Terramation - Composting as an Alternative Body Disposition - with Brien Smith

End of Life Conversations

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In this episode we got to spend time with Brie Smith. Brie is the longest-standing employee at Return Home, a leader in the new (but old) practice of terramation or body composting. She first served as Director of Services, then as COO, and now she is responsible for overseeing Return Home’s community outreach initiatives, including both their in-person and online efforts.
She is also the General Manager of Return Home’s newest venture, TerraPets. With TerraPets she works to offer terramation to families who have lost their beloved pets. Finally, Brie is the “voice” of Return Home, delivering their message of sustainable death care to both traditional media and social media alike.
After beginning her work in the funeral industry in 2011 doing death calls, she quickly found a passion for helping people during one of the most challenging times of their lives. With an immediate knack for gentle guidance and a complete lack of judgment, Brie found herself feeling deep compassion for every single decedent and each one of their family members. Because of this sincerity, she has been able to continue providing excellent support to each family that she encounters, whether working with humans or pets.
While Brie originally joined the Return Home team to challenge her professional aptitude, she quickly found herself passionate about the science behind the natural breakdown of the body. Always up for a new adventure, Brie has been given the opportunity to dive deep into the process of composting. She takes joy in learning about the intricacies that make each terramation successful. Her passion to deliver an industry-leading standard of care, combined with her vigor to learn and adapt to difficult situations, has made her a skilled executive of our team.
She discusses her journey in the funeral industry and her passion for sustainable death care. She shares her experiences with traditional funeral practices and the challenges she faced in providing meaningful support to grieving families. Brie also talks about her role at Return Home, where she focuses on empowering families and offering alternative options such as terramation. She emphasizes the importance of education and resources in helping people make informed decisions about end-of-life care. In this conversation, Brie discusses the lack of support and resources for professionals in the funeral industry. She shares how she has created a community and support system through her work at Return Home and the Death Darlings group. Brie also talks about her own fears about the end of life and the importance of being informed about donation programs. She emphasizes the need for education and self-care in the industry and expresses her passion for her work with both humans and animals.
Return Home Website
Next year's TerraCon conference information: https://terracon.life/
Walt Whitman's poem from Leaves of Grass here:

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