From Griever to Grief Expert | Michelle Desmond, MBA, MS

In this powerful episode of the Digital Legacy Podcast, host Niki Weiss welcomes Michelle Desmond, MBA, MS. A former corporate executive turned thanatologist, she and Niki explore death, grief, and the digital age. Michelle shares her deeply personal journey—losing her father, husband, close friend, and mother—leading to her career shift into grief and death studies. Discover how she transitioned from business to earning a Master’s in Thanatology and how she now educates others on navigating end-of-life care, hospice, and grief literacy. Together, Niki and Michelle discuss the role of end-of-life doulas, the history and resurgence of death awareness, and the impact of digital legacies on modern mourning. They unpack cultural stigmas around death, the importance of documenting final wishes, and how family dynamics shape end-of-life decisions. Whether you're curious about the psychology of grief, the role of death tech, or how to talk about mortality, this episode offers heartfelt insight, practical tools, and empowering knowledge. Don’t miss this essential conversation on embracing death to better live life. 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on digital death care, grief support, and legacy planning. 📘 Get Michelle's book Death and Other Stories on Kindle.

0:00
0:00
Advertising will end in
play_arrow
pause
replay_10
forward_10
volume_up
volume_down
volume_off
share
speed
Skip ad
close
close
close
close
close

Description:

In this powerful episode of the Digital Legacy Podcast, host Niki Weiss welcomes Michelle Desmond, MBA, MS. A former corporate executive turned thanatologist, she and Niki explore death, grief, and the digital age. Michelle shares her deeply personal journey—losing her father, husband, close friend, and mother—leading to her career shift into grief and death studies. Discover how she transitioned from business to earning a Master’s in Thanatology and how she now educates others on navigating end-of-life care, hospice, and grief literacy. Together, Niki and Michelle discuss the role of end-of-life doulas, the history and resurgence of death awareness, and the impact of digital legacies on modern mourning. They unpack cultural stigmas around death, the importance of documenting final wishes, and how family dynamics shape end-of-life decisions. Whether you're curious about the psychology of grief, the role of death tech, or how to talk about mortality, this episode offers heartfelt insight, practical tools, and empowering knowledge. Don’t miss this essential conversation on embracing death to better live life. 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on digital death care, grief support, and legacy planning. 📘 Get Michelle's book Death and Other Stories on Kindle.

Related Podcast

What happens when the modern business of death paves over the natural cycle of life? | Hye Kyung (HK) Lee

In this episode of The Digital Legacy Podcast, host Niki Weiss sits down with HK, the founder of Eon Woods. They explore the broken, profit-driven funeral industry and HK's mission to marry natural burial with land conservation by bringing "conservation cemeteries" to major metropolitan areas like New York City. From uncovering the real reason cemeteries push you to buy a concrete vault to understanding how the Civil War birthed the modern funeral home, this conversation radically shifts how we think about final disposition and environmental stewardship. You’ll discover: The Concrete Vault Myth: Cemeteries require expensive concrete vaults primarily to prevent lawns from sinking, ensuring large mowers and heavy machinery can easily drive over the grounds. Three Levels of Green Burial: The natural burial spectrum includes Hybrid cemeteries, Natural Burial grounds, and Conservation Burial, which pairs the burial process with active ecological stewardship and land conservation. The Civil War Origins of Embalming: The modern industrial funeral process originated during the Civil War as a lucrative way to preserve and ship fallen soldiers back to their hometowns. The 1% Market: The demand for conservation burials mirrors the demographic for home births, highlighting a need for roughly 400 sites in the U.S., a stark contrast to the fewer than 20 that currently exist. Bureaucratic Roadblocks: Opening a new cemetery in dense areas like New York State is highly restrictive and cumbersome compared to states like South Carolina, which have minimal legislative hurdles. Because leaving a legacy shouldn't mean leaving behind an "underground apartment building that no one will ever see".

Listen Now
What Actually Happens in Pediatric Palliative Care | Dr. Justin Baker

What happens when the "best day possible" is also a family's darkest moment? In this moving and high-stakes episode of The Digital Legacy Podcast, host Niki Weiss, Digital Thanatologist, sits down with Dr. Justin Baker, Director of Pediatric Palliative Care at Stanford University. They peel back the curtain on a reality many refuse to acknowledge: that children, too, face serious illness, and that palliative care isn't about giving up—it’s about the fierce pursuit of quality of life. You’ll discover: Why pediatric palliative care is redefined as "Quality of Life for All" (Q-O-L-A) rather than just end-of-life care. How pediatric patients under 21 can receive both curative treatments and hospice support—a vital distinction from adult medicine. Why 50% of palliative care is now digital, allowing children to receive expert mental and medical support from their own couches. Navigating the heart-wrenching space where every choice feels like a "least bad" decision. How early psychosocial intervention helps brothers and sisters build a narrative of resilience before and after a loss. Why 70% of pediatric palliative patients are alive one year after their first consult, and the new challenge of transitioning them into adult care. Because even in the most horrific circumstances, every day deserves a chance to be the best day possible.

Listen Now
Divorce and Death: Planning for Life’s Toughest Transitions

What do divorce and death have in common? More than you might think. In this episode of "Death, Dying & The Digital Age," I was joined by Catherine and Karen from My Divorce Solution to explore the unexpected intersections between end-of-life planning and navigating divorce in our digital era. From cryptocurrency and intellectual property to forgotten beneficiaries and complex retirement accounts, discover why preparation is crucial in both life transitions. Learn why "for better or worse" doesn't mean accepting purposeful neglect, and hear thought-provoking insights about how older adults are redefining relationships in their golden years. Whether you're married, divorced, or single, this conversation reveals essential strategies for protecting your digital legacy and financial future, proving that knowledge truly is power when it comes to life's most challenging transitions. Find Catherine Shanahan and Karen Chellew at mydivorcesolution.com and on LinkedIn

Listen Now
What Happens to Your Crypto if You Die | Marimer Cruz

Do you know what happens to your crypto, life insurance, and long-term care plan if no one you love can access the right documents when you die? In this episode, Digital Thanatologist Niki Weiss sits down with Marimer Cruz to break down how easily assets become “lost” when there’s no clear plan, especially in Web3, DeFi, and crypto, where one missing seed phrase can mean everything disappears forever.

Listen Now
View All

Comments