Talking with Death: Dr. Isla Fishburn

Talking with Death: Dr. Isla Fishburn

Author: Mind Body Spirit.fm May 11, 2026 Duration: 1:12:27
In this deeply moving conversation, the hosts of The Animal Communication Podcast welcome Dr. Isla Fishburn of Kachina Canine - intuitive medicine teacher, shamanic practitioner, grief tender, and author - for a conversation that truly transcends the ordinary. Dr. Isla shares her remarkable "long walk": a lifelong initiation into the consciousness of death, woven through early losses, a near-death experience, an abusive marriage, and the profound teachings of her wolf dog, Tunkashila. Together, they explore death not as an ending to be feared, but as a sacred, intelligent consciousness, an ancient ally that has always been waiting at the edge of our circle, asking to be let in. From the concept of "soulspan" and animals as body-hoppers across infinite lifetimes, to the lost art of ceremony and the village that once held us in grief, to the beautiful truth that a heart that breaks is a heart that wakes, this episode will shift the way you think about loss, love, and the animals who walk us home. RESOURCES: ⁠Dr. Isla Fishburn’s website - Kachina Canine⁠ - https://kachinacanine.com Do YOU want to be an animal communicator or learn more about Soul Level Intuitive Coaching®? Check out the new classes and Be Open Community offered by our teacher, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Danielle MacKinnon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. It’s a great place to learn Energy Management, trusting yourself and even finding a great, supportive community.   YOUR HOSTS Julie is a Soul Level Animal Communicator®, Heart Animal Soul Professional Communicator, Soul Level Intuitive Coach®, Spirit Animal Sacred Alchemy Practitioner and Certified Trauma-Informed Grief Coach. She writes the column ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠“Trust the Animals”⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Substack and is a teaching assistant for the Danielle MacKinnon School. Find out more about her and her monthly Pet Loss Grief Circles at her website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.juliehirt-intuitive.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Karen is a Soul Level Animal Communicator®, Soul Level Intuitive Coach®, Pangu Shengong (qigong) Instructor and Energy Healer. She is an End-of-life Companion Animal Doula through the UVM certificate program and a teaching assistant for the Danielle MacKinnon School. She is also on the board of NicaLove Animal Rescue and the Founder and a Director of The Animal Communication Collective®. Find out more about her at her website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.karendendysmith.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Meredith is a Soul Level Animal Communicator®, Soul Level Intuitive Coach®, Let Animals Lead® Animal Reiki Practitioner, and certified dog trainer with a focus on behavior modification and positive reinforcement. She is also a Director of The Animal Communication Collective®. Find out more about her at her website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.meredithtollison.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ You can find all of our episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MindBodySpirit.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Reach out to us with questions or comments via the Contact Us form on our website (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theanimalcommunicationpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about the fundraising work Karen, Meredith and Julie do with The Animal Communication Collective at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.animalcommunicationcollective.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever wondered what your pet is really thinking, or why a bird outside your window seems to pause just for you? The Animal Communication Podcast offers a rare window into those questions, guided by three experienced practitioners: Julie Hirt, Karen Dendy Smith, and Meredith Tollison. This isn't about training tips, but about connection. Each episode is built on their work as Soul Level Animal Communicators®, where they share candid stories and conversations that bridge our human world with the inner lives of animals. You'll hear them explore everyday mysteries-from puzzling behaviors and health concerns to the pure joy of play-as recounted by the animals themselves, both those sharing our homes and those in spirit. It’s a gentle, often surprising journey that redefines our relationship with all creatures, making it a unique listen for families, pet lovers, and anyone curious about the spiritual bonds we share. Presented by Mind Body Spirit.fm, this podcast invites you to slow down and listen in a whole new way.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Animal Communication Podcast
Podcast Episodes
The Two Crazy Cat Ladies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:10
Jae and Adrienne of Two Crazy Cat Ladies — the dynamic duo behind the Feline Essential supplement line — are back on the podcast, and they brought a lot of good stuff with them. In this conversation, Julie, Karen, and Me…
Mystical, Magical Creatures with Lisa Tully [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:40
What happens when the veil between worlds grows thin — and you're brave enough to step through? In this enchanting return visit, we welcome back Lisa Tully, animal healer and communicator from Ireland, for a conversation…
100th Episode with Listener Q&A [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:33
We made it — Episode 100! To celebrate this incredible milestone, Karen, Meredith, and Julie turned the microphone around and handed it straight to you — the listeners who have made this podcast what it is. In this joyfu…
The Power of Animal Communication [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:28
What if the real power of animal communication isn't about receiving messages at all — but about being changed by love? In this episode, Julie, Karen, and Meredith explore how the unconditional love of animals creates th…
Darkness as a Doorway with Sandra Ingerman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:04
Sandra Ingerman has spent 46 years teaching people how to move through the hardest passages of their lives - not by fighting the darkness, but by learning to trust what lives inside it. In this episode, the author of Wal…
What Spring Teaches Us: Awakening, Transformation & Trust [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:02
Spring is far more than a change in season. It's an invitation to awaken, transform, and trust the process, even when a late frost takes the wind right out of your sails. In this episode, Meredith, Karen, and Julie explo…
How Animals Honor Boundaries [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:45
In this episode, Karen, Meredith, and Julie explore one of the most quietly powerful lessons our animals offer us: how to honor boundaries - our own, theirs, and each other's. Animals set boundaries without guilt, withou…
The WHY Behind Your Pet’s Health with Kara Hanrahan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:49
What if the food in your pet's bowl — and on your own plate — is the missing piece of their health, and yours? This week, we sit down with Kara Hanrahan of Raw Remedies Holistic Health, a functional medicine nurse practi…
Muscle Testing for Your Pet's Health with Pam Roussell [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:47
What if your pet's body already knew exactly what it needed — and you just needed the right tool to ask? In this episode, we sit down with Pam Roussell of Perfectly Holistic, a holistic cat health practitioner who uses m…