DEATHCRAFT
JOURNAL
National Make-a-Will Month: A Love Letter to the Living
August is National Make-a-Will Month — a reminder that creating a will isn’t just legal paperwork; it’s sacred, death-positive care for your loved ones. Whether you’re preparing for your own peaceful transition or supporting others through theirs, writing a will is a radical, loving act of clarity in a world that often avoids talking about death. Let this month be your invitation to begin.
How a Death Doula Can Support You and Your Animal Companion at the End of Life
When a beloved animal companion is nearing the end of life, the grief can feel all-consuming. A death doula can help you navigate this sacred transition with compassion, presence, and ritual. From preparing for euthanasia to creating a peaceful farewell and honoring your pet’s legacy, a doula walks beside you every step of the way—so you don’t have to face it alone. At Deathcraft, we believe our pets deserve a good death, just like the beautiful life they shared with us.
How the Modern Funeral Industry Impacts Our Environment
Explore the hidden environmental costs of conventional funerals—embalming chemicals, metal caskets, concrete vaults, and more. Learn why greener alternatives matter.
A Brief History of Deathcare: From Sacred Rituals to Industrialized Death
Explore the evolution of deathcare from ancient sacred rites to the rise of the funeral industry. Understand how cultural shifts transformed how we care for the dead—and how we might reclaim it.
Home Funerals: Myths, Realities, and Legal Rights in Kentucky
In Kentucky, families have the legal right to care for their deceased loved ones at home, a practice known as a home funeral. This approach allows families to handle the washing, dressing, and laying out of the body, as well as to hold a vigil or ceremony in a familiar setting. Home funerals can offer a more intimate and personalized way to honor the deceased, often at a lower cost than traditional funeral services.
Today is National Death Doula Day.
A death doula, also known as an end-of-life doula or death midwife, is a non-medical professional who can provide emotional, spiritual, and practical support to those who are dying, as well as their loved ones. They can assist in creating a personalized approach to the dying process, offering guidance and support that respects the wishes and values of the individual.
Death Positivity: What It Is & Why We Should Care
“Death positivity is not about glorifying death itself; it’s about enriching our life experiences and accepting the inevitable. By discussing, planning, and remembering, we cultivate a relationship with mortality that honors our existence rather than evades it. So, let’s raise our glasses—not just for the living but for the dead as well. Here’s to life, love, and the inevitable end that binds us all!”
MEET THE AUTHOR
Kat Rist (she/they) is the founder of Deathcraft.
Kat is a death doula, educator, and hair stylist based just south of Louisville, Kentucky. With one foot in the sacred and the other in the everyday, Kat helps others navigate the mysteries of death and dying through a lens of nature-based spirituality, compassion, and curiosity. She’s also a licensed cosmetologist working magic with color and texture at Maeda in Louisville.
Kat is a cat mom to a sassy orange tabby named Tilly, partner to a total car guy, and proud aunt to four wild and wonderful kids. She’s deeply into spiritualism, Tarot, folklore, and the quiet wisdom of the natural world. Whether she’s holding space at the end of life or capturing a breathtaking sunset, Kat believes in honoring the cycles of life—and finding magic in every part of the journey.