Death, dying, and grief with Danielle Strouse

Trigger warning: We cover parental death, suicide, cancer, and grief in this episode. 

I’ve been wanting to talk about death and dying on the podcast since the very beginning, so I was thrilled when Danielle Strouse, a licensed therapist, reached out to me to offer herself up as a guest to talk about death anxiety.

The topics that we discuss:

  • Danielle’s integrative counseling work with her clients — including existential therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
  • The benefit of facing your mortality and finiteness head on 
  • The ways in which we avoid the reality of death by overdrinking, using drugs, or overworking
  • How awakening experiences show us our values
  • How Danielle’s personal experience with grief has influenced her work as a therapist 
  • How to work with — not against — our death anxiety by asking “What scares me about death?” 
  • How Danielle has made unconventional life choices driven by her awareness of her finiteness  
  • Why it’s so important as practitioners to face our own darkness
  • A beautiful story about rippling — which “refers to the fact that each of us creates—often without our conscious intent or knowledge—concentric circles of influence that may affect others for years, even for generations.” 

I am so struck by Danielle’s vulnerability and immersive storytelling, and I know you will be, too. 

Resources mentioned:

All content provided is protected under applicable copyright, patent, trademark, and other proprietary rights. All content is provided for informational and educational purposes only. No content is intended to be a substitute for professional medical or psychological diagnosis, advice or treatment. Information provided does not create an agreement for service between Danielle Strouse and the recipient or Cristina Roman and the recipient. Consult your physician regarding the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your symptoms or medical condition. Children or adults who show signs of dangerous behavior toward themselves and/or others should be placed immediately under the care of a qualified professional.

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