Best Pre Arrange Podcasts (2025)

1
Grief in the Family System 52:30

16h ago52:30

52:30

In this powerful episode, Rev. Dr. Jules Erickson joins Michael O’Connell for a deep and relatable conversation about how grief moves through families—and how we often carry it without even knowing. From childhood loss and moral injury to the messy middle of healing, Pastor Jules shares stories and tools from family systems theory and pastoral work…

1
Memorial Day: More Than a Long Weekend 24:53

1M ago24:53

24:53

Episode Description: In this heartfelt Memorial Day episode, Michael O’Connell and podcast host, Pete Waggoner, reflect on what the holiday truly means. They explore the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day, the importance of honoring fallen service members, and the meaningful traditions that surround military funerals. You’ll also hear…

1
My Loved one has died, NOW WHAT?? 26:00

2M ago26:00

26:00

They died at home, in a hospital, nursing home, or suddenly, now what? Who do I call first?? Depending on the situation, it can be a nurse, a hospice nurse, a medical examiner, or a police officer. Listen in to find out who for what situation. But always remember--you NEED a Funeral Director. Geri Send us a text I'm Geri Oliverie, your funeral go-t…

1
The Power of Pre-Planning 24:02

2M ago24:02

24:02

Episode Description: Pre-planning a funeral may not be the most comfortable conversation—but it just might be the most important. In this inaugural episode of The Good Grief Podcast, Michael O’Connell and Pete Waggoner unpack the reasons pre-planning makes a profound difference for grieving families. From preventing financial strain and family conf…

1
Pros of Using a Family-Owned Funeral Home VS Corporate Conglomerate 26:44

2M ago26:44

26:44

Why choose a family-owned funeral home. Where is your loved one and who has them Good Questions. Family-owned funeral homes like ours are there 24/7/365. Although large corporations will answer the call- where do they live and how long will it take to get there-their response time about 2 hours compared to our 45 minutes. Where did they take your l…

1
A Day in the Life of a Funeral Director 24:43

3M ago24:43

24:43

The Pros and Cons of owning and living above the funeral home. Geri Oliverie & her daughter Dr Bridget L Hennicke-Melton discuss being a family-owned funeral home. Geri speaks candidly about raising her family & living upstairs. While her daughter talks about her perspective about growing up in the funeral home. Send us a text I'm Geri Oliverie, yo…

1
Death and Dying in Media: Fact-Checking the Fiction 16:43

1+ y ago16:43

16:43

Who says it’s too late to be talking about horror? In this month’s episode, Pete and Amber explore how death, dying, and funerals are depicted in the media. Amber, with her penchant for horror movies, offers a unique perspective, revealing the dual aspects of death in cinematic and television narratives—between the gruesome and the serene. As the c…

1
Debunking Myths and Misconceptions on Hospice Care 13:36

1+ y ago13:36

13:36

In this episode, Amber and Pete shed light on the topic of hospice care, sharing their insights and debunking common misconceptions. Amber starts by explaining how she chose this topic for the episode, drawing from her experiences with families who often express regret for not admitting their loved ones to hospice sooner. Pete raises an important q…

1
Breaking Down Organ and Body Donation Misconceptions 15:13

1+ y ago15:13

15:13

In this episode, Amber and Pete dive into the topic of body and organ donation, debunking myths and addressing common concerns. They begin by highlighting the importance of discussing donation throughout the year. Pete raises the misconception about open caskets for organ donors, questioning whether they are allowed. They also tackle the myth surro…

1
Debunking Myths on Embalming & Cremation 14:01

2y ago14:01

14:01

In this episode, Amber and Pete delve into the world of embalming and cremation myths. They discuss the fate of jewelry, metallic teeth fillings, and implants during these processes, debunking misconceptions along the way. From how embalming doesn't grant permanence or produce odors to debunking the myth that remains are directly set on flames duri…

1
The Price of Saying Goodbye: Insights from a Funeral Director 16:23

2y ago16:23

16:23

In this month's episode, Amber and Pete explore the often-misunderstood topic of funeral costs and the crucial role of funeral directors in managing the intricacies of the funeral process. They discuss the perception of families regarding the costs and how funeral directors handle this sensitive issue. Amber provides insights into the professional …

1
Sacred Grounds: Unveiling the Significance of Cemeteries in the Grief Process 24:10

2y ago24:10

24:10

In this episode, Pete and Amber are joined by Mike Miller of the Willow River Cemetery in Hudson, WI. Mike shares his personal journey, recalling how his fascination with the cemetery began when he worked there as a 15-year-old summer job worker. As the discussion unfolds, Mike opens up about the challenges and rewards of meeting with grieving fami…

1
Carrying the Load: Roles of Pallbearers 13:58

2y ago13:58

13:58

In this episode, host Pete Waggoner and Amber Miller of O’Connell Family Funeral Homes discuss the role of pallbearers in funeral services. They explain the origin of the term “pallbearer” and its evolution to refer to individuals carrying the casket during a funeral procession. The hosts explore the process of choosing casket bearers, including ag…

1
Heartwarming Ways to Honor Your Mom This Mother's Day 15:12

2y ago15:12

15:12

In this episode, host Pete Waggoner and O’Connell Family Funeral Homes’ Amber Miller discuss the importance of remembering and honoring moms on Mother's Day. They highlight the various ways people can pay tribute to their mothers–from setting up an altar in their homes to participating in charity works or doing acts of kindness. They also explore t…

1
Dealing With Stress, Burnout, and Compassion Fatigue 30:17

2y ago30:17

30:17

In this episode, host Pete Waggoner and O’Connell Family Funeral Homes’ Amber Miller welcome Stress Awareness Month by discussing the different aspects of stress. From its usual symptoms to how it relates to grief and burnout, the two share their personal insights and experiences on the topic. They also delve into compassion fatigue and how one can…

1
Local Resources to Help With the Grief Journey 20:05

2+ y ago20:05

20:05

In this episode of Good Grief, Amber Miller and Pete Waggoner discuss local resources that can help those going through a difficult period of grief. Amber shares her knowledge and expertise on various types of resources such as counseling, support groups, and online platforms that can provide comfort and understanding during a time of loss. Pete pu…

1
Honoring a Loved One through Funeral Personalization 26:00

2+ y ago26:00

26:00

In this episode of the Good Grief podcast, Amber Miller sits with host Pete Waggoner to discuss the topic of funeral personalization and how it can help people grieve. They explore why personalizing a funeral—from the flowers and decorations to the food after church service—can help the bereaved be reminded of their connection to their loved one, a…

1
Funeral Preplanning Expectations With Amber Miller 16:41

2+ y ago16:41

16:41

O'Connell Funeral Homes' Amber Miller and host Pete Waggoner welcome the new year by discussing preplanning expectations in this episode of Good Grief. Amber shares her first-hand funeral experience with families whose deceased loved ones made it easier to prepare by taking the time to plan ahead of time. The two go into detail about the different …

1
How We Can Help Those Who Grieve 18:16

2+ y ago18:16

18:16

1
My Health, My Decisions: A Discussion on Advance Directives with Mike O'Connell & Dr. Kirsten Severson 38:19

3y ago38:19

38:19

In this episode, Dr. Kirsten Severson along with Mike O'Connell and host Pete Waggoner explores the concept of advance directives and how they work. Dr. Severson provides a thorough explanation of the whole process and how these documents allow a person to make the tough decisions about their healthcare beforehand in case they are ever unable to do…

1
How Preplanning Your Funeral Can Benefit You and Your Family 27:22

3y ago27:22

27:22

In this episode hosted by Pete Waggoner, Mike O'Connell and Amber Miller discuss the process of preplanning one's funeral and its multiple benefits. They go in-depth about the different aspects of funeral preplanning, from the finances to how the actual meetings are done with family members. They also talk about how death and grief can significantl…

1
Coping with Secondary Loss & Caregiver Grief with Kathleen Helgeson & Amber Miller 39:06

3y ago39:06

39:06

In this episode, host Pete Waggoner goes in-depth with Kathleen Helgeson and Amber Miller about the topic of secondary loss and caregiver grief. They discuss the smaller subsequent losses that happen after the death of a loved one, and how a loss can impact one's roles and routines. They also delve into how to cope with the challenges that come wit…

1
Funeral Do's and Don'ts: Funeral Etiquette 101 44:45

3y ago44:45

44:45

In this ‘scintillating’ episode of the Good Grief podcast, Mike O'Connell and Amber Miller of O'Connell Funeral Homes join Pete Waggoner to discuss funeral etiquette. They get into the nitty-gritty of the do's and don'ts of attending a funeral--from the proper attire, to the conversation topics that may be off-limits or offending to the grieving fa…

1
How Cemeteries Make Resting in Peace Possible 25:38

3y ago25:38

25:38

In this episode of The Good Grief podcast, Mike O'Connell and Amber Miller get into cemeteries' important role in providing a final resting place for people's loved ones. They discuss the process of creating these final resting places, from deciding on the type of burial to personalizing the space to create a meaningful and lasting tribute. They al…

1
Memorializing Your Loved Ones with Tattoos 24:49

3y ago24:49

24:49

In this episode of The Good Grief podcast, host Pete Waggoner sits with Mike O'Connell and guest, Lori Christopherson to discuss how tattoos can be used as a form of memorializing and honoring a loved one. Mike shares how he discovered Everence, a company that creates personalized tattoo ink additives with a loved one's DNA. Lori talks about her ow…

1
A day in the life of a funeral director 58:18

3+ y ago58:18

58:18

There is no other job like a funeral director. In celebration of National Funeral Director and Morticians Recognition Day on March 11th, we would like to honor what funeral directors do for us. You don’t want just anyone to care for your loved one when they have passed on, you want someone empathetic, reverent, kind, and reliable to be there for yo…

1
Merging locations to better serve local communities 12:26

3+ y ago12:26

12:26

To better accommodate Western Wisconsin communities, specifically Pierce County, as well as to offer a complete range of grief services, the locally owned and operated O’Connell Family Funeral Homes are merging their St. Croix and Pierce County locations in Hudson, Baldwin, Ellsworth, Prescott, and River Falls. The Pierce County funeral homes, prev…

1
Obituaries - a guide to a purposefully lived life 22:08

3+ y ago22:08

22:08

Obituaries are not only used in death – they can also be a guide to a purposefully lived life. In this podcast, Mike O’Connell reflects on the inspiration he draws from the poem, “Success,” by Ralph Waldo Emerson, and how writing your own obituary can provide you with life-changing self-evaluations. If you sat down today to write your own obituary,…

1
How to care for your grief during the holiday season. 34:39

3+ y ago34:39

34:39

The most wonderful time of the year, might not be the most wonderful time of the year for some people. Everyday stuff is overwhelming us and the holidays can be dreaded sometimes. Mike O'Connell presents 20 self care tips to help you through the holidays and to care for your grief.

1
The importance of celebrating a life 27:22

3+ y ago27:22

27:22

Celebration of life vs. funeral and memorial service. How these terms have evolved as well as some ideas on how to blend these types of service, as a way to confront our emotions and start the healing process.

1
How to Help a Grieving Friend & What is NOT Helpful. 50:16

3+ y ago50:16

50:16

How to help a grieving friend. In today's episode, Kathy Helgeson, a certified funeral celebrant at O’Connell Family Funeral Homes, joins us to discuss how to help a grieving friend. What’s helpful. What’s not. How shifting your view could help you, as well as someone grieving the loss of a loved one. Links: Meet Kathy https://oconnellfuneralhomes.…

1
Benefits of pre-arranging your funeral 39:57

4y ago39:57

39:57

Mike O'Connell talks about pre-arranging for your funeral. Why should you pre-arrange? What are the benefits? In this episode, we also answer some nagging questions like, Can I make changes to my funeral policy after it is completed? Do I need to prepay? What sort of things will I be asked?

1
Funeral Personalization 30:29

4y ago30:29

30:29

Getting what you want, even after death. Mike O'Connell & Pete talk about how to make a funeral personalized to not only pay tribute to your loved one, but help the family. Hear some personal stories about how Mike and his amazing team helped families personalize their loved ones gatherings, including how Mike personalized his brother Dan's funeral…

1
Questions a funeral director asks 32:31

4y ago32:31

32:31

In today's episode, we discuss what questions and information funeral directors will ask you when planning a funeral. Many people have told us, "We thought this was going to be emotionally drawn out, and it was way better than I thought." We want this podcast to elevate your anxiety surrounding what this meeting will entail. You'll learn the 3 segm…

1
Choosing the right funeral home 40:23

4y ago40:23

40:23

A Difficult Decision Picking a funeral home is one of the greatest decisions that you'll make in your life, one which will significantly impact your last memories of your loved ones, so you want to be sure you're making the right choice. There are many things that many of us don't consider when choosing a funeral home, and today's podcast addresses…

1
Funerals for Veterans 38:17

4y ago38:17

38:17

Memorial Day is right around the corner so we created a podcast episode dedicated to the brave men and women that give so much to our country. On this episode, we share an event we have coming up on May 27th - "Haircuts for Heroes". From 11AM - 3PM, we'll be offering haircuts to veterans and active military personnel at our Hudson Chapel. We'll als…

1
Funeral etiquette...What to wear, what to say... 39:00

4y ago39:00

39:00

Funeral etiquette isn't something that most people spend a lot of time thinking about, but the truth is that it can help grieving families have the best possible experience throughout the deep pain surrounding the death of a loved one. In today's episode we share many of the unspoken rules surrounding the proper conduct we should have when dealing …

1
Should I donate my body to science? 24:35

4+ y ago24:35

24:35

Body donation is a mysterious topic for many of us, despite its essential role in saving lives, and in today's episode we'd like to change that. Today we'll be discussing what body donation is, the different types of body donation, what health conditions prevent us from donating our bodies, if we can choose what our body is going to be used for, et…

1
Flowers for funerals 41:20

4+ y ago41:20

41:20

Funerals without flowers... sounds weird, doesn't it? Most of us haven't been to that many funerals where flowers weren't a part of the decoration... and for good reason. In today's episode, Shelli Erck, from Hudson Flower Shop, joins us in a interesting discussion regarding this topic. We delve deep into the history of funeral flowers, their signi…

1
Grief and the holidays 56:25

4+ y ago56:25

56:25

Grieving over the loss of a loved one is already an unimaginable painful experience. But to go through it during the holiday season feels even harder, for many of us. In today's episode, Kathy Helgeson, a certified funeral celebrant at OCFH, joins us in a heartfelt discussion regarding this sensitive topic. We talk about the difference between grie…

1
Hospice care and end of life decisions 38:26

4+ y ago38:26

38:26

Hospice Care is a sensitive topic for many of us. As with pre-arranging a funeral, talking about hospice care can make us feel very uncomfortable; some of us might feel we are "giving up" on our loved ones when we begin to consider this specific approach. The truth is, hospice care can bring relief and even joy to our loved ones. There is a multitu…

1
Estate Planning 48:19

5y ago48:19

48:19

Estate planning is one of those topics that often come up as we grow older, but, contrary to what many people might think, this is something that everybody should do - not just those of us who are wealthy. No matter how big or modest your assets are - you can and you should take advantage of this strategy, even if you just have a bank account under…

1
Suicide Deaths 16:10

5y ago16:10

16:10

Suicide deaths define complicated grief. The stigma surrounding suicide and the complex feelings of guilt, shame, and anger that many grievers experience when a loved one kills themselves, makes it that much harder to go through the grieving process. In today's episode, we discuss what research says about suicide and the motivations of those who at…

1
Childhood grief, children & grieving 1:00:40

5y ago1:00:40

1:00:40

Different types of loss and grief children and adolescents may experience and how we can help guide them. Joining us, we have our friend and colleague, grief therapist Kelly Grosklags, who will be sharing several tips to help us guide our children throughout these painful times. Resources: Kelly's website - https://bit.ly/Kelly_Grosklags Brighter D…

1
Helping the healing process with our new grief therapy dog, Finnegan. 19:14

5y ago19:14

19:14

Meet Finnegan, our new grief therapy dog. Learn how he helps in processing grief, and healing in today's podcast. Learn more on our website.

1
Grief resources during COVID-19. 27:04

5y ago27:04

27:04

You can’t push pause on grief. COVID-19 has brought much distress to families all over the country and changed our daily lives tremendously. In these trying times, it's much harder to deal with the already stressful situations that affect us all, such as grieving the loss of a loved one. In today's podcast episode, we talk about how we can deal wit…

1
Death & your financial stability 14:27

5+ y ago14:27

14:27

Death & your financial stability Dealing with the death of a loved one is stressful enough. But not knowing what to do with someone's finances after the person has passed away poses an additional burden on a grieving family. What you'll learn: • One key element you need to know • What documents you need • Get a list of who needs to be contacted Wha…

1
Why self-care is important when you are grieving. 27:38

5+ y ago27:38

27:38

Self-Care What is self-care. How self-care works. Tips on what you can do about it. What you can do about it Be kind to yourself. Love Yourself. Don’t beat yourself up through words, thoughts and deeds. Get a check-up. Communicate. Be yourself. Let those around you know how you are feeling. Let people know if you need space or are not feeling up to…

1
Funeral pre-arranging can be overwhelming. 15:37

5+ y ago15:37

15:37

Mike O'Connell talks about guiding you through the pre-arrangement process of a funeral. FREE PDF Download: 10 things to think about before your funeral. http://bit.ly/10thingsPreArrange Learn more on our website: https://oconnellfuneralhomes.com/prearranging/funeral-pre-arrangements/ WHY PRE-ARRANGE? O’Connell Family Funeral Homes knows families h…

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Pre Arrange Podcasts

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