It's the conversation most of us avoid. This episode might just change your mind about that.

Jim sits down with Jane Diamond, a death doula and funeral director based in Stroud, Gloucestershire. Jane runs Family Tree Funeral Company and has spent years helping people and families navigate the end of life with dignity and openness. She's also a Jim's Gym member.

This isn't a heavy or morbid conversation. It's warm, honest, and surprisingly uplifting. Jane explains why we've lost our way when it comes to talking about death, why children are often far better at it than adults, and why putting a simple plan in place now is one of the kindest things you can do for the people you love.

👉 Find Jane and Family Tree Funeral Company: https://www.familytreefunerals.co.uk/

In this episode:

• How Jane went from training as a psychotherapist to becoming a funeral director and death doula
• What an end-of-life doula actually does, and how it compares to a birth doula
• Why we've become disconnected from death as a society, and how that's slowly changing
• Why children talk about death far more naturally than adults, and what we can learn from that
• What "Death Cafe" actually is, and why people leave feeling uplifted rather than upset
• The practical side of end of life planning: wills, lasting power of attorney, and a simple document that holds your whole life in one place
• Why doing this now means you can relax and just enjoy life
• One simple way to start a difficult conversation with a parent or loved one

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction
00:00:54 - Meet Jane Diamond: Funeral Director and Death Doula
00:03:09 - How Jane Found Herself Working in This Sector
00:04:34 - What an End of Life Doula Actually Does
00:07:02 - Why We've Lost Our Way Talking About Death
00:08:50 - How to Reframe Death and Talk About It More Easily
00:11:03 - Why Children Are More Comfortable With Death Than Adults
00:13:46 - What Is a Death Cafe?
00:15:09 - The History of the Death Cafe Movement
00:17:13 - Why People Leave Death Cafe Feeling Uplifted
00:19:00 - Jane's Own Early Experience With Loss
00:19:40 - The Practical Side: Wills, Power of Attorney and Planning Ahead
00:22:29 - How to Get Started Without It Feeling Overwhelming
00:27:23 - Jane's Advice: Start the Conversation Today

About Jane Diamond
Jane is a death doula and funeral director based in Stroud, Gloucestershire. She owns Family Tree Funeral Company alongside her husband and also co-hosts the Nailsworth Death Cafe, a community conversation group that meets every other month at the Canteen in Nailsworth. Jane is a Jim's Gym member.

About Jim's Gym
Jim's Gym is an online fitness and wellbeing membership for adults aged 55 and over. With 15+ live classes every week via Zoom, 800+ on-demand workout videos, and a warm, welcoming community, it's everything a gym should be without any of the things that put people off. Yoga, Pilates, Zumba, Tai Chi, Strength, Balance and more, all led by specialist instructors, all from home.

Monthly membership from just £12.99. No joining fees. No contracts. Cancel anytime. 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans.

👉 Join Jim's Gym: www.jimsgym.fitness
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Jim's Gym Podcast: Inspiring Movement is produced by Jim's Gym and hosted by James Hilton.