Podcasts

In the final episode of #Hashtag Death I share what people really speak about at funerals, as someone who has been involved in more than 900 funerals. This is the end of the road for the podcast, but not the end of conversations around death and dying. There is a famous poem which is read […]

Have you ever wondered what sparks someone to work in the field of death? In this episode, we chat to my mentor and family death care advocate Sally Cant about her unplanned journey to work in a career surrounded by death and dying – and why that’s not as morbid as it sounds! She also […]

Have you ever wondered how to best approach conversations about mental health? In this episode, we chat to Georgia and Amanda from the Going Loco podcast. The pair take a light-hearted look at people facing mental health challenges to break down stigmas and barriers, through humour. In this chat packed full of banter we talk […]

Curious about the secrets of navigating death, grief, and loss with grace and understanding? I’m sharing the top ten invaluable lessons I’ve learned from hosting #Hashtag Death and working in the funeral industry. In this episode you’ll discover the importance of talking openly about death and dying, as well as the long-term effects of unresolved […]

If you’re curious about emotional intelligence and want to know how to apply it to your life, then this episode is for you! This week we chat to emotional intelligence expert Amy Jacobson about her early experience with death and how it ended up shaping her life and career before she even worked out the […]

Where do young widows turn to when they find themselves thrown unexpectedly into grieving their partner? According to the last Australian census, there are more than a million widowed adults in Australia. This is the unfortunate group Michelle Moriarty found herself in after becoming a widow at 38 years old with two young children in […]

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to leave your whole life behind so you can flee to safety? In this episode we look at the impact of domestic violence on successful career woman Marion Fulker AM. From a young girl suffering at the hands of her former husband, to someone who can […]

Have you ever wondered if your grief needs to be wound up in a certain time frame? In this episode, we chat to grief educator and author Jo Lincolne about the process of grief and how it doesn’t end when the funeral is over. We look at how grief can stay with us for a […]

If you have been trying to navigate life in a world where your loved one isn’t present anymore, this insightful episode is one not to miss. In this episode, we chat to marriage celebrant Dilhari Gustavino about her experience following the death of her father. Family dynamics, physical distance and grieving together are all touched […]

How do you transition through recovery after the loss of a baby, when being a mother is all you’ve ever wanted? In this episode, pregnancy loss educator Sharna Southan shares with us the moment she was told her baby didn’t have a heartbeat. We look at coping with loss, the rollercoaster of carrying a rainbow […]

How do adoptees cope with loss of identity and figuring out who they are?  In this episode, we chat to adoptee Lloyd about his experiences with adoption, the rollercoaster of emotions and eventually finding his birth family. Having an understanding of where you come from can change your identity in a split second. We’re chatting […]

Curious about the journey from heartbreak to inspiration?  In this episode, baby loss mentor Rochelle Olsen unveils the answer to the question: how one person’s story of loss can become a lifeline for others navigating the same path. We look at the grief and pain surrounding newborn death and how it is something that is […]

Bugs can play an important role in solving crimes! This week we delve into the topic of bug life and more with forensic scientist Dr Paola Magni. She is a world-leading researcher, expert witness, media commentator and corporate speaker, with a huge passion for science. We also chat about a special project to highlight the […]

Imagine being able to contact loved ones who have passed! Today we chat to Annmarie Lord, a psychic medium and life coach who helps people connect with loved ones, as well as guiding other mediums to expand their businesses.   We discover what mediums do, how they contact the spirit world and listen to some […]

Presentation expert Paula Smith flips things on their head this week as she interviews me!   Paula helps to unravel my ‘why’ and we chat about my first experiences with death as a child, which led me on a path to being a marriage and funeral celebrant. From the family farm to a podcast about […]

Today we talk about the unsung heroes of this world – carers. I chat with Adam Birch, a Carer Support Counsellor from Carers WA. He sheds light on the often-overlooked role of carers who put their loved ones first, sacrificing their own lives.   We touch on the staggering number of unrecognised carers in the […]

How do you cope at Christmas when your special person is no longer alive and there’s an empty chair at the table?   As the ‘festive’ season approaches, the hype and advertising can become overwhelming. This episode I fly solo as we look at many of the emotions around Christmas – from sadness and overwhelm […]

Throughout life we can encounter a number of mini-deaths, such as the ending of a marriage. This week we chat to life success coach Rayne Bryant about navigating Christmas with split families. From following Rayne on Instagram and Facebook for many years, I was so drawn to her positive take on solo parenting, split families […]

How can you better plan for death, and truly know how your loved ones want to be celebrated?   Lisa Herbert is the author of The Bottom Drawer Book, which is an after-death action plan to help people talk about and plan for death.   We chat with Lisa about the book and its humble […]

As a token of gratitude for your unwavering support, I’m shaking things up this holiday season. Brace yourselves for a double treat: not only will I be dropping episodes every week in December and January, but I’m also introducing a special series every second or third week called #Life.   What is #Life, you ask? […]

Navigating the legal side of death – wills, probate, conflict, and confusion, is tricky business. Grief and loss can stay with you for a long period of time, but legal items can often have a time frame to be completed.   We chat with Laura Tatchell, Principal Director of Tatchell Legal about legal items to […]

Funerals don’t have to be about choosing options from a flip book at a funeral home anymore, there are so many options available to honour the life of a loved one. Today we chat to Keri Alexander, founder of A Better Way Funerals, who started her business after a pushy funeral director left her reeling. […]

Palliative care is often thought of as the care you receive on your deathbed, when nothing else can be done in a person’s final weeks.   Professor Samar Aoun is the 2023 Western Australian of the Year and an advocate for palliative care working to change the perception of how beneficial palliative care is.   […]

When Tommy landed in Australia to backpack for 12 months, he knew instantly he’d never return to Scotland. The downside to living halfway across the world was leaving his close-knit family behind. We chat with Tommy about his experiences of two parents dying while he was overseas, complex family dynamics and living with decisions made […]

Can we use a tour guide in death to help us through the process? Erin Griffin, a passionate Death Doula, and advocate, explains the bridge between clinical support and the family, the dying, and the needs of the community. Join us for this very interesting chat about how practicing yoga led Erin to become a […]

We’re talking about death technology and future cemeteries with Professor Michael Arnold from the University of Melbourne. With many cemeteries reaching capacity, and some environmental issues emerging around current ways we deal with our loved ones, we look at different burial options and what the future of death may look like. This is an interesting […]

On this episode we chat with death walker and celebrant Zenith Virago about embracing death, because we are all on a path to death. Zenith has worked in the field of death for more than 30 years, after she organised a service for a friend after their passing. Today we chat about new trends in […]

Today on #Hashtag Death, we chat to clinical psychologist Julia who lost her younger brother to a drug overdose. We have a very vulnerable and insightful conversation around unresolved childhood trauma, learning disabilities, addictive personalities, and the path of grief from both a personal and professional perspective. Please note: This episode discusses death and addiction […]

Today we chat to Andrea, a forensic police officer in Western Australia who is here to bust some myths about her role. Andrea breaks down what her role looks like, how it’s not exactly what the TV shows portray, and the importance of being able to switch off from the job. In this episode we […]

Today on #Hashtag Death we are talking about suicide with someone who lost a loved one in this way. Death by suicide can be hard for family and friends to process, particularly if someone hasn’t previously had a diagnosed mental illness. We chat with Leah, who lost her husband Clinton eight years ago to suicide, […]

Welcome to the first episode of #Hashtag Death, a podcast bringing to the forefront one of the two certainties in life. And we’re not here to talk about taxes! Each week, your host and celebrant Ingrid Reiger aims to educate about the lesser-known aspects of the death and dying industry from palliative care, forensics, funeral […]

  Welcome to #Hashtag Death, the captivating podcast that explores the enigmatic world of death and dying industries. Our aim is to educate you about the lesser-known aspects of the industry, covering palliative care, forensics, funeral homes, celebrants, mortuaries, cemetery workers, and grief counsellors. Beyond the mechanics of death, we delve into the profound human […]