299.3K
Downloads
192
Episodes
Ask a Death Doula Podcast is a weekly show hosted by Hospice and Oncology nurse Suzanne B. O’Brien. Suzanne is the CEO and founder of International Doulagivers Institute. This is a vital platform for discussions and interviews that will bring back death into the natural fold of life. Ask a Death Doula will share vital education on how to care for those who are dying as well as sharing inspiring stories from working at the bedside with over 1000 dying people from all around the world. Please visit www.doulagivers.com to access our free education and resource center. About International Doulagivers Institute: The goal of Doulagivers Institute is simple and powerful - to provide affordable and accessible education and support to everyone in the world so that every person has the opportunity to die with comfort and dignity in their own home. Death is something that we all have in common no matter our race, religion, or socioeconomic status. We believe that this education to support people to have the most positive end of life experience is a human right, not a privilege.
Episodes
2 hours ago
2 hours ago
This is a moment in time that marks a profound shift in how we care for one another.
In this powerful episode, Suzanne B. O’Brien, RN—founder of the Doulagivers Institute—announces a historic expansion of the Doulagivers Death Doula World Training, now available in 15 different languages.
For the first time in modern history, people around the world can access free, life-changing education that teaches them how to care for a loved one at the end of life—bringing these essential human skills back into the hands of families and communities.
This is more than a training.
This is a global movement.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- Why end-of-life care is a human right, not just a medical service
- The reality that families provide 98% of hands-on care—yet most feel unprepared
- How we’ve lost these sacred caregiving skills over the past 100 years—and why it’s time to bring them back
- What a death doula is and how this role is transforming end-of-life care worldwide
- The vision behind translating this training into 15 languages—and why this matters now more than ever
- How YOU (or someone you love) can access this free training and become empowered, prepared, and at peace
Why This Matters
Every single one of us will face end-of-life—either personally or with someone we love.
And yet, most people enter this sacred time feeling:
- Unprepared
- Fearful
- Overwhelmed
The Doulagivers mission is simple and profound:
👉 Give the skills back to the people and “fill the gap” Because death is not just a medical event—
It is a deeply human, emotional, and spiritual experience.
A Message from Suzanne
“Death is not a medical experience—it’s a human one.
And when we bring knowledge, presence, and love back into this space, everything changes.”
Global Impact
With this training now available in 15 languages, Doulagivers is:
- Reaching families across cultures and continents
- Empowering communities with practical, compassionate care skills
- Supporting a global shift toward more peaceful, connected, and conscious end-of-life experiences
Access the Free Training
You can join the Doulagivers Level 1 End-of-Life Doula Family Caregiver Training for free and learn how to:
- Provide comfort and care during the final stages of life
- Understand the 3 phases of end of life
- Support your loved one physically, emotionally, and spiritually
- Feel confident instead of afraid during one of life’s most important moments
👉 Register for the NEXT LIVE DEATH DOULA TRAINING here: https://www.doulagivers.com/monthly-f...
Join the Movement
This is about more than education.
It’s about changing the way the world experiences death—and therefore, life.
If you’ve ever felt called to:
- Help others
- Be present in meaningful moments
- Bring more compassion into the world
This is your invitation.
🔗 Connect & Learn More
- Take the free DEATH DOULA Training: https://www.doulagivers.com/monthly-f...
- Website: https://doulagivers.com
- Get The GOOD DEATH Book: https://thegooddeathbook.com/
Share the Message
If this episode touched you, please:
- Share it with someone you love
- Leave a review
- Help us spread this mission across the world
Because together…
we can bring dignity, peace, and sacredness back to the end-of-life- AND life experience- and THIS is how we change the world!
Tuesday Apr 28, 2026
Tuesday Apr 28, 2026
In this powerful and necessary episode of Ask a Death Doula, Suzanne B. O’Brien, RN, shares the essential questions every aspiring death doula must ask before choosing a training program.
With the rapid growth of the death doula profession, not all trainings are created equal. This episode is a call to discernment, integrity, and responsibility—because the work of supporting individuals and families at the end of life is sacred, deeply human, and requires the highest level of preparation.
Suzanne breaks down the three non-negotiables that define a legitimate, ethical, and high-quality death doula training—so you can confidently choose a path that truly prepares you to serve.
-What You’ll Learn
- Why the death doula profession requires high ethical standards and deep training
- The risks of choosing an underqualified or superficial program
- How to be a wise and empowered consumer in a rapidly growing field
- The 3 essential components every legitimate death doula training must include
- How proper training directly impacts the quality of care families receive
-The 3 Must-Haves in a Legitimate Death Doula Training
1. Comprehensive, Real-World Education
A true training goes far beyond theory. It must include:
- Real evidence based end of life care models from someone who actually worked in end of life care.
- Medical training for the Non-Medical Doula
- Physical, mental emotional, and spiritual care
- Hands-on, practical tools Doulas can actually use
- Real bedside insight—not just conceptual teaching
👉 If it doesn’t prepare you for real-life situations, it’s not enough.
2. Structured Support & Mentorship
This work cannot be learned in isolation.
A high-quality program includes:
- Live guidance and mentorship
- Opportunities to ask questions and process experiences
- Ongoing support as you step into practice
👉 This ensures you don’t just learn—you become confident and capable.
3. Clear Pathway to Service & Practice
A legitimate training doesn’t just certify you—it prepares you to serve.
Look for:
- Guidance on how to work with families
- Ethical frameworks and scope of practice
- Has a Business Model and business building support
- Real-world application so you can step into your role immediately
👉 Because this is not just education—it’s a calling into service.
Why This Matters
End-of-life care is not just another profession—it is a sacred human experience.
Families deserve:
- Skilled guidance
- Compassionate presence
- Knowledgeable support
And doulas deserve:
- Training that truly prepares them
- Confidence in their abilities
- The ability to make a real difference
When we raise the standard of training, we raise the standard of care.
“This work is of the highest service. We must hold the highest standards—not only for ourselves, but for the families who will trust us during the most vulnerable time of life.”
-Resources & Next Steps
Register for the LIVE Death Doula Discovery Webinar on Wednesday, April 29th at 7pm EST HERE: https://event.webinarjam.com/4kv5v/re...
- Learn more about becoming a trained death doula
- Understand How Death Doulas are the answer to a failing health care sysytem
- See where Death Doulas are working and how much they are making
Join the upcoming FREE Doulagivers Level 1 End of Life Doula and Family Caregiver Training Webinar here Join us at Life Café here Register to join us for FREE: THE GOOD DEATH BOOK CLUB EXPERIENCE: 12 MONTH FREE DEATH AND DYING COURSE Or visit our website here!
Please Share! Share this episode and invite them to join this sacred and supportive experience.
Listen & Subscribe:Available on Apple Podcasts • Spotify • Google Podcasts • YouTube
JOIN MY FREE TRAINING AND MEMBERSHIP SITE Join Here: 4491664174178077
If you want to do great things you need to have a great environment. Create the life you want by surrounding yourself with positivity and watching daily. Click here to subscribe!
Tuesday Apr 21, 2026
Tuesday Apr 21, 2026
In this deeply moving and expansive episode, Suzanne shares her personal experience traveling to Thailand to train Buddhist monks in end-of-life care through the Doulagivers program. What unfolds is a powerful reminder that while cultures, traditions, and languages may differ, the heart of caring for someone at the end of life is universal.
Through moments of connection, humility, and shared wisdom, Suzanne reflects on what it was like to teach those who have long held sacred space for the dying—and what they, in turn, taught her. The experience revealed a profound truth: this global death doula movement is not about creating something new, but remembering something ancient—compassionate, present, human care at the end of life.
This episode is a beautiful bridge between East and West, science and spirituality, and tradition and modern practice—showing us that no matter who we are or where we live, we are all connected through this sacred human experience.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode
- Suzanne’s journey to Thailand and the opportunity to train Buddhist monks
- The role of monks in end-of-life care within Buddhist traditions
- How Doulagivers training aligns with ancient spiritual practices
- The monks’ powerful reflection: “Same heart, different cultures”
- The universal nature of death, dying, and compassionate care
- Why end-of-life care is a human experience—not just a medical one
- How this work is part of a growing global movement to bring back sacred care
No matter where you are in the world, the essence of a “good death” is the same: presence, compassion, dignity, and love. This episode reminds us that what we are building through the death doula movement is not new—it is a return to what humanity has always known.
“This experience showed me that we are not teaching something different—we are remembering something together. Across the world, across cultures, there is one shared truth: how we care for each other at the end of life matters deeply. And it always has.”
If this episode resonates with you, you are being called into this work—whether for your own life, your family, or your community.
Join the global movement and learn how to care for someone at the end of life with presence, confidence, and love through the Doulagivers Level 1 Family Caregiver Training.
Join the upcoming FREE Doulagivers Level 1 End of Life Doula and Family Caregiver Training Webinar here Join us at Life Café here Register to join us for FREE: THE GOOD DEATH BOOK CLUB EXPERIENCE: 12 MONTH FREE DEATH AND DYING COURSE Or visit our website here! Please Share! Share this episode and invite them to join this sacred and supportive experience.
Listen & Subscribe:Available on Apple Podcasts • Spotify • Google Podcasts • YouTube
JOIN MY FREE TRAINING AND MEMBERSHIP SITE Join Here: 4491664174178077
If you want to do great things you need to have a great environment. Create the life you want by surrounding yourself with positivity and watching daily. Click here to subscribe!
Tuesday Apr 14, 2026
Tuesday Apr 14, 2026
In this special episode, Suzanne B. O’Brien, RN—founder of the Doulagivers Institute—announces the 8th Annual Death Doula World Training Day, taking place on April 22nd at 7 PM ET.
This global event is more than a training—it’s a movement.
With over 400,000 people trained in 39+ countries, Death Doula World Training Day continues to bring together individuals, caregivers, and professionals from around the world to learn how to support others through the end of life with presence, compassion, and confidence.
This year’s theme is Global Unity, and the event is dedicated to the 100th birthday of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, whose groundbreaking work helped bring awareness, dignity, and humanity back to the end-of-life experience.
✨ What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- Why end-of-life education is a human right
- The inspiration behind Death Doula World Training Day
- How this global movement is helping to transform fear into empowerment
- The impact of training over 400,000 people worldwide
- The deeper meaning of Global Unity in today’s world
- How YOU can participate and be part of this historic event
Why This Matters
We are living in a time where many people feel disconnected, overwhelmed, and unprepared for life’s most sacred transition.
Death Doula World Training Day is here to change that.
This free training teaches individuals how to:
- Support loved ones through the three phases of end of life
- Reduce fear around death and dying
- Bring love, presence, and dignity back into the experience
- Feel empowered instead of helpless during one of life’s most important moments
As Suzanne shares, “We are not here to fix death—we are here to bring love back into it.”
🌿 Event Details
🗓 Date: April 22
⏰ Time: 7:00 PM ET
-Location: Global Online Event
-Cost: FREE
SPACE is Limited- Save your seat now! https://doulagivers.com
Who This Is For
- Family caregivers
- Nurses and healthcare professionals
- End-of-life doulas? Death doulas (or those curious about becoming one)
- Anyone who wants to feel more prepared, empowered, and at peace with death
- Anyone called to be part of a global movement of compassion and consciousness
Be Part of the Movement
This is your invitation to join a global community choosing:
- Love over fear
- Presence over avoidance
- Unity over separation
Together, we are creating a world where no one has to face the end of life alone or unprepared.
👉 Register now and share with your community
👉 Invite friends, family, and colleagues
👉 Help us reach 1 million people trained worldwide
Because when we change the way we approach death…
we change the way we live.
Share This Episode
If this message resonates, please share it with someone who needs it.
Your voice helps expand this movement of compassion across the world.
Final Reflection
Death reminds us of what matters most:
Love. Presence. Connection.
Let’s bring that back—together.
Please Share! Share this episode and invite them to join this sacred and supportive experience.
Listen & Subscribe:Available on Apple Podcasts • Spotify • Google Podcasts • YouTube
JOIN MY FREE TRAINING AND MEMBERSHIP SITE Join Here: 4491664174178077
If you want to do great things you need to have a great environment. Create the life you want by surrounding yourself with positivity and watching daily. Click here to subscribe!
Tuesday Apr 07, 2026
Tuesday Apr 07, 2026
In this deeply meaningful episode, we invite you into a global movement rooted in compassion, presence, and love.
Join Suzanne B. O’Brien, RN, founder of Doulagivers Institute, as she announces the 8th Annual Death Doula World Training Day, happening on April 22nd—a day dedicated to unity, education, and the sacred honor of supporting one another at the end of life.
This year’s event is especially powerful as we celebrate the 100th birthday of Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, the pioneer who transformed how the world understands death, dying, and the human experience. Her groundbreaking work opened the door for conversations that were once feared—and today, we continue that legacy together.
This episode is both an invitation and a remembrance:
-A remembrance of the truth that death is not something to fear
-An invitation to step into service, awareness, and love
-A call to bring this essential knowledge back into our homes and communities
Whether you are a family caregiver, healthcare professional, aspiring Death Doula, or simply someone seeking peace and understanding, this episode—and this global training—are for you.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- The vision and mission behind Death Doula World Training Day
- Why end-of-life education is a human right
- The lasting impact and teachings of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
- How understanding death can actually help you live a more peaceful and purposeful life
- The role of death doulas in transforming end-of-life care globally
- How YOU can participate in this worldwide movement of compassion
About Death Doula World Training Day
Death Doula World Training Day is a global event created to bring education, awareness, and empowerment to people everywhere—so no one has to face death alone, unsupported, or unprepared.
With over 400,000 people trained in 15+ languages, this movement is helping to restore dignity, peace, and humanity to the end-of-life experience.
🗓️ Date: April 22
🕖 Time: 7 PM ET
🌍 Theme: Global Unity
Why This Matters
At the end of life, people don’t speak about what they achieved—they speak about how they loved, how they lived, and what truly mattered.
This work is not about death.
It is about life, connection, and remembering who we truly are.
Your Invitation
Be part of something bigger.
Be part of the return to love.
👉 Join us for Death Doula World Training Day
👉 Share this with someone who needs it
👉 Help bring this education into the world
JOIN Death Doula World Training Day Click Here
Learn More About the EKR Foundation Click Here
Join the upcoming FREE Doulagivers Level 1 End of Life Doula and Family Caregiver Training Webinar here Join us at Life Café here Register to join us for FREE: THE GOOD DEATH BOOK CLUB EXPERIENCE: 12 MONTH FREE DEATH AND DYING COURSE Or visit our website here! Please Share! Share this episode and invite them to join this sacred and supportive experience.
Listen & Subscribe:Available on Apple Podcasts • Spotify • Google Podcasts • YouTube
JOIN MY FREE TRAINING AND MEMBERSHIP SITE Join Here: 4491664174178077
If you want to do great things you need to have a great environment. Create the life you want by surrounding yourself with positivity and watching daily. Click here to subscribe!
Monday Mar 30, 2026
Monday Mar 30, 2026
JOIN DEATH DOULA WORLD TRAINING DAY ONLINE LIVE APRIL 22nd at 7pm EST. Save your seat HERE:CLICK HERE NOW!!!
After sitting with over a thousand people at the end of life, one truth becomes clear: we suffer not because of what happens to us, but because of what we continue to carry.
In this powerful episode, Suzanne shares one of the most life-changing lessons from those nearing death: you are not here to carry everything.
You’ll learn how to release emotional burdens, stop absorbing the weight of the world, and return to a more peaceful, grounded, and empowered way of living.
✨ In this episode:
• Why holding onto pain keeps you stuck
• The difference between experiencing life vs. carrying it
• What forgiveness really means
• How to stop absorbing fear, anxiety, and overwhelm
• The power of becoming a compassionate witness
At the end of life, people don’t wish they carried more pain—they show us how to let go.
Ask yourself:
What am I carrying right now that is not mine?
This episode is a reminder that you are allowed to release what was never yours.
Join the upcoming FREE Doulagivers Level 1 End of Life Doula and Family Caregiver Training Webinar here Join us at Life Café here Register to join us for FREE: THE GOOD DEATH BOOK CLUB EXPERIENCE: 12 MONTH FREE DEATH AND DYING COURSE Or visit our website here! Please Share! Share this episode and invite them to join this sacred and supportive experience.
Listen & Subscribe:Available on Apple Podcasts • Spotify • Google Podcasts • YouTube
JOIN MY FREE TRAINING AND MEMBERSHIP SITE Join Here: 4491664174178077
If you want to do great things you need to have a great environment. Create the life you want by surrounding yourself with positivity and watching daily. Click here to subscribe!
Tuesday Mar 24, 2026
Tuesday Mar 24, 2026
One of the most distressing moments for families at the end of life is when a loved one stops eating and drinking. It can feel like they are starving, like something is wrong, or like we should be doing more.
But what if this is actually one of the most natural and peaceful parts of the dying process?
In this episode, Suzanne B. O’Brien, RN—who has cared for over 1,000 patients at the end of life—explains the true physiology behind why eating and drinking stop, what your loved one is actually experiencing, and how to provide the right kind of comfort in those final days.
You’ll learn why the body no longer needs food or water, what happens when the swallowing reflex turns off, and why your loved one is not feeling hunger the way you might think. We also explore what the dying process typically looks like in the final days, the most common comfort issue patients experience, and what families should—and should not—do during this phase.
This episode will help you shift from fear and confusion to understanding, allowing you to show up with more presence, peace, and confidence when it matters most.
Join the upcoming FREE Doulagivers Level 1 End of Life Doula and Family Caregiver Training Webinar here Join us at Life Café here Register to join us for FREE: THE GOOD DEATH BOOK CLUB EXPERIENCE: 12 MONTH FREE DEATH AND DYING COURSE Or visit our website here! Please Share! Share this episode and invite them to join this sacred and supportive experience.
Listen & Subscribe:Available on Apple Podcasts • Spotify • Google Podcasts • YouTube
JOIN MY FREE TRAINING AND MEMBERSHIP SITE Join Here: 4491664174178077
If you want to do great things you need to have a great environment. Create the life you want by surrounding yourself with positivity and watching daily. Click here to subscribe!
Tuesday Mar 17, 2026
Tuesday Mar 17, 2026
But the reality is very different.
In this episode, Suzanne B. O’Brien RN — former hospice and oncology nurse who has cared for more than 1,000 patients at the end of life — reveals the number one problem with hospice care today and why so many families feel overwhelmed during one of the most important moments of life.
The truth may surprise you.
Hospice was designed to provide comfort, guidance, and medical oversight, but the majority of hands-on care actually falls to family members at home.
In fact, families often find themselves responsible for tasks such as:
administering medications
managing symptoms
bathing and repositioning their loved one
monitoring breathing and physical changes
All while navigating grief, exhaustion, and fear.
Many families enter hospice believing full-time care will be provided — only to discover that nurses and hospice staff may visit periodically while loved ones provide most of the daily care.
This isn’t a failure of hospice.
It’s a missing piece of education.
The Real Problem
Over the past 100 years, death has become increasingly medicalized.
Historically, families knew how to care for loved ones at the end of life. These sacred caregiving skills were passed down from generation to generation.
But as death moved into hospitals and institutions, those skills quietly disappeared.
Now hospice has brought death back into the home — but the knowledge never returned with it.
As a result, families are often asked to do one of the most profound acts of care in life without ever being taught how.
The Solution
The answer isn’t more medicalization.
The answer is education before crisis.
For the past 16 years, the Doulagivers Institute has been working to restore the lost skills of end-of-life care through education and community training.
To date:
400,000 people have been trained
Participants come from over 39 countries
The training is offered free each month
The mission is simple:
End-of-life care is a human right.
Every family deserves to know how to care for their loved one with confidence, dignity, and peace.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
The #1 misunderstanding about hospice care
Why families often feel unprepared during the dying process
The historical reason we lost end-of-life caregiving skills
Why hospice alone cannot meet the needs of families
The simple solution that can transform end-of-life care worldwide
About Suzanne B. O’Brien RN
Suzanne B. O’Brien is a former hospice and oncology nurse who has cared for over 1,000 patients at the end of life. She is the founder of the Doulagivers Institute and author of the international bestseller The Good Death: A Guide for Supporting Your Loved One Through the End of Life.
Her mission is to ensure that every family in the world has access to the knowledge and tools needed to support a peaceful and sacred end-of-life experience.
Learn the Skills Before You Need Them
Join the free Doulagivers Level 1 End-of-Life Doula Training, attended by hundreds of thousands of people around the world.
These are the sacred caregiving skills every family deserves to know.
👉 Learn more:
https://doulagivers.com
Share This Episode
If this conversation resonates with you, please share it with someone you love.
Because one day, someone you care about will need these skills — and the greatest gift we can give is knowing how to care for each other at the end of life.
Join the upcoming FREE Doulagivers Level 1 End of Life Doula and Family Caregiver Training Webinar here Join us at Life Café here Register to join us for FREE: THE GOOD DEATH BOOK CLUB EXPERIENCE: 12 MONTH FREE DEATH AND DYING COURSE Or visit our website here! Please Share! Share this episode and invite them to join this sacred and supportive experience.
Listen & Subscribe:Available on Apple Podcasts • Spotify • Google Podcasts • YouTube
JOIN MY FREE TRAINING AND MEMBERSHIP SITE Join Here: 4491664174178077
If you want to do great things you need to have a great environment. Create the life you want by surrounding yourself with positivity and watching daily. Click here to subscribe!
Leave a comment on this video and it'll get a response. Or you can connect with me on different social platforms too:
Tuesday Mar 10, 2026
Tuesday Mar 10, 2026
In this special episode, Suzanne O’Brien, RN, founder of Doulagivers Institute and former oncology and hospice nurse, celebrates the one-year anniversary of her book The Good Death: A Guide for Supporting Your Loved One Through the End of Life.
After caring for more than 1,000 people at the bedside, Suzanne witnessed how much fear and confusion families experience simply because they were never taught what to expect during the end-of-life process.
Just 100 years ago, families knew how to care for loved ones at the end of life. Today, much of that knowledge has been lost. This episode explores how education, compassion, and open conversations can help us bring this sacred knowledge back.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
• Why understanding death can help us live more meaningful lives
• What inspired Suzanne to write The Good Death
• Lessons learned from caring for over 1,000 people at the end of life
• Why end-of-life education is urgently needed today
• How individuals and communities can help shift the culture around death and dying
March Madness: End-of-Life Edition Events
Goodreads Giveaway
To celebrate the first anniversary of The Good Death, we are giving away 10 signed copies of the book.
Enter the giveaway here
https://www.goodreads.com/
Host Your Own Good Death Book Club or Death & Dying Course
We are inviting people around the world to host their own Good Death Book Clubs or community Death & Dying courses based on Suzanne’s book.
Information Zoom
March 18
7:00 PM Eastern
Save your seat here
https://doulagivers.zoom.us/meeting/register/qKEjSnH0Rres4rUyyPI27A
During this session you will learn how to host a Good Death Book Club, facilitate meaningful conversations about death and dying, and bring end-of-life education to libraries, community groups, and spiritual centers.
The Good Death Review Party
March 31
Join us for a live celebration and review party to help more people discover The Good Death.
During this event we will celebrate the book’s first anniversary, write reviews together, share stories and reflections, and give away special gifts and merchandise.
Join here
https://doulagivers.zoom.us/meeting/register/TK8u8DW2QzyYQ_LpwRxSQg
Why This Conversation Matters
Every single one of us will experience end-of-life, either personally or with someone we love. Yet most families enter this sacred time without guidance or education.
When we bring back the knowledge of how to care for someone at the end of life, fear decreases, connection deepens, and love leads the way.
Death returns to being the natural and sacred experience it was always meant to be.
Resources
Learn more about Doulagivers Institute
https://doulagivers.com
Get The Good Death
https://thegooddeathbook.com
Register for the next Free Doulagivers Family Caregiver Training
https://event.webinarjam.com/4kv5v/register/6rv9vhm?webinar_id=20
Join the upcoming FREE Doulagivers Level 1 End of Life Doula and Family Caregiver Training Webinar here Join us at Life Café here Register to join us for FREE: THE GOOD DEATH BOOK CLUB EXPERIENCE: 12 MONTH FREE DEATH AND DYING COURSE Or visit our website here! Please Share! Share this episode and invite them to join this sacred and supportive experience.
Listen & Subscribe:Available on Apple Podcasts • Spotify • Google Podcasts • YouTube
JOIN MY FREE TRAINING AND MEMBERSHIP SITE Join Here: 4491664174178077
If you want to do great things you need to have a great environment. Create the life you want by surrounding yourself with positivity and watching daily. Click here to subscribe!
Leave a comment on this video and it'll get a response. Or you can connect with me on different social platforms too:
Tuesday Mar 03, 2026
Tuesday Mar 03, 2026
What if the secret to a happier life isn’t positive thinking — but remembering that life is finite?
After caring for more than 1,000 people at the end of life, Suzanne B. O’Brien, RN discovered a profound truth: awareness of death doesn’t create fear — it creates gratitude.
Recently quoted by The New York Times on happiness, Suzanne shares how working with dying patients transformed her life. What once felt like obligation — “I have to” — became privilege — “I get to.” Even ordinary moments began to feel extraordinary.
In this episode, she explores how consciously acknowledging mortality awakens presence, clarity, gratitude, and deeper life meaning. She also reflects on research highlighted by The Washington Post showing that healthy mortality awareness can actually increase happiness and life satisfaction.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
• Why death awareness increases gratitude instead of anxiety
• The most common regret of the dying
• How shifting from “have to” → “get to” changes everything
• The science behind mortality awareness and meaning
• A simple daily reframing practice to start today
After sitting bedside with thousands in their final days, Suzanne noticed a powerful pattern:
No one wished they had worked more or worried more.
They wished they had lived more fully, loved more openly, and been more present.
Death is not the enemy.
It is the great teacher of how to live.
Because when we understand death,
we finally understand life.
Join the upcoming FREE Doulagivers Level 1 End of Life Doula and Family Caregiver Training Webinar here Join us at Life Café here Register to join us for FREE: THE GOOD DEATH BOOK CLUB EXPERIENCE: 12 MONTH FREE DEATH AND DYING COURSE Or visit our website here! Please Share! Share this episode and invite them to join this sacred and supportive experience.
Listen & Subscribe:Available on Apple Podcasts • Spotify • Google Podcasts • YouTube
JOIN MY FREE TRAINING AND MEMBERSHIP SITE Join Here: 4491664174178077
If you want to do great things you need to have a great environment. Create the life you want by surrounding yourself with positivity and watching daily. Click here to subscribe!
Leave a comment on this video and it'll get a response. Or you can connect with me on different social platforms too: