In a deeply moving and thought-provoking episode of The Whispering Between Worlds, hosts Adam Daviau and Renee Robinson (Rhodes Graduates) sit down with Reverend Stephen Garrett, an end-of-life doula, Rhodes Wellness College Facilitator, and author, to explore themes of grief, death, and transformation.
What You’ll Hear
- The roots of Stephen Garrett’s journey into end-of-life care, and how his personal experiences led him to this path
- A look at the Rhode Wellness College Doula program and how trainees are discovering their unique callings around death and dying
- The idea of turning personal grief into acts of service
- Cultural practices around death, the concept of “death clearing,” and how societies might better integrate dying into our lives
- Advocacy for recognizing and supporting the role of end-of-life doulas
- Exploration of alternative practices like human composting and other innovative approaches to our final rites
- Insights from Stephen’s current projects and books, and a call to listeners to become more “grief literate” citizens in their communities
Why It Matters
This conversation gently breaks taboos around death and invites us to reclaim our relationship with mortality. Whether you’ve personally faced loss or simply seek a more compassionate understanding of endings, Garrett’s reflections resonate deeply. He encourages us to lean into what most avoid, viewing death not as failure, but as a teacher and threshold.
For You to Try
- Reflect on how your culture or family approaches death. What assumptions do you hold?
- Consider small rituals – talking about loss, creating memory practices that can deepen your grief literacy
- Share the episode with someone you know who’s experienced loss or works in caregiving
