In this heartfelt episode of Death and Dying in the Digital Age, host Niki Weiss speaks with Greg Barnsdale: author, funeral director, and financial insider. The two explore the emotional and practical realities of preparing for end-of-life. Greg shares his deeply personal story, from decades working with grieving families to his own health crisis and viral video after a brain tumor diagnosis.

Together, they delve into the importance of planning ahead by writing a will, organizing digital accounts, or creating medical directives, and how doing so brings peace of mind, eases family stress, and ensures your legacy is honored. Greg offers simple, compassionate guidance for starting these difficult conversations, especially when time is still on your side.

Whether you’re caring for aging parents, facing a health scare, or simply ready to plan your future, this episode is your gentle invitation to begin. Because talking about death won’t make it happen… but avoiding it won’t make it easier.

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In this thought-provoking episode of the Death & Dying in the Digital Age podcast, host Niki Weiss sits down with death tech innovator Symon Braun Freck to explore the intersection of artificial intelligence, grief, and digital deathcare. From her early experience volunteering in hospice to building the Ai Death Doula, Symon shares how her journey shaped a groundbreaking app designed to support people at the end of life.

She and Niki dive into the emerging field of thanatechnology, a fusion of death studies (thanatology) and tech, and unpack how tools like Ai are being used to deliver empathetic end-of-life support while preserving digital legacies and expanding access to grief resources. Symon also discusses the ethics of Ai memorialization, death literacy, and the delicate line between healing and digital dependency.

Whether you're curious about digital remains, virtual grief companions, or how Ai is shaping the future of deathcare, this episode challenges what it means to die, and to grieve, in the 21st century.

What if your final act could give life back to the earth? In this enlightening episode of the Digital Legacy Podcast, host Niki Weiss speaks with Brienna “Brie” Smith, licensed funeral director and social media educator at Return Home, about the revolutionary process of terramation—also known as human composting. Brienna explains how this sustainable, nature-based alternative to cremation and traditional burial gently transforms the human body into nutrient-rich soil.

From navigating state laws to understanding the chemistry behind composting remains, Brienna dives deep into the science, process, and legality of natural organic reduction. She also compares terramation with green burials, shares insights on regulatory challenges, and reveals how Return Home built public trust via TikTok education.

Whether you're an eco-conscious planner, funeral professional, or simply death-curious, this episode is packed with information about sustainable death care, digital funeral trends, and how terramation is reshaping end-of-life options across the U.S. and globally.