Today is National Death Doula Day and we are celebrating with a very special podcast and free family caregiver training!   Death used to be revered as a sacred part of our life’s journey. It is only within the last 100 years that we've absolutely removed the end of life from being a natural component of our lives.    This removal of end of life has, in my opinion, caused death to become 1,000 times more difficult for both patients and family members.    End of life can be a positive and sacred experience. It is with the right education, kindness, and support that we ca ..read more

The goal of the International Doulagivers Institute is to support communities worldwide with free end-of-life doula community caregiver training. Doulagivers International recognizes that education and engagement are the keys to a peaceful passing. One of the organization's key initiatives is Death Doula Training for Families via their Annual World Training Day event - a free public education program that empowers families and takes the fear out of the end of life.   One of our greatest examples of just who worldwide this initiative and movement is can be found in looking to our Doulagive ..read more

I believe that this is the true purpose of this life’s journey. To find what your gift is to share in this world and make it a better place for everyone in it.  This can ONlY come from listening to your heart. Where is it calling you to go, and then having the courage to do it.  You are the ONLY one that knows what your purpose is and you are the ONlY one that can make it happen. In this week’s podcast, I have the great pleasure of interviewing Amy McLaren and we talk all about her new book It’s called Passion to Purpose: A Seven-Step Journey to Shed Self-Doubt, Find Inspir ..read more

Big Ideas: Finding Your Purpose [5:06] – As an elementary school teacher, Amy enjoyed her life, but knew that she wasn’t fulfilled. She felt called to helping others internationally and it led her to forming her mission to help build schools for children affected by conflict in Kenya. She always had a passion for traveling the world and was able to channel her entrepreneurial work to feed that passion. There was a sense inside her that her life needed a change, and she followed that inspiration to create the life of her dreams. We all have to start somewhere, and when you feel pulled to a new ..read more

Big Ideas: What is a Health Care Proxy? [00:20] – There is a document called an Advance Directive. It is split into two parts – a Living Will and a Health Care Proxy. The Living Will states what you want or what you don’t want in terms of care if you were to become terminally ill. The Health Care Proxy is a person appointed by you to speak your wishes listed in the Living Will for you in the event that you become incapacitated and cannot speak for yourself. Depending on what state you live in, a Health Care Proxy may also be known as a Health Care Surrogate, or a Health Care Power of Attorney ..read more

Big Ideas: What is a Health Care Proxy? [00:20] – There is a document called an Advance Directive. It is split into two parts – a Living Will and a Health Care Proxy. The Living Will states what you want or what you don’t want in terms of care if you were to become terminally ill. The Health Care Proxy is a person appointed by you to speak your wishes listed in the Living Will for you in the event that you become incapacitated and cannot speak for yourself. Depending on what state you live in, a Health Care Proxy may also be known as a Health Care Surrogate, or a Health Care Power of Attorney ..read more

Big Ideas: 1.What is a Shared Death Experience [6:56] – A shared death experience occurs when somebody is dying and a caregiver, loved one, or a bystander feels like they shared in that person’s transition. In some cases, this person will observe the initial stages of the afterlife – where they see the dying person there or sense that it is where they are going. It is sharing the journey of the experience with the dying person. It is the movement from this human experience through the portal of death to another realm of existence and the observer feels like they shared in that journey.   ..read more

Big Ideas: 1.The Definition of Forgiveness [1:29] – Forgiveness is not condoning or excusing someone else’s actions. We are all responsible for our actions. Forgiveness is your key in this life’s journey for transformation and healing. Forgiveness is not condoning or excusing anyone’s behavior or actions, but rather, removing your energetic attachment to their behavior and actions. 2.The Energetic Cost of Anger and Resentment [5:00] – It takes a lot of energy to be angry and resentful towards other people. If someone hurt you in the past and you hold onto that hurt every day and it boils over ..read more

Big Ideas: What are Bedside Visitations [00:59] – Many times there is a space in the end of life where people who have died before “come back” to the bedside of the patient. I am told they return to help the other person cross over to the other side. In the Doulagivers Training, we have a section called, “Indications that Someone is Headed into the Transition Phase.” One of these common indications is that the patient will see loved ones that have died already or even Angelic Figures at the bedside. In my experience, having worked with over one thousand people at the end of life from all diff ..read more

Big Ideas: Defining Dementia and Alzheimer’s [1:35] - Dementia is a general term for a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with functions of daily living. Alzheimer’s disease is a mental decline that shows up first as loss of memory function and is a form of Dementia. Brain lesions, called amyloid plaques, accumulate causing a declining ability to cope as brain cells die. It is a neurodegenerative disorder. People can live an average of 7 to14 years after the initial diagnosis. Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases. It is the most common form of ..read more