DiscoverLife's Dirty Little Secrets Podcast | Breaking Silence Around the Secrets We All CarrySecret #67: Living with Death - An Existential Conversation with Dr. Manuela O'Connell & Dr. Robyn Walser
Secret #67: Living with Death - An Existential Conversation with Dr. Manuela O'Connell & Dr. Robyn Walser

Secret #67: Living with Death - An Existential Conversation with Dr. Manuela O'Connell & Dr. Robyn Walser

Update: 2025-11-20
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 What happens when we stop running from mortality and let it guide how we live now? Chris and Emma sit down with Dr. Robyn Walser and Dr. Manuela O’Connell to explore death as a teacher, not a terror. They unpack cultural avoidance of death, the role of ritual and spirituality, existential responsibility, and how Acceptance and Commitment Therapy can help us meet endings with presence, compassion, and choice. Robyn leads a powerful Lifeline exercise, while Manuela reframes death as a mindfulness bell that returns us to the heart of what matters. 

Topics Discussed

  • Existentialism and ACT in real life choices
  • Cultural and spiritual perspectives on death
  • Mindfulness, presence, and compassionate self talk
  • Values based living across endings and transitions
  • Grief, regret, and returning again to what matters

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Secret #67: Living with Death - An Existential Conversation with Dr. Manuela O'Connell & Dr. Robyn Walser

Secret #67: Living with Death - An Existential Conversation with Dr. Manuela O'Connell & Dr. Robyn Walser

Dr. Emma Waddington & Dr. Chris McCurry