What we do
As Death Doulas
As a culture and as a society we acknowledge beginnings, we acknowledge personal and physical growth, and we acknowledge all important milestones in our lives with rituals and celebrations. Death Doulas feel it is as important to plan for our death as it is to plan for all the important milestones in our lives. That planning should involve the same passion and reverence as planning for life milestones because death conversations, death planning, and funeral rituals are the acknowledgement of an ending. They are the final acknowledgement given to our human bodies before our physical bodies part ways from our spiritual bodies, and their separate journeys and transitions began. Death is a difficult topic but facilitating conversations about the end of our lives reduces fear and anxiety. Death Doulas can help with this process. Death Doulas historically originated from birth doulas and midwives. Before death became medicalized, people died at home with their families. Their bodies were prepared by their loved ones, and their funerals were performed by family or clergy, many times out of the deceased’s own home. Women who provided doula services and midwife services were the same women called to assist with vigils, support, and to prepare bodies for burial. Death Doulas/End of Life Doulas/Death Midwives (both men and women) now focus on providing end of life services and planning, support, creating sacred spaces, organizing and facilitating legacy and life review projects, vigils, as well as after death body care and officiating home funerals.
As a Company
Guided Crossings offers:
1. Consultations – to discuss the needs and wants of the terminally ill client and family, answer questions, and facilitate difficult discussions about end of life care;
2. Death preplanning – to consult and discuss estate resolution (not to be construed as legal advice), medical powers of attorney and advance care directives, funeral preplanning, legacy projects, hospital and home deaths and the creation of rituals for the terminal client;
3. Preparation – Advance Care Directive and Medical Power of Attorney;
4. Active Vigiling and After Death Processing – spending one on one in person time with the terminal client and their family to provide support and guidance during the active dying phase, with after death processing to follow;
5. Other services as requested.