Death and money are two of the most taboo topics in our society yet they are inevitable for all of us. So why don’t we talk about death and money more? The fact is, we’re all going to have to face our mortality and the mortality of the people we love. During the toughest times in our life, we will also be faced with an overwhelming amount of financial and logistical decisions. These decisions have the power to bring people together or tear families apart. That’s why our mission is so important!
Here on The Currency of Grief, we bring death and money to the forefront of the conversation. We’ll feature real life stories from real life people who have navigated the intersection of grief and money. Our guests are not celebrities, they are normal people just like you and me.
My name is Justin Weidenfeld, and I’m going to serve as your Grief Financial Officer on the journey that is The Currency of Grief Podcast. My purpose for this podcast is to normalize conversations around death and money, inspire you to have deeper conversations with your loved ones (while you can), act as a resource for people currently navigating a grief and money journey, and encourage listeners to approach their own legacy head on.
Whether you’re in the midst of your own grief and money journey or need a reality check about planning for the inevitable, this podcast is for you. Each episode provides heartfelt insights, logistical nuances and practical advice that will help you navigate financial and emotional adversity WHEN you are faced with loss.
The Currency of Grief Podcast will air biweekly on Fridays and can be listened to on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. I am grateful that you’ve decided to join me on this journey!
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Death and money are two of the most taboo topics in our society yet they are inevitable for all of us. So why don’t we talk about death and money more? The fact is, we’re all going to have to face our mortality and the mortality of the people we love. During the toughest times in our life, we will also be faced with an overwhelming amount of financial and logistical decisions. These decisions have the power to bring people together or tear families apart. That’s why our mission is so important!
Here on The Currency of Grief, we bring death and money to the forefront of the conversation. We’ll feature real life stories from real life people who have navigated the intersection of grief and money. Our guests are not celebrities, they are normal people just like you and me.
My name is Justin Weidenfeld, and I’m going to serve as your Grief Financial Officer on the journey that is The Currency of Grief Podcast. My purpose for this podcast is to normalize conversations around death and money, inspire you to have deeper conversations with your loved ones (while you can), act as a resource for people currently navigating a grief and money journey, and encourage listeners to approach their own legacy head on.
Whether you’re in the midst of your own grief and money journey or need a reality check about planning for the inevitable, this podcast is for you. Each episode provides heartfelt insights, logistical nuances and practical advice that will help you navigate financial and emotional adversity WHEN you are faced with loss.
The Currency of Grief Podcast will air biweekly on Fridays and can be listened to on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. I am grateful that you’ve decided to join me on this journey!
EP08: Rachel Farrell: “In the Wake of Sudden Loss: Grief and the Gift of Genetic Clarity”
The Currency of Grief
1 hour 8 minutes
5 months ago
EP08: Rachel Farrell: “In the Wake of Sudden Loss: Grief and the Gift of Genetic Clarity”
Grief doesn’t require firsthand experience to be met with compassion and clinical care, and Rachel Farrell proves it.
Rachel is a pediatric genetic counselor who works with families facing the sudden death of a child or parent due to inherited cardiovascular diseases. Her role sits at the intersection of healthcare and heartbreak, offering genetic testing that may explain what happened, while providing the kind of emotional support that grieving families often don’t know they need until they have it.
What does it look like to guide a family through genetic testing after tragedy? How do you deliver answers that bring both clarity and more questions? And what happens when there is no clear answer at all?
Rachel shares how her work goes far beyond lab results. She talks about the quiet moments with parents, the clinical decisions that carry emotional weight, and the importance of listening more than speaking. She also reflects on what she’s learned from families, about love, about legacy, and about the small moments that matter most.
This conversation is a moving reminder of what healthcare can be when emotional presence is treated as essential, and why family guidance matters just as much as medical expertise when everything else has fallen apart.
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Rachel Farrell
04:04 Grief and Genetic Counseling
06:01 What Genetic Testing Can Reveal
12:57 Cost and Access in Genetic Healthcare
16:42 Rachel’s Personal Relationship with Grief
33:58 What Chaplaincy Taught Her About Dying
39:06 Why Small Moments Matter
42:14 How to Support the Bereaved
Links
SADS: https://sads.org/get-involved/awareness/sudden-death-response-plan/
Connect with Rachel Farrell:
https://www.ucsfhealth.org/providers/rachel-farrell
Connect with Justin Weidenfeld:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-weidenfeld/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecurrencyofgrief_podcast
Website: https://www.ironbridgewc.com/team/justin-weidenfeld
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm
The Currency of Grief
Death and money are two of the most taboo topics in our society yet they are inevitable for all of us. So why don’t we talk about death and money more? The fact is, we’re all going to have to face our mortality and the mortality of the people we love. During the toughest times in our life, we will also be faced with an overwhelming amount of financial and logistical decisions. These decisions have the power to bring people together or tear families apart. That’s why our mission is so important!
Here on The Currency of Grief, we bring death and money to the forefront of the conversation. We’ll feature real life stories from real life people who have navigated the intersection of grief and money. Our guests are not celebrities, they are normal people just like you and me.
My name is Justin Weidenfeld, and I’m going to serve as your Grief Financial Officer on the journey that is The Currency of Grief Podcast. My purpose for this podcast is to normalize conversations around death and money, inspire you to have deeper conversations with your loved ones (while you can), act as a resource for people currently navigating a grief and money journey, and encourage listeners to approach their own legacy head on.
Whether you’re in the midst of your own grief and money journey or need a reality check about planning for the inevitable, this podcast is for you. Each episode provides heartfelt insights, logistical nuances and practical advice that will help you navigate financial and emotional adversity WHEN you are faced with loss.
The Currency of Grief Podcast will air biweekly on Fridays and can be listened to on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. I am grateful that you’ve decided to join me on this journey!
