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About us

The Orlando Death Collective provides spaces to gather and discuss topics of death and dying in a judgment-free environment. In the past, we've had Death Cafes, Meet a Death Doula event, and a Día de Muertos pet altar creation. Upcoming monthly events will include film screenings, interactive activities, field trips to cemeteries, and more.

If that sounds fun to you, please join me! I'd be so glad to have you.

A few notes/rules about this group:

  1. THIS IS NOT A BEREAVEMENT GROUP OR A GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP. I am just a random person off the street -- I am not qualified to lead any kind of discussion on grief and counseling. For a few resources I've collected, see this spreadsheet.

2. Feel free to discuss your personal experiences, but please do not try to force your views on religion/politics/business onto anyone else (see more about business in rule #3).

3. ODC meetings should be our space to share educational and informational experiences while minimizing promotional interests. If you work in deathcare, please feel free to share your experience, but do not mention the name of the company you work for or any other business name. If you would like to promote your company, please do so after the event when meeting other group members, and add your information to the ODC spreadsheet.

4. If you're content to attend but not participate in group discussion, that's just fine! Please do not feel pressured to speak. Also, if you need to leave early, please feel free to do so. These are casual, informal events designed to be open forums.

  1. Be respectful and kind. We won't all agree on everything, but that's what makes the topic of death and dying so interesting! I believe the only experts on the topic are the dead; so there's not much room for any of us to debate. :)
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    About me:
    My name is Kristina! I learned about Death Cafes years ago and hoped to join one in Orlando but dropped the idea. Fast forward to this year, and in January '25, I began working for a deathcare corp (yes, I'll also be following rule #3 -- I won't be discussing my job), and my new role renewed my interest in end-of-life matters.

So, I decided to give this group a try, and if it draws enough interest, I'd be happy to keep it moving for possibly a year. If not, I'm sure it'll be a fun experiment either way.

When discussing this idea with a friend, they asked, "So, why are you obsessed with death now?" We laughed, but my hope is that with this group, that question will never come up.

Whether you just want to talk about your experiences or share your thoughts and stories, this is your place to do it in the spirit of death positivity.

Clermont event: Walk for Suicide Prevention w/the Central FL AFSP

Clermont event: Walk for Suicide Prevention w/the Central FL AFSP

Victory Pointe, 938 Victory Way, Clermont, FL, US

No need to RSVP here, join the ODC team! https://afspwalks.donordrive.com/teams/395824

Donation welcome, but not required!! We walk for those who have lost their lives and those who are left behind.

This event is in honor of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and to support the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (Central FL branch).

Here are a few things I'd like attendees to consider:

1. When discussing suicide, the AFSP has this recommendation: Avoid using the word “committed,” which perpetuates the stigma of suicide as a crime and indicates moral judgment.
Why do you think that is?

2. When thinking of suicide, and other tragic manners of death, we are reminded that "death positivity" is not always the right term to use for our path of learning. Death conscious, death literate, or death acceptance are other terms. What do you think works best?

3. While there is never one single reason for suicidal ideation, people who experience complicated grief have higher rates of suicidal ideation compared to those who are not bereaved. If this happened to you or a loved one, would you know how to seek help?

Bring your walking shoes, and let's head out west!
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If you are struggling, there are local organizations that can help you:

  • https://mhacf.org/crisis-resources/
  • https://orange.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/wellness-programs/suicide-prevention-mental-health/
  • https://namicf.org/resources/local-resources/crisis-lines/
  • https://namicf.org/resources/local-resources/crisis-stabilization-units/

Please talk to someone -- a person in your support system, a professional, someone who will truly listen. There is help, and I hope you can find it.

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