This episode felt different to record because, if we're honest, there’s a lot of frustration in it.

In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we take a proper look at social media. The good, the bad, and the parts that are genuinely dangerous. From the pressure to be liked, to the impact on our mental health, and the very real consequences for young people, this is an honest, unfiltered conversation about something most of us use every day but rarely stop to question.

What You’ll Discover

- The Pressure to Be Liked: Why social media is designed to keep us hooked, constantly seeking validation and comparison.

- When It Turns Dangerous: How cyberbullying, harmful trends, and algorithms can contribute to serious mental health risks.

- The Parenting Dilemma: Why there’s no clear answer when it comes to protecting young people without isolating them.

What really stands out in this conversation is the contradiction. Social media connects us, grows communities, and even helps people access support in moments of crisis. But at the same time, it can isolate, overwhelm, and in some cases, cause real harm. That tension runs through the whole episode.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.

We’ve both felt this, but no one really prepares you for it. In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we sit down and talk about how grief completely warps your sense of time. One moment everything feels frozen, like it just happened, and the next, months have passed in a blur you can barely remember. This is a raw, honest conversation about what that actually feels like, why it happens, and why it’s far more common than people realise.

What You’ll Discover

- Why Time Stops and Speeds Up: Grief disrupts your normal sense of time, creating a strange mix of slow-motion moments and lost months.

- The Science Behind the Feeling: Time distortion is a real neurological response where the brain shifts into survival mode during trauma.

- Why Nothing Feels Quite Real: From brain fog to disassociation, grief can make you feel like you’re watching life from the outside.

What really stayed with us is how disorientating it all is. That sense of being stuck in the moment you heard the news, while the rest of the world keeps moving forward like nothing’s happened. It’s strange, uncomfortable, and often quite isolating.

We also talk about the small things that can help. Not solutions, because there aren’t any quick ones, but anchors. Little routines, familiar moments, people around you, things that gently bring you back into the present when everything feels blurred or distant.

This episode is for anyone who’s experienced that feeling of time not quite making sense anymore, or for anyone trying to understand someone who has. If it resonates, share it with someone who might need that reassurance.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.

This special bonus episode from It’s a Death Sentence offers a gentle, guided meditation designed to bring comfort, calm, and a sense of connection in moments of loss.

Written and produced by Emma Skipp and Leon Payne, this meditation was created from a deeply personal place. Emma, who finds great comfort in guided meditation, wanted to craft something specifically for those navigating grief - a space to pause, breathe, and feel held.

The meditation begins by guiding you into a state of deep relaxation through simple, soothing breathing techniques. From there, you are gently led into a reflective visualisation, inviting you to imagine your lost loved one beside you - a quiet, safe moment of connection.

The soundscape has been carefully designed and tuned to 432Hz - often associated with healing and harmony - creating a warm and immersive listening experience. All music was performed and produced by Leon Payne and Emma Skipp, with natural birdsong recorded in Emma’s own garden adding an intimate, grounding touch.

This 20-minute meditation is intended to be a soft place to land - whether you are in the early days of grief or carrying loss that has been with you for years.

Take a moment. Breathe. You’re not alone.

Credits:

Written and spoken by Emma Skipp.

Produced by Emma Skipp and Leon Payne.

Music performed and produced by Leon Payne and Emma Skipp.

Birdsong recordings captured in Emma’s garden.

This conversation really stayed with us because it’s one of those stories that feels both deeply personal and quietly powerful.

In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we sit down with Jayne Thomson, a funeral director who came into the industry after losing her Mum, to explore what it’s like to work so closely with death every day. We talk about grief, purpose, the reality behind the role, and why creating spaces to actually talk about death matters more than we think.

What You’ll Discover

- From Loss to Calling: How Jayne's personal experience of losing her Mum led her into the funeral industry and shaped how she supports others.

- Why We Struggle to Talk About Death: The impact of language, avoidance, and how honest conversations can change everything.

- Creating Space for Real Conversations: From running a Death Café to “walk and talk” sessions, new ways to make grief and death less isolating.

What really stood out was Jayne's honesty about how difficult it can be when your world has changed, but everyone else seems to carry on as normal. That feeling of wanting to talk about it, but not always having the space or the people around you who are ready to listen. And that’s exactly why what she’s building now matters so much.

We also get a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the funeral industry. From the emotional reality of working with families to the small but meaningful details that shape someone’s final farewell, it’s a perspective most of us never see until we have to.

This episode is a reminder that death isn’t something to avoid. It’s something to understand, to talk about, and to make space for in a way that feels human.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.

There’s this unspoken expectation that by six months in, you should be doing better. That the worst has passed, that life has settled, that you’ve somehow “moved on.” But in this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we sit down and talk honestly about what grief actually feels like six months after loss.

What You’ll Discover

- Grief Doesn’t Follow a Timeline: Six months isn’t a milestone of healing, it’s often where the reality of loss starts to settle in and reshape everything.

- The Hidden Weight of “Moving On”: How social expectations to be okay can make grief feel isolating, even when you’re still deeply affected.

- How Grief Shows Up in Everyday Life: From dreams and unexpected triggers to physical symptoms and emotional waves, grief doesn’t stay in one place.

What is clear is how messy and unpredictable grief is. One moment you’re laughing, getting through your day, doing your job, and the next something small, a memory, a date, even a conversation, brings everything rushing back. And the hardest part is that life keeps moving around you, while you’re still trying to make sense of what’s changed forever.

This episode is a reminder that there’s no right way to grieve and no timeline you have to follow. Whether you’re six weeks, six months, or years into loss, your experience is valid. And if you’ve ever felt like you should be “over it” by now, this conversation will meet you exactly where you are.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.

We didn’t expect this conversation to be quite as powerful as it turned out to be. In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we do something a little different. We hand the mic over to kids. What follows is one of the most honest, funny, and unexpectedly insightful conversations about death, grief, and what happens after we die.

What You’ll Discover

- How Kids Really Understand Death: Simple, honest answers that cut through adult discomfort and get straight to the heart of loss and meaning.

- Grief Through a Child’s Eyes: Why sadness, confusion, humour, and even happiness can all exist at the same time.

- Big Questions, Beautiful Answers: From heaven to reincarnation, kids explore life after death with imagination, curiosity, and surprising wisdom.

What really stayed with us is how open and unfiltered this conversation is. There’s no pretending to have all the answers, no fear of saying the wrong thing. Just curiosity, honesty, and a willingness to explore the unknown. And maybe that’s something we lose a little as adults.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.

Grief has a funny way of stripping everything back. In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we dive into the idea that losing someone does not just break your heart, it reshuffles your priorities. We’re talking bucket lists, the things we still want to do before we die, and the far more liberating f*ck it list, the things we are absolutely done with.

From Tahiti and ballroom dancing to refusing to learn to ride a bike, we share what stays on the list and what gets thrown in the bin.

What We Uncover

- The Bucket vs The F*ck It List: Why grief pushes you to chase what matters and drop what never did.

- Liberation in Midlife: How caring less about judgement, trends and social pressure can feel like freedom.

- Present Over Perfect: Why being silly with your kids, booking the holiday and drinking the wine might matter more than ticking impressive boxes.

Grief forces perspective. It makes you question why you are saying yes when you mean no. Why you are saving the good stuff for later. Why you are shrinking yourself to make other people comfortable. When you truly understand that life can change overnight, the idea of waiting starts to feel ridiculous.

This episode is an invitation. Write the list of what you want more of. Write the list of what you are done with. And stop apologising for either.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.

We didn’t quite know where this conversation was going to go when we hit record, and honestly, that’s what makes it so powerful

In this episode of It’s a Death Sentence, we sit down with Rob Oliver, an IT manager and musician, to talk about grief in its rawest form. From losing his Dad, Mum, and close friends, to navigating severe anxiety and depression, Rob shares a story that is both deeply painful and unexpectedly full of humour.

What You’ll Discover

- Grief Doesn’t Follow Rules: Loss hits differently every time, and even when you expect it, nothing prepares you for how it actually feels.

- Dark Humour as Survival: Finding moments of laughter in the worst situations isn’t disrespectful, it’s often what gets you through.

- There Is Help, Even When It Feels Impossible: From crisis teams to therapy, speaking up and reaching out can be the turning point, even when it feels like you’re at your lowest.

What really stayed with us from this conversation is Rob’s honesty. He doesn’t try to tidy up grief or make it sound neat. He talks about feeling worthless, about wanting to give up, and about the long, messy journey back to something that feels like himself again. But alongside all of that is resilience, connection, and this underlying message that even in the darkest moments, there is still a way through.

If you’ve experienced loss, or you’re supporting someone who has, this episode will feel real in a way not many conversations do.

It's A Death Sentence shares real stories of life after loss and is produced by Urban Podcasts. Listener discretion is always advised.