It’s A Death Sentence

She's helped millions talk about death. Now she's talking to us.

With a social media audience of more than 2 million followers, American hospice nurse Penny Hawkins Smith, better known as Hospice Nurse Penny, became a viral sensation during the Covid pandemic by doing something many people still struggle with: talking honestly about death.

With more than 17 years of experience in hospice and palliative care, Penny shares the realities of dying with refreshing honesty, compassion and a healthy dose of dark humour. Her videos help people understand what happens at the end of life, challenge misconceptions and reassure families who are frightened by things they've never witnessed before.

And when we sat down with Penny, it quickly became clear that we'd found a kindred spirit across the Atlantic.

In this episode of It's A Death Sentence Podcast, Emma and Carrie get together with Penny for a conversation that is as funny, fascinating and wonderfully candid as it is thought-provoking.

We talk about what dying can actually look like, the changes that happen as life draws to a close, and why families are often left frightened simply because nobody has explained what's normal. We explore whether people who appear unconscious can still hear us, the experiences some people report near the end of life, and the questions we're often too embarrassed to ask.

But this conversation goes far beyond the physical process of dying.

Penny opens up about her own unconventional journey into hospice nursing, the difficult experiences that helped shape her, and why she believes our relationship with death has such a profound effect on the way we live.

We explore the supernatural, the possibility of an afterlife, whether working so closely with dying people changes what you believe, and what happens when the nurse herself encounters something she can't easily explain.

We also discuss Penny's book, Influencing Death: Reframing Dying for Better Living, the role of social media in breaking down death taboos, and why dark humour can sometimes help us talk about the things that scare us most.

And because no conversation with us would be complete without a few unexpected questions, we finish with some Would You Rather dilemmas, including whether you'd rather know exactly when you're going to die or exactly how.

Along the way, we discover the woman behind the millions of views: a mum, grandma, wife, author and hospice nurse who lives in a mountain cabin with her husband, Pam the cat and Kevin the dog.

Three women, different life experiences, one shared belief: talking about death doesn't have to be depressing, frightening or taboo.

It can be honest. It can be funny. It can be compassionate. And it might just help us live better.

In this episode, we discuss:

· What dying can really look like and what families need to know.

· Common misconceptions and the things people are often afraid to ask.

· Hearing, awareness and what may happen in the final days of life.

· Unusual experiences reported by dying people and the possibility of an afterlife.

· Penny's unconventional journey into hospice nursing.

· How dark humour and social media can help normalise conversations about death.

· Penny's book, Influencing Death: Reframing Dying for Better Living.

· What working with dying people teaches us about living.

· The big questions: immortality, knowing when we'll die and what makes a meaningful life.

A huge thank you to Penny for her honesty, generosity and brilliant company. We genuinely felt we'd found our American death-normalising companion, and we hope this is the first of many conversations.

Because death isn't a dirty word. And talking about it might be one of the most important things we ever do.

Follow Hospice Nurse Penny: Website: https://www.hospicenursepenny.com/

Find her book, Influencing Death: Reframing Dying for Better Living, through her website.

As always, we're dying to talk to you.

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

www.its-a-death-sentence.com

YouTube- @itsadeathsentencepodcast

Get in touch - we are Dying to talk to you

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From Victorian murder mysteries to modern-day poisonings, workplace scandals and an entire community exposed to toxic pollution… this episode is enough to make you look twice at what's lurking in the shed.

This week, it's just Emma and Carrie, and we're in full throttle as we explore the fascinating, frightening and sometimes downright unbelievable world of poison.

We're talking historical poisonings, notorious cases, questionable human behaviour and the extraordinary ways people have found to kill one another throughout history. Expect dark British humour, some genuinely jaw-dropping stories and the occasional bout of raucous laughter as we ask ourselves one very reasonable question: what on earth is wrong with people?

We explore common poisons, from cyanide and carbon monoxide to medicines, lead and mercury, and discover how substances that have legitimate uses can also become dangerous or deadly.Then we turn to some extraordinary cases from history and closer to home.

We also explore the tragic story of the Radium Girls, young factory workers who suffered devastating consequences after repeated exposure to radioactive paint while painting luminous watch dials. Their fight for justice raises uncomfortable questions about workplace safety, corporate responsibility and what happens when people are assured that something is safe when it isn't.

We discuss a disturbing modern British criminal case involving Adina Mihai and Madalin Dumitru, in which men were incapacitated with a drug during robberies and two victims died. It's a sobering reminder that a substance doesn't have to be administered with the intention to kill for the consequences to be fatal.

But perhaps the most unsettling story is one in which there wasn't a single poisoner at all.

Welcome to Corby, Northamptonshire, the town at the centre of the story behind Netflix's Toxic Town.

Following the reclamation of the former steelworks site, families raised concerns about a cluster of children born with missing or damaged fingers and toes. Their fight for answers led to a landmark 2009 High Court judgment concerning the council's negligent handling of contaminated waste and the connection between airborne pollutants from the reclamation work and the children's birth defects.

It's a story about ordinary families questioning what was happening to their children, the power of people comparing experiences, and the devastating consequences when environmental contamination and public accountability collide.

From deliberate poisoning to accidental exposure, occupational hazards and environmental contamination, this episode takes us through the many ways toxic substances can change or end lives.

It's dark history, forensic curiosity, human behaviour and some uncomfortable modern realities, all delivered with the honesty, humour and curiosity you've come to expect from us.

Content note: This episode discusses poisoning, murder, suicide, workplace-related illness, industrial pollution and birth defects.

A note on research and accuracy: This episode is a part educational and part entertainment based conversation, based on historical records, published research and publicly available information consulted during its preparation in September 2026. We have made every effort to represent the information accurately, but historical accounts, scientific understanding and legal developments may change as new evidence emerges. Some cases and events are discussed in the context of the information available at the time of research. This episode is intended for discussion and education, not as a substitute for professional medical, toxicological or legal advice.

And that’s us for this episode of It’s A Death Sentence!

You can find us on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and the podcast is now available on all major platforms, with the video version on YouTube and Spotify. https://linktr.ee/itsadeathsentencepodcast

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

www.its-a-death-sentence.com

YouTube- @itsadeathsentencepodcast

Get in touch - we are Dying to talk to you

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s Halloween month… so naturally, Carrie has turned up to the studio as Carrie Potter.

This week, we’re heading into the magical world of Harry Potter to explore one of the biggest themes running through the entire franchise: death.

There’s just one small problem…

Carrie is a Harry Potter EXPERT.

Emma… absolutely is not.

In fact, Emma’s knowledge of the entire franchise is so embarrassingly poor that she admits she only watched the first few films before the Dementors scared her off completely. So while Carrie Potter arrives fully prepared, Emma is essentially trying to remember who everyone is.

But beneath the Harry Potter chat is something much more serious — and something we think the books and films do brilliantly: they introduce children to death, grief and loss without pretending those things don't exist.

Harry begins his story having already lost his parents. As the series develops, death becomes an increasingly important part of his world, alongside friendship, love, growing up and adventure.

We talk about whether stories can help children understand feelings they don't yet have the words for, whether fiction can provide a safe way to explore grief, and whether we sometimes try too hard to protect children from conversations about death.

We also get into some much bigger questions:

Can love outlive the person who gave it to us?

Does someone really disappear when they die, or do memories, stories and the things they leave behind keep them present?

Why are humans so fascinated by ghosts, souls and the possibility of an afterlife?

If you could defeat death, would you actually want to?

If you could bring one person you've lost back for just one perfect day, would you?

And perhaps the biggest question of all…

If accepting that we are going to die is part of what makes life meaningful, would immortality actually be a gift… or a curse?

Plus, Carrie gets to demonstrate just how frighteningly extensive her Harry Potter knowledge really is, while Emma attempts to survive an episode about a franchise she abandoned because of imaginary flying death creatures.

And of course, we finish with some Harry Potter-inspired Would You Rather questions that get surprisingly deep — and potentially very emotional.

This episode is sponsored by Walsh Funerals & Memorials.

Because ultimately, whether we're talking about witches, wizards, ghosts or real life, perhaps the biggest lesson is that death is part of life — and talking about it doesn't have to make it more frightening.

As always, we’re dying to talk to you.

And that’s us for this episode of It’s A Death Sentence!

If you’ve enjoyed it, found it useful, thought-provoking, or just found us thoroughly entertaining — which is entirely possible — please like, follow, subscribe and share. It genuinely helps us grow.

You can find us on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and the podcast is now available on all major platforms, with the video version on YouTube and Spotify.

We’re also on Patreon if you’d like to support what we do.

And if you want to find out what we’re up to beyond the podcast, come and follow Dead Curious CIC on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. That’s our Community Interest Company delivering creative death education workshops — because apparently talking about death wasn’t enough, so we decided to make a whole organisation out of it!

And finally… Halloween!

Come and celebrate the success of the podcast with us at our Halloween Masquerade Ball, Saturday 31st October at Moor Hall, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham.

There’ll be food, a string quartet, live band, DJ, dancing until late and, presumably, some questionable decisions in fancy dress. Tickets are on Eventbrite — link Eventbrite Masquerade Halloween Ball ticket

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

www.its-a-death-sentence.com

YouTube- @itsadeathsentencepodcast

Get in touch - we are Dying to talk to you

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Carrie and Emma are going somewhere they probably shouldn't go quite so enthusiastically: we're talking about bizarre deaths.

And when Carrie is an Anatomical Pathology Technician, that means Emma has an almost unlimited supply of questions.

Naturally, Emma wants to know everything.

What actually happens to the human body after a fire? Which parts of the body can burn? What does a body look like after a road traffic accident? What happens when someone decides to put something somewhere in their body that it really wasn't designed to go?

And, perhaps most importantly, how does Carrie manage to keep answering Emma's increasingly enthusiastic questions without completely losing the will to live?

In this episode, the two explore some of the strangest, most unusual and sometimes genuinely unbelievable deaths and medical situations, mixing historical cases with stories from Carrie's own career in anatomical pathology and her experiences working on the ambulance team.

As always, Carrie discusses real experiences with care and discretion, but that doesn't stop Emma from asking the questions that most people would probably think twice about asking out loud.

The conversation covers everything from bizarre accidents and unusual deaths to medical conditions that can become life-threatening when they're ignored.

That story leads into a wider discussion about elderly people, how easily serious problems can sometimes be overlooked, and why something that appears relatively minor can become much more dangerous if medical attention is delayed.

Then things take another turn as Carrie and Emma discuss body modification, foreign objects and some of the frankly questionable things people have attempted to put into — or remove from — their own bodies.

Which is where Emma has to confess to a story involving her son…

A raisin…

And a nose.

Let's just say that removing a raisin from a child's nose is not quite as straightforward as you might imagine.

Expect fascinating facts, uncomfortable questions, bizarre circumstances, some genuinely sad moments, plenty of "surely that can't be true?" stories and, of course, the dark humour and completely unpredictable conversations you've come to expect from Carrie and Emma.

Because when you combine an Anatomical Pathology Technician with someone whose curiosity knows absolutely no boundaries, you never quite know where the conversation is going to end up.

Listener discretion is advised. This episode discusses death, accidental and unexpected deaths, medical emergencies, road traffic accidents, post-mortem examination and other potentially distressing subjects. Some real-life cases are discussed in a deliberately non-graphic and respectful manner.

So, if you've ever wondered about the stranger side of death, the unusual things that can happen to the human body, or simply what on earth could possibly lead to a mortuary having to remove someone's head…

This is the episode for you.

And yes, Emma really does ask Carrie whether parts of the human body can actually burn.

You have been warned.

If you’ve enjoyed it, found it useful, thought-provoking, or just found us thoroughly entertaining — which is entirely possible — please like, follow, subscribe and share. It genuinely helps us grow.

You can find us on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and the podcast is now available on all major platforms, with the video version on YouTube and Spotify. https://linktr.ee/itsadeathsentencepodcast

We’re also on Patreon if you’d like to support what we do.

And if you want to find out what we’re up to beyond the podcast, come and follow Dead Curious CIC on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. That’s our Community Interest Company delivering creative death education workshops — because apparently talking about death wasn’t enough, so we decided to make a whole organisation out of it!

Massive thanks to Walsh Funerals and Memorials for sponsoring this episode.

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

www.its-a-death-sentence.com

YouTube- @itsadeathsentencepodcast

Get in touch - we are Dying to talk to you

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Twelve months. One year. 365 days. And somehow… it still doesn't quite feel real.

In this deeply personal episode of It's A Death Sentence, Emma and Carrie reflect on 12 months of grief after losing two of the people they loved most: Emma's dad and Carrie's brother.

What actually changes when you reach that one-year mark?

Is grief different at 12 months, or are you simply different because you've had 12 months to learn how to live alongside it?

They talk about the strange, suspended feeling of grief — those moments when you instinctively think “I need to tell Dad that” or “I need to tell my brother this”, before remembering they're not there anymore.

They explore the long goodbye of dementia and terminal illness, and whether some of the grieving had already happened before their loved ones died.

They talk about the things nobody warns you about:

· Missing the completely ordinary, mundane things you never expected to miss

· Forgetting for a split second that they're gone

· The random Tuesday-afternoon grief that can hit harder than the big anniversaries

· Feeling guilty for laughing, enjoying yourself or simply having a brilliant day

· How memories begin to change as the illness becomes less dominant

· Watching children grow up without the people they should have had beside them

· Becoming the oldest generation in your immediate family

· The strange emotional finality of finishing the paperwork and “death admin”

· Finding yourself laughing at memories and wondering whether you're allowed to

· And the question of what you would say to them if you could talk to them now

There's sadness, of course.

But there's also plenty of laughter, because grief isn't one emotion. It's messy, unpredictable, sometimes ridiculous and often completely ordinary.

And perhaps that's the biggest thing Emma and Carrie have learned over the last year:

You don't necessarily move on from someone. You learn how to carry them differently.

They ask whether grief actually gets smaller — or whether we just get bigger around it.

And after six months of surviving the first half-year, they ask:

What is 12 months actually about?

No neat answers. No five-step guide to grief. Just two friends, talking honestly about what happens when the person is still missing… but life keeps moving.

If you've lost someone, are grieving someone, or simply want to understand what grief can really look like beyond the funeral and the first few months, this one is for you.

If you’ve enjoyed it, found it useful, thought-provoking, or just found us thoroughly entertaining — which is entirely possible — please like, follow, subscribe and share. It genuinely helps us grow.

You can find us on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and the podcast is now available on all major platforms, with the video version on YouTube and Spotify. https://linktr.ee/itsadeathsentencepodcast

We’re also on Patreon if you’d like to support what we do.

And if you want to find out what we’re up to beyond the podcast, come and follow Dead Curious CIC on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. That’s our Community Interest Company delivering creative death education workshops — because apparently talking about death wasn’t enough, so we decided to make a whole organisation out of it!

And finally… Halloween!

Come and celebrate the success of the podcast with us at our Halloween Masquerade Ball, Saturday 31st October at Moor Hall, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham.

There’ll be food, a string quartet, live band, DJ, dancing until late and, presumably, some questionable decisions in fancy dress.

Limited Tickets still available Tickets are on Eventbrite — link Eventbrite Masquerade Halloween Ball ticket

Please share us with anyone who might need us… or anyone who just enjoys two women talking about death over a microphone.

Thanks for listening — and as always, we’re dying to talk to you.

#ItsADeathSentence #12MonthsLater #Grief #GriefJourney #GriefAndLoss #Bereavement #LivingWithGrief #LosingAParent

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

www.its-a-death-sentence.com

YouTube- @itsadeathsentencepodcast

Get in touch - we are Dying to talk to you

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When we picture someone grieving, we’re often shown the same image: hollow cheeks, a shrinking body, clothes hanging from a suddenly smaller frame. The beautiful, tragic, almost glamorous picture of the bereaved person who has simply… stopped eating.

But what happens when grief does the opposite?

In this episode of It’s A Death Sentence, Emma and Carrie have one of their most candid conversations yet about weight, grief, trauma, food and the complicated relationship so many of us have with our bodies.

Because for millions of people, stress and trauma don’t make the weight fall off. They make us eat. They make us comfort eat, lose our routines, reach for things that make us feel better for five minutes — and sometimes gain weight when we are already struggling to cope.

And what about those of us for whom weight management was already a lifelong battle before grief came along?

Emma gets brutally honest about her own relationship with weight, including her use of Ozempic and Mounjaro, the pressure to maintain a particular body size, and the lifelong cycle of losing, gaining, restricting and starting again. Carrie joins her in exploring how much of this is actually about food — and how much is about everything else going on underneath it.

Because grief doesn't just live in your head.

It lives in your body too.

And yet, when Emma and Carrie went looking for the language to describe weight gain through grief, they found remarkably little.

One term they discovered was Kummerspeck — a German word which literally translates roughly as “grief bacon.”

Grief bacon.

Really?

It says a lot about how we talk about bodies that even the language we have for gaining weight through emotional pain can feel flippant, judgemental or downright unkind.

Meanwhile, there are countless poetic descriptions and cultural references for becoming thin, gaunt or emaciated through grief — as though losing weight is somehow the more believable, more acceptable or even more beautiful physical manifestation of suffering.

So Emma and Carrie go down a rather unexpected rabbit hole.

They explore the language, symbolism and somatics of grief and the body, looking at some of the fascinating phrases used around the world to describe the physical effects of losing someone — and asking why we seem to have such a limited vocabulary for what happens when grief makes us bigger rather than smaller.

This isn't a diet episode.

It isn't about telling you what you should weigh, what you should eat, or how you should look.

It's about the weight we carry — literally, emotionally and culturally.

And, as ever, Emma and Carrie bring honesty, compassion, curiosity and a healthy dose of humour to a subject that can be incredibly difficult to talk about.

Because grief doesn't have a body type.

And neither should it have a dress size.

This is The Weight of Grief.

And that’s us for this episode of It’s A Death Sentence!

If you’ve enjoyed it, found it useful, thought-provoking, or just found us thoroughly entertaining — which is entirely possible — please like, follow, subscribe and share. It genuinely helps us grow.

You can find us on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and the podcast is now available on all major platforms, with the video version on YouTube and Spotify. https://linktr.ee/itsadeathsentencepodcast

We’re also on Patreon if you’d like to support what we do.

And if you want to find out what we’re up to beyond the podcast, come and follow Dead Curious CIC on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. That’s our Community Interest Company delivering creative death education workshops — because apparently talking about death wasn’t enough, so we decided to make a whole organisation out of it!

And finally… Halloween!

Come and celebrate the success of the podcast with us at our Halloween Masquerade Ball, Saturday 31st October at Moor Hall, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham.

There’ll be food, a string quartet, live band, DJ, dancing until late.

Tickets are on Eventbrite — link Eventbrite Masquerade Halloween Ball ticket

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

www.its-a-death-sentence.com

YouTube- @itsadeathsentencepodcast

Get in touch - we are Dying to talk to you

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are SO proud to have interviewed Francesca Amber on the podcast!

For those who don’t know her, Francesca is a Sunday Times bestselling author, entrepreneur and host of the UK’s number-one self-development podcast, Law of Attraction Changed My Life. She’s also the author of Manifest Like a Mother — a book that, as it happens, played a rather important part in this particular episode coming to life…

About a year ago, Carrie and I were out walking and discovered we were both reading Francesca’s book. Serendipity? Probably. We decided there and then: “We will interview her. It will happen.”

We emailed. Nothing.

We waited. Still nothing.

Six to eight months, a few tags, another email and eventually a slide into the DMs later… IT HAPPENED.

But this episode isn’t just about manifestation. We’re exploring a question we’ve become fascinated by:

Can you manifest effectively whilst you’re grieving?

Can gratitude, visualisation and the Law of Attraction sit alongside grief and loss — or can they sometimes feel completely at odds with it?

We also discover Francesca’s fascination with death, hear about some spooky experiences from her childhood, find out why her daughter has such a particular name, hear about some famous graves she’s visited, and talk openly about the recent loss of one of her own friends.

And this is also one of our first episodes to feature “Would You Rather” at the end! Crafted by our very own Carrie, these quick-fire questions are both thought-provoking and absolutely hilarious — and let’s just say, Francesca is put through her paces.

Come and join us for a conversation about manifestation, grief, death, friendship, serendipity and finding meaning in the things we can’t always explain.

As a side note do you have plans for Halloween ? why not join us at It’s a Death Sentence masquerade Ball on 31st October 2026 is Birmingham – A night Of Glamour, Live Music, Dancing and Dressing up ! tickets here Eventbrite Masquerade Halloween Ball ticket

You can find Francesca amber @francescaamber on insta

Here is a link to her wonderful book “Manifest like a mother” which we highly recommend Manifest Like A Mother Here is a link to her new book manifest like a mother “The workbook” https://www. amazon.co.uk/Manifest-Like-Mother-Workbook-4-steps/dp/1846048672

We are just about to start in her members only “ Book club bitches” The community where we plough through every brilliant law of attraction/ self help book out there and Francesca does a chapter by chapter podcast episode to accompany it, to join the book club – book club Bitches

To listen to her Podcast ” The Law of attraction changed my life” available on all platforms but here is a Spotify link https://open.spotify.com/show/17kFRqblm9iIfwTlemaIUT

Don’t Forget to follow It’s A Death Sentence on tik tok, Insta, facebook and you tube

Please support our CIC “ Dead Curious” providing death education and facilitating conversation with community’s through creative projects. Dead Curious on all the socials and here is a link to our website Dead Curious CIC

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

www.its-a-death-sentence.com

YouTube- @itsadeathsentencepodcast

Get in touch - we are Dying to talk to you

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve talked a LOT about death and grief on this podcast… but what happens when you throw manifestation and the Law of Attraction into the mix?

In this episode, Carrie and Emma get personal about their own experiences with manifestation, gratitude and visualisation — and why they’ve both loved and used the Law of Attraction in their own lives.

Both of us started with The Secret, the classic beginner’s guide to manifestation, but Emma has a pretty good story about what happened when she took visualisation a little further…

Back in 2009, while touring as a singer with The Enemy, Emma created a vision board with one very specific goal on it: Wembley Stadium.

She was told she would only be doing the main leg of the tour — which was already pretty amazing — but The Enemy were also supporting Oasis that year. Emma put “Wembley Stadium” above her bed, making it the first thing she saw when she woke up and the last thing she saw before she went to sleep.

And guess what?

She performed at Wembley.

But then we get to the difficult bit…

So much of manifestation is about being positive, believing that what you want is already yours, visualising it and feeling those feelings before they arrive.

But what happens when you’re grieving?

When loss or trauma left you feeling like you’re operating at a completely different frequency? When your energy is low, your thoughts are heavy and your idea of a positive future is simply getting through the next hour without crying?

Can you manifest good things while you’re heartbroken?

Do you have to be positive all the time?

And is there room for grief, anger and sadness within a philosophy that tells us to focus on the life we want?

This is a conversation about manifestation, grief, trauma, hope and whether you really have to feel good before good things can happen.

As a side note do you have plans for Halloween ? why not join us at It’s a Death Sentence masquerade Ball on 31st October 2026 is Birmingham – A night Of Glamour, Live Music, Dancing and Dressing up ! tickets here Eventbrite Masquerade Halloween Ball ticket

Don’t Forget to follow It’s A Death Sentence on Tik Tok, Insta, Facebook and You Tube

Please support our CIC “ Dead Curious” providing death education and facilitating conversation with community’s through creative projects. Dead Curious on all the socials and here is a link to our website Dead Curious CIC

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

www.its-a-death-sentence.com

YouTube- @itsadeathsentencepodcast

Get in touch - we are Dying to talk to you

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this fascinating episode of It’s A Death Sentence, Carrie and Emma are joined by Ahmed Hraichie — The Muslim Undertaker, also known as the Aussie Mammoth — an Australian funeral service professional whose work and social media have reached a global audience.

Ahmed takes us on a journey through his remarkable path into the death industry, from his early days working in mortuary removals and cemeteries to preparing and burying thousands of Muslim deceased according to Islamic funeral traditions. We hear about the physical, emotional and spiritual experiences that shaped his journey — and how his understanding of death has influenced the way he lives his own life.

Together, we explore the fascinating differences and shared humanity between Islamic funeral traditions and Western funeral practices.

We talk about:

🕌 What Islam teaches about death and burial ⚰️ Why traditional Islamic burial practices differ from many Western customs 🔬 What the Muslim faith believes about autopsy 👩‍⚕️ The role of women within Muslim funeral services 🌍 The cultural differences in how we mourn and remember our dead 💬 The importance of death education and having conversations about dying ❤️ Grief, compassion, faith and what we can learn from one another 💭 And why opening up conversations about death can actually help us live better lives

There are moments of deep reflection, moments that challenge our own assumptions, and, as you'd expect from Carrie and Emma, plenty of laughter along the way.

This is a conversation about difference without division — about asking questions with curiosity, listening with respect and discovering that beneath our different religious and cultural traditions, there are often more shared human experiences than we realise.

Ahmed's story is one of physical strength, spiritual growth, compassion and service. His journey into the death industry is fascinating, and his perspective on mortality, faith and the responsibility we have to care for the dead is genuinely thought-provoking.

Carrie and Emma thoroughly enjoyed their time with Ahmed and were honoured to have such an open and insightful conversation with him.

There was also a lovely little moment after the interview when Ahmed shared a post featuring the three of us. He later chose to remove it out of respect for some of his followers and their sensitivities — something we completely understand and respect.

Ahmed is currently in the UK for a series of appointments promoting his work, and we wish him every success while he's here.

And if you're wondering where you can watch or listen to the FULL INTERVIEW, we've made it easy!

YouTube

Audible Spotify Apple Podcasts

All Links can be found here : https://linktr.ee/itsadeathsentencepodcast

You can also find Ahmed — very easily! — across his social platforms, and we'll be sharing his links through our own posts.

And don't forget to follow It’s A Death Sentence on:

📸 Instagram 📘 Facebook 🎵 TikTok

Death is something every one of us will encounter. The way we understand it, talk about it and prepare for it can be very different.

So let's keep having the conversations.

Let's keep asking the questions.

And most importantly, let's keep talking about death.

And that’s us for this episode of It’s A Death Sentence!

If you’ve enjoyed it, found it useful, thought-provoking, or just found us thoroughly entertaining — which is entirely possible ! — please like, follow, subscribe and share. It genuinely helps us grow.

You can find us on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and the podcast is now available on all major platforms, with the video version on YouTube and Spotify and apple podcasts. https://linktr.ee/itsadeathsentencepodcast

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Please share us with anyone who might need us… or anyone who just enjoys two women talking about death over a microphone.

Thanks for listening — and as always, we’re dying to talk to you.

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

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How It All Began: The Story Behind It’s A Death Sentence

Why on earth would two women decide to make a podcast about death, dying and grief?

Well… there’s quite a story behind it.

Carrie and Emma are both bereaved, and death has become as much a part of their lives as life itself. Carrie has lost her mother-in-law, her uncle and, more recently, her beloved brother David. Emma has lost both of her parents, as well as a heartbreaking number of young friends.

And then there’s Carrie’s job. She works as an Anatomical Pathology Technician for the coroner, performing autopsies as part of her everyday working life. So, quite literally, Carrie works with death every single day.

But the podcast didn’t actually start as a podcast.

Carrie originally had the idea of creating something with her brother David — a way of capturing his voice and creating a lasting legacy for his son after they received the devastating news that David was terminally ill. It was a beautiful idea, born from something terribly sad. Sadly, David became too unwell for their plans to come to fruition.

But the idea stayed with Carrie.

When mutual friend and fellow Dead Curious CIC co-director James Young told her, “Just do it anyway. Start with me,” the first interview was born. James had lost his own mother as a child, and Carrie knew their conversation would be both deeply personal and thought-provoking.

James then suggested she interview another mutual friend…

Emma.

And, as they say, the rest is history. 😂

What began as a serious exploration of real-life stories of death, dying and grief soon took an unexpected turn when Carrie and Emma’s shared love of completely inappropriate, deathly dark humour took over.

They found themselves laughing through loss — loudly, ridiculously and sometimes quite uncontrollably. And that laughter became something cathartic and healing for them both.

In this episode, we talk about why we started the podcast, where the original idea came from, how grief has shaped both of our lives, and how It’s A Death Sentence evolved into the slightly unruly, occasionally dark and surprisingly joyful podcast it is today.

We also talk about what you can expect to find here — from bizarre deaths throughout history, to Carrie’s work with the coroner, what actually happens during an autopsy, personal stories of loss, grief, friendship, life and everything in between.

Because death is serious.

But talking about it doesn’t always have to be.

Welcome to It’s A Death Sentence. ❤️

As a side note do you have plans for Halloween ? why not join us at It’s a Death Sentence masquerade Ball on 31st October 2026 is Birmingham – A night Of Glamour, Live Music, Dancing and Dressing up ! tickets here Eventbrite Masquerade Halloween Ball ticket

Don’t Forget to follow It’s A Death Sentence on Tik Tok, Insta, Facebook and You Tube

Please support our CIC “ Dead Curious” providing death education and facilitating conversation with community’s through creative projects. Dead Curious on all the socials and here is a link to our website Dead Curious CIC

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

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What if the very place we fear most at the end of life is actually where we find the most joy, connection, and purpose?

In this episode of It's a Death Sentence, we sit down with Stephen and Pete, two men who share their deeply moving experiences at the Primrose Hospice. Far from the sombre, quiet place they initially feared, they discovered a vibrant community filled with laughter, dominoes, and unconditional support.

What You’ll Discover

- Breaking the Hospice Stigma: Why hospices are not just places to die, but sanctuaries for living fully, finding purpose, and sharing a laugh with people who truly understand.

- The Power of Shared Experience: How connecting with others facing similar health battles provides a unique, unspoken comfort that family and friends cannot always offer.

- Finding Joy in the Present: The importance of having a routine, a community to wake up for, and how simple activities like art and dominoes can quiet an anxious mind.

Whether you are facing a difficult diagnosis or simply need a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit, this conversation is a beautiful testament to finding light in the darkest of times.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

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Get in touch - we are Dying to talk to you

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When you hear the word "hospice," what is the first thing that comes to mind?

In this episode of It's a Death Sentence, we sit down with Sarah McDowell from Primrose Hospice & Family Support Centre to dismantle the common misconception that hospices are simply places where people go to die. Sarah shares her personal journey into the charity sector, inspired by her mother's 16-year career as a hospice nurse, and opens up about the vibrant, life-affirming reality of modern hospice care.

What You’ll Discover

- Redefining Hospice Care: Why places like Primrose are focused on living well, offering day services, physiotherapy, and complementary therapies rather than just end-of-life beds.

- Supporting the Whole Family: How dedicated family support teams provide vital bereavement counselling and tailored group activities for children and teenagers navigating loss.

- The Power of Community: A behind-the-scenes look at the massive fundraising efforts and the army of 400 volunteers required to keep these essential, free services running.

If you have ever felt apprehensive about what goes on behind hospice doors, this conversation is an uplifting reminder that these spaces are often filled with warmth, laughter, and above all, life.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

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When multiple losses hit in quick succession, how do you find the space to grieve while still holding everything together for everyone else?

In this episode of It's a Death Sentence, we sit down with Jenna Smalley, a 34-year-old mother of two who experienced the unimaginable loss of three close family members in just two years. Jenna shares her deeply personal journey of losing her father suddenly to a ruptured aorta, followed by her 102-year-old grandmother, and finally her uncle, whom she cared for through his terminal cancer diagnosis.

What You’ll Discover

- Navigating Compound Grief: The emotional and physical toll of losing multiple family members in a short timeframe and why survival mode often delays the grieving process.

- Systemic Failures in End-of-Life Care: A honest look at the lack of support from healthcare services, the administrative burdens placed on next of kin, and the vital need for better communication.

- Finding Signs of Hope: How personal beliefs about the afterlife and small, meaningful signs from lost loved ones can provide comfort in the darkest times.

Jenna's story is a powerful reminder that while we often have no choice but to carry on for the sake of our families, we must eventually allow ourselves the time and space to heal. Her journey highlights the importance of speaking openly about death, even when society tells us to keep quiet.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

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How do you find the light in the darkest of times?

In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we sit down with Rachel Watts, a social worker, trustee, and dedicated supporter of Primrose Hospice. Rachel shares her deeply personal journey following her sister Liz’s terminal cancer diagnosis, and how the hospice became a lifeline for her entire family. We explore the vital role of peer support for grieving teenagers, the importance of normalising conversations around death, and how Liz’s legacy continues to shape Rachel's life today.

What You’ll Discover

- Breaking the Hospice Stigma: Why hospices are far from the doom-and-gloom environments many expect, and how they provide a space for both serious support and light-hearted humour.

- Supporting Grieving Teenagers: The vital role of peer groups in helping young people navigate loss, and why using clear, honest language about death is essential for their understanding.

- Planning for the End: How taking the time to organise your own "death book" and final wishes can be one of the kindest, most compassionate gifts you leave behind for your loved ones.

Whether you are navigating your own grief, supporting a loved one, or simply want to understand how to talk more openly about mortality, this episode is a beautiful reminder that even in our final chapters, there is still so much life to be lived.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

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What if the secret to truly living lies in accepting our own mortality?

In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we sit down with the incredible Kim Chandler at the Primrose Hospice. Kim shares her journey of living with a terminal secondary breast cancer diagnosis, far outliving her original prognosis, and how she chooses to embrace every single day with humour, honesty, and a refreshing lack of filter.

What You’ll Discover

- Redefining the Hospice: Why places like the Primrose Hospice aren't just about dying, but are vibrant community hubs focused on living life to the fullest.

- Finding Freedom in Finality: How accepting a terminal diagnosis can shift your perspective from anger to gratitude, and why we all need to just "look up" more often.

- Breaking the Taboo: The importance of normalising conversations around death, from planning direct cremations and living funerals to talking openly with children about loss.

Kim’s story is a powerful reminder that talking about death doesn't have to be morbid. By stripping away the fear and societal awkwardness, we can focus on what really matters: making memories, supporting our loved ones, and finding joy in the everyday.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

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Ready for a fun, cheeky quiz to test how much you’ve been paying attention?

In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we put our (and your) knowledge to the test with a quiz covering everything from the biology of death and the body to grief, desire, psychology, and philosophy to revisit key themes from previous episodes.

What You’ll Discover

- Death and the Body: From the most common causes of death during sex to what happens to digestion and the brain as we approach the end.

- Grief, Desire & The Nervous System: Why libido can increase or decrease during bereavement, the role of oxytocin, and how fear often sits beneath anger.

- Philosophical Reflections: Big questions about mortality, continuing bonds, living authentically, and the paradox of death anxiety.

Whether you’re a long-time listener or wanting to learn something new, this episode reminds us that talking about death doesn’t have to be solemn - it can be playful, thought-provoking, and deeply human.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

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What if the most profound way to honour the dead is to find the courage to truly live and maybe even laugh along the way?

In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we sit down with David Ferrugio, host of the DEAD Talks podcast and author of the upcoming book, Not Dead Yet. David shares his deeply personal journey of losing his father in the World Trade Centre on 9/11 when he was just 12 years old. We explore how he navigated the overwhelming weight of a very public grief, the unique experience of growing up in a household of strong women, and why humour has become his ultimate coping mechanism.

What You’ll Discover

- Finding Light in the Dark: How dark humour and making jokes can serve as a vital, momentary relief from the heavy, concentrated pain of grief.

- Navigating a Public Loss: The strange, isolating, and sometimes overbearing reality of grieving an individual loved one while the entire world is watching and mourning alongside you.

- Embracing the Unknown: Why letting go of the illusion of control and accepting the inevitability of death can ultimately free us to live more fully.

David’s story is a powerful reminder that grief is not a linear path we must walk in silence. By opening up, sharing our stories, and even daring to laugh at the absurdity of it all, we can find connection and meaning in the most unimaginable circumstances.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

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There is a strange, quiet comfort in knowing that the person standing next to you is feeling exactly as devastated as you are.

In this episode of It's a Death Sentence, we dive deep into the heavy, fascinating world of collective grief. From the profound national mourning that followed the death of Princess Diana to the shared, daily trauma of the Covid-19 pandemic, we explore why we cry for people we have never met, and what happens when an entire nation is forced to process loss at the exact same time.

What You’ll Discover

- Parasocial Loss and Its Power: Why we feel such a deep, personal ache when a public figure dies, and how the media shapes our permission to mourn.

- When Shared Trauma Divides: How a global event like Covid-19 can simultaneously bring us together in solidarity while driving deep wedges between our closest relationships.

- Why Rituals are Necessary: Why being denied the traditional, communal acts of saying goodbye - like funerals and bedside vigils leaves us with a complicated, lingering grief.

Ultimately, it seems that whether we are mourning a royal, a local legend, or the victims of a global tragedy, our response says far more about us than it does about the event itself. We are pack animals, and even in our darkest moments, we are simply looking for a way to know we aren't entirely alone.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

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This is one of those topics that we just don't talk about enough in our daily lives, mostly because we get so caught up in the busyness of simply getting by.

In this episode of It's a Death Sentence, we sit down once again with Emma Johnson. She shares a deeply personal account of what it was like to care for her father at the end of his life. We explore the complexities of navigating a difficult parent-child relationship, the profound reality of end-of-life care during the pandemic, and the existential terror that can accompany our thoughts on mortality.

What You’ll Discover

- The Complexity of End-of-Life Care: How caring for a parent with whom you have a complicated history can shift the balance of your relationship and offer a unique path to healing.

- The Reality of Existential Terror: A deep dive into death anxiety, what truly triggers it, and how it manifests differently for everyone.

- The Need for Open Conversations: Why we as a society tend to sleepwalk through life avoiding the topic of death, and why bringing it into the light is so vital.

We have these cinematic ideas of peaceful goodbyes, but the reality is often much more visceral, complicated, and deeply human. Emma’s honesty about her own anxiety surrounding the infinite unknown and how she sought therapy to navigate it is a breath of fresh air in a world that largely prefers to look away.

If you’ve ever found yourself staring at the ceiling at night wondering what it all means, this episode is worth a listen. It might just change how you think about the time we have left.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

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Sex and death - two of life’s biggest taboos, explored with honesty and zero judgment.

In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we dive into the often unspoken connection between grief and sexuality. From heightened desire as a form of comfort or escapism to the phenomenon known as “widow’s heat,” we discuss how loss can reshape intimacy in surprising ways.

What You’ll Discover

- Grief and Libido: Why some people experience increased sexual desire during bereavement while others withdraw, and how sex can serve as grounding, distraction, or emotional release.

- Widow’s Heat and Cultural Views: The real experiences of intense craving after loss, plus how different cultures approach intimacy and mourning.

- The Philosophical Link: From “la petite mort” (the little death) to the deeper emotional crossover between sex and grief.

Whether it’s seeking physical connection to feel something other than sadness or navigating complicated emotions after profound loss, there’s no single “right” way to grieve - including in your sex life. It’s a raw, open conversation that reminds us to be kind to ourselves without judgment.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

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This was one of those episodes that took us right back to our childhood.

In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we unpack how Disney films shaped our early understanding of death - from parental loss in Bambi and The Lion King to dramatic villain endings, the afterlife in Coco, and the emotional punch of stories like My Girl and Watership Down.

What You’ll Discover

- How Disney Handles Death: Common tropes like temporary “deaths,” the circle of life, and off-screen losses.

- Villains and Justice: Why bad characters meet dramatic but indirect ends, and what that teaches kids about consequences.

- Grief, Remembrance & Nostalgia: From Coco’s focus on remembering the dead to how these films influenced the way we process loss.

Disney often softens death while still introducing big ideas like grief, legacy, and moving forward. Whether through symbolic afterlives or sudden heartbreak, these stories gave many of us our first (sometimes confusing) window into one of life’s hardest realities. It’s a nostalgic, thoughtful conversation about the powerful role media plays in shaping how we understand death from a young age.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

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In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we explore near-death experiences - what people report seeing, feeling, and learning when they come close to dying and return.

What You’ll Discover

- Common Elements of Near-Death Experiences: Bright lights, feelings of peace and wholeness, out-of-body sensations, and encounters with loved ones or beings.

- The Science vs. The Mystery: How the brain might create these experiences under extreme stress, and why they feel so similar across cultures and time.

- Personal and Cultural Reflections: Stories of transformation, loss of fear of death, and why these experiences continue to fascinate us.

What really stood out is how these accounts - whether explained by brain chemistry or something more profound - often leave people changed, with a deeper sense of peace and purpose. The conversation sits beautifully in that space between science and hope, reminding us that death and what might come after doesn’t have to be purely frightening. It can also spark curiosity, comfort, and even wonder.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

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This episode felt different because we handed the big questions over to the children.

In this special episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we run a kids’ workshop and ask young people what they think about death, grief, the afterlife, funerals, and how they’d support a friend who is sad.

What You’ll Discover

- Honest Answers from Children: What they believe happens when we die, whether they think there’s a heaven or hell, and how they’d comfort someone who is grieving.

- The Curious Questions Kids Ask: Their raw, thoughtful, and often surprisingly funny takes on death and what comes after.

- The Kids Turn the Tables: The curious and brilliant questions the children asked us in return.

Their answers are honest, sometimes humorous, and often wiser than we expect. It’s a gentle reminder that death doesn’t have to be a scary or forbidden topic - it can be discussed with care, curiosity, and even hope. This episode was recorded as part of a school pilot on death education, showing how naturally young people engage when given a safe space to talk.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

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This was one of those conversations where you end up equal parts fascinated and slightly horrified.

In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we getting into what actually happens to your body after you die. Carrie, who performs autopsies for a living, takes us through the full process of decomposition - from the very first changes to the bloating, purging, skin slip, maggots, and everything in between.

What You’ll Discover

- The Real Stages After Death: Pallor mortis, algor mortis, rigor mortis, livor mortis, autolysis (self-digestion), putrefaction, and how temperature, environment and body type all change the timeline.

- The Messy, Honest Realities: Gas, bloating, fluids leaking from the mouth and nose, why bodies can look like old leather in dry conditions, and the unmistakable smell of death.

- The Questions People Are Scared to Ask: Do bodies always poop? Why is the tongue sometimes removed? Can organs still be used?

Decomposition isn’t just decay - it’s a natural biological process where life keeps doing its thing. This conversation mixes science, dark humour, real mortuary stories, and that strange human curiosity we all have about what happens when we die.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

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This episode goes right to the heart of one of the most tender, complicated spaces we’ve ever explored.

In this episode, we sit down with John Kramer, founder of Guardian Angels, to talk openly about using AI as a tool in grief. John shares his own journey through loss, the accidental beginnings of the platform, and how it evolved from an experiment into a structured, therapist-guided journaling experience designed to help people process pain rather than replace human connection.

What You’ll Discover

- From Digital Séance to Structured Healing: How Guardian Angels moved from conversational AI to reflective journaling rooted in evidence-based grief tasks.

- Why Men Often Connect With This Tool: The safe, risk-free space it creates for those who struggle to talk about feelings or show vulnerability.

- Guardrails, Ethics & The Path Forward: How the platform is built to support real healing, with clear boundaries, therapist input, crisis resources, and an intentional focus on integration rather than dependence.

John’s clear that this isn’t about speaking to the dead or replacing therapy. It’s about giving people (especially those who find it hard to open up) a private outlet to name their feelings, process pain, and slowly integrate their loss into life moving forward. The pushback he’s received has actually helped shape something more responsible and human-centred.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

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This episode felt different to record because, if we're honest, there’s a lot of frustration in it.

In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we take a proper look at social media. The good, the bad, and the parts that are genuinely dangerous. From the pressure to be liked, to the impact on our mental health, and the very real consequences for young people, this is an honest, unfiltered conversation about something most of us use every day but rarely stop to question.

What You’ll Discover

- The Pressure to Be Liked: Why social media is designed to keep us hooked, constantly seeking validation and comparison.

- When It Turns Dangerous: How cyberbullying, harmful trends, and algorithms can contribute to serious mental health risks.

- The Parenting Dilemma: Why there’s no clear answer when it comes to protecting young people without isolating them.

What really stands out in this conversation is the contradiction. Social media connects us, grows communities, and even helps people access support in moments of crisis. But at the same time, it can isolate, overwhelm, and in some cases, cause real harm. That tension runs through the whole episode.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

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We’ve both felt this, but no one really prepares you for it. In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we sit down and talk about how grief completely warps your sense of time. One moment everything feels frozen, like it just happened, and the next, months have passed in a blur you can barely remember. This is a raw, honest conversation about what that actually feels like, why it happens, and why it’s far more common than people realise.

What You’ll Discover

- Why Time Stops and Speeds Up: Grief disrupts your normal sense of time, creating a strange mix of slow-motion moments and lost months.

- The Science Behind the Feeling: Time distortion is a real neurological response where the brain shifts into survival mode during trauma.

- Why Nothing Feels Quite Real: From brain fog to disassociation, grief can make you feel like you’re watching life from the outside.

What really stayed with us is how disorientating it all is. That sense of being stuck in the moment you heard the news, while the rest of the world keeps moving forward like nothing’s happened. It’s strange, uncomfortable, and often quite isolating.

We also talk about the small things that can help. Not solutions, because there aren’t any quick ones, but anchors. Little routines, familiar moments, people around you, things that gently bring you back into the present when everything feels blurred or distant.

This episode is for anyone who’s experienced that feeling of time not quite making sense anymore, or for anyone trying to understand someone who has. If it resonates, share it with someone who might need that reassurance.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

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This special bonus episode from It’s a Death Sentence offers a gentle, guided meditation designed to bring comfort, calm, and a sense of connection in moments of loss.

Written and produced by Emma Skipp and Leon Payne, this meditation was created from a deeply personal place. Emma, who finds great comfort in guided meditation, wanted to craft something specifically for those navigating grief - a space to pause, breathe, and feel held.

The meditation begins by guiding you into a state of deep relaxation through simple, soothing breathing techniques. From there, you are gently led into a reflective visualisation, inviting you to imagine your lost loved one beside you - a quiet, safe moment of connection.

The soundscape has been carefully designed and tuned to 432Hz - often associated with healing and harmony - creating a warm and immersive listening experience. All music was performed and produced by Leon Payne and Emma Skipp, with natural birdsong recorded in Emma’s own garden adding an intimate, grounding touch.

This 20-minute meditation is intended to be a soft place to land - whether you are in the early days of grief or carrying loss that has been with you for years.

Take a moment. Breathe. You’re not alone.

Credits:

Written and spoken by Emma Skipp.

Produced by Emma Skipp and Leon Payne.

Music performed and produced by Leon Payne and Emma Skipp.

Birdsong recordings captured in Emma’s garden.

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

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This conversation really stayed with us because it’s one of those stories that feels both deeply personal and quietly powerful.

In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we sit down with Jayne Thomson, a funeral director who came into the industry after losing her Mum, to explore what it’s like to work so closely with death every day. We talk about grief, purpose, the reality behind the role, and why creating spaces to actually talk about death matters more than we think.

What You’ll Discover

- From Loss to Calling: How Jayne's personal experience of losing her Mum led her into the funeral industry and shaped how she supports others.

- Why We Struggle to Talk About Death: The impact of language, avoidance, and how honest conversations can change everything.

- Creating Space for Real Conversations: From running a Death Café to “walk and talk” sessions, new ways to make grief and death less isolating.

What really stood out was Jayne's honesty about how difficult it can be when your world has changed, but everyone else seems to carry on as normal. That feeling of wanting to talk about it, but not always having the space or the people around you who are ready to listen. And that’s exactly why what she’s building now matters so much.

We also get a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the funeral industry. From the emotional reality of working with families to the small but meaningful details that shape someone’s final farewell, it’s a perspective most of us never see until we have to.

This episode is a reminder that death isn’t something to avoid. It’s something to understand, to talk about, and to make space for in a way that feels human.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

www.its-a-death-sentence.com

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There’s this unspoken expectation that by six months in, you should be doing better. That the worst has passed, that life has settled, that you’ve somehow “moved on.” But in this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we sit down and talk honestly about what grief actually feels like six months after loss.

What You’ll Discover

- Grief Doesn’t Follow a Timeline: Six months isn’t a milestone of healing, it’s often where the reality of loss starts to settle in and reshape everything. 

- The Hidden Weight of “Moving On”: How social expectations to be okay can make grief feel isolating, even when you’re still deeply affected. 

- How Grief Shows Up in Everyday Life: From dreams and unexpected triggers to physical symptoms and emotional waves, grief doesn’t stay in one place. 

What is clear is how messy and unpredictable grief is. One moment you’re laughing, getting through your day, doing your job, and the next something small, a memory, a date, even a conversation, brings everything rushing back. And the hardest part is that life keeps moving around you, while you’re still trying to make sense of what’s changed forever.

This episode is a reminder that there’s no right way to grieve and no timeline you have to follow. Whether you’re six weeks, six months, or years into loss, your experience is valid. And if you’ve ever felt like you should be “over it” by now, this conversation will meet you exactly where you are.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.

Thank you for listening - find us on socials @itsadeathsentencepodcast follow and like us for more episodes. Find contact info on our web page www.its-a-death-sentence.com here you can contact us, buy our merch and send us your stories.

www.its-a-death-sentence.com

YouTube- @itsadeathsentencepodcast

Get in touch - we are Dying to talk to you

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