Why we need to talk more about loss

One of the really important ways that we can try to deal with these conversations about death

is to not avoid them. [MUSIC PLAYING]

This is a conversation, again, that's tough for, I think, almost anyone and everyone. And it's scary as well.

But are there techniques or tips that you can provide-- both of you-- that might help make this conversation less scary?

Such an excellent question. And I would say, we're never quite prepared for death, regardless of how we plan this. And that feeling of dread, loss, uncertainty, and grief

that we experience in death-- it's completely normal. It's natural to feel this way, and I think sometimes

when we can admit that, that not feeling OK is OK, is a first path in being OK with the process.

And secondly, to recognize that this series of feelings is a process, and you have to allow

yourself to go through that process in your own time. And so while there are models to follow,

you also have to recognize that the way it works for you in your life is much more important. I think that the more that we talk about something

that sometimes the less scary that it feels, just because we're able to really get out certain thoughts and feelings that we have and have those

feelings validated and empathized with. And we're able to see that we're not alone in the way that we feel, and we can support each other through these types

of conversations. Growing up, even for me, it's always been such a taboo thing, and you don't talk about death, and we

don't talk about the future death of family members and things like that. And I feel like it's so important to talk about because it's the one thing

that everybody has in common. It's something that we're all going to experience, whether it be the death of somebody else or ourselves.

And so definitely not something that I think that we should continue to hide in terms of how to deal with this topic.