Background & Training​

My fundamental practice philosophy, in every capacity I work with people in, is to resolve obstacles and reduce suffering. I encourage thinking, habits, and actions that will lean us towards mending in ourselves, in our relationships, and in the world.  

 

I began my journey in death work as a Funeral Celebrant in 2007 and, due to curiosity about how people die, I've been learning ever since. There were no training options for death doulas when I began. Through trial and error I figured out how and where to learn what I needed to know to support the folks who find me. As I write this in 2022, there are waiting lists for doula programs and I celebrate having many new colleagues to continue learning with.

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For the last decade I have focused on being an End-of-life Navigator, expanding my skills and professional networks. In addition to being a trained EOLD, I have been a hospice volunteer and currently serve on the Board of a local hospice program. I completed chaplaincy training in a major regional trauma center. I work with elders in a volunteer organization that supports 'aging well at home'. I am a burial shroud maker and a published author. I facilitate health education workshops to help people manage chronic illness and pain, workshops on burial shrouding, and workshops on climate grieving. 

 

I completed End of Life Doula Certification at the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont. I earned an advanced diploma in coaching from New York University, and a certificate in positive psychology coaching from The Wellbeing Institute. I am a graduate of the College of Public and Community Service & the University Without Walls at the University of Massachusetts. I have a B.A. in mediation and conflict resolution. ​