When We Die Talks

Content Note: This episode includes discussion of suicide and mental health struggles. If you or someone you know is struggling, you can call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. Free, confidential support is available 24/7.

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In this episode, we talk about grief that lingers, the stigma around mental illness, and why comparing depression to weakness misses the point. The caller shares what it was like to lose s...

This anonymous caller doesn’t claim to know what happens when we die and he’s completely at peace with that.

In this episode, we talk about what it means to live without answers but still find meaning. From a childhood shaped by death anxiety to a life enriched by spiritual study, psychedelics, and profound loss, he shares how grief transformed his relationship with death. And how, despite not having a clear belief about what comes ...

Season 2 officially starts next week, but I wanted to take a minute to share a few thoughts before it does. In this short update, I talk about how the podcast has evolved, what’s shifting in Season 2, and what you can still expect from each episode moving forward.

If you’ve been listening, thank you for being here. And if you’re just joining, I’m glad you found the show.

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Brynna Fish has spent much of her life exploring what it means to be a soul. What we’re made of, what we leave behind, and how we stay connected after we die.

In this episode, she shares personal stories that helped shape her idea of the “Worldwide Soul Web”—a belief that our souls are composites, made up of pieces of those who came before us. From an unexpected moment beside a stranger’s body on a Cincinnati highway, to a message p...

Two anonymous callers, two very different life stories, but a shared thread of grief, reflection, and the search for meaning.

In this episode, one caller opens up about a decade marked by intense, sudden losses, including the murder of a close cousin, the death of her fiancé, and a period of time spent living in her car. Through it all, she has wrestled with the big questions of what happens when we die and found a kind of personal ...

Maura McInerney-Rowley has been part of When We Die Talks from the very beginning, encouraging Zach to turn the project into a podcast long before the first episode was released. In this conversation, she shares how early experiences with illness and loss shaped her, what she learned as a hospice director, and the moment that led her to create Hello Mortal and Death Archetypes.

Zach and Maura talk about what it means to live with th...

In this episode, two anonymous callers share their perspectives on death, loss, and what might come after. While each conversation is distinct, both explore how personal experiences and beliefs shape our understanding of mortality.

The first caller reflects on a series of traumatic events, including the sudden death of his mother. He discusses how these losses led to a deeper exploration of Buddhism and grief, culminating in the dis...

This week, I’m talking with Elizabeth Fournier, also known as The Green Reaper. Elizabeth runs a funeral home in Boring, Oregon and is one of the most well-known advocates for green and home-based burial in the country. She’s also the author of The Green Reaper: Memoirs of an Eco-Mortician, which tells the story of how she built a funeral home in a repurposed goat barn and started helping families return to more natural, hands-on w...

In this episode of When We Die Talks, Zach shares two anonymous conversations sparked by one simple question: What do you believe happens when we die? Both callers were raised Catholic, but their paths have taken them in different directions. One has found comfort in the traditional ideas of judgment, heaven, and hell, while the other explores reincarnation, spirit guides, and the role of karma. Along the way, they each reflect on ...

In todays episode, I speak with pet death doula Ute Luppertz about the emotional journey of losing a beloved animal. Made more timely by a recent health scare with my 17-year-old dog Jackson, we discuss how we can prepare for a pet’s death, create meaningful rituals, and navigate the grief that often goes unspoken.

Together, they explore:

• How pets teach us about patience, compassion, and presence
• The importance of rituals and lega...

In Episode 13, Zach talks with poet and therapist Sara Rian, whose work beautifully captures the complex emotions surrounding grief and loss. Sara openly shares her experience following the suicide of her mom in 2018, discussing how writing poetry became an essential part of her healing process.

Throughout the episode, Sara and Zach explore:

• The profound impact poetry can have in expressing and processing grief.
• Personal anxieties...

This episode is another all-voicemail edition, featuring deeply personal messages from listeners reflecting on one of life’s biggest questions: What happens when we die?

The voicemail has always been a central part of When We Die Talks. It’s a space where people share their beliefs, fears, and hopes about death—whether they find comfort in the unknown, struggle with uncertainty, or see death as a transition to something else.

In this...

In this special episode of When We Die Talks, Zach sits down with his father, Chris Ancell, for a conversation that’s both personal and profound. They’ve shared countless discussions over tequila, but this one focuses on something much deeper—the inevitability of death and how each of them approaches it differently.

Chris reflects on the deaths that have shaped him, from family members to close friends, and how those experiences hav...

In this deeply personal episode of When We Die Talks, Zach Ancell sits down with Zac Phillips to discuss the profound and transformative journey of grief. Zac shares his intimate experiences following the loss of his father, including the deeply hands-on process of his father’s burial, the lessons learned from his dad’s beliefs about death, and how these moments shaped Zac's own spiritual perspectives. They explore the often-t...

In this bonus reflection episode, I revisit my conversation with Sarah Carter, exploring themes of gratitude, growth through loss, and how our experiences shape us. Sarah's openness about the profound losses in her life—losing both parents and navigating her husband's loss—offers a unique perspective on finding light even in the darkest moments.

I share my thoughts on how Sarah's story resonated with me, including the...

In Episode #9 of When We Die Talks, Sarah Carter joins the conversation to share her journey through profound personal loss. Sarah reflects on losing her mother to cancer at a young age and the unexpected death of her father during the COVID era. These experiences sparked a deep exploration of mortality, spirituality, and what it means to live a meaningful life.

Throughout the episode, Sarah and Zach discuss how grief changes over t...

In this reflection episode, I revisit my conversation with Don Sires, who shared his powerful journey living with ALS and his perspective shaped by the Baha’i faith. I highlight some of the key takeaways, like Don’s analogy of life as the "womb of the spiritual world," and how his resilience in the face of immense challenges offers lessons for us all.

On a personal note, I share my recent struggles with an eye injury and h...

In this episode of When We Die Talks, I have an open and honest conversation with Don Sires about his experience with terminal diagnoses, including myelodysplastic syndrome and ALS. Don reflects on the impact these diagnoses have had on his perspective of life, death, and what happens after we die.

We discuss his thoughts on how science and religion can coexist in the search for meaning, and how his spiritual beliefs from the Baha&a...

In this episode, Zach Ancell sits down with Barbara Solomon, a former nurse turned death doula and Death Café facilitator, who brings a wealth of experience and wisdom from her years of working closely with death. Barbara shares how witnessing countless end-of-life moments shaped her understanding of loss and grief, as well as what death can teach us about connection and compassion.

From navigating these moments of change ...