We will work together to design the specific services that fit your needs.

No two paths are exactly the same, so your support plan should be as unique as you. I offer services including (but not limited to) those listed below. Please reach out for clarification of anything listed or not listed here.

Select the category below to jump to the section most relevant to you.

End-of-Life Care
Grief Support
Caregiver Support

For People Confronting Their Own End-of-Life

  • Facing your mortality can bring up a lot of feelings, questions, and the need to just talk. I won’t turn away from the things you want to explore, even if they seem taboo or morbid. I will be present with you to think through existential topics that might feel a little daunting to face alone. I want to be a companion who can engage thoughtfully and bring wisdom from my years of study and working with others through similar processes.

    I bring a secular approach to my services, and instead focus on your personal spiritual path, questions, and beliefs only as you wish to bring them into the conversation. I approach your path with shared curiosity and a learner’s mindset.

  • Acknowledging that you will die one day doesn’t mean your life is over. I want to help you enjoy the life you are living while you are here. I am happy to engage in conversation, creative activities, reading, listening to or watching media, outings, or other activities as you want and are capable. I can assist in coordinating with care teams as needed to support your quality of life to the last breath. I have experience providing socialization to people with Alzheimer’s and dementia and will gladly provide supportive socialization for you or your loved one.

  • I have pursued years of formal and informal education about death, dying, and grief, and I am pleased to share any information that is helpful to you on your path. Depending on your questions, I may recommend reading, podcasts, videos, or films from subject matter experts. I can assist with questions about body disposition and dying at home, end-of-life documents, Voluntarily Stopping Eating and Drinking (VSED), when and why to explore hospice, talking to family members about death, the process of grieving the life you are leaving behind and the potential not yet lived, and more.

  • Clear guidelines for your loved ones to follow after your death can be one of the last and best gifts you give them. I can assist you with figuring out what documents you may need or want to complete, talking through tough questions about your desires if you are not able to make decisions for yourself, notarizing eligible documents, writing down your instructions for others following your death, organizing a notebook for loved ones to have access to your instructions, and making sure you have peace of mind around your final arrangements.

  • A life review is the process of telling the story of one’s life, including important events, people, accomplishments, and memories. Engaging in a life review can help you gain new perspective, identify things that feel unresolved, and find meaning in your life as you have lived it. I can assist you in using writing prompts to work through your own story, or engaging in an interview-style process where we identify important elements and make meaning together.

    I can also help you take action on anything that comes up in the life review process that could help you make peace with things from your past or things you wish were different in your present.

  • Everyone leaves a legacy in this world, but do you know what yours will be? I can guide you through defining legacy for yourself and deciding if there is a project or plan to be completed by you alone, in cooperation with me, alongside loved ones, or by loved ones later. Many legacy projects are tangible things that you or loved ones can create, but they may also include planned charitable donations or asking others to take action in your memory. Together we can plan what feels true to who you are and the mark you want to leave on the world.

  • Finding peace at the end-of-life can often involve addressing things that feel incomplete. This can be anything from figuring out who will get prized heirlooms, to reaching out to an estranged friend you haven’t talked to in years. I can assist you in figuring out what feels undone and making a plan to take action. Whether it’s a Swedish Death Cleaning (a popular method of letting go of possessions that you don’t plan to pass down), or arranging a Living Funeral where your loved ones can celebrate you while you are still here, I can help you plan ahead for your exit.

  • If your caregiver or care team is on call all day every day, exhaustion can get in the way of being able to enjoy their time with you. Caregiver respite is a peace-of-mind service that allows them to take a break for a few hours while I provide companionship or other services. Whether they need to go to run personal errands, engage in some self-care, or just take a nap, I can make sure they have a chance to step away without worry.

  • Sometimes a little help around the house can make a big difference. I can provide assistance with light errands, household tasks, pet care, and other small things as agreed upon as a part of regular visits.

  • Family and friends can run into a lot of emotional difficulties when facing a death. Some loved ones are ready and willing to be involved with an open heart. For others, anticipatory grief (the feelings that come up when you are expecting a future loss) can show up as dysfunctional patterns, anger, avoidance, overwhelm, and disagreement among other things. Let’s talk about how I can help communicate your wants and needs in a way that your loved ones can hear and provide them with information that invites them to show up as well as they are able.

  • The vigil takes place as someone enters the active dying stage where their body begins to prepare for death. This can last hours or days, depending on factors relating to physical status, illness, symptom management, medications, personal choices, and more.

    Planning for a vigil involves deciding and documenting what the space around the dying person should look, feel, smell, and sound like. We can document instructions and create a kit to help set up the room according to your preferences, and provide instructions for loved ones on how you want them to enter, behave, and leave your bedside.

    Sitting vigil involved a death doula acting as a coordinator and being personally present at the bedside. I can help visitors adhere to your wishes, and advocate for you as needed when you are not able to do so yourself. I can provide loved ones with immediate support in the moments leading up to and following the last breath and promote a sacred space according to your desires.

  • While I do not provide funeral direction services, I can assist you in planning and documenting a ritual that aligns with your wishes and who you are. We can plan alone or with your loved ones and build an after-death ritual that feels comforting, realistic, and truly sacred. If helpful to you and your loved ones, I can also be present to assist and provide support to loved ones as they carry out the ritual.

For Caregivers and Loved Ones of People Who are Dying

  • Facing your loved one’s illness and mortality can bring up a lot of feelings, questions, and the need to just talk. I won’t turn away from the things you want to explore, even if they seem taboo or morbid. I will be present with you to think through topics that might feel a little daunting to face alone. I want to be a companion who can engage thoughtfully and bring wisdom from my years of study and working with others through similar processes.

    I bring a secular approach to my services, and instead focus on your personal spiritual path, questions, and beliefs only as you wish to bring them into the conversation. I approach your path with shared curiosity and a learner’s mindset.

  • I have pursued years of formal and informal education about death, dying, and grief, and I am pleased to share any information that is helpful to you on your path. Depending on your questions, I may recommend reading, podcasts, videos, or films from subject matter experts. I can assist with questions about body disposition and dying at home, end-of-life documents, Voluntarily Stopping Eating and Drinking (VSED), when and why to explore hospice, talking to family members about death, the process of grieving the life you are leaving behind and the potential not yet lived, and more.

  • Caregivers, family, and friends can help with or create a project to be completed in recognition their loved ones who are dying or have died. Many legacy projects are tangible things you can create, but they may also include planned charitable donations or shared activities. Together we can create a project that reflects your loved one’s unique presence in the world so their legacy and memory live on.

  • For caregivers, getting affairs in order can mean getting help with things like arranging visitation for others, contacting family or friends about a death, or going through a loved one’s possessions. I can help to coach you through what can often be a challenging experience.

  • If you are on call all day every day, exhaustion can get in the way of being able to enjoy your time with your loved one. Caregiver respite is a peace-of-mind service that allows you to take a break for a bit while I provide companionship or other services. Whether you need to run personal errands, engage in some self-care, or just take a nap, I can make sure you have a chance to step away without worry.

  • Sometimes a little help around the house can make a big difference. I can provide assistance with light errands, household tasks, pet care, and other small things as agreed upon as a part of regular visits.

  • Family and friends can run into a lot of emotional difficulties when facing a death. Some loved ones are ready and willing to be involved with an open heart. For others, anticipatory grief (the feelings that come up when you are expecting a future loss) can show up as dysfunctional patterns, anger, avoidance, overwhelm, and disagreement among other things. Let’s talk about how I can help all those involved communicate in a way that invites them to show up as well as they are able.

    For caregivers, this might involve facilitating conversations about caring responsibilities, assistance setting up a meal train, or help reaching out to others about needs related to your loved one’s care.

  • The vigil takes place as someone enters the active dying stage where their body begins to prepare for death. This can last hours or days, depending on factors relating to physical status, illness, symptom management, medications, personal choices, and more.

    Sometimes a caregiver is responsible for planning when a person can no longer make decisions for themselves, which can feel like too much if you’re already coordinating everything else.

    I can help you plan and coordinate what the space around the dying person should look, feel, smell, and sound like. We can document instructions and create a kit to help set up the room according to your preferences, and provide instructions for loved ones on how you want them to enter, behave, and leave the bedside.

    Sitting vigil involves a death doula acting as a coordinator and being personally present at the bedside. I can help visitors adhere to the expectations of the space, provide you with immediate support in the moments leading up to and following the last breath, and promote a sacred space according to your desires.

  • While I do not provide funeral direction services, I can assist you in planning a ritual that aligns with your wishes and who you are. We can plan alone or with other loved ones and build an after-death ritual that feels comforting, realistic, and truly sacred. If helpful, I can also be present to assist and provide support to loved ones as they carry out the ritual.

    Rituals can take place immediately following a death or long after. For example, I can assist you in planning a ritual to distribute ashes, mark an important date or anniversary, or involve the memory of your loved one in an important moment.

For People Who are Grieving a Significant Loss or Transition

  • I facilitate workshops and group grieving experiences to help you work through your grief alongside others who have gone through similar losses. Grief needs to be witnessed and tended for us to build the skills and strength needed to carry it through our lives.

    Groups are generally open to community, but I am happy to coordinate with you and a group of friends or family who have experienced a similar loss or transition and would like support in metabolizing and processing your feelings.

  • Facing your loved one’s illness and mortality can bring up a lot of feelings, questions, and the need to just talk. I won’t turn away from the things you want to explore, even if they seem taboo or morbid. I will be present with you to think through topics that might feel daunting to face alone. I can be a witness who listens and engages thoughtfully as I bring wisdom from my years of study, personal experience, and work with others through similar processes.

    I bring a secular approach to my services, and instead focus on your personal spiritual path, questions, and beliefs only as you wish to bring them into the conversation. I approach your path with shared curiosity and a learner’s mindset.

  • I have pursued years of formal and informal education about death, dying, and grief, and I am pleased to share any information that is helpful to you on your path. Depending on your questions, I may recommend reading, podcasts, videos, or films from subject matter experts.

  • It can sometimes help in the mourning process to create a project in recognition your loved ones who have died. Together we can plan a project that reflects your loved one’s unique presence in the world so their legacy and memory live on.

  • Often, we struggle with both the idea and the logistics of going through a loved one’s possessions. I can help to coach you through the process of figuring out when you are ready and what to do once you are.

  • Rituals don’t only take place immediately following a death. They can be a part of our lives long after a loss and we can create new ones at any time. I can assist you in planning a ritual to distribute ashes, mark an important date or anniversary, or involve the memory of your loved one in an important moment. Let’s build new traditions that honor your memories together.

  • I do not perform clinical responsibilities such as checking vitals, handling medical equipment, wound care, or administering medications of any kind. I do not give medical advice or persuade clients to follow a specific course of action or treatment.

  • I do not provide assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) e.g., personal care tasks such as bathing, dressing, toileting, feeding, etc. For the safety of myself and those I work with, I will not move clients who are unable to move under their own power safely.

  • I do not work to diagnose, treat mental illness, or direct courses of treatment for mental and emotional distress. I do not work to heal grief, which is not a disorder, but is a normal (if painful) part of the human experience.

  • I do not impose values or beliefs on others.

    I will not undermine a client's confidence in or relationship with caregiver(s).

    I will not usurp the role of other professionals and caregivers such as hospice staff, home health services, or care facility staff.

What I don’t provide

As important as what I do offer is clarity around what I don’t. If someone needs help with anything outlined below, I am happy to refer them to trusted providers or resources as I am able.

Still curious? Let's talk.
Still curious? Let's talk.