The National Federation of Press Women (NFPW) recently awarded the television series A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don't Plan to Die as an outstanding television talk show. NFPW's 2014 Communications Contest winners were announced at the organization's annual convention in Greenville, SC this month.
A Good Goodbye provides expert interviews on "everything you need to know before you go." Host Gail Rubin, CT, brings a light touch to a serious subject. Like her award-winning book, A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don't Plan to Die, the television program covers information most people don't know about until faced with a death in the family.
By planning ahead and having a conversation, families can reduce stress at a time of grief, minimize family conflict, save money and create a meaningful, memorable "good goodbye."
"Talking about death and funeral planning issues on television enables individuals to discuss these topics with their families and take action," explains Rubin. "Each conversation illustrates my motto: Talking about sex won't make you pregnant, and talking about funerals won't make you dead."
This educational and entertaining 12-episode series of 25-minute programs is now available in a four-DVD set for $49.97 from AGoodGoodbye.com and Amazon.com. Streaming online video will be available soon.
A Good Goodbye TV show interviews are grouped by topic onto four DVDs:
DVD 1: Over My Dead Body: Essentials of Funeral Planning
- The Benefits of Pre-Planning: Barbara Stewart and Mark Ballard, FRENCH Funerals-Cremations
- Cremation and Memorial Services: Tom Antram and Buck Dyck, FRENCH Funerals-Cremations
- Cemetery Questions and Answers: Chris Keller and Vaughn Hendren, Sunset Memorial Park
DVD 2: Trending Topics: Pets, Funeral Parties and Going Green
- Going Green: Darren Crouch, Passages International
- Life Celebrations: Paul Layer, FRENCH Funerals-Cremations, Samara Rivett, Celebrant
- Pet Loss: Ann Beyke, Pet Loss Counselor, Vaughn Hendren, Best Friends Forever
DVD 3: Death and Taxes: A Primer on Finances and Funerals
- Estate Planning: Jim Plitz, Morris, Hall & Kinghorn
- Cost Management: Jeff Harbeson, Funeral Finance LLC
- Financial Issues: Steven P. Margulin, CPA, CFP
DVD 4: Good Grief! Save Money, Live and Die Better
- Medicaid and More: Teresa Civello, Medicaid Trust Expert
- End-of-Life Issues: Mindi Horwitch, LISW
- Grief Counseling: Dr. Diane Polasky, DOM
For more information on the A Good Goodbye TV show and DVD series, visit http://agoodgoodbye.com/radio-tv/a-good-goodbye-tv-series/.
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Gail Rubin, CT, The Doyenne of Death®, is author of the award-winning book, A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die. Host of A Good Goodbye television series and Internet radio show, she is also a Certified Thanatologist (that's a death educator) and a popular speaker who uses humor and films to get the funeral planning conversation started. She's a Certified Funeral Celebrant, funeral planning consultant, and insurance agent.
Rubin is a member of the Association for Death Education and Counseling, the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association, Toastmasters International and the National Speakers Association New Mexico Chapter. She is President of the Jewish-Christian Dialogue of New Mexico, helping to start conversations across religions.
Sign up for a free planning form and get weekly tips at her website, AGoodGoodbye.com.