Day Program

Scroll down. Programs presented in chronological order.

October 18, 2025 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

9:00 am Doors Open & Check-in Begins ~ Complimentary coffee, tea, snacks and time to visit vendor tables

Morning: Preparing for Death

9:45 AM Welcome & Settle in ~ Shelby Mundy, Event MC

10:00 am – 10:30 The Death Plan: A Gift of Clarity, Love and Peace ~ Jen Blalock

We begin the day by facing what most of us avoid: our own mortality. In this grounding session, Jen introduces The Death Plan, a guided framework designed to help individuals emotionally and practically prepare for death — their own or a loved one’s. Through compassionate guidance, participants will explore the three primary emotional barriers that keep us from planning ahead:

Fear of pain, the unknown, or no longer existing
Sadness about what will be lost, left behind, or unresolved
Denial, the deeply human tendency to believe “not yet” or “not me”

When we take the time to prepare, we lessen the burden on those we love. In facing death, we often discover a deeper connection to life — what matters most, who we are, and how we want to live.

10:30 – 11:15 Panel: How Death Doula’s Serve at the End-of-Life

Death doulas offer more than just bedside support — they are guides, advocates, educators, and compassionate companions. In this panel discussion, four experienced end-of-life practitioners explore the many ways doulas serve individuals and families during one of life’s most sacred thresholds.

Panelists will speak to the practical, cultural, clinical, and spiritual dimensions of death care:

Nancy Macke (compassionatetransitions.org)
Offers insight into navigating medical systems, understanding Advance Care Directives, and ensuring wishes are honored with clarity and compassion.
David Copeland (lwrDoula.com)
Speaks to the unique needs and challenges of LGBTQ+ individuals at end-of-life, emphasizing inclusive and affirming care, chosen family, and identity preservation.
Tisa McGraw (tisamcgraw.com)
A Buddhist priestess, death doula, and celebrant, Tisa shares how spiritual ritual and presence can support both the dying and the grieving, and the role of mindfulness in the dying process.
Jen Blalock (DeathDoulaCincinnati.com)
Weaves personal stories and experiences from her years of service in Cincinnati, highlighting the range of emotional, logistical, and spiritual support that doulas offer — from bedside rituals to family communication and post-death care.

11:15 – 12:00 Donate Your Body to Nature: The Healing Power of Green Burial ~ Bill Gupton, Founder and Cemetery Manager, Heritage Acres Memorial Sanctuary with Patrick Sanders, Sanctuary Steward

In this heartfelt, informative session, Bill and Patrick will share the beauty and purpose of green burial — a natural return to earth for the body, after death, that is both ancient and revolutionary.

Attendees will learn:

What green burial is and how it works (get all your questions answered with honesty, compassion, and humor!)
Why green burial is an environmentally preferable alternative to conventional burial or cremation
How green burial reconnects us to natural rhythms, community rituals, and sacred land
The laws and logistics involved in choosing this option (spoiler alert: natural, "green" burial is perfectly legal, much more family-friendly and supportive, and often considerably less expensive than conventional American burial practices)

As the Tri-State region's only dedicated natural burial ground, Heritage Acres Memorial Sanctuary offers those in Cincinnati and the surrounding area a powerful, meaningful burial alternative of eco-conscious, heart-centered death care. Bill and Patrick will share personal stories and reflections about the life-affirming, life-changing possibilities inherent in this ancient, traditional way of laying our loved ones to rest. Whether you're considering a natural burial for yourself or someone you love, this session will give you clarity, connection, and inspiration!

Attendees will receive a free notebook with handouts and space for notes.

LUNCH 12:00 - 1:00

~ OR ~

~ OR ~

Explore Northside but an hour does not give a lot of time.

Early-Afternoon: Navigating Grief and Loss

1:00 Welcome Back ~ Shelby Mundy

1:00 – 1:45 Navigating Grief & Loss: How to Show Up for Ourselves and Others ~ Dr. Rachael Nolan

Grief is not a problem to be solved — it’s an experience to be witnessed.

In this compassionate and informative session, Dr. Rachael Nolan guides us through the realities of grief: what it looks like, how it moves through us, and how we can support both ourselves and others through the process of loss.

You’ll learn:

Common myths and misunderstandings about grief
The importance of allowing people to grieve in their own way and time
Practical Do’s and Don’t Do’s when supporting someone who is grieving
How to break through cultural discomfort around death, loss, and emotional pain

This talk will empower participants to:

Hold space for their own losses — past, present, and future
Offer meaningful presence without trying to “fix” someone’s pain
Create environments where grief is not silenced, but honored

Whether you're grieving yourself or walking alongside someone who is, this session will help you meet loss with more empathy, resilience, and respect.

1:45 – 2:30 Panel: Helping Young Children Cope with Loss & Grief ~ Shelby Mundy, Brothers Josh and Kyle Gandee, and Becca Moore, MA, LPC

When a child loses a parent or loved one, the ripple effects can last a lifetime — but with the right support, those ripples can become waves of resilience.In this heartfelt and informative panel, Shelby Mundy, a young widow and mother of three boys, participates in a conversation with voices who know this terrain intimately:

A child therapist specializing in grief and developmental trauma
Two adult brothers who lost their dad as a child, reflecting on what helped and what didn’t
A grief specialist who works with families navigating death and loss

Together, they will explore:

How children understand and express grief at different ages
Common behaviors that signal unspoken grief
Age-appropriate language and tools to support grieving children
The long-term emotional impact of childhood loss
Ways to keep the memory of the deceased alive in healing ways

Shelby will also share her personal story of parenting through grief, offering hope, insight, and solidarity to others facing similar journeys. This conversation is for anyone who has a child in their life — whether you're a parent, teacher, caregiver, or friend — and wants to know how to show up with empathy, honesty, and heart.

BREAK from 2:00 - 2:30

Time to visit vendors and chat with fellow attendees.

Late-Afternoon: Embracing the Passage of Death

3:00 – 3:45 Addicted to Youth and Immortality: America’s Struggle to Integrate Death into Life ~ presented by Holistic Therapy and Healing, Holos House 501©3

How we die and how we relate to death is shaped by the culture we live in. In this compelling session, Holos House guides us through a powerful reflection on how America and other cultures hold death and how that relationship impacts the way we live. Attendees will also have the opportunity to self-reflect with a writing exercise and and a hypnotherapy session to embody key learnings.

An experiential, interactive and dynamic three part talk, as follows:

Paige Ballengee LPCC-S, LICDC (Practice Owner, Board Chair, Psychotherapist) ~ Will discuss America and other culture’s relationship with death and dying and the consequences and implications for the way that we live.

Ashlie Cox LPCC-S, LCDCIII, CCSTI (Practice Clinical Director, Psychotherapist, Hypnotherapist) ~ Will facilitate an interactive creative writing activity on discovery of one’s relationship with death.

Kevin Bole CHt, BCH (Board Certified Hypnotherapist) ~ Will prvide a group guided hypnosis/embodiment practice to gain insight on living a meaningful life.

3:45 – 4:30 Tending the Threshold: A Death Vigil Demonstration ~ Jen Blalock, Shelby Mundy, Nancy Macke, David Copeland, Tisa McGraw

To close our Collective Exploration of Death, Mortality and Loss, we invite you into a sacred and imaginative space: a representational demonstration of a deathbed vigil, created to inspire meaningful possibilities for you and your loved ones.

Important to note: This is not a reenactment of a specific person’s death, but rather an amalgamation of many traditions, practices, and intuitive acts of love. The vigil plan we demonstrate draws from a wide range of spiritual, cultural, and practical inspirations — all offered as possibilities for what can happen at the threshold of dying.

The experience will include:

Elements such as ritual, anointing, breathwork, prayer, silence, and music
Spoken words and symbolic gestures of release and blessing
Stories and examples from the death doulas and audience members
A glimpse of what’s possible when death is tended with care, creativity, and reverence

This ceremony is a living invitation to reflect on what matters most to you — and how you might one day design or request a personal vigil plan that feels deeply aligned with your values and beliefs.

4:30 - 5:00 Q&A with Shelby Mundy

Optional time to visit vendor tables. This timeslot also creates extra time in the schedule to allow for unforeseen delays throughout the day.

DINNER from 5:00 pm - 6:45

Dinner is on your own. We recommend enjoying the wonderful restaurant offerings in Northside. Go to Event Venue tab or suggestions.