Services
My role as a Grief and End of Life Doula is to walk alongside you and your loved ones through life’s most difficult transitions.
Below are just a few of my more common services. Every service can be combined, as the entire process will be tailored specifically for your needs and new services can be created just for you. While I am based out of Portland, OR, many of these services can also be done online, and I am more than happy to travel to provide in person vigil or end of life work. Set up a Discovery Call to learn more.
Grief is a natural part of being human, but that doesn’t necessarily make it easier. Grief can be all encompassing, leaving us feeling out of control of our lives. Whether you’re grieving from the loss of a loved on, chronic illness or terminal diagnosis, or grieving the state of the world, you don’t have to go through this alone.
Grief work can take many forms, from a group sessions with the family and loved ones following a death to ongoing one-on-one coaching for those who are needing extra support and guidance. Grief is not a problem to be fixed, but rather a process to honor. Grief is a natural, very human part of love, and grief coaching is about integrating and honoring your loss.
Grief Coaching
End of Life Coaching
This offering is for those who are looking for emotional and spiritual support while approaching end of life, regardless of age, diagnosis, or timeline.
End of life Coaching can help you come to a place of peace and acceptance of death. Together we can work through fears, anxieties, regrets, anger, and anything else that may be coming up for you during this difficult transition.
End of Life Coaching is geared towards the individual nearing end of life, but it can also include family members in a group setting as we work together to process grief around the upcoming changes.
The days and hours leading to death is referred to as a Vigil, and doing Vigil work is one of my greatest honors in this life. In planning, we will set an intentional space for you or your loved one to pass, regardless of if it happens at home or in a facility. These details are as unique as you are, with the music, scents, readings, traditions, and rituals that are cherished by you. Vigil Planning starts with initial meetings (typically two sessions) and from there myself, family, and loved ones will follow the Vigil plan to ensure that final wishes are being met. In case of a sudden, unexpected death where there is no time for initial planning, I am available to work with loved ones to create an impromptu vigil in the moment of need.
While I do not need to be present for the vigil to assist with the planning, having a doula on site allows loved ones to be supported while focusing on final moments without having to tend to logistics. Vigils can take several days, and a Doula can provide much needed relief when family members need to take a moment to tend to their own self care.
Vigil Services include an integration/processing session with loved ones after the passing. This offering is complimentary regardless of if the family choses to continue on with Integration and Grief Coaching.
Please note, Vigil and End of Life services are not a substitution for medical or hospice care. I am not a medical professional, and I am unable to provide medical care, advice, or prescribe or administer medications.
Vigil Planning and Facilitation
It can be difficult to return to a sense of “normal” after an intense life experience. These events can include near death experiences, loss of a loved one, psychedelic journeys, sudden injury, and life altering moments. Integration coaching can support you in making sense of what happened and allow you to incorporate the event into your life. Life altering events can make you feel like you’ve been fractured, and integration coaching can support you in feeling whole again.
Integration Coaching
Creating something to leave behind for your loved ones can be incredibly impactful for coming to a place of acceptance regarding death, as can creating a project to celebrate the life of your loved one. Here I can help envision, guide, facilitate, and as needed, assist in the creation of these projects. Ideally the person approaching End of Life will be guiding this process according to their wishes, but circumstance does not always allow for this.
A legacy project can take many forms, including but not limited to scrapbooks, video messages, recording of stories, memories, and songs, household projects, and artistic creations created by the family. My background as a filmmaker, story teller, and artist are particularly useful in facilitating these visions to come to life to be cherished for generations to come. I am honored to offer Soul Portraits in remembrance of your loved ones, and I would love to talk more to you about this as a full legacy offering, or in combination with other projects. Please visit my art site to see examples of Soul Portraits.
Legacy/Remembrance Projects
Psilocybin, also known as “magic mushrooms” has a long lineage of helping people facing life’s difficulties, including depression, ptsd, grief and end of life, and is backed by a significant amount of emerging science. While it is not appropriate for everyone, many find the experience of taking psilocybin with the guidance of a trained facilitator to be extremely helpful in their healing path.
Oregon is trailblazing the path for legal work with this time honored medicine, and I am excited to be one of the first licensed Oregon Psilocybin Services Facilitators. We are currently anticipating being able to offer this healing modality starting in late 2023. Please note that per the law, all sessions must be done in the state of Oregon at legally registered service centers. For more information or to be placed on my waiting list, please email alison.grayson.coaching@gmail.com.
