04 - Navigating Life's Final Journey: Insights from a Funeral Home and Cemetery Sales Expert

In this episode of The Death Doula Duo, Sara and Jennifer sit down with Marla Mercer Cole, MS, LPC, former President of Mercer-Adams Funeral Service in Bethany, Oklahoma, to talk about death, grief, bereavement, and what it really means to support people after a loss. Marla worked with Mercer-Adams since 1998 and is a Licensed Professional Counselor specializing in grief. She is also certified in thanatology and became the first person in Oklahoma to earn Fellow in Thanatology credentials through the Association for Death Education and Counseling. Drawing from decades of experience in funeral service, counseling, education, and grief support, Marla discusses the many ways grief can show up, why connection with others who have experienced loss can matter so much, and what she has learned from walking alongside grieving families. We also talk about grief support groups, the powerful story behind the Common Threads widows group, death education, Death Cafés, and why creating spaces where people can openly talk about death and loss is so important. This is a conversation about what happens after the funeral—when everyone else goes home, but grief remains.

Listen with us as we have a conversation with John Ireland of John M. Ireland & Son Funeral Home and Chapel, a third-generation funeral director serving the Moore community. In this episode John talks about the history of his family’s funeral home, approaches to compassionate service, community engagement, and practical insights into planning meaningful end-of-life celebrations. You can find John and his staff at John M. Ireland and Son Funeral Home and Chapel at 120 S Broadway Ave, Moore, OK 73160, and can be reached at (405) 799-1200

Grief doesn't follow a timeline. In this episode, Alison Behrens Braly opens up about life after losing her husband four years ago- how her grief has changed over time, the unexpected challenges along the way, and the ways she has found meaning and strength in the years since. Whether you've experienced loss yourself or are supporting someone who has, this conversation offers perspective, comfort, and hope. We want to say a heartfelt thank you to Alison for sharing her story with all of us.

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Deborah Atella, host of the podcast :I Freaking Knew It" and author of "Is This Job My Jam?". Deborah shares the profound story of her near-death experience and the life-changing insights it brought her. We explore how this experience shaped her perspective on life, healing, and intuition, and how it influences her work as a coach and Reiki practitioner. Deborah’s story is one of transformation and empowerment, offering wisdom and hope to anyone seeking deeper meaning in their journey.

In this episode we are joined by Stephanie Aycock, Speaker, Creator, and Transformational Coach as well as Dr. Brandt Wiskur, Ph.D. in Neuroscience and MSW, who have each transformed their personal experiences with suicide into impactful works of art and healing. Through a deeply intimate discussion, we explore how they've used their talents - writing a book and creating a screenplay- to turn pain into purpose, providing both insights and resources along the way. Here is the link for Stephanie's film Bloom: http://thefilmbloom.com/ Stephanie's Instagram link: https://www.instagram.com/thejourneyofbloom/profilecard/?igsh=MWdzaTNiaHQ4eDQwYg==