End-of-Life Coaching

A Thanadoula serves the dying. Recognizing the person who is dying as the expert of his/her life, a Thanadoula offers a quality of presence “being with dying” that can transform the experience of dying to one filled with meaning and grace.

As an advocate for the dying and their family, I help the dying and their loved ones understand and navigate the dying process to alleviate and transform fears and family tensions common to the death and dying experience into acceptance, strength, and peace.

“What you possess in the world will be found at the day of your death to belong to someone else. But what you are will be yours forever.” Henry Van Dyke

Mindful Living ~ Conscious Dying

I offer the dying person and their family information about the process and experience of dying, based on current and traditional knowledge and practices. My aim is to help those involved develop an understanding of both the inner and outer transitions and signs of the dying process and provide compassionate support to help the dying make informed choices that are aligned with their values, that honour life for a peaceful transition.

Together, we assess your needs and design a service agreement based on the following support services, and your family’s values, beliefs, and practices:

Education, Information, and Application

  • Living and coping with a serious illness – exploring care options and resources and personal needs to identify what’s important to address
  • End of life expectations about the dying process and palliative care/hospice support
  • Communicating about dying and death (compassionate, direct and intentional communications and when to use which)
  • Guided imagery and Therapeutic Touch sessions for pain and symptom management
  • Grief and Bereavement (Help with emotions, resolving tensions and unfinished business, and final goodbyes) 

Advocacy and Advance Planning

  • Mediation or advocacy support in complex situations relating to the end of living care.
  • Supports development and implementation of Advance Care Directives and Living Will
  • After death care planning, vigil, funeral and memorial services
  • Heart legacy and ceremony design

Designing Family Care Team Structure and Schedule

Consultation and collaboration with healthcare team and family members to determine needs (creating Healing circles – family and community support)

  • Daily/weekly plans
  • Supportive services providing a continuum of care in the days, months, or years before the end of life, helping patients find new meaning, sources of strength, and ways to make a genuine connection with self and loved ones.
  • Respite, mindfulness training and support for primary caregivers to prevent burnout. Working with thoughts and emotions mindfully.

Companionship, Contemplative End of Life Coaching

  • Being with dying that may include: creating sacred space, active, mindful listening or just sitting quietly, development of heart will, memory books, (Helping patients find new meaning, sources of strength, and ways to make a genuine connection with self and loved ones)
  • Contemplative end of life coaching may include powerful questions that invite the dying person to look within to find answers, already there, yet not acknowledged leading to acceptance, healing, and forgiveness.

Vigil Services

  • Being with dying – accepting and transforming suffering (Assessing and responding to the needs of the dying)
  • Facilitating essential connection for healing and the moment of death
  • Developing mourning rituals for loved ones to transform grief and create meaning.

Our Thanadoula, End of Life Coaching services honours the dying person’s wisdom and helps them explore ways to live and grow through their dying process supported by family and friends, where that is possible.

Let’s talk about your vision, hopes and values and how to ensure that your wishes will be fulfilled. Contact Us.

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