death & dying
end of life, palliative care, grief support
end of life doula services
End of Life Doulas (EOLDs) provide non-medical, holistic support and comfort to the dying and their beloveds and families, which may include education and guidance as well as emotional, spiritual and practical care, from as early as initial diagnosis through bereavement (definition from National End of Life Doula Alliance NEDA). End of Life Doulas are a bridge between hospice and the medical team, fill the gaps, and collaborate between hospice and medical providers.
I trained as an End of Life Doula through the Lifespan Doula program with Merilynn Rush (The Dying Year) and Patty Brennan in 2016, and have served as a hospice volunteer through Arbor Hospice since 2017. I completed further training in community death care with A Sacred Passing in 2020 and have co-facilitated programs with Oceana Sawyer including her popular Grief, Your Way program, and contributed to educational content for Going With Grace EOLD training program.
resources for grief, death and dying
ADVANCE CARE PLANNING
Five Wishes, free template
The Conversation Project The Conversation Project is dedicated to helping people talk about their wishes for end-of-life care.
State of Michigan Advanced Directives packet
DEATH CAFE
Death Cafe At a Death Cafe people, often strangers, gather to eat cake, drink tea and discuss death. Our objective is 'to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives'.
END OF LIFE CARE
The Dying Year, Merilynne Rush
National End of Life Doula Alliance (NEDA)
INELDA, International End of Life Doula Association
HOME FUNERALS
National Home Funeral Alliance
Oregon Funeral Resources & Education
The Dying Year, Home Funeral & Green Burial consultation
GRIEF AND BEREAVEMENT
David Kessler, grief and loss specialist with books, online resources and groups
Teresa Mateus LCSW, RYT How do we hold the grief of the moment? webinar
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
I was honored to provide course content on psychedelic-assisted therapy in End of Life care for the Going With Grace Expand Your Toolbox training.
May I be open to the suffering of grief
May I be open to the suffering of grief
May I be open to the suffering of grief
May I find the inner resources to be present for the truth of loss
May I find the inner resources to be present for the truth of loss
May I fully face life and death, loss and sorrow
May I fully face life and death, loss and sorrow
May I see that loss is part of life
May I see that loss is part of life
And may I accept the suffering I am experiencing around loss, knowing that it does not make me bad or wrong
May I offer love knowing that I cannot control the course of life, suffering, or death
May I offer love knowing that I cannot control the course of life, suffering, or death
— Roshi Joan Halifax