About Me

There's an old adage that says, "When the student is ready, the teacher appears." No truer words reflect my experience when describing my path to becoming a doula. My inspiration for pursuing this work began when I was a young nurse in my early twenties. It was then that I experienced my parents' deaths from terminal illnesses. Coincidentally, in the short ten months between my mother's death and that of my father's, I was notified that I secured a spot to attend Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's weeklong workshop entitled Life, Death, and Transition. I was an eager student able to sit at the feet of ‘the’ expert on death and dying. My experience at Dr. Ross's workshop was life-altering. Not only did my experience affect my personal development, but it was foundational in developing my views about the end of life.

Subsequently, I went on to enjoy a satisfying 40 plus year career as an RN, specializing primarily in mental health. It's a field where interpersonal interactions and strong listening skills are fundamental to delivering quality care. In 2015 when I was thinking about my next career move, I attended the inaugural meeting of the Massachusetts Coalition for Serious Illness Care. It was here that my long-held passion for tackling the topic of end-of-life care was reignited. The focus of the day-long meeting centered on articulating the coalition's mission "to ensure that health care for everyone in Massachusetts is in accordance with their goals, values, and preferences at all stages of life." Dr. Atul Gawande, author of Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End, was a keynote speaker. I was in "student mode," listening intently as Dr. Gawande recounted patient scenarios that illustrated the critical importance of identifying what matters to us as we age or when facing a serious or life-limiting illness. The stories told by Dr. Gawande were compelling. They illustrated how quickly our circumstances can change, resulting in lost opportunities to communicate our values and treatment decisions. I left the seminar that day knowing I wanted to dedicate myself to advancing the coalition's mission.

Although I knew what direction I wanted to pursue, I had no idea how to accomplish my goal. So, I left my full-time nursing position without a plan in an uncharacteristic leap of faith. My next step was to seek guidance from my Reiki teacher, who recommended that I explore becoming a death doula. It was the first time I heard the label. I only knew of doulas working to support women during pregnancy and birth.

Once again, I found myself ready to become a student. My teacher appeared in the form of Suzanne O'Brien, RN, founder of The International Doulagivers® Institute. So, in the Spring of 2020, I enrolled in Doulagiversᵀᴹ Training Program. Through the training, I enhanced my existing nursing competencies. I gained additional knowledge and skills that help me educate and empower people to create a self-directed end-of-life plan. In addition, it prepared me to be at the bedside where I can assist individuals and families create a warm and peaceful environment that eases the transition to death and a graceful parting.

I have now come full circle, returning to my "calling”, inspired so many years ago when I met Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross.