My Story

I am an INELDA Trained Death Doula, Ordained Minister, and Usui Reiki Practitioner based out of Atlanta, GA. After receiving my Bachelor's in Sociology and Psychology from Georgia State University in 2017, my curiosities for grief work began to swell. My desire to major in these fields was motivated by a large number of deaths in my life, from childhood friends, colleagues, and family members. 

 

Through each death, I found myself  bound to others, together in our grief. I felt it necessary to make space and hold vigils to honor those who had passed on. I slowly became known to my friends and family as the one they would call when their loved one died; to come and grieve, or curate vigils or plan legacy projects.  This later spread to my friends' families and so on My first legacy project was on accident completely, but I was the only way I felt I could say goodbye. I have witnessed the power of honoring the moment in and after the end of a loved one's life, and it makes a big difference when it comes to healing with the grief.  I have performed reiki on those reaching end-of-life, and found that it is a profoundly helpful experience for one to feel calming, nurturing care and energy from another amidst the rush of medical staff and worried loved ones. This can help to ease stress and provide a more peaceful experience for our loved ones in their time departing.

For my own pain journey, I suffered a few back-to-back car accidents.  A few days later, I was no longer able to move, walk, or get up from my bed. However it happened, I was never able to recover from the SI, sciatic, nerve, and spinal pain that shot through my body that day.

The agony of untouchable, chronic, invisible pain is one I wish on no one. Those who are like me, simply give up on screaming, moaning and crying out for help after so long. I got very quiet, and went within. With the guidance of my family and mentors of alternative healers, shaman practitioners, and herbalists, I was given some tools to separate my self-worth from my never ending pain. This complete change in perspective was the only relief after years of countless medical professionals insisting there was nothing  "measurably wrong" with me.

 

The tools of Reiki, guided and self-guided meditation, Tai Chi, Qigong, shamanism, Taoism, sound and electronic frequencies, varied indigenous teachings, music and arts mentorships, and cognitive perspective re-training have all helped me to become the Death Doula and Chronic Wellness Coach that I am today.

 

I am here to bear it with you. We can thrive with the time we have left, and we have the right to choose our quality of life and  our quality of dying. We all deserve empathy, respect, and grace. 

 

Thats my story! Whats yours?