This series will specifically help professionals and volunteers working in a range of roles in end-of-life care. Often, individuals are ill prepared for these positions and are experiencing fear and uncertainty about the dying process, companioning someone with a life-threatening illness or in grief. The workshops will help you become more informed, better prepared and the fear softened. A greater awareness will emerge resulting in a deeper strength to not only face, but embrace, this tender life transition with confidence. In turn companion others with greater ease.

The full series includes all five workshops. It begins on Sunday, April 16th from 10 am to Noon Pacific Time (two hours).  The next workshops will then occur at the same time on the following consecutive Sunday mornings ending May 14th.

Workshop One, April 16th, 10 am to Noon PT: Increasing Your Comfort with the Dying Process; Softening the fear

We will explore…

· What the actual dying process involves.

· People’s common fears and how to better support them.

· The meaning of and distinction between palliative and hospice care and the benefits of these services.

Workshop Two,  April 23rd, 10 am to Noon PT: What Is the Role of the Caregiver? A challenging yet sacred journey

We will explore…

· The range of practical demands a caregiver generally faces and discuss better ways to create balance and seek support for self care and well being.

· The sensitivity of being present to the suffering of others, its impact and how the integration and meaning of each experience will be unique to the individual.

· A reminder that loving yourself first is key to good caregiving of others.

Workshop Three, April 30th, 10 am to Noon PT: The Importance of an End of Life Team; It takes a village to support a dying loved one

We will explore….

· Why a strong team is invaluable for proper whole person care which involves all the domains of our being including the physical, emotional, psychological, social, and spiritual.

· The role of key professional team members needed for comfort care and dignity at end of life.

· How an individual can create their own personal end of life team with those (i.e. family and friends) they trust to be of support during this sensitive life transition.

Workshop Four, May 7th, 10 am to Noon PT: Embracing the Organic Nature of Grief; The heart's cry of love

We will explore…….

· Some of the greatest myths around grief to help normalize what can actually be experienced and support the journey to healing and integration.

· Healthy ways to acknowledge the death and support the individual to rediscover a relationship with themselves, the world and those who have died going forward after loss.

Workshop Five, May 14th, 10 am to Noon PT: An Exploration of Mystery and Meaning; The miracle of life itself

We will we explore…..

· The importance of acknowledging death bed visions, dreams and the changing (often metaphoric) language when companioning someone as they near death.

· We will also discuss our inherent need to find meaning at all stages of life, including the end of life journey. Honouring that the discovery of meaning will be unique to the individual.

These are live online two-hour workshops presented by Barbara Morningstar.  Out of respect for your privacy they will NOT be recorded.  To get the full benefit of the workshop series you are encouraged to attend each workshop presentation in person.

You will be sent a Zoom link prior to the event.

After each workshop you will receive a  PDF of the power point presentation and resource list for reading and further exploration.

Please see registration fee and details below.

Photo by Svitlana