04/03/2024 – I have an exciting announcement! On Tuesday, April 16, 2024, which is also National Healthcare Decisions Day, from 3-4:30 p.m., I am hosting an event at the Richland Public Library, compliments of Prepare For your Care.org. This non-profit provides a movie illustrating medical decision- making, how to choose and discuss healthcare proxy with loved ones, and how to begin conversations around advance directive and durable power of attorney for health care choices. This is another step in the direction of learning how to discuss dying and death so that plans are in place before they are needed. This helps to reduce anxiety and fear-based decisions while a loved one is unable to speak their wishes, leaving family to worry, debate, and spend precious time wondering if they are making the decisions their loved one would want. It is a free event. If you want to attend, please email me at [email protected]. If a virtual option is desired, reach out via email and we can discuss that.
03/23/2024 – Hello! I mentioned in my previous post that I had not decided on a name for my doula service. After much consideration, debate and advice, I have settled on While We’re Still Here Doula Services, LLC. This coincides with my podcast, blog and website and it feels right. I am excited to continue learning and sharing information and resources with you all.
03/09/2024 – Hello! It has been a busy couple of months. I have been working to create a doula collective here in my community so that families have a choice of trusted doulas to meet their needs. In addition to this, I have begun to host outreach events at the Richland Library. We meet the fourth Sunday of every month. A local realtor/notary joined us. Her expertise involves working with seniors who are looking to sell their present homes, downsize, hold estate sales, and find their next living space. She was able to bring her knowledge of real estate to respond to questions surrounding burial of loved ones on private property. Her presence was highly appreciated and her participation greatly enriched the experience. She mentioned her interest in attending future Doula Discussions. On Facebook, you can look under While We’re Still Here or Death Café Tri Cities to get details about our March meeting. If you’re over age 18, you can join us. Please be sure to reply that you are attending so we know how many folks we will have. ^^
12/01/2023 – Greetings! I want to share that I have earned the title of Certified Death Doula, or End of Life Doula. I recently published a podcast episode outlining what a death doula does (you can click on the “while we’re still here podcast” tab on the main page to listen). I have been working with folks at the end of life for years but resisted the idea of serving families professionally, for many reasons. I have worked through many of those reasons, faced and overcame the known obstacles, and have completed the training/certification with the guidance of Suzanne O’Brien, founder of Doulagivers. Presently, the role of a death doula is not regulated by any governing body so certification is not required. However, I feel that having this credential has prepared me to offer services to the dying individual and their family members.
I am practicing doula care for people facing a terminal diagnosis on a volunteer basis presently, through a local Hospice provider as well as in the home to continue honing my skills and to better understand my strengths and how I can be most helpful.
Stay Tuned – I haven’t come up with a name for this service yet so for now this site will be your information resource. You can still email me at [email protected]. I plan to make changes to this website to highlight my doula services and will include a resource page for my local families.
My podcast and blog will remain, and I hope to continue publishing regularly. The site’s look may change as far as navigation and appearance but it’s all still me, Kathy, creating the content you will see here in the future.
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988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline goes live on all devices on July 16, 2022.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is funded by SAMHSA (The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) and has been administered by Vibrant Emotional Health since it began in 2005.
The Lifeline is a national network of over 200 local, independent crisis centers equipped to help people in mental health-related distress or experiencing a suicidal crisis via call, chat, or text. The Lifeline provides free and confidential support to people in suicidal crisis or mental health-related distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, across the U.S.
Numerous studies have shown that the Lifeline works—most callers are significantly more likely to feel less depressed, less suicidal, less overwhelmed, and more hopeful after speaking to a Lifeline crisis counselor. Lifeline crisis counselors are an essential element of our crisis care system to save lives. This network has been massively underfunded and under-resourced. This patchwork of local, state, and private funding for the network has fallen way short of meeting the need. That’s why, in anticipation of the expected increase in volume of 988, it’s crucial that we shore up the infrastructure of the Lifeline and support the local crisis centers.
Disaster Distress Helpline
https://www.samhsa.gov 1-800-985-5990 SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Helpline provides 24/7, 365-day-a-year crisis counseling and support to people experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Disaster Distress Helpline is a 24/7, 365-day-a-year, national hotline dedicated to crisis counseling and support to people experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters. This toll-free, multilingual, and confidential crisis support service is available to all residents in the United States and its territories, as well as tribes.