End of Life Doula Services

Helping communities to do death better
for deeper meaning, acceptance, and a greener planet

Are you dealing with the difficult knowledge that your death is imminent? Would you like to explore meaning in your end-of-life experience? Are you concerned with carrying your eco-consciousness through to your dying day? Let me be your resource person and compassionate companion.

 

I can help you face death with dignity and peace.

 

I have been dedicating a lot of my time and energy to helping people live better with bodywork and yoga since 2008.
Dying Well is the natural extension of Living Well. Toward that goal, I present my new services.

Cultural attitudes around death and dying are changing. Medicalization and capitalism took death out of our hands as the funeral “industry” was born. But we are re-imagining ways to do death better. I will educate and hold space for whatever path you choose. I will not lead but rather, follow your chosen path, helping you to clarify your wishes and to mediate your expectation with the reality of the resources available and local legalities. I will offer a compassionate, calming presence for you and your loved ones.

Greening the after-death process

As a lifelong eco-warrior, I was dismayed to learn that our customary ways of body disposition are toxic. I aim to educate the public about this and advocate for the growing number of greener alternatives.

Vision

Supporting a terminally ill friend as she walked with grace and her eyes and heart wide open into a chosen, medically assisted death was one of the most profound and love-soaked experiences of my life. I am grateful to be living in a time when this has become a valid, valued and humane choice and want to offer my knowledge and skills to elevate the experience of dying from a medicalized event to a supported, meaningful, honouring, conscious, and even creative experience whether or not a person chooses Medical Assistance In Dying. I want to be known as a compassionate guide through the process of choosing MAID and facilitating meaningful, dare I say, beautiful deaths. I will also act as resource person and companion to those who do not choose MAID but who wish to have the best death possible.

Mission

To:

To COMPANION, EDUCATE, EMPOWER and ADVOCATE for people at the end of life and provide soothing THERAPIES to ease their journey

Services:

• guidance with advance care planning, i.e., health and personal care wishes

• clarify eligibility and the process of applying for MAID

• connect to a doctor who provides MAID

• explain details about the process of MAID both medically and legally

• discuss and plan location & set-up for MAID

• guidance for vigil and/or ritual plan

• guidance for legacy work and life review (e.g. scrapbooks, life scrolls, video farewell)

• gentle massage

• guided meditation

• therapeutic musical elements as requested: drum, flute, African harp, didgeridoo, vocal chant

• clarify what needs to be done after death in terms of administration

• greener and creative body disposition options

• guidance for after-death care i.e. home funeral or life celebration

• follow-up reprocessing with loved ones after the death

• referral for strategies for managing grief

 

Initial half-hour phone or video call to ascertain what services will be desired is free.

 

Support packages for end-of-life begin at

$400 (plus HST) which includes a minimum of 4 visits/sessions a minimum of 1-hour each.

 

Single consultation $150 (plus HST). Addressing all the concerns derived from our initial chat, helping you to create a plan.

 

If I were able to be there during the final hours of dying, that would be included in the contract.

 

Customized packages are available on request.

 

Member of the Death Doulas of Ontario Network