Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula

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What happens when you're a doctor and still, you can't fix what's happening to your own child? 

In this second part of our conversation, Dr. Tasha Faruqui shares what it’s like to live in the in-between. She and her husband, both physicians, did everything they could to find answers for their daughter. Every test. Every specialist. Even a policy change in Congress ...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, host Traci Arieli speaks with Dr. Tasha Faruqui, a pediatrician and mother navigating the complex path of parenting a child in hospice care. 

Together, they discuss what it means to live with intention when time is uncertain. Tasha shares her family’s rare medical journey, the emotional landscape of anticip...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli explores what happens after the unthinkable: the death of a child. Joined by Ashley Meyveci, founder of the nonprofit Luke’s Purpose, they discuss the emotional and financial shock grieving families face and the lack of systemic support in those first devastating days. 

Ashley shares the heartb...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli sits down with grief counselor and former funeral director Joe Stinson to explore the deeply personal and complex nature of grieving as a family. With over 50 years of experience in deathcare, Joe shares his knowledge and personal journey following the loss of his grandchild, offering a rare p...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, end-of-life doula Traci Arieli speaks with Tracey Scheffler, who cared for her mother through the final stages of dementia. 

Tracey shares her experience with honesty, vulnerability, and deep love. From emotional exhaustion to boundary-setting, from grief to unexpected moments of connection, her story will ...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, I’m joined by Martine Brousse, a medical billing advocate who’s been helping people take back their power in the healthcare system for over a decade. Together, we talk honestly about what really happens when the bill shows up, why it's often wrong, what you can do about it, and how to protect yourself...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, I’m joined by Steve Gurney, founder of the Positive Aging Community, for a practical conversation about what it means to age solo and why none of us are truly alone in this journey.  

More and more people are navigating aging without a spouse, children, or close family nearby. But solo aging isn’t just abou...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli sits down with Cindy Spence, massage therapist at the T. Boone Pickens Hospice Center and author of Palliative Touch: Massage for People at the End of Life. Together, they discuss how simple, intentional touch can become one of the most powerful tools for comfort and connection in hospice care...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, host Traci Arieli explores the mystical and emotionally charged world of 19th-century grief and belief. Joined by historian and researcher Katie Keckeisen, creator of the digital exhibit Beyond the Veil: Spiritualism in the 19th Century, they discuss the rise of Spiritualism during the Victorian era and ho...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli sits down once again with Erica Baccus, whose husband Jon was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. What followed was a journey of deep love and courageous choices- culminating in his decision to pursue assisted death in Switzerland. 

Now, months later, Erica returns to share reflections from...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli explores the emotional and financial toll of denied medical claims. Joined by founder and patient advocate Holden Karau, creator of Fight Health Insurance, they unpack the broken insurance system and how one AI-powered tool is helping people push back. From appeal letters to patient assistance...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli explores the true meaning of a good death, and why it begins with how we choose to live. Joined by teacher, speaker, and author Chris Palmer, they unpack what it means to live with intention, plan ahead with compassion, and face death as a part of life rather than a medical failure. 

Chris shar...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, host Traci Arieli explores the complexities of senior living decisions with Angie Graham, Division President of Our House Senior Living. Together, they break down what “good care” really looks like, and how families can distinguish between nurturing communities and places that fall short. 

Angie shares her ...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli speaks with Farah Baxter, co-founder of Soalma, about the essential documents, conversations, and emotional legacies we should prepare before we die. Together, they explore how thoughtful end-of-life planning can ease the burden on loved ones, reduce chaos, and create space for healing. 

Whethe...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure – Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli speaks with grief advocates and co-authors Leanne Whallett and Jess Slater about their children’s book All Around Is Me. They share personal stories of loss, parenting through grief, and the deeply healing role their book plays in helping children process death and memory. 

Together, they discu...

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What happens when the system that’s supposed to care for our loved ones after death fails?

In this episode of Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula, host Traci Arieli speaks with Nick Nell, founder of MorgueBoard, about the painful reality of mishandled remains - stories of people lost in the system, misidentified, or cremated without consent. Together, they explo...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure – Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli speaks with Robin Farr, Program Manager at the MAID Family Support Society in Canada. Together, they discuss Robin’s personal journey of supporting her father through Medical Assistance in Dying, and how that experience led her to help other families navigating this deeply emotional process. 

K...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure – Conversations with a Death Doula, Traci Arieli is joined by Julie Scott, Executive Director of the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, for a captivating discussion on the spiritual wisdom of ancient Egypt. Together, they explore how beliefs about the afterlife shaped Egyptian life, death rituals, and our modern understanding of grief, remembrance...

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In this episode of Comforting Closure – Conversations with a Death Doula, host Traci Arieli sits down with Sandy Chen Stokes, founder of the Chinese American Coalition for Compassionate Care (CACCC), to discuss end-of-life care in the Chinese American community. 

Together, they talk about how deeply rooted traditions, intergenerational caregiving, and spiritual beliefs shape conv...