If you are reading this you are curious, and have a need to connect, with someone to accompany you as you navigate towards the end of life. This page shares a bit about who I am, with an aim to see if we are a good fit to engage together in your journey ahead.
As a trained death doula, I provide emotional support and practical guidance in the dying process for individuals and the loved ones who support them. My approach brings light and clarity to death and dying. Together, we discover and implement things into the dying, death, and grieving processes that might not normally be done.
Death care for who?
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People who are dying or terminally ill
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Supporters and carers of the dying or terminally ill
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People who are grieving
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People who have experienced the sudden death of a loved one, including suicide, overdose or bad supply
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Pet parents
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People who are experiencing anxiety with the concept of death, and need a safe space to talk about those feelings
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People going through the process of/ coping after an elected abortion.
Location
I work within end of life care systems including hospices, hospitals, and folks at home in Bristol.
Some of my sessions can be held online - See Services for more information
My Journey
My exposure to dying people, people in pain & suffering, and loved ones in grief combined with my passion for helping others, created a calling within me to this work.
I first learned what a death doula is when working in the Downtown Eastside of so-called Vancouver, Canada. In my role as a shelter support worker, I worked alongside folks experiencing precarious housing, addiction and mental health issues. Here I encountered death on a frequent basis and was exposed to a variety of traditional medicine healing journeys. Years later, I began volunteering as a support worker on a suicide crisis line. As I spent more time talking to hundreds of callers about their pain, suffering, hopelessness and wanting to die, I knew I needed to gain more insight into the dying process and become more equipped with skills to support these people. I studied Contemplative End of Life Care certificate training at the Institute of Traditional Medicine in Canada. This program transformed how I understand the dying experience, and equipped me with the skills and knowledge to support a more peaceful experience for people at the end of their life. It is because of this that I am dedicated to serve as a loving carer and death doula.
I combine my intuitive sensitivity with the logistical skills I have gained from working in operations in the charity sector for the past 8 years. With my support in planning and organization, we will work through together to ensure all your needs are met. Together, we will create an end of life care plan that anticipates your needs as well as considers post mortem wishes. Not only will our work together give you a sense of control knowing your affairs are in order, but also peace in knowing that these decisions help to minimize burdens for your loved ones.
Finally, I bring a trauma-informed, anti-oppression approach to end of life care. This involves safety, empowerment, and healing. I have an understanding of anti-racism, anti-oppression, harm reduction, cultural safety, and structural vulnerability. I am committed to continual learning and bring a client-centred approach to each end of life experience that I support.
Being invited into the intimate spaces created by the end of life is an opportunity I do not take lightly. I continue to contemplate and study the ways that I want to show up in these spaces that allow safety, authenticity and healing.