Episode 52 ~ The Courage to Talk About Death with Brittany Neunuebel

Описание: What if talking about death could actually bring comfort, clarity, and peace?

In this deeply moving episode of Female Voices: Life & Loss, host Teresa Reiniger sits down with Brittany Neunuebel, Family Service Director at Baue Funeral Homes and St. Charles Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Missouri, to unpack the often‑avoided conversations around death, grief, and preplanning.

Together, they explore how early experiences with loss shape us, why prearranging funerals is an act of love, and how grief resources—both traditional and unexpected—can help families survive and heal.

From children’s grief education to sound baths, from cemetery picnics to a children’s book titled "Hello, I’m Death", this episode gently reminds us: death doesn’t have to be scary—and planning ahead can be one of the greatest gifts we leave behind.

👤 GUEST INTRODUCTION
Brittany Neunuebel is a Family Service Director at Baue Funeral Homes and St. Charles Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Missouri. She is a mother, educator, grief advocate, and bestselling children’s book author of "Hello, I’m Death".

Brittany is passionate about helping families navigate loss with compassion, education, and intentional planning—and about normalizing conversations around death so healing can begin earlier.

💬 MEMORABLE QUOTES
“Death doesn’t have to be scary. How you die might be scary—but death itself is not.” — Brittany Neunuebel
“Grief is an ocean. We’re all in it—but we’re all in different boats.” — Brittany Neunuebel
“Prearranging gives your family your voice in the room when you’re no longer there.” — Brittany Neunuebel
“It’s not for us—it’s for the family who is still living.” — Teresa Reiniger
“Even in loss, there is life, love, and hope waiting to be rediscovered.”
— Teresa Reiniger

🧩 TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE
● How early exposure to death can normalize grief conversations
● Why prearranging funerals reduces emotional burden for families
● Unique grief resources beyond counseling (sound baths, planting, crafting)
● Supporting children through loss with honest, age‑appropriate language
● The importance of permanent memorialization and legacy planning
● How funeral professionals emotionally care for themselves and their families

🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR LISTENERS
● Talking about death doesn’t cause it—it prepares and protects loved ones
● Preplanning funerals is a powerful act of love and clarity
● Grief looks different for everyone and changes over time
● Healing resources don’t have to be verbal to be effective
● Legacy matters—how we’re remembered impacts generations

⏱️ EPISODE TIMESTAMPS
● 00:10 – Welcome & guest introduction
● 03:07 – Brittany’s first experience with death
● 07:17 – “Death doesn’t have to be scary”
● 08:55 – The “Grief Is an Ocean” analogy
● 14:51 – Unexpected grief resources
● 16:02 – Sound therapy & non‑verbal healing
● 20:21 – Why prearranging matters
● 24:30 – When families discover wishes too late
● 27:10 – Community grief rituals & honoring life
● 37:02 – The story behind Hello, I’m Death
● 44:38 – Closing reflections & listener encouragement

📣 SHOUTOUTS & MENTIONS
● Baue Funeral Homes – St. Charles, MO
● St. Charles Memorial Gardens Cemetery
● Hello, I’m Death (children’s book by Brittany Neunuebel)
● Yarn Calm (grief processing through crafting)
● Sound Spa (sound therapy for grief and anxiety relief)

📬 CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST
● 📘 Facebook: Brittany Neunuebel
● 📧 Email: [email protected]
● 📸 Instagram: @brittany_neunuebel_author
● 💼 LinkedIn: Brittany Neunuebel

💖 JOIN THE CONVERSATION
● 📩 Email: [email protected]
● 📘 Facebook: Female Voices: Life & Loss Podcast
● 📸 Instagram: @femalevoiceslifelosspodcast
● 🎵 TikTok: @femalevoiceslifeloss
● 🌐 Website: Female Voices: Life & Loss

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