The Meaning Podcast: Meaning & Empathy in "The Death Care Industry"

 

In this conversation, Dr. Dan Franz speaks with Dead Ringers COO Mandie Hungarland about her unique journey from art school to leading a company in the death care industry. They discuss the importance of empathy in dealing with families experiencing loss, the role of humor in the deathcare profession, and the need for a more human connection in customer service. Mandie shares her personal experience with loss, which transformed her perspective on the industry and highlighted the necessity of treating grieving families with compassion and understanding.

Key Takeaways:

  • Empathy is a skill that can be learned and developed.

  • The death care industry often lacks a personal touch in customer service.

  • Humor can be a coping mechanism for death care professionals.

  • Families need support and understanding during their time of grief.

  • The death care profession should focus on life care, not just death care.

  • Open-ended questions can facilitate better communication with grieving families.

  • Training in empathy can transform the customer experience in death care.

  • Personal experiences with loss can enhance professional understanding.

  • The importance of recognizing the emotional state of customers in any service industry.

  • Creating a supportive environment for grieving families is essential.


About the Meaning Podcast

The Meaning Project—the intersection of Mental Health and Meaning. In this podcast, Dr. Daniel A Franz, speaker, consultant, and psychotherapist, discusses the art and science behind forms of organizational health, counseling and psychotherapy, psychological theory, and tons of other ideas related to Mental Health and Meaning; all through the lens of Logotherapy & Existential Analysis—the psychology of Meaning. Brief, so that you can get a helpful dose of mental health on your way to work. Unedited, because neither life nor psychotherapy are edited, and action-oriented, because we could talk about your childhood all day long, but that isn’t going to help you discover meaning in your day, or help you address the tension between who you are now, and who you want to become. It's my hope that this podcast will.

 
Previous
Previous

Your Two-Word Growth Strategy

Next
Next

Dead Ringers Launches Online Course in Response to FTC Phone Sweep