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Death is the one certainty we all share, yet most of us are terrible at talking about it. Whether it's supporting a grieving friend, having end-of-life conversations with family, or processing our own mortality, we stumble through these moments with stock phrases and uncomfortable silences.

In this episode, we're joined by Kate Nolan-Burgess, a grief and identity coach who helps people navigate the many forms grief can take - from bereavement to major life transitions. Kate brings a unique cultural perspective, having grown up in Poland, where death felt woven into everyday life, before moving to the UK, where arguably it's hidden behind euphemisms and avoidance.

We explore why Western culture has made grief harder than it needs to be, what other cultures can teach us about death and mourning, and practical advice for having better conversations around loss. Kate shares insights from her Master's in Death, Religion and Culture, as well as from her work supporting people through The Lost Self Club.

From understanding why we use euphemisms like 'passed away' to learning what NOT to say to someone who's grieving, this episode provides essential skills for one of life's most challenging conversations.

What You'll Learn:

• Why there's no "right way" to grieve and how cultural rituals can help
• The harmful phrases that make grief harder (and what to say instead)
• How to support someone who's grieving without managing their emotions
• Why euphemisms for death reveal our cultural discomfort
• The concept of "Swedish Death Cleaning" and preparing for mortality
• How to talk to children about death honestly and clearly
• Practical phrases for acknowledging grief and loss
• The difference between grief support in individualistic vs. community cultures

This Episode is For You if you want to better support friends, family, or colleagues through loss, struggle with what to say when someone is grieving, are interested in cultural approaches to death and mourning, want to have more honest conversations about mortality, are supporting someone through a major life transition, work in healthcare, counselling, or people management, or are curious about death-positive approaches to end-of-life conversations.

Guest Bio: Kate Nolan-Burgess is a grief and identity coach who helps people navigate loss in all its forms. She holds a Master's in Death, Religion and Culture and founded The Lost Self Club, supporting new mothers through identity transitions. Drawing on a culturally diverse background and lived experience, her work centres on helping people understand that grief isn't a problem to solve but a natural human experience to honour.

Resources Mentioned:

• The Lost Self Club (Kate's programme for new mothers)
• Swedish Death Cleaning concept
• Polish cultural mourning practices
• The problematic "five stages of grief" model

Connect with Kate:

• Instagram: @TheLostSelfClub
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-nolan-burgess/;
• Website: www.thelostselfclub.com

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Ever wished you could think faster in meetings, recover gracefully after a misstep, or connect more confidently in tough conversations? Turns out, stand-up comedy might be your secret weapon.

In this episode, we’re joined by Chris Head – comedy director, author, and speaking coach – to explore what stand-up comedians know about human connection, timing, and bouncing back from awkwardness that the rest of us can use in real life.

We dive into powerful tools from the world of stand-up comedy — including recovery lines, comic framing, and self-deprecation — and how they can be applied to real-life scenarios like difficult work meetings, presentations, public speaking, and even relationship rifts.

Chris explains why playfulness is a powerful antidote to tension, how a well-timed joke (or even just a lighter tone) can defuse conflict, and how comedy helps us handle both literal and metaphorical hecklers. He also shares practical ways to rehearse difficult conversations, build confidence, and find your voice — all without having to step onto a comedy club stage.

Whether you're a team leader, a creative, a coach, or simply someone who wants to communicate more effectively, listen more actively, and recover when things go wrong, this episode offers surprising and valuable takeaways.

You’ll never look at “banter,” awkward silences, or bad Zoom calls the same way again.

What we learned in this episode:

• You don’t have to be funny to use humour.
• Recovery lines help you bounce back when things go wrong.
• Naming the awkward moment can win the room.
• The three-repeat rule keeps you calm and in control.
• Zoom meetings work better when you treat them like real conversations.
• Lightness can be your secret weapon in tough conversations.

This is for you if you're looking to improve your communication skills, navigate difficult conversations, handle conflict with greater ease, or become a more engaging public speaker.

Links

Chris Head’s Books: A Director’s Guide to the Art of Stand-Up , Creating Comedy Narratives For Stage and Screen

Website: ChrisHead.com

Services: Stand-up coaching, comedy writing, speaking coaching

Corporate Training: Available for agency and business workshops - Chris Head Stand-Up & Presentation Coaching

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What do you do when the work that once lit you up now leaves you cold? If you're in midlife or a career cul-de-sac and wondering what next, this episode is for you. Midlife Career Change Coach, Josh Peck, joins us to unpack the real conversations that help people move from stuck to clear, and from disempowered to energised. His methods help bring you and your career back into alignment.

In this illuminating conversation, we talk about fear, identity, money, confidence, and how to ask for what you want - even when you're not sure where to start. Josh shares the three conversations everyone should have before making a career change and explains why most of us are "pre-failing" before we even begin.

Whether you're burnt out, bored, or just ready for something more meaningful, this is a practical and hopeful listen.

In this episode, we explore:

• How to recognise when you're experiencing "Sunday night dread, probably every night of the week"
• The three essential conversations for successful career transitions
• Why career changes rarely happen overnight and how to approach transitions realistically
• How to handle the identity destabilisation that comes with career shifts
• The concept of "pre-failing" and how it keeps us stuck
• Why you're 7x more likely to get a job through conversations than applications
• Setting a target number of conversations to move your career forward
• How to choose conversations wisely and hold them gently
• Navigating financial anxiety during career transitions
• Building your second career on the shoulders of your first

About Josh Peck: Josh Peck is the founder of Your Best Life and the Align career change programme. After 20 years as a corporate lobbyist, Josh made his own midlife career transition and now specializes in helping people navigate career changes that align with who they are, what they do best, and how they want to live.

Running order

00:24 – Why this episode matters: conversations that get you hired
02:33 – Josh’s career pivot: from politics to coaching
06:10 – The Amy Winehouse moment that changed everything
08:36 – The 3 conversations everyone needs to have
13:09 – Why money fear keeps us stuck (and how to manage it)
19:49 – How to deal with unsupportive partners or sceptics
25:41 – Why 50 conversations can unlock your next job
29:11 – “Pre-failing” and how to stop sabotaging yourself
33:48 – How to craft a narrative that makes people want to help
46:46 – Why networking events don’t work (and what to do instead)

Links

• Josh’s website is https://yourbestlifeuk.com/
• Instagram: @YourBestLifeUK