beyond disease

"Bringing grief and death out of the shadow is our spiritual responsibility, our sacred duty. By so doing, we may be able to feel our desire for life once again, and remember who we are, where we belong, and what is sacred."

Francis Weller

soulful grief and death care

Dying is not something that happens to us, it is something that we do. Having worked with many cancer patients over the years, this is what I know to be true: dying is not a punishment; it is not a failure; it is more than medical care (though that is also important). How we face our dying days will leave an imprint on our loved ones for the rest of their lives. Delaying end of life conversations increases distress and confusion and burdens those involved. The longer we delay end of life preparation, the harder it becomes to face it. End of life conversations and planning can free us to live more fully in the time that remains. We don’t have a choice in whether we die or not, but we may very well have a choice in how we show up for it. How we approach our dying days can teach our loved ones how to face tremendous challenges with courage and grace. In the midst of sorrow and the heartbreak of death, we may leave those we love with a deeply meaningful and healing experience that they hold sacred for the rest of their lives.

Regardless of health status and diagnosis, I believe that healing is more than a cure, and something available to us even in our dying. It's an honor to work with those facing terminal illness whether it be hands-on holistic care or end of life planning. Soulful Death Care is available before or alongside traditional palliative care and hospice services. I also cherish the opportunity to support those exploring their relationship to death and grief long before the end is near.

before the end is near

when death approaches

Learning to walk alongside death and grief, while recognizing them as inseparable and necessary parts of life, expands our inclination toward compassion, love, and courage. It teaches us how to be with others in hard times. Cultivating our understanding of death and grief long before the end is near deepens our capacity for the joy, beauty, and sweetness of vibrant living. It clarifies what's important and true in our hearts, and helps us face life's transitions. On a collective scale, it begins to challenge the materialism, disconnection, and frenzied pace of modern society, bringing us into deep belonging with our ancestors, our communities, and the Earth.

Soulful Death Care:

planning (in person or online)

End of life preparation and education when the end is near and when it is not. We inquire into a number of domains and needs including practical emotional, spiritual, physical, and legacy with the goal of finding ways to enrich life now and at the end.

Soulful Death Care:

natural holistic support (in person)

In-person hands-on comfort care when the end nears: Offerings may include therapeutic touch, acupuncture, sound healing, breath work, aromatherapy, and other techniques for pain relief, relaxation, and emotional wellbeing. These services offer comfort and support to people facing the end of life as well as their loved ones/care givers.

Soulful Grief Tending:

(in person or online)

The landscape of grief is not meant to be walked alone. Healthy grief includes sorrow and heartbreak, but grief it is not just a feeling, it is also what we do. Grief is not meant to be "meditated away" or something to "get over". Conscious courageous grieving can nourish the heart, our ancestors, and the Earth, because it makes room to honor the sorrow, and also to celebrate the love and beauty of those we have lost.

grief and death doula offerings

"Joy is not the opposite of grief. Grief is the opposite of indifference.

Malkia Devich-Cyril

ancestral lineage healing

I am not a medium or a psychic. In this work, I function to guide and hold safe ritual space as we work together to build your own connection with your people. After an initial assessment, I guide you in a six step process with each of your four primary lineages; each lineage generally taking 5-7 sessions to harmonize and complete

Our ancestral connections extend far beyond genetic health predispositions; after all our ancestors reside not only in our bodies, but also our psyches, in the lands, and waters. Cultivating our relationship to our ancestors and tending to those who have died has been an important cultural, ritual, and spiritual practice across cultures for millennia.

Mending our connection to our ancestral lineage and ensuring our loved ones' wellbeing after death can begin to unravel generational patterns of wounding and pain. It can also open us up to the blessings and wisdom of our people as well as to our deep belonging to the Earth.

foundational principles

the process

Ancestral Lineage Healing, developed by Dr. Daniel Foor, starts with the understanding that some part of our consciousness continues after death. It acknowledges that not all who die are at rest and equally well, and that the living and dead can impact one another . Ancestral Lineage Healing recognizes our ability to tap into ways of knowing and connecting to consciousness beyond the everyday physical realm using intuitive, somatic, and meditative states.

this work is for you if

You feel disconnected from your ancestry

You experience challenges in your biological or adopted relationships

You see problematic or painful patterns repeating through the generations

You feel as if you carry the weight of ancestral trauma

You do not experience the benefits of ancestral blessings

You find your life’s path is blocked and suspect it may involve ancestral troubles

You are willing to engage in a guided heart-centered intuitive process

“When we reconcile with ancestors who experienced different types of persecution or who enacted violence and oppression, we make repairs in our personal psyches and family histories that, in turn, mend cracks in the larger spirit of humanity."

Daniel Foor

psychedelic integration

"The doors to the world of the wild self are few but precious. If you have a deep scar, that is a door, if you have an old, old story, that is a door. If you love the sky and the water so much you almost cannot bear it, that is a door. If you yearn for a deeper life, a full life, a sane life, that is a door."

Clarissa Pinkola Estes