In this episode of "Death And," mortician and funeral director Victor M. Sweeney sits down with Susan Barsky Reid, psychotherapist and the mother of Death Cafe founder Jon Underwood, to talk about the worldwide Death Cafe movement. The conversation centers on how gathering to openly discuss death—with no agenda, prompts, or products to sell—can be both healing and surprisingly joyful. Susan shares the origin story of Death Cafe, its grounding principles, and how her own family’s personal experiences with unexpected loss have shaped her involvement. Victor and Susan swap stories about the intimacy of talking about death, how laughter often emerges in these spaces, and why facing mortality head-on can help make life richer. It's an honest and moving look at how simple conversations over coffee and cake can break down taboos and bring people together.

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