“I’m alive,” my hospice client answers after I ask him how he is today. I find myself at a crossroads. Do I take an easy out or lean in? I could keep it light and respond with a smile and some humor, e.g., “I can see that.” Or, I could ask if there’s more he… Continue reading Don’t Skirt the Serious Stuff
My initiation into the realm of end-of-life care presented itself unexpectedly when my grandfather was dying. I showed up largely unprepared for what I was entering into, which is the case for all doula work, truly. We don’t know exactly what will be asked of us or how we’ll support ahead of time. My grandmother… Continue reading Death Doula Initiation
As doulas, we enter into our clients’ end-of-life and grief journeys as our(whole)selves. This includes not only kindness and patience, but also our conditioning and triggers as well. We are not empty vessels. We carry hushed reminders of past trauma, festering wounds, and unrecognized assumptions. We are not void of dynamic humanness—thankfully so. In truth,… Continue reading Whole Selves and Shadow Sides: A Balanced Doula
In memory of Nancy Hays Gurney, Jan 4, 1956 – May 3, 2005 15 years. Fifteen years since the world has seen your smirk . . . since I’ve felt your hug squeeze the breath out of me, your soft raspberry bathrobe against my cheek . . . since I’ve heard you say both my… Continue reading On Knowing Enough
Grief is our natural response to a meaningful loss. Some losses are heavier than others, yet they are all valid and real. It might be a change in daily activities, losing a role we have held, transitioning to an empty nest, divorce, retirement, or a death (among others). Healthy grieving can be quite intense, especially… Continue reading Weathering the STORM of Grief
