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Life, Death, Grief, Unscripted | Unfiltered Discussions on Living and Dying

Life, Death, Grief, Unscripted | Unfiltered Discussions on Living and Dying

By: Christina Holohan - Celebration of Life Event Planner End-of-Life Doula and Grief Coach
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”Life, Death, Grief, Unscripted” breaks the silence around death and focuses on understanding grief, celebrating legacies, end-of-life planning, and providing families with a roadmap of support, practical resources, and emotional guidance when needed. More than a podcast - we’re your partner in navigating life’s most profound transitions with dignity, love, and purpose.Copyright 2025 All rights reserved. Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Ep 9. What Happens to the Body After Death? Part 1: Traditional Burial & Embalming

    Ep 9. What Happens to the Body After Death? Part 1: Traditional Burial & Embalming
    Jul 1 2026
    Life, Death, Grief, Unscripted | Unfiltered Discussions on Living and Dying Hosted by Christina Holohan, Certified Death Doula & Thanatologist Most of us think we already understand traditional burial and embalming. But when it’s time to make decisions for someone we love, the gaps in our knowledge can be costly, financially and emotionally. In this episode, death doula and thanatologist Christina Holohan opens a new series by walking through the oldest and most familiar disposition method: what embalming is, what Colorado law requires, what your rights are as a consumer, and why this remains a meaningful choice for many families. No pressure, no judgment, just honest, informed conversation so you can choose with confidence. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: What embalming is, how it works, and how long it preserves the bodyThe history of embalming, from ancient Egypt to modern funeral practiceWhat Colorado law requires within 24 hours of death, and when embalming is and isn’t legally requiredHow to read a General Price List and the six FTC disclosures every funeral home must provideThe line items that most often surprise families, and three blind spots to watch for before you sign anythingAverage traditional burial costs in the Denver metro areaThe difference between what a cemetery requires and what state law requiresWhy many families still choose this path, and why that’s a valid, meaningful choiceThe rise of restorative art and green embalming alternativesThe environmental impact of traditional burial and why land scarcity matters Episode Highlights [0:00] Welcome & Series Introduction [3:15] What Embalming Is [10:40] What Colorado Law Says [16:20] Caskets, Vaults & Cost Reality [28:00] Why Some Families Still Choose This Path [33:10] Where the Practice Is Headed Resources & References FTC Funeral Rule, Your Rights as a Consumer https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/rules/funeral-industry-practices-rule FTC Complying with the Funeral Rule (Plain Language Guide) https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/plain-language/565a-complying-with-funeral-rule_2020_march_508.pdf AgeWise Colorado, When Your Loved One Dies in Colorado https://agewisecolorado.org/blog/when-your-loved-one-dies-in-colorado/ Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Death Certificates & Vital Records https://cdphe.colorado.gov/vital-records Ajileye, A.B., Duere, P.O., & Esan, E.O. (2024). Human Embalming in the 21st Century. Journal of Experimental Research, Vol. 12, No. 3. All findings referenced in this episode were paraphrased and summarized for the show. Resource: The FTC General Price List, 16 Items That Must Be Itemized The FTC Funeral Rule requires every funeral home to provide a General Price List itemizing prices for up to 16 specific goods and services: Forwarding remains to another funeral homeReceiving remains from another funeral homeDirect cremation price rangesImmediate burial price rangesBasic services of the funeral director and staffTransfer of remains to the funeral homeEmbalming costsOther preparation of the body (cosmetics, dressing, washing)Use of facilities and staff for viewing or visitationUse of facilities and staff for a funeral ceremonyUse of facilities and staff for a memorial serviceUse of equipment and staff for a graveside serviceHearse rentalLimousine rentalCasket price range (lowest to highest)Outer burial container price range Funeral homes cannot bundle these into packages without also offering itemized pricing, and they cannot charge for embalming without your explicit permission. This Week’s Listener Challenge Call a funeral home near you and ask for their General Price List. They are required to provide it, even over the phone. See what you learn, and pay special attention to the Basic Services Fee. And if there’s a topic you’d love to hear covered on this podcast, please reach out. This show is for you. Work With Christina Are you ready to plan a celebration of life that truly honors your loved one’s legacy, on your timeline, in your own way? 🌸 Celebration of Life, Colorado 📍 Serving the Denver metro area and beyond 🌐 celebrationoflife-colorado.com 📞 720-792-7774 📧 information@celebrationoflife-colorado.com Subscribe & Leave a Review If this episode helped you feel more informed and more prepared, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your words help other families find this space, and that means everything. Follow the show so you never miss an episode of Life, Death, Grief, Unscripted. Keywords what happens to the body after death, traditional burial, embalming process, is embalming required by law Colorado, Colorado funeral laws, FTC Funeral Rule, General Price List funeral home, funeral costs Denver, burial vault requirements, casket rights, green embalming, eco-friendly embalming, running out of burial land, death doula Colorado, end of life planning Denver, natural burial Colorado, disposition methods, death ...
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    16 mins
  • Ep. 08 - He/She Died. Now What? A Step-by-Step Guide to the First Hours, First Decisions, and What Can Wait

    Ep. 08 - He/She Died. Now What? A Step-by-Step Guide to the First Hours, First Decisions, and What Can Wait
    Jun 24 2026
    Life, Death, Grief, Unscripted | Unfiltered Discussions on Living and Dying Hosted by Christina Holohan, Certified Death Doula & Thanatologist Someone you love just took their last breath, and somehow the world expects you to know what to do next. In this episode, death doula and thanatologist Christina Holohan sits with you in that hard, confusing space right after a loss and talks through it honestly. What needs to happen first. What can wait. And how to take care of yourself in the middle of all of it. This is not a checklist. This is a conversation, from someone who has walked alongside grieving families, to you. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: What to do in the first hours after a death, and what you don’t have to do yetWhen to call 911 vs. going directly to a funeral home or cremation providerWhy you need more death certificates than you think, and Colorado’s five-day registration ruleYour burial options in Colorado, including green burial, water cremation, and home funeralsFinancial help when there are no funds, the Colorado Burial Assistance Program and who qualifiesResources for listeners outside Colorado, where to find state-by-state supportYour rights under the FTC Funeral Rule, what funeral homes must tell youWhat to know about organ and body donation in those first hoursWhat can genuinely wait, and permission to slow downHow to take care of yourself when everything feels like too much Episode Highlights [2:00] The first hours, what you do and don’t have to do right away [6:00] The first few days, practical steps, death certificates, and Colorado’s five-day rule [10:00] Your burial options, funeral homes, cremation, green burial, and home funerals [13:00] What if there are no funds, the Colorado Burial Assistance Program [15:30] Your rights as a consumer, the FTC Funeral Rule [17:00] Organ and body donation, a deeply personal decision [18:30] What can wait, and protection from pressure [21:00] Taking care of you, a moment of compassion for the one in grief Resources & References AgeWise Colorado, When Your Loved One Dies in Colorado https://agewisecolorado.org/blog/when-your-loved-one-dies-in-colorado/ Covering Kids and Families, Little Known Medicaid Benefits: Burial Assistance Program https://ckf.cchn.org/blog/little-known-medicaid-benefits-burial-assistance-program/ Colorado PEAK, Apply for Burial Assistance Online https://coloradopeak.secure.force.com Colorado State Anatomical Board, Body Donation for Medical Research https://www.cuanschutz.edu/offices/anatomical-board FTC Funeral Rule, Your Rights as a Consumer https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/rules/funeral-rule Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Death Certificates & Vital Records https://cdphe.colorado.gov/vital-records USA.gov, Dealing with the Death of a Loved One (State-by-State Resources) https://www.usa.gov/death-loved-one This Week’s Listener Challenge If you are in those first days right now, your only challenge this week is to let one person help you. Just one. Text them something specific, a meal, a school pickup, a phone call you don’t want to make. Let someone show up for you. And if you have a topic you’d like to hear more about on this podcast, please reach out. This show is for you. Work With Christina Are you ready to plan a celebration of life that truly honors your loved one’s legacy, on your timeline, in your own way? 🌸 Celebration of Life, Colorado 📍 Serving the Denver metro area and beyond 🌐 celebrationoflife-colorado.com 📞 720-792-7774 📧 information@celebrationoflife-colorado.com Subscribe & Leave a Review If this episode helped you, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your words help other grieving families find this space, and that means everything. Follow the show so you never miss an episode of Life, Death, Grief, Unscripted. Keywords what to do when someone dies, after a death, death doula, celebration of life, Colorado burial assistance, direct cremation Colorado, home funeral Colorado, FTC funeral rule, organ donation Colorado, grief support, end of life planning, thanatology, death certificates Colorado, what to do first after a death, grief podcast, Colorado death doula
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    19 mins
  • Ep. 07 Giving Grief Somewhere to Go: The Healing Power of Rituals Beyond the Funeral

    Ep. 07 Giving Grief Somewhere to Go: The Healing Power of Rituals Beyond the Funeral
    Jun 17 2026

    Life, Death, Grief, Unscripted | Unfiltered Discussions on Living and Dying Hosted by Christina Holohan, Certified Death Doula & Thanatologist

    What happens when grief has nowhere to go? In this episode, death doula and thanatologist Christina explores the science and soul behind grief rituals, and why they are far more than a funeral tradition. Whether you’re navigating fresh loss, supporting a grieving loved one, or simply want to understand why rituals matter so deeply, this episode will change the way you think about honoring the people you’ve lost.

    In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
    • Why grief rituals are a psychological necessity, not just a cultural tradition
    • What COVID-19 research revealed about prolonged grief when ceremonies were taken away
    • How alternative mourning rituals (candles, digital tributes, keepsakes) can genuinely ease grief symptoms
    • The three types of therapeutic rituals used by grief counselors and therapists
    • Simple, powerful micro-rituals you can start this week to honor your loved one
    • The key differences between a traditional funeral and a celebration of life, and why it matters
    • Why the meaning behind a ritual always matters more than the mechanics
    Episode Highlights
    • [3:00], Pandemic grief research and what happened when families couldn’t gather
    • [9:00], Alternative rituals: why intention heals more than tradition
    • [15:00], How grief therapists use ritual in clinical settings (scoping review of 22 studies)
    • [22:00], Micro-rituals for everyday grief: nature, scent, keepsakes, and more
    • [26:00], Funerals vs. Celebrations of Life: understanding your options
    • [30:00], Your weekly challenge: one small, meaningful act of remembrance
    Resources & Research Mentioned

    Cherblanc, J., Côté, I., Mercure, C., Boever, C., & Zech, E. (2025). Rituals in grief: Why meaning matters more than numbers. Journal of Loss and Trauma. https://doi.org/10.1080/15325024.2025.2471816

    Manquinho, S., Albuquerque, S., Delalibera, M., Coelho, A., & Salvador, Á. (2023). “I could not give him the funeral he deserved”: The role of alternative mourning rituals during the pandemic. Current Psychology, 43, 13668–13678. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-05305-6

    Mitima-Verloop, H. B., Mooren, T. T. M., Kritikou, M. E., & Boelen, P. A. (2022). Restricted mourning: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on funeral services, grief rituals, and prolonged grief symptoms. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13, Article 878818. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.878818

    Wojtkowiak, J., Lind, J., & Smid, G. E. (2021). Ritual in therapy for prolonged grief: A scoping review of ritual elements in evidence-informed grief interventions. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11, Article 623835. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.623835

    Center for Grief Therapy. (n.d.). Grief rituals and how they help. https://www.centerforgrieftherapy.com/grief-rituals-and-how-they-help/

    This Week’s Listener Challenge

    Create one small, intentional micro-ritual for someone you miss. It doesn’t have to be public. It doesn’t have to be grand. It just must be meaningful to you.

    Work With Christina

    Are you ready to plan a celebration of life that truly honors your loved one’s legacy, on your timeline, in your own way?

    🌸 Celebration of Life, Colorado

    📍 Serving the Denver metro area and beyond

    🌐 celebrationoflife-colorado.com

    📞 720-792-7774

    Subscribe & Leave a Review

    If this episode helped you, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your words help other grieving families find this space, and that means everything.

    Follow the show so you never miss an episode of Life, Death, Grief, Unscripted.

    Keywords

    grief rituals, death doula, celebration of life, prolonged grief, funeral alternative, grief healing, micro-rituals, thanatology, end of life planning, grief support, mourning rituals, grief podcast, Colorado death doula, life after loss, coping with grief
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    15 mins
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