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Speaking Events with Willie Kunert

Bringing wisdom, compassion, and practical guidance to life’s most meaningful transitions.

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I offer talks, workshops, and facilitated conversations on grief, aging, end-of-life care, and the deeper human questions that arise when we face change and loss. My approach blends professional experience in hospice and counseling with contemplative practice, helping individuals and communities engage these topics with honesty, courage, and care.

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These presentations are designed to be both thoughtful and accessible—creating space not only for learning, but also for reflection, dialogue, and shared humanity.

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I regularly speak for community organizations, healthcare settings, faith communities, educational institutions, and senior living communities.

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Topics I Speak On

Grief as a Calling

Grief is one of the most universal—and often least discussed—human experiences. These talks explore the emotional, relational, and spiritual dimensions of grief, offering compassionate frameworks for understanding loss and integrating it into our lives.

Topics may include:

  • Understanding the many forms grief can take

  • The role of community in supporting grief

  • Finding meaning and resilience through turning toward our losses

Supporting Loved Ones at the End of Life​

When someone we love is dying, we often feel unprepared. This talk offers practical guidance for navigating the final chapter of life — including communication, presence, common fears, and what truly matters at the bedside. Emphasis is placed not only on what to do, but on how to be, and invites the audience to reflect deeply themselves on what they already know about being with dying.​

Topics may include:

  • What to expect during the dying process

  • How to be present with someone who is dying

  • Emotional and spiritual care at the end of life

  • Supporting caregivers and family members

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Honoring Endings: Ritual, Memory, and Celebration

Ritual has long helped human communities honor loss, express love, and mark important transitions. These talks explore how meaningful rituals and memorials can support grieving families and communities, whether through traditional ceremonies or more personalized celebrations of life.

Topics may include:

  • The role of ritual in grieving and remembrance

  • Creating meaningful memorials and celebrations of life

  • Honoring loved ones in ways that reflect their unique life and values

  • The healing power of communal remembrance

Spiritual Care in Healthcare and End-of-Life Settings

Serious illness and dying often raise profound spiritual and existential questions—for patients, families, and the professionals who care for them. Drawing on experience as a board-certified hospice chaplain, these presentations explore the role of spiritual care within healthcare, hospice, and palliative care settings.

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These talks also invite reflection on a broader question: while modern medicine often approaches dying as primarily a medical event, the end of life is also deeply human—shaped by emotional, relational, spiritual, and existential dimensions. Attending to these aspects can profoundly impact the experience of patients, families, and caregivers.​

Topics may include:

  • The role of spiritual care in hospice and palliative medicine

  • Supporting patients and families through existential distress

  • The emotional, relational, and spiritual dimensions of dying

  • Rethinking dying as not only a medical event, but a human and communal one​​​

Aging, Impermanence, and the Human Journey

Aging invites us into profound reflection on meaning, identity, and the changing nature of life. These talks explore how we can approach aging not only as a challenge, but as an opportunity for wisdom and growth.

Topics may include:

  • Navigating life transitions and changing roles

  • Maintaining meaning and purpose in later life

  • Embracing impermanence with courage and grace

Selected Past Presentations

  • Spiritual Care in Hospice and Palliative Medicine — Cleveland Clinic Ethics and End-of-Life Series

  • Presentations on Grief & End-of-Life Care for Chaplain Residents — Cleveland Clinic Spiritual Care

  • Annual Memorial Service - Cleveland Clinic-wide (2023), and Cleveland Clinic Hospice (2020-2023)

  • End-of-Life Care — Oberlin College Winter Term Healthcare Program, Guest Lecturer

  • Awareness of the Body in Movement Practice — Oberlin College, Guest Lecturer

  • Supporting Loved Ones at the End: How to Be and What to Do — Kendal at Oberlin

  • Honoring Endings: Death, Grief, and Celebrations of Life — Kendal at Oberlin

  • Honoring Loss & Celebrating Love — Oberlin Public Library, Day of the Dead Event

  • The Calling of Grief — Christ Episcopal Church

  • Grief and Community — Christ Episcopal Church, Community Meals Program

Speaker Bio

Willie Kunert, BCC, MDiv, is a grief counselor and board-certified chaplain who has spent over a decade supporting individuals and families through illness, dying, and loss. He previously served with Cleveland Clinic Hospice and now offers counseling and community programming through Metta Mind Therapy.

His work integrates professional training with contemplative practice, inviting people to approach grief and life’s transitions with presence, compassion, and meaning.

Willie Kunert - Grief Counselor

Invite Willie to Speak

If you are interested in bringing a talk or workshop to your organization, community, or event, I would be happy to explore possibilities with you.
 

Speaking engagements can be adapted to the needs of your group and may include lectures, interactive workshops, or facilitated conversations.

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Contact

Email: willie@mettamindtherapy.com

"When we truly embrace our grief, we find on the other side, a peace, clarity, and meaning that has waiting for us all along."​​

Willie Kunert

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