Webinar

By Amanda Marie Eilis King, CFSP, MBIT, MSP

Designed to encourage a more intentional approach to decedent care, this session will focus on the decisions and finishing details that can make a meaningful difference in the final embalming result. We will discuss practical materials, fluid choices, techniques, appropriate time frames, and factors that should guide decision-making throughout the embalming and post-embalming process. While no case photographs will be shown, the focus will be on the knowledge and thought process behind the detail work that can make a meaningful difference in presentation and care.

3 Key Takeaways

1. Recognize the details that influence final presentation: Identify opportunities to refine the decedent’s appearance beyond basic preservation, including tissue response, moisture balance, color, positioning, and feature setting.
2. Make intentional choices with materials and techniques: Understand how fluid selection, restorative materials, and post-embalming techniques can be used to address the specific needs of each case.
3. Know when, and how, to do the detail work: Consider timing, case conditions, and practical limitations when determining what should be addressed during embalming, after embalming, and before the decedent is presented to the family.

The Neuroscience of Grief, the Data on Viewing, and the Role of Embalming

When someone we love dies, our brain has to do more than acknowledge the fact, it has to accept it. That acceptance isn’t just an emotional milestone; it’s a neurological process. Viewing the body can be one of the most important steps in helping the brain navigate from the shock of loss toward healing.

The Brain’s Need for Reality Confirmation

Seeing the deceased provides what psychologists call reality confirmation. It’s the moment when the brain’s prefrontal cortex (our logical decision-maker) and hippocampus (our autobiographical memory center) reconcile what we’ve been told with what we can see. Without that sensory input, parts of the brain can remain in an unresolved “search mode,” driven by the nucleus accumbens and reward circuits that still long for the person.

Engaging Memory and Meaning

Viewing also activates the amygdala, the brain’s emotional hub, and stimulates the retrieval of memories stored in the hippocampus. These memories help weave the loss into our life story, a function supported by the medial prefrontal cortex and the default mode network, which are responsible for self-reflection and meaning-making.

Join Ben Schmidt for an enlightening webinar, "Embalming Chemicals in the Wild." As a seasoned embalmer and educator, Ben will take a deep dive into the world of embalming chemicals, uncovering their diverse uses both inside and outside the prep room.

Key topics include: