Our Practitioners

My passion for end-of-life care emerged during my work as a speech language pathologist, working in hospitals. Through this, I participated in end-of-life discussions as my patients' swallowing abilities declined. I witnessed a large disconnect between how people were expressing they would want their end-of-life to look and what was occurring in hospitals and care facilities. Most people never had conversations with their loved ones about the care they would or would not like to receive and how they would want to die. 

I knew there had to be a better way - that we could restore people's autonomy and dignity at end-of-life, honoring them fully in their final chapter and removing some of this burden from their family and loved ones. Through my research, I discovered the emerging field of death doulaship, where I could serve people holistically at end-of-life and assist their families in carrying forward these final wishes. 

I have a strong passion for advance care planning prior to and/or immediately following a terminal diagnosis as this planning can bring calmness to what could otherwise be a chaotic experience. Although we cannot prevent the grief that comes with the death of someone we love, we can remove much of the stress - We can choose peace. 

My inspiration for becoming a Death Doula came with the deaths of my parents.  My mother died in 1996, and my sister and I took care of her at home.  I had a six month old baby at the time and the demands of being a mom, and the caretaker of my dying mother were overwhelming.  I had no prior exposure to the process of death or any understanding of the needs of the dying.  After my mother passed away, I felt a very strong sense of regret. I felt we had missed a sacred opportunity to help my mother transition from this world in a supportive and peaceful way. I began volunteering with my local hospice to help me cope with my grief.  This changed my perception of the dying process and I began to see it as a beautiful, normal part of life. 

When my father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2020 and given six weeks to live, I had a clear plan for how we could help make his last weeks fulfilling and sacred.  His passing, though painful, was peaceful, reverent and healing for both my family and my father. This experience inspired me to want to guide other families through this difficult time and help them have acceptance and peace with the process. My 35 years working as an Occupational Therapist have given me a strong medical background and extensive experience working with patients and their families. I want to help alleviate people’s fear of death and dying, assist the medical community in providing the most comfortable end of life experience possible for the patient, and be a supportive guide for patients and their families to navigate the dying process.