Jane

As I reflect on my journey to this point, I credit so much of my awakening to the traumatic loss of a loved one as a teenager. 

Inititally this path overwhelmed me and felt rocky beyond my comprehension. It was long, uncharted territory in a time when talking out loud about death and grief was even more taboo than it is today. I was filled with so many questions, very few answers, and a need to find my own way without a map.

Fast forward (though it was anything but fast) a couple of decades. By then a nurse, I was invited to co-facilitate a grief group for children, which I did for almost 20 years. Finally, my grief journey had brought me to a place where I was able to accompany others on their own journeys, letting them know they were not alone, that they would survive, could eventually thrive, and that there are many ways to live our lives in honor of those we have lost.

As an RN I found my calling yet again, spending the last 8 years of my career as a Hospice Nurse. As gratifying as it was to manage patients' symptoms in order to make their experience more comfortable, I was incredibly limited in the amount of time I could spend with each patient. I didn't have the advantage of getting to know what was truly important to them at the most significant level of heart and soul.

Sacred Passage End-of-Life Doula training through Conscious Dying Institute has given me many more tools for serving the dying and those close to them. Guiding and nurturing others through this journey is my passion and honor.

I'm also a graduate of the Conscious Dying Educator program and work as one of their online Teaching Assistant accompanying future Sacred Passage Doulas along their journeys.

I have learned that practices in nurturing myself are imperative to my work as an End-of-Life Doula. From that place, with an open heart, I'm able to mindfully meet others where their truth is, with focus on what is important to patient and support people in the moment. Authentic communication and active listening are keys to unlocking stories, emotions, and ultimately, the needs of the dying person and their loved ones.

Guiding others through a process of identifying what will make end-of-life most meaningful is one of the most powerful planning processes I offer. It is a beautiful way to get to the heart of priorities  and to guide others in exploring possibilities for manifesting the best experience they can.