In this heartfelt conversation, I speak with spoken word artist, writer and mentor Anto Chan to explore the tender space where grief, identity, and creativity meet. Anto shares the story of losing his grandfather, the person who taught him emotional openness, and how that loss shaped his artistry, his purpose, and his relationship with vulnerability.
Together, they talk about the unspoken weight many families carry around death, the fear of losing the people we love most, and the healing that becomes possible when we create room for honest conversations.
Anto reflects on cultural expectations, the complexities of family dynamics, the importance of discussing family matters before it’s too late, and the surprising ways we stay connected to those who have passed.
If you’re navigating loss, longing for deeper conversations about mortality, or curious about how grief can open us rather than close us, this episode offers comfort, perspective, and a gentle reminder that talking about death is ultimately talking about life.
You can connect and learn more from Anto at:
IG: ANTOPUNFU
This podcast episode features Jenna Goodhand and Reshma Kearney discussing healing after losing a loved one to suicide, emphasizing the importance of conversation and support.
HighlightsKey Insights🌈 Embracing Hope: While the journey through grief can be difficult, maintaining a sense of hope and continuing to move forward is essential for healing and growth.
https://www.reshmakearney.com/
IG: @reshmakearney
On this episode Jenna dives deep with Tanya Wilkinson, host of the podcast Death on the Daily, cultural consultant, death and grief guide and bereaved Mama.
Tanya's Website: https://tanyawilkinson.co.uk/
IG: @tanyawilkinson_
Podcast link: Death on the Daily
Dr. Qwynn Galloway-Salazar (Doc Q) is the Founder and CEO of In Their Honor, where storytelling, service, and soul intersect to uplift the lives of military-connected communities. As an Army Veteran, the spouse of a Combat Veteran, an End-of-Life Doula Educator, and a passionate community builder, she has spent more than two decades championing dignity, equity, and belonging for those who serve and those who stand beside them.
With a deep belief that no one should face the end of life alone or unseen, Doc Q founded In Their Honor to bridge systems with compassion while collaborating across communities, state agencies, academic institutions, and care organizations to ensure that aging and terminally ill Veterans receive the care, reverence, and remembrance they deserve.
As the Senior Vice President of Engagement and Transformation at PsychArmor, she leads national efforts to strengthen military cultural competency across systems. She served as the lead advisor and creative force behind the "Caring for Veterans Through the End-of-Life"; collection, comprising three practical training tracks designed for Compassionate Communities, caregivers, and healthcare providers.
As a storyteller, she co-produced Grief Dialogues: Memorial Day, a theatrical tribute to military grief, loss, and legacy. At End Well 2024, she took the stage to perform her original monologue, "Support for Veterans at End of Life",moving audiences to a call for collective care.
In 2024, Doc Q was appointed to the End-of-Life Doula Council of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, now known as the National Alliance for Care at Home, and became a founding member of the U.S. Compassionate Communities Think Tank. Through these national platforms, she continues to champion a cultural shift in how we care for one another, particularly at the end of life. Her commitment to legacy-building also extends to mentoring doctoral students, nurturing the next generation of change makers dedicated to the well-being of military-connected communities.
She was named one of USA TODAY's 2024 Women of the Year, recognized for her leadership in transforming how our nation supports Veterans through aging, illness, and end-of-life care.
The Georgia Department of Veterans Services also honored her trailblazing work, naming her the inaugural Woman Veteran of the Year for 2022–2023. More than anything, Qwynn is movement-maker, reminding us that care is not just a service but a sacred act of community.
IG: @qgsalazar
Email: qgsalazar@intheirhonor.info
In this episode I talk with Erica Buist, author of "This Party's Dead" about her experience travelling the world attending Death Festivals.
Erica is a features writer for the Guardian, a creative writing teacher, and currently working on her second book (an escape thriller called Venus Flytrap) and researching her third (a novel about fraudulent mediumship). She lives in London, UK with her screenwriter partner, a deaf dog, a mighty cat, and a rich abundance of ADHD.
Bluesky:@ericabuist.bsky.social
Instagram / Threads: @ericabuist
In this episode I talk with Jenny Duffy about how death and grief affect our unhoused neighbours, through her experience working with the Toronto Homeless Memorial.
The Toronto Homeless Memorial remembers those who have died as a result of homelessness in Toronto. It was begun by Bonnie Briggs and is currently maintained by Holy Trinity and other concerned citizens.
The memorial service is held on the second Tuesday of each month at 12:00 PM outside the south door of Holy Trinity.
In this episodeJoe Lyons-Rising shares his journey of surviving profound loss, with both biological parents dying by suicide during his childhood, to ultimately discovering a renewed sense of purpose and joy.
We discuss his new book, Pain Remixed: Navigating Life with Trauma, Grief, Depression, and Anxiety, which offers a powerful and deeply personal exploration of mental health challenges across the stages of life.
Joe Lyons-Rising is the founder and Chief Empathy Officer of Data Gives Back, a B Corp-certified training company in Ontario, Canada, committed to doing social good. Reflecting his dedication to supporting those in need, Data Gives Back donates 25% of its revenue to the Seasons Centre for Grieving Children. As a volunteer Executive Grief Ambassador and Grief Facilitator with Seasons Centre, Joe's life and work stand as a testament to the transformative power of empathy and community.
Author Website: https://painremixed.com
Data Gives Back: https://www.datagivesback.com
Seasons Centre For Grieving Children: https://www.grievingchildren.com
In this episode Jennifer and I talk about "Major Days", the days that carry a little extra grief with them, and how to navigate them ourselves and support those who are experiencing them.
In her 35+ years in healthcare, Jennifer A. O’Brien has been a consultant to physicians and served in several interim CEO and other leadership positions.
The art journal she created during her late husband's 22-month illness, was published as, The Hospice Doctor's Widow, and won four awards including a Nautilus. Now, Jen shares her story, wisdom, and experience to help people recognize that: death preparation is love; family caregiving is both the hardest job and the greatest honor; and love is greater than death. Her second book, Care Boss: Leadership Strategies & Resources for Family Caregivers was released in November 2024.
Download: A Grievers Guide to Major Days
Website: https://jenniferaobrien.com
Claire Dam is a conceptual photographer with over a decade’s worth of experience shooting professionally in both digital and analogue formats.
Her vision and focus come from exploring the rawness and vulnerability of life and death, joy and grief.
Her aim is to give imagery to and normalize traditionally hidden experiences and emotions.
She lives on a small multigenerational farm in rural Hamilton, Ontario.
IG: dam.its.claire
https://www.clairedam.com
Bess Welden is an award-winning playwright, performer, and theater educator based in Waterville, Maine. She spent a year as a National Arts Strategies Creative Community Fellow developing her work at the intersection of art and social change.
As the founder of Death Wings Project, which offers creatively compassionate community art-making and storytelling programs about loss and grief, Bess led a team of over 20 Maine-based artists to bring performances of her play Death Wings to production in 2023.
For the last two years she has co-facilitated the Project’s wing-making workshop for over 100 participants in Maine, New Hampshire, and California, and hopes to co-create this hands-on ritual for remembering and letting go with many more people.
Maryam De Groef is a nervous system regulation coach, supporting women through trauma and loss. She is also a mother of two children she has had the honour of mothering earthside and two souls waiting for her in Jannah.
In this episode we talk about Maryam's experience of losing her 9 & 3/4 child Zeynah (it would have been very important to Zeynah that we added that 3/4), a miscarriage a year after the loss of Zeynah and how faith has helped her navigate grief.
You can find Maryam after the show at: @maryamdegroef on IG
Additional Resources:
Lumara Society: @lumarasociety
Camp Erin Toronto: @camperintoronto
Bereaved Families of Ontario - Toronto: @bfotoronto
Bereaved Families of Ontario - Southwest Region: @bfo_sw
Pregnancy Loss Support: @losstolove.app
Dr. Whitney Young, ND is the co-owner of Rooted Naturopathic Clinic & IV Lounge in Barrie, Ontario, focuses her practice on children’s health, and she is also a Resilience Speaker.
Whitney refers to herself as a “Double Widow.” In 2015 her husband, Steve, died suddenly leaving her with 2 young children to raise on her own. In 2019 she remarried a widower, named Tim but was sadly widowed again after only 2 short years of marriage. Through her own grief journey, she has truly learned about resilience, community, and choosing a life you love.
Eileen Spillane is the founder of Befriending Death, a platform that offers the signature course “Let’s Chat About Death” as well as 1:1 coaching, a book club and community gatherings. Her motivation to create these courses came from many years of witnessing unnecessary suffering as a critical care Nurse. Her hope is to normalize conversations around death with a supportive, friendly community, so life and death decisions can be approached long before one is hospitalized.
In addition to working as a Registered Nurse for the last thirty three years, Eileen is a meditation and dharma teacher and works as an active travel guide for international hiking and biking trips.
We all have one.
Here's mine.
Kevin empowers individuals and organizations to embrace change and move confidently ahead despite challenges and critics.
Kevin inspires as a bestselling author, change management specialist and motivational speaker. As someone who has mastered the art of resilience and hope, Kevin’s philosophy as a clarity builder is strategic and results driven.
Kevin has risen to the top and also faced some challenges that changed the trajectory of his life and career. He is now dedicated to helping individuals and teams flourish as they navigate through changing amid often-turbulent times.
Shannon Scott has soaked up Savannah and The Low Country at every level for over 30 years. Arriving as a Fine Arts student of The Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD), he became a regular at The Georgia Historical Society and, as a conversationalist, earned the graces of many locals and absorbed their stories and those of their friends and family. Always looking to the future for himself and Savannah, it would be Hollywood that took a keen interest in this area expert. Shannon found himself working as a regular researcher, associate producer and location scout for films, particularly TV shows dealing with hauntings, some of which involved on-camera participation. Most notably, these included “Scariest Places On Earth” and “Ghosthunters.” In 2002, Shannon opened his own ghost tour company and self-financed, produced and starred in his own documentary film, “America’s Most Haunted City,” based on his own experiences and those of friends and neighbors in Savannah. In 2010, Shannon opened Shannon Scott Tours & Events, placing major emphasis on cemeteries and unique cultural events related to them.
Ben Wasserman regularly performs his chaotic blend of comedy, characters, and crowd participation all over NYC and the East Coast. Ben has appeared in the Brooklyn Comedy Festival, Laughing Devil Festival, Cannonball Festival, NY/Philly/Burlington Fringe Festivals and his work has been featured by The New York Times, VICE, Paste Magazine, Vulture, Time Out NY, Buzzfeed among others. He’s currently running his newest solo show, Live after Death in Brooklyn and on tour. Importantly, Ben also painted with his butt on MTV.
After beginning her work in the funeral industry in 2011 doing death calls, she quickly found a passion for helping people during one of the most challenging times of their lives and has been a licensed funeral director and embalmer in Washington State since 2014. After graduating with honors from Mesa Community College’s mortuary science program, she uprooted and made a pointed move to surround herself with the beauty and awe of the Pacific Northwest.
Brie is responsible for overseeing all operations and services at Return Home, a Green Funeral Home, ensuring that every process throughout the facility is optimized and organized. She is also the “voice” of Return Home, delivering our message of sustainable death care to both traditional media and social media alike.
Outside of work, Brie can be found alongside her husband in their garden, seeking whales from the coastline, or reading books on patio lounge chairs with their dog Pepper May. They regularly spend time exploring the incredible beauty of the PNW..
Veronica Antipolo, also known by her stage name Sassy La V, is a professional storyteller, writer, producer, and occasional stand-up comedian who is dedicated to amplifying diverse voices. She has been featured on the soldout RICE: New Asian Comedians Showcase at the historic CBC Glenn Gould Studio, and she was a featured storyteller on CBC Radio. She has published stories and jokes, and is a sought-after speaker on topics such as diversity, empowerment through storytelling, and ethical storytelling. She also mentors women and creative entrepreneurs on branding, public speaking, and networking.
Kit is a non-binary, Hispanic Queer. They are a Death and Grief Doula. She likes spending time with her wife, and 3 cats (Howard Moon, Vince Noir, and Nadja Wednesday). They love all things paranormal. Their undergrad is in Anthropology with a focus on culture, death, and grief with a holistic approach. Her NDE (near-death experience) made life isolating, so she strives to make others feel less alone. Kit is one of the founding members of the PDX Queer Death Collective, and the death doula behind ‘Is That All There Is Holistic Death Care’. Hobbies include camping, embroidery, being near water, reading, MST3K, Antiques Roadshow, existential pondering, and alone time.
In this episode we explore the topics of the paranormal, near-death experiences and Queer Death experiences.