No One Gets Out of Here Alive
A mini-podcast series that's a gentle, sometimes humorous, and sometimes challenging meander through the myths, beliefs, and ideas around all things end of life and after life. In this series of podcasts you will meet a whole range of guests from end-of-life doulas through to people who have had near-death experiences to help give you a more holistic, rounded, view with just maybe new possibilities, of how the inevitable can be approached because remember … “No one (not even you!) gets out of here alive!”
www.hollylyonhawk.com
www.gentleendings.co.uk
www.gentlegoodbye.co.uk
About the Host
Holly Lyon-Hawk is a holistic funeral director, ceremonial care of the body specialist, end-of-life doula, educator, speaker and founder of the International Institute for Supported Ceremonial Care.
For over a decade, Holly has walked alongside hundreds of families as they faced death, grief and profound change. Her work has taken her into homes, hospices, hospitals, woodlands and natural burial grounds, helping people rediscover something that modern society has often forgotten - that death does not have to be hidden away, feared or rushed through.
She believes that ritual matters. That caring for the body after death can be a final act of love. That grief deserves space. And that when we are willing to look mortality in the eye, life itself becomes richer, deeper and infinitely more precious.
On No One Gets Out of Here Alive, Holly brings together honest conversations about death, dying, grief, spirituality, love, purpose and what it truly means to be alive. Through interviews, stories and reflections from her own work, she explores the questions we often avoid but that connect every one of us.
Whether you're caring for someone at the end of life, grieving a loss, working in healthcare, or simply curious about the human experience, this podcast offers a gentle place to reflect, learn and remember that none of us walks this path alone.
The reality that no one gets out of here alive isn't a reason for despair. It is an invitation to live more fully, love more deeply, and leave nothing important unsaid.
No One Gets Out of Here Alive
What is an End of Life Doula? Part 1
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
What is an End-of-Life Doula?
In this episode, I have the pleasure of talking with the wonderful and inspiring Dr Emma Clare, Chartered Psychologist, end-of-life doula and Chief Executive of End of Life Doula UK - the UK's leading membership organisation for end-of-life doulas and now a registered charity dedicated to improving how we approach death, dying and bereavement.
Together, we explore what an end-of-life doula actually is, why more people are seeking this kind of support, and how compassionate, non-medical care can transform the experience of dying for individuals and those who love them.
We discuss the growing movement to bring death back into the heart of our communities, helping people feel less afraid, more informed and better supported during one of life's most profound transitions.
The conversation comes at a fascinating time, with End of Life Doula UK and the wider death doula movement receiving increasing national recognition. During 2026, Dr Emma Clare and fellow members of the charity have been featured by the BBC, helping to bring conversations about dying, grief and compassionate community care into the mainstream.
BBC Features:
•BBC News - "What death doulas can teach us about dying"
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy5n5g0n2zxo (BBC News feature with Dr Emma Clare and End of Life Doula UK members).
• BBC Radio 4 Today Programme
Following Nicole Kidman's announcement that she had trained as an end-of-life doula, Dr Emma Clare appeared on the programme to discuss the growing role of death doulas in modern society.
As society becomes more willing to talk openly about death, organisations like End of Life Doula UK are helping people reclaim dying as a natural part of life - one that deserves time, compassion and meaningful human connection.
Find out more about their wonderful work:
https://eol-doula.uk
About the Host
Holly Lyon-Hawk is a holistic funeral director, ceremonial care of the body specialist, end-of-life doula, educator, speaker and founder of the International Institute for Supported Ceremonial Care.
For over a decade, Holly has walked alongside hundreds of families as they have faced death, grief and profound change. Her work has taken her into homes, hospices, hospitals, woodlands and natural burial grounds, helping people rediscover something that modern society has often forgotten - that death does not have to be hidden away, feared or hurried through.
She believes that ritual matters. That caring for the body after death can be a final act of love. That grief deserves space. And that when we are willing to look mortality in the eye, life itself becomes richer, deeper and infinitely more precious.
**No One Gets Out Of Here Alive** brings together honest conversations about death, dying, grief, spirituality, love, purpose and what it truly means to be alive. Through interviews, stories and reflections from Holly's own work, the podcast explores the questions we often avoid, but which connect every one of us.
Whether you're caring for someone approaching the end of life, grieving a loss, working in healthcare, or simply curious about the human experience, this podcast offers a gentle place to reflect, learn and remember that none of us walks this path alone.
The reality that no one gets out of here alive is not a reason for despair.
It is an invitation to live more fully, love more deeply, and leave nothing important unsaid.
Connect with Holly
Website: www.hollylyonhawk.com
Gentle Goodbye: www.gentlegoodbye.co.uk
Gentle Endings: www.gentleendings.com
No One Gets Out of Here Alive exists because conversations about death, grief, love, loss and what it means to be human matter.
Every episode is independently created, researched, recorded and edited with the hope of making these often difficult conversations more accessible and less frightening. My aim is simple: to help people feel a little less alone when facing death - whether that is their own, someone they love, or the loss of an animal companion.
If you have found comfort, inspiration or hope through the podcast and would like to support its future, donations are deeply appreciated. Your contribution helps cover the very real costs of production, including recording and editing software, hosting platforms, technical equipment, travel, and the time needed to create thoughtful, high-quality conversations.
More importantly, your support helps these conversations reach more people and contributes to a culture where talking about death is no longer something we avoid, but something that helps us live more fully.
There is absolutely no expectation to donate - simply listening and sharing the podcast with others is a wonderful way to help. But if you would like to become part of supporting this work, I would be incredibly grateful.
Thank you for walking this path with...