Kacie Gikonyo
Healing Grief Through Death Doulas and End-of-Life Care with Kacie Gikonyo
DESCRIPTION:
In this episode of Our Dead Dads, host Nick Gaylord speaks with certified death doula and nurse-turned-educator Kacie Gikonyo about grief, caregiving, and humanizing the dying process. Kacie shares her journey from nursing through the COVID-19 pandemic to founding her Death Doula School, training doulas worldwide to support grieving families. She explains why end-of-life planning, advanced directives, and compassionate presence are essential for reducing fear and loneliness at the end of life. Listeners will learn how death doulas bring dignity and empathy to dying, how cultural silence around death harms families, and how education and advocacy can create better grief outcomes. This conversation offers hope, healing, and powerful lessons for anyone facing loss or supporting others in grief.
WHO THIS EPISODE HELPS:
Anyone struggling with grief, end-of-life decisions, or the painful memory of loved ones dying alone.
WHAT LISTENERS WILL GET:
Practical grief support, insight into death doula care, and strategies to bring dignity, compassion, and human connection back into end-of-life experiences.
THIS EPISODE ANSWERS:
What is a death doula and how do they support grieving families?
How did the COVID-19 pandemic change the way people experienced grief and dying?
Why is end-of-life planning so important for families facing loss?
What role does compassion and human touch play in easing grief at the end of life?
How can social media and education spread awareness about grief and death doulas?
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Death doulas provide human connection and dignity at the end of life.
COVID-19 revealed deep gaps in compassionate end-of-life care.
Advance care planning reduces trauma and unresolved grief.
Social media can powerfully educate and normalize conversations about death.
Training and regulation ensure doulas are equipped to support grieving families.
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