Death Doula Services
Dignity in death, regardless of race, gender, economic means, or religion.
End-of-Life Doulas have much to offer when providing basic, non-medical Comfort Care in person. However, I am not accepting new in-person hospice clients at this time.
What I am currently able to provide are video calls to help you:
fill out Advance Directives
jumpstart your Legacy Project
interview you for your Life Review Project
interview you for your Life Story Project
help you plan your Vigil
be a recipient for your Letter Project
If you died this very minute, what would you be leaving behind for your loved ones? A mess? Confusion and chaos in the midst of their grief? A token of your love for them? A detailed script of what needs to be done and where all your passwords are? Death Doula services are not just for the actively dying. Whether our final departure is abrupt or seen coming from a mile away, we are all dying a little bit each day. You can either be prepared for your final goodbyes, or ignore this universal truth and be caught on the wrong foot. It’s up to you. In your own time, and at your own pace, if you choose to be brave and would like a steady hand to help, let’s schedule a consultation. You don’t have to face Death alone.
Advance Directive
· A legal document that protects your right to refuse medical treatment that you do not want, or to request treatment that you do want, in the event of losing your ability to make these decisions yourself.
· Part 1 is designating your Health Care Power of Attorney, and what powers and limitations you give them.
· Part 2 is the Advance Directive for a Natural Death a.k.a. your living will.
Legacy Project
"Legacy work isn't about death and dying, it's about life and living. It's about making connections and sharing precious moments with the special people in your life.
At its most fundamental level, it can be a meaningful way to spend an afternoon. At its best, legacy work provides a unique opportunity to reflect on your life and process through the events and people who shaped it, while still planning for the future. It can be a powerful coping tool not only for you, but for the people around you.
Leaving a legacy gives your loved ones something tangible to hold on to, something that can provide healing and comfort year after year, and generation after generation. It's a reminder of who you were, what you loved, what was important to you and what contributions you made.
One of the most important things to know about legacy work is that there are no rules, no restrictions, no limitations and no eligibility criteria. You don't have to be old, you don't have to have a lot of money or time and you don't even have to have a terminal diagnosis."
(Source: Wendy Griffith, L.C.S.W of MD Anderson Cancer Center, Making Memories Last: The Art of Legacy Work)
Life Review Project
· A recounting of thoughts, events, and ideas that are particularly meaningful to pass on to others.
· Life Reviews may be one long session answering all the questions, or multiple sessions that only answer a couple of questions and evolves organically.
· The conversation is recorded, transcribed, edited, and then returned back to the client in a few days.
Life Story Project
· An invitation to explore meaning and purpose, and love and relationships. An emphasis on receiving meaning through the process of story-telling about your successes, failures, highs and lows, stories that haven’t been told, apologies that were never given, and regret or guilt that hasn’t been processed.
· Life Story retelling may be one long session answering all the questions, or multiple sessions that only answer a couple of questions and evolves organically.
· The conversation is recorded, transcribed, edited, and then returned back to the client in a few days.
Vigil Planning
· A document to give your family and friends so that they can know exactly how you want your last days to proceed.
· Vigil planning is ‘best case scenario’ expectations for your environment and for visitors as you enter the final stages of dying.
Letter Project
· An opportunity to review the Seven Tasks of Life Review by The Stanford Letter Project, choose which task you would like to complete, and create a letter based on the task.
· After writing your letter, you may send it to me, we will schedule a video call, and I will provide a sacred container for you to read your letter aloud and expound on the details and the process of writing the letter.
· This is NOT a therapy session. There is no cognitive restructuring, reframing, reconceptualizing, and no directional guidance. Solely a safe space to speak to an active listener.