while receiving aggressive treatment. He contrasts this with hospice, which focuses on comfort for those expected to have six months or less to live.  00:17 Welcome to Seeing Death + Meet Dr. David Casarett 01:49 What Palliative Care Really Is (and What It Isn’t) 03:50 Palliative Care vs. Hospice: The Key Differences 04:39 How to Access Palliative Care Outside the Hospital 08:42 Misconceptions & Resistance: Why Palliative Care Gets Misread 10:38 Making Hard Choices: Ventilators, Odds, and Patient Goals 14:08 Age Isn’t the Whole Story: Function, Resilience, and Will to Live 16:15 Inside the Interdisciplinary Team: Social Work, Chaplaincy, Nursing & More 19:23 The Undiscovered Country: A Doctor’s Travel Guide to the End of Life 20:21 What People Fear About Dying (and What It Often Looks Like) 21:34 How Death Happens: The Body’s Timing, Physiology, and a Peaceful End 25:04 The Moment of Death: Quieter Than the Movies 25:57 What Comes After? Making Peace With the Unknown 26:34 Can People Sense Their Death? Monks, Intuition, and Timing 27:59 A Patient Who ‘Needed to Go Home’: The Botswana Story 31:43 Patterns Across Cultures: Visions and ‘People in the Room’ 32:57 Terminal Delirium vs. End-of-Life Visions (and When to Treat) 35:47 Why Education Matters: Preparing Families for What’s Normal 36:36 Media Myths, Hospice Misconceptions, and Getting Support Sooner 41:45 Changing Care Earlier: Goals-of-Care Conversations + AI ‘Goal Coach’ 45:23 Where to Find the Book + Final Thanks and Listener Support Website: www.casarett.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/david-casarett David’s TED Talk: A Doctor's Case for Medical Marijuana David’s TEDxTalk: Gods, Munchkins & The Science Of Reviving The Dead Support the show Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support  Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast.  Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life.  jill@endoflifeclarity.com  https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call. www.endoflifeclarity.com Instagram Facebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity Circle LinkedIn TikTok

    47 min
  8. From Prison to Peace: Rah Rah’s Story of Survival, Loss, and Healing

    FEB 15

    From Prison to Peace: Rah Rah’s Story of Survival, Loss, and Healing

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, for Black History Month, Jill interviews her longtime friend Rashine Curry (Rah Rah), a mother of six from Atlantic City. Rah Rah describes how poverty, racism, and systemic bias shaped her life, including incarceration, untreated mental illness, and medical neglect in prison. She shares major losses: her daughter’s father was murdered when the baby was six months old, her longtime partner and father of her other children was murdered, and she was not allowed to attend his funeral while incarcerated. She also recounts her brother’s murder, being raped in prison, and witnessing incarcerated people die after requests for medical help were ignored.  Rah Rah talks about how she welcomed a woman, who once sheltered Rah Rah and her children during homelessness, into her home for hospice. Rah Rah provided hands-on care, kept family visitors close, used music meant for hospice patients, and says Ms. Denise died peacefully on December 20. Rah Rah also speaks about her father’s ongoing incarceration: he received a 65-years-to-life sentence for snatching a bag of money from UPS, has been imprisoned about 35 years, is now 75, blind, and showing signs of dementia and being denied clemency despite petitions.  00:00 From Prison to Peace: Rah’s New Life 00:15 Meet the Host + Black History Month Episode Setup 01:21 How Cathedral Kitchen Opened Jill’s Eyes to Systemic Bias 03:03 Rah Introduces Herself: Atlantic City, Motherhood, and Reentry 06:16 Grief Piled on Grief: Murders, Separation, and Mental Health 11:38 Survival, Crime, and the Inhumanity of Prison 14:29 Paying It Forward: Bringing Her Benefactor Home for Hospice 19:43 The Final Days: Love, Exhaustion, and Letting Her Rest 23:04 After Death: Signs, Spirits, and What Still Lingers at Home 24:01 Spirits at Home: Feeling Ms. Denise Still Around 25:12 Signs & Comfort: When the Spirit Tries to Calm You 26:10 Remembering Ms. Denise: The Life of a Beloved Friend 27:54 Show Up Before It’s Too Late: Visiting Loved Ones at End of Life 31:31 Her Father’s Prison Story: A Final Visit in Handcuffs 34:34 Aging, Dementia & Prison Reform: Why Keep Him Locked Up? 35:52 Clemency Denied & Life Inside Blind: The System’s Failures 39:51 Coping With Grief: Music, Grandkids, and Staying Busy 41:36 Cathedral Kitchen Changed My Life: Certificates, Community, and Purpose 43:50 Protecting Your Peace: Choosing Solitude Over Toxic Relationships Support the show Support the show financially by doing a paid monthly subscription. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2092749/support  Subscribe to Seeing Death Clearly and leave a 5-star review if you are enjoying the podcast.  Don’t forget to check out my free workbook Living a Better Life.  jill@endoflifeclarity.com  https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/end-of-life-planning to learn more about End of Life Care planning and schedule a free 30-minute call. www.endoflifeclarity.com Instagram Facebook Facebook group End of Life Clarity Circle LinkedIn TikTok

    46 min
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5
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Seeing Death Clearly is a show that challenges you to think about your beliefs about death, dying, grief, and living life. I am your host, Jill McClennen, a death doula and end-of-life coach. As a death doula, I found through first-hand experience that the more I came to terms with my thoughts and feelings about death and dying, the more present I became in my everyday life and I hope to share that with you too, how you can live a better life by having a healthier relationship with death and dying. Each episode features a guest who shares their beliefs and stories about death and dying. These are honest conversations about a topic most of us avoided talking about our entire lives. I am on a mission to change that, one conversation at a time.

Information

  • Creator
    Jill McClennen
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    158
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Seeing Death Clearly
  • Show Website
    Seeing Death Clearly

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