Philotimo Life

Now that you've survived season 2, join your hosts as we look back at the most mind-blowing moments, funniest bits, and guest insights so far. But that's not all... You'll also hear a brand-new, exclusive blooper dance track (courtesy of editor Stacie), some hilarious skits, cameos, and we'll even spitball some ideas for season three and beyond! Oh, and you won't want to miss the head-to-head showdown for the title of "Season 2 Ultimate Thanatologist". Stay tuned for more, folks. - Philotimo Life is produced and recorded by Maria Vassiliou and Ammo Somal in Toronto, Ontario. Audio by Stacie Hunter. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook!

Welcome to the penultimate episode of season 2!  There's nobody more suited to guide us through this last stage than an end-of-life expert with over 25 years of experience. Olga Nikolajev RN, MA, CT is an end-of-life nurse, doula, dying well advocate, and cannabis educator. She'll use her death doula skills to teach us about dying well from a holistic point of view. This includes the spiritual, mental, physical, sexual, and emotional aspects. Yep. You read that right! We'll also talk about her work in policy change, death literacy, social support, and even advocacy for psychedelics. Join us as we change how we approach our dying experience... Show notes: Kathy Kortes-Miller Working on educating children about Death Literacy Politics Behind Ontario's SexEd Curriculum   “Strong social support decreases mental health problems in young adults” via McGill University “Ontario ‘completely ignored and bulldozed' problems in long-term care: former inspector” via Global News “Comfort Care, Hospice or Palliative Care; What's the Difference?” via Compassus  Kerry Newnin “Cannabis In Hospice: Growing Demand And Acceptance For End-Of-Life Care” via Forbes “A Simple Guide to the Endocannabinoid System” via Healthline “Four Terminally Ill Canadians Gain Legal Right To Use Magic Mushrooms For End-Of-Life Distress” via Forbes - Philotimo Life is produced and recorded by Maria Vassiliou and Ammo Somal in Toronto, Ontario. Audio by Stacie Hunter. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook!

Since you all loved the “Ancient Perspectives On Death” episode from last season, we're resurrecting it as a regular format! This time around, Maria and Ammo discuss The Torajan people of Indonesia, who hang out with their dead on an annual basis, Tibetan Sky Burials, and more! Let's see what we can learn from other cultures about giving our loved ones a proper send-off and even continuing our relationship with them. And don't forget to let us know what other cultures you want us to cover in future episodes. Show notes: BBC News: Living with the dead in Indonesia Cleaning the dead: the afterlife rituals of the Torajan people Tibetan Sky Burials: Stumbling upon the secret ritual of feeding the dead to vulture 'angels' Sky Burials: Tradition Becomes Controversial Tourist Attraction | Short Film Showcase Spiritfarer - Philotimo Life is produced and recorded by Maria Vassiliou and Ammo Somal in Toronto, Ontario. Audio by Stacie Hunter. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook!

It's the 21st Century, so why are funerals still so religious and downbeat? If only there was an alternative… some sort of Life Cycle Celebrant? You're in luck! Gone are the stuffy old preachers, and in comes the secular master of ceremonies, Linda Stuart. Linda creates meaningful ceremonies to help people honour the difficult changes in life and to also celebrate the joyful ones. We'll discuss what she does, the myth of closure, the Welsh word to describe a grieving “homesickness for something to which you cannot return,” and even toxic positivity (Ammo rant detected!)  Join us and see why cold, dusty churches don't always have to be written into your final chapter. Show notes: Check out Linda Stuart's work What is Toxic Positivity? Via Very Well Mind The Myth of Closure: Why Experts Say It Doesn't Exist via How Stuff Works  Welsh word: Hiraeth - Philotimo Life is produced and recorded by Maria Vassiliou and Ammo Somal in Toronto, Ontario. Audio by Stacie Hunter. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook!

Join your unhallowed hosts for This Is Your Death!  This is a game show where we detail the wildest, most unusual, and downright brutal deaths throughout history. From blood eagles to laughing yourself to death, Blackbeard's last stand, and more, Ammo and Maria cover the lot. We'll also quiz each other on which incidents sound more like they were from Ancient Greece or the UK! Reach out to us with more infamous fatalities and this may not be the last you see of this format... Muahahaha. Show notes: “Dying from Laughing Too Hard” Via Healthline “10 Incredibly Bizarre Ways People Died In Ancient Greece” via List Verse Hugh le Despenser being hanged, drawn, and quartered “The BRUTAL Murder of King Edward II” via video The Brazen Bull Torture and Death Device Blast from the past: The Battle of York - Philotimo Life is produced and recorded by Maria Vassiliou and Ammo Somal in Toronto, Ontario. Audio by Stacie Hunter. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook!

Grieving is never easy. But who said you've got to deal with it alone? Bring in an expert - that's what we did! Irish Dhindsa is a professional grief support worker, specializing in community outreach at the Bereaved Families of Ontario. She's here to talk to us about support systems, our journey of healing, and even her similar experiences to Ammo with Punjabi culture. We then put what we've learned to the test with a game of Wheel of Misfortune! Finally, Irish walks us through the physical changes that our brains go through when experiencing trauma - the neuroanatomy of grief. Get to grips with your grief right here, folks.   Show notes: https://www.bereavedfamilies.ca/  Ontario support systems for grief and bereavement Sikh and Punjabi death and end-of-life rituals  https://deathcafe.com/  https://www.bereavedfamilies.ca/tipsheets  What to expect when grieving via Bereaved Families of Ontario Functional Neuroanatomy of Grief via American Journal of Psychiatry Personality changes and grief - Philotimo Life is produced and recorded by Maria Vassiliou and Ammo Somal in Toronto, Ontario. Audio by Stacie Hunter. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook!

Whether it was Bambi's mom, Simba's dad, or Ellie from Up, everyone remembers their first mentally scarring Disney death.  In this episode, your hosts dig up some repressed childhood memories by discussing their most memorable deaths from Disney. We'll then compare these to a published psychological study of death in Disney movies to see what they're teaching our children about mortality. It turns out that the kids of today (and yesterday!) have been exposed to far more death than you might think. But that's not a bad thing… Hakuna Matata, and all that. Happy listening! Show notes: Death In Disney Films: Implications for Children's Understanding of Death Ursula Death Scene Hakuna Matata - Philotimo Life is produced and recorded by Maria Vassiliou and Ammo Somal in Toronto, Ontario. Audio by Stacie Hunter. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook!

There's an irony in kicking off season two with an episode about end-of-life planning. It's lost on your hosts as we bring in an industry expert on the subject! Mallory McGrath is the Founder & CEO of Viive Planning, and also champions the importance of discussing death with children… a challenge all parents face, and very few are prepared to handle. After learning Mallory's story about how she entered the field, we'll learn some valuable truths about what to expect when prepping for the final journey. These truths then come in handy for a famous inheritance dispute pop quiz! Join us as we address the state of… well, estates.  Links: Check out Mallory McGrath and Viive Planning Premature Menopause via She 2.0 Podcast Bio Urns - Turning yourself into a tree What is Swedish Death Cleaning? Via NBC News Microsoft Goes Full ‘Black Mirror' with New Patent to Turn Deceased People into AI Chatbots via IndieWire Digital Services Send Messages to Your Loved Ones After You Die via NBC News, all about the Digital Time Capsule called Safe Beyond How To Help Your Adult Children Make Their Will via Viive Planning Sherrie Johnson of JoinCake.com Top 5 Criss Angel Mindfreak Clips - Philotimo Life is produced and recorded by Maria Vassiliou and Ammo Somal in Toronto, Ontario. Audio by Stacie Hunter. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook!

Surprise!  Deathmedians, spousal deaths, and widhoe-ing… Join your macabre MCs, Maria and Ammo, as we bring Philotimo back to life with this bonus intro episode – two weeks early. We'll start by catching you up on our improved format, release schedule, and what to expect from season two.  We'll then bring in Tawny Platis, host of the super-popular podcast, Death is Hilarious, where she chats with others about using dark humour to cope with grief. You'll also know her from her “Trashy Widowed Aunt” TikTok sketches that bring widows together, globally.  Finally, we'll explore how Philotimo Life fits into the larger “Deathmedian” space. Ooooh! It's great to be back, and it's better to know we're not alone. Links: Death is Hilarious – Follow Tawny on social media! Facebook Twitter Pococha Instagram TikTok Trauma Response = People Pleasing via Paces Connection “Daily Consequences of Widowhood”  What is Dia de los Muertos What is Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome? “Humor can help you manage grief and cope with loss” via Thrive Works Follow Philotimo Life on social! Twitter Facebook Instagram TikTok - Philotimo Life is produced and recorded by Maria Vassiliou and Ammo Somal in Toronto, Ontario. Audio by Stacie Hunter. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook!

Congratulations! You survived Death 101.  To celebrate your new status as a thanatologist-in-training, Maria and Ammo wrap up season one by going over their newfound understandings and favourite moments. As a special thank you to our listeners, there's also a bumpin' remix made of bloopers and a compilation of hilarious Anchorman-esque vocal warm-ups! Finally, they reveal what to expect from season two of Philotimo Life… which may be rising from the grave sooner than you might think. As always, happy listening and here's to a hundred more seasons! Show notes: Follow Stacie on Spotify! Russel Brand and David Kessler - Death, Grief & Finding That Discomfort You're Feeling is Grief via HBR - Philotimo Life is produced and recorded by Maria Vassiliou and Ammo Somal and in Toronto, Ontario. Audio by Stacie Hunter.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook!

Pop quiz: how many stages of grief are there? ...WRONG! The question should be, which grief model applies to you and in which way? In this episode, Maria and Ammo go through entirely different models of grieving. That's right – there's more than just the five stages model that we're all so familiar with… but they also touch on why you're remembering that one incorrectly, too! Focusing on the story of a man called Edgar, they apply the Elisabeth Kubler-Ross ‘Five Stages Model' and other ones such as the ‘Attachment Model,' the ‘Phase Model,' and more. Happy listening! Show notes: Five Stages of Grief - Kubler-Ross Model Parkes and Bowlby Grief Models Beyond the five stages of grief (a reference to Colin Murray Parkes' model) The One thing no one ever says about grieving What does grief feel like? Via The Guardian 21 Ways to Help Someone You Love Through Grief via TIME - Philotimo Life is produced and recorded by Maria Vassiliou and Ammo Somal and in Toronto, Ontario. Audio by Stacie Hunter.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook!

Gone are the days of stepping over plague-ridden corpses in the street, popcorn in hand, on your way to catch the latest execution. While that's obviously a good thing, it's had some interesting effects on how we view death as a society.  Join Maria and Ammo as they journey through Philippe Ariès' seminal ‘Western Attitudes Toward Death from the Middle Ages to the Present.' This book serves as a guide to how society has viewed death over four distinct eras, ‘Tame Death,' ‘One's Own Death,' ‘Remote and Imminent death,' and ‘Forbidden Death.' And if those aren't ominous enough, there might just be an updated era, too... Happy listening! Show notes: Western Attitudes Toward Death from the Middle Ages to the Present Spectacular Death (PDF Download) Nine weird and wonderful facts about death and funeral practices via The Conversation Black Death Facts Every time “family” is said in the Fast & Furious franchise - Philotimo Life is produced and recorded by Maria Vassiliou and Ammo Somal and in Toronto, Ontario. Audio by Stacie Hunter. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook!

According to the laws here in Canada, grief only affects you for three days… because that's when your employer is federally entitled to stop paying you.  From industrial revolution-era labour laws to a game of “bereavement laws – true or false?”, join Maria and Ammo as they uncover just how little The Boss Man cares. Finally, they've got some pointers to help workplaces better equip themselves for when an employee's loved one passes away. Happy listening! Show notes: Federal bereavement leave laws Ontario bereavement leave laws How to Support Employees Experiencing Grief and Loss via Forbes Weird Canadian Laws When a Colleague is Grieving vs Harvard Business Review How to Offer Support to a Grieving Colleague via Harvard Business Review “I'm scared of being buried as the wrong gender” via BBC Spain begins an epic economics experiment in universal basic income   - Philotimo Life is produced and recorded by Maria Vassiliou and Ammo Somal and in Toronto, Ontario. Audio by Stacie Hunter.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook!

It's rewind time! What's the point in talking about all things death if you don't mention the gnarly obsession that some ancient civilizations had for it?  In this episode, Maria and Ammo each pick out some ancient civilizations together and learn about their perspective on mortality and death. From the very problematic Zeus to mummification, terrible pronunciations, and even some unexpected impressions – enjoy this last ride through history. Happy listening! Show notes: Ancient Greek Funeral Rites Ancient Greek Funeral Rites II Indus Vallery Civilization  Indus Valley Civilization Crash Course Death and Dying in Aztec Religion Ancient Aztec Funeral Rites ”Wow!” - Christopher Walken Ancient Egyptian Burial Practices Ancient Egyptian Burial Practices - Philotimo Life is produced and recorded by Maria Vassiliou and Ammo Somal and in Toronto, Ontario. Audio by Stacie Hunter.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook!

Welcome thanatology. Or, as we like to call it – Death 101.  In this episode, Maria teaches you (and Ammo) what exactly this scientific study of death is and why education in this area is so very important. There are also some key goals in education in the thanatology space, which they both explore. These goals are based on thanatology to live a better, happier life… a Philotimo Life! From helping in personal enrichment, future planning, and participating in society, all the way to vocational training and dealing with loss – you'll see why they're both so hot on death literacy. Happy listening! Show notes: What is Thanatology via Britannica What is a thanatologist via VeryWellHealth

In our very first episode, Maria and Ammo answer the big question: What is Philotimo Life? But before that, they have to talk a little bit about what the word Philotimo means, how they met, and why this podcast isn't as morbid as you think it is... You'll also get to understand what they bring to the table and their (very different) experiences with death. Finally, you'll hear the big audacious dreams for the young Philotimo Life, and what to expect from season one. Happy listening!   Show notes: What is Philotimo? - The Greek Secret Death Literacy with Eterneva - Death Literacy Index The Globe and Mail - Sunny Nihilism Bishop Chrysostomos and Mayor Loukas Karrer - Island of Zakynthos OXI Day - The Day of No WeCroak App Matthew McConaughey reacts to news that Sam Shepard passed away - Philotimo Life is produced and recorded by Maria Vassiliou and Ammo Somal in Toronto, Ontario. Audio by Stacie Hunter. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook!

"A podcast about death? That's kinda morbid." - You, probably. Well, it doesn't have to be. Join Maria Vassiliou and Ammo Somal as they breathe life into the conversation around death. Philotimo Life is co-produced and recorded by Maria Vassiliou & Ammo Somal in Toronto, Canada.