Dates: 5/14, 5/28 and 6/11, 6/25

Time: 6-8:00 p.m. EST/3-5:00 p.m. PST

To register, click HERE

In her book, “Holding Space ~ On Loving, Dying, and Letting Go,” Amy Wright Glenn defines holding space as the capacity to bring compassionate presence to what is. The Holding Space Training is open to all and specifically designed for those in caretaking professions working with families, individuals, and communities facing grief.

It is more apparent than ever that the skill set central to holding space benefits everyone, not only doulas and mental health professionals. Being more adept at listening, being more comfortable with the uncomfortable, and being present to the heartbreak of grief support the continued emergence of compassionate presence in our world. Our study is centered upon deep inquiry and committed practice.

In our study, we consider:

*What does it mean to hold space?
*How can we strengthen our capacity to show up with compassion, especially when we are called to be present to grief?
*What specific skills strengthen our patience and capacity to listen?
*How do we hold space for our own failures, faults, and grief?
*How can we apply lessons drawn from holding space to our family lives, personal relationships, work/vocation, and connection to the mystery of life?

Join Amy Wright Glenn this fall for a transformative 12-hour training featuring 8-hours of live, online study (recorded for all participants) and 4 hours of holding space practice (the timing determined by participants).

We will draw upon the work of Alan Wolfelt, the founder of the Center for Loss and Life Transitions and combine it with the insights drawn from Amy’s work with birth & death presented in her book Holding Space.

Participants will practice key Holding Space skills and strengthen their capacity to show up to what it is with courage and compassion.

*Presented live via Zoom. Recorded for all participants.

Dates: 5/14, 5/28 and 6/11, 6/25

Time: 6-8:00 p.m. EST/3-5:00 p.m. PST

To register, click HERE

In her book, “Holding Space ~ On Loving, Dying, and Letting Go,” Amy Wright Glenn defines holding space as the capacity to bring compassionate presence to what is. The Holding Space Training is open to all and specifically designed for those in caretaking professions working with families, individuals, and communities facing grief.

It is more apparent than ever that the skill set central to holding space benefits everyone, not only doulas and mental health professionals. Being more adept at listening, being more comfortable with the uncomfortable, and being present to the heartbreak of grief support the continued emergence of compassionate presence in our world. Our study is centered upon deep inquiry and committed practice.

In our study, we consider:

*What does it mean to hold space?
*How can we strengthen our capacity to show up with compassion, especially when we are called to be present to grief?
*What specific skills strengthen our patience and capacity to listen?
*How do we hold space for our own failures, faults, and grief?
*How can we apply lessons drawn from holding space to our family lives, personal relationships, work/vocation, and connection to the mystery of life?

Join Amy Wright Glenn this fall for a transformative 12-hour training featuring 8-hours of live, online study (recorded for all participants) and 4 hours of holding space practice (the timing determined by participants).

We will draw upon the work of Alan Wolfelt, the founder of the Center for Loss and Life Transitions and combine it with the insights drawn from Amy’s work with birth & death presented in her book Holding Space.

Participants will practice key Holding Space skills and strengthen their capacity to show up to what it is with courage and compassion.

*Presented live via Zoom. Recorded for all participants.

The Green Burial Council (GBC) advocates for environmentally sustainable death care through green burial. Our mission is to promote responsible, natural death care by providing education; ensuring that death care providers meet evolving ecological standards, and the public receives quality information on all the death care options available to them.

To register, click HERE

We welcome you to join us this month for Transformations! 

May Schedule on Zoom

Monday, May 11, 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm Eastern Time*
Tuesday May 26, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Eastern Time*
*Please adjust to your time zone accordingly

Zoom Link (the same every session):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83686439990?pwd=VzVIVWQ5TkJuMW5USkU1ZjE1RHRzQT09
Meeting ID: 836 8643 9990
Passcode: 192689

About Transformations
For each Transformations session, a new, improvised musical journey on vibraphone and voice. Every session is of the moment, responsive to those present, while holding space for you to explore what comes up through an internal journey that is facilitated and held by the music.

The session includes an optional journal prompt from creative writing specialist and co-host Debbie Bronkema. This is time and space to experience, process, and let things come up, allowing an internal transformation to take place. After the journey, we hold a brief, optional sharing circle to process and integrate the experience. 

Headphones or a Bluetooth speaker are recommended but not required. Each session is offered free of charge thanks to grant funding and donations for the series. Transformations is presented by connect.faith.

We also offer Transformations for Grief 3 times per month, for more information about that please visit the program website.

Click HERE to register

The Peaceful Presence Project 2026 Continuing Education Series Presents:

Voice, Presence, and Choice: A Community-Based Approach to Advocacy

Guest Presenter:‍ ‍Margo Lalich, MPH, BA, RN

About the Workshop:

This presentation explores advocacy at the end of life as both a practical skill and a human presence. It invites participants to consider how voice, agency, and connection shape their own and others' care experiences. Through reflection, shared experiences, and real-world examples, attendees will examine common barriers—both personal and systemic—and learn tangible strategies to navigate healthcare systems more effectively.

Grounded in a community-based perspective, the presentation expands advocacy beyond the clinical setting, emphasizing neighbor-to-neighbor support, relational presence, and the importance of being seen and heard. Participants will leave with practical tools, deeper awareness, and a renewed understanding that advocacy is not only about doing, but also about witnessing, listening, and being.

About the Guest Presenter Margo Lalich, MPH, BA, RN:

Margo is a nurse, EOL doula, daughter, and mother who has been honored and humbled to share end-of-life experiences with patients, community members, and families. 

Margo received her undergraduate and nursing degrees in Oregon and Washington, and a Master of Public Health from the OHSU School of Nursing. She has worked for 30 years in both the private and public health sectors as a clinical nurse, nurse consultant, and executive leader at the intersection of public health, nursing, and K-12 education. She believes that death and dying, and the health and well-being of a community are shared responsibilities—we do this by connecting systems and giving voice to what is too often unspoken.

Dates: 5/14, 5/28 and 6/11, 6/25

Time: 6-8:00 p.m. EST/3-5:00 p.m. PST

To register, click HERE

In her book, “Holding Space ~ On Loving, Dying, and Letting Go,” Amy Wright Glenn defines holding space as the capacity to bring compassionate presence to what is. The Holding Space Training is open to all and specifically designed for those in caretaking professions working with families, individuals, and communities facing grief.

It is more apparent than ever that the skill set central to holding space benefits everyone, not only doulas and mental health professionals. Being more adept at listening, being more comfortable with the uncomfortable, and being present to the heartbreak of grief support the continued emergence of compassionate presence in our world. Our study is centered upon deep inquiry and committed practice.

In our study, we consider:

*What does it mean to hold space?
*How can we strengthen our capacity to show up with compassion, especially when we are called to be present to grief?
*What specific skills strengthen our patience and capacity to listen?
*How do we hold space for our own failures, faults, and grief?
*How can we apply lessons drawn from holding space to our family lives, personal relationships, work/vocation, and connection to the mystery of life?

Join Amy Wright Glenn this fall for a transformative 12-hour training featuring 8-hours of live, online study (recorded for all participants) and 4 hours of holding space practice (the timing determined by participants).

We will draw upon the work of Alan Wolfelt, the founder of the Center for Loss and Life Transitions and combine it with the insights drawn from Amy’s work with birth & death presented in her book Holding Space.

Participants will practice key Holding Space skills and strengthen their capacity to show up to what it is with courage and compassion.

*Presented live via Zoom. Recorded for all participants.

We welcome you to join us this month for Transformations! 

May Schedule on Zoom

Monday, May 11, 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm Eastern Time*
Tuesday May 26, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Eastern Time*
*Please adjust to your time zone accordingly

Zoom Link (the same every session):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83686439990?pwd=VzVIVWQ5TkJuMW5USkU1ZjE1RHRzQT09
Meeting ID: 836 8643 9990
Passcode: 192689

About Transformations
For each Transformations session, a new, improvised musical journey on vibraphone and voice. Every session is of the moment, responsive to those present, while holding space for you to explore what comes up through an internal journey that is facilitated and held by the music.

The session includes an optional journal prompt from creative writing specialist and co-host Debbie Bronkema. This is time and space to experience, process, and let things come up, allowing an internal transformation to take place. After the journey, we hold a brief, optional sharing circle to process and integrate the experience. 

Headphones or a Bluetooth speaker are recommended but not required. Each session is offered free of charge thanks to grant funding and donations for the series. Transformations is presented by connect.faith.

We also offer Transformations for Grief 3 times per month, for more information about that please visit the program website.

The Peaceful Presence Project and North Coast EOL Collective are offering the Coastal Community Death Care Workshop Series: Neighbor-to-Neighbor Support for Serious Illness, Dying, and Grief

This workshop is for Tillamook County residents ONLY. No professional experience required. Just an open heart and mind.

Wednesdays from 4:30 - 5:30 pm, April 1 - May 6, 2026. 1 hour of self-paced online learning + 1 hour of live Zoom session. Sessions will be recorded for participants. NO COST

 The workshop is a collaborative effort shaped by the voices of individuals and community partners, including the leadership teams from Conscious Aging and Community Connections in Manzanita, and Cape Meares Aging with Grace.

Click HERE to register

Click HERE to register

FREE online 90-minute workshop exploring how ketamine is being used to support people facing serious illness

Ketamine is known as a fast-acting intervention for depression, anxiety, and chronic pain. But in palliative and end-of-life care, its role is even broader.

This FREE 90-minute workshop offers a clear and accessible introduction to ketamine therapy in the context of serious illness and dying. Drawing from clinical research, real-world applications, and emerging models of care, we’ll explore how ketamine can support not only physical symptoms but also psychological and existential distress.

You’ll learn how this medicine works in the brain, how it's used in palliative care settings, and what makes it uniquely suited for individuals across the full trajectory of illness—from diagnosis through the final stages of life.

We will also look at the growing movement toward home-based ketamine care, where treatment is delivered in familiar environments with the support of both medical and spiritual care providers.

A central theme of this workshop is that end-of-life care is not only medical, but it is also deeply human and often spiritual. We will explore how ketamine can open a space for meaning-making, reconciliation, and a different relationship to dying.

The mechanism of action: how ketamine works in the brain and why it acts so quickly

• Current research and clinical use in palliative care

• Applications for pain, depression, anxiety, and existential distress

• What a ketamine journey can feel like, including its similarities to near-death experiences

• Home-based care models and why setting matters

• How to work with palliative care clients, including preparation, presence, and integration

• The role of spirituality and meaning-making at the end of life

Who This Is For

This workshop is open to both:

• Individuals navigating serious or life-limiting illness (and their loved ones)

• Practitioners, caregivers, doulas, and clinicians interested in end-of-life care

No prior knowledge of psychedelics or ketamine is required. The session will be recorded.

About the Presenter

Christine Caldwell is the Founder and Executive Director of End of Life Psychedelic Care (EOLPC), a nonprofit dedicated to expanding safe, ethical, and spiritually grounded psychedelic care for individuals facing serious or life-limiting illness.

Through professional training programs, public education, the Home-Based Ketamine and Spiritual Care community-based pilot, and research initiatives such as the Psychedelic Deathworker Project, EOLPC supports clinicians, end-of-life doulas, chaplains, and guides in developing the skills needed to work responsibly in this emerging field.

Christine’s work focuses on the intersection of medicine, spirituality, and the human experience of dying, with an emphasis on practical application, ethical care, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

About End-of-Life Psychedelic Care

EOLPC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding safe, ethical, and spiritually grounded psychedelic care for individuals facing serious or life-limiting illness. We provide education, professional training, community dialogue, and practical resources for clinicians, end-of-life doulas, chaplains, and guides who support people navigating death and dying.

Through our professional courses, end-of-life doula trainings, online discussion groups, research initiatives such as the Psychedelic Deathworker Project, and community-based pilots such as the Home-Based Ketamine and Spiritual Care Program, EOLPC is helping shape emerging standards and deepen collective wisdom in this evolving field.

Looking forward, our vision is to help reshape how our culture approaches dying by restoring meaning, dignity, and spiritual significance to the end-of-life experience. We are working toward a future in which psychedelic-assisted care is responsibly integrated into medical and community-based settings, supported by well-trained guides, strong ethical foundations, and collaboration across disciplines.

For more information, please visit https://eolpc.org or email info@eolpc.org.

The Peaceful Presence Project and North Coast EOL Collective are offering the Coastal Community Death Care Workshop Series: Neighbor-to-Neighbor Support for Serious Illness, Dying, and Grief

This workshop is for Tillamook County residents ONLY. No professional experience required. Just an open heart and mind.

Wednesdays from 4:30 - 5:30 pm, April 1 - May 6, 2026. 1 hour of self-paced online learning + 1 hour of live Zoom session. Sessions will be recorded for participants. NO COST

 The workshop is a collaborative effort shaped by the voices of individuals and community partners, including the leadership teams from Conscious Aging and Community Connections in Manzanita, and Cape Meares Aging with Grace.

Click HERE to register

The Green Burial Council (GBC) advocates for environmentally sustainable death care through green burial. Our mission is to promote responsible, natural death care by providing education; ensuring that death care providers meet evolving ecological standards, and the public receives quality information on all the death care options available to them.

To register, click HERE

The Peaceful Presence Project and North Coast EOL Collective are offering the Coastal Community Death Care Workshop Series: Neighbor-to-Neighbor Support for Serious Illness, Dying, and Grief

This workshop is for Tillamook County residents ONLY. No professional experience required. Just an open heart and mind.

Wednesdays from 4:30 - 5:30 pm, April 1 - May 6, 2026. 1 hour of self-paced online learning + 1 hour of live Zoom session. Sessions will be recorded for participants. NO COST

 The workshop is a collaborative effort shaped by the voices of individuals and community partners, including the leadership teams from Conscious Aging and Community Connections in Manzanita, and Cape Meares Aging with Grace.

Click HERE to register

Open to the public. Monthly practice with the North Coast Oregon Threshold Choir.

“We gather and sing to heal ourselves and our community. We train to sing for those at the thresholds of life and death.”

St. Catherine’s Church, Nehalem, Oregon

Questions: northcoastoregonthresholdchoir@ gmail.com

Free Community Offering on the 3rd Tuesday of the month @ St. Catherine’s Church in Nehalem, Oregon

To receive a Song Bath RSVP: northcoastoregonchoir@gmail.com

Astoria Death Cafe brings together people of all ages to talk openly about death, dying, and what it means to be human as we face life’s biggest transition. These conversations are community-led. The group offers a welcoming space where everyone can feel supported, comforted, respected, and most of all, connected. Here, you can share your thoughts, fears, and experiences about death, grief, and the end of life in a safe and non-judgmental setting. The cafe also helps people find resources and information about end-of-life matters. In line with the Death Cafe’s mission, participation is free, but donations to help cover refreshments are welcome.

Click here to learn more about Death Cafe's history. If you're interested in exploring virtual Death Cafes, click here.

Location:  Astoria Visual Arts (AVA) 959 Commercial Street, Astoria, OR, 97103

RSVP, or for questions, please email dardi@viemort.com 

Co-Facilitators: Dardi Troen and Dell Hambleton

The Peaceful Presence Project and North Coast EOL Collective are offering the Coastal Community Death Care Workshop Series: Neighbor-to-Neighbor Support for Serious Illness, Dying, and Grief

This workshop is for Tillamook County residents ONLY. No professional experience required. Just an open heart and mind.

Wednesdays from 4:30 - 5:30 pm, April 1 - May 6, 2026. 1 hour of self-paced online learning + 1 hour of live Zoom session. Sessions will be recorded for participants. NO COST

 The workshop is a collaborative effort shaped by the voices of individuals and community partners, including the leadership teams from Conscious Aging and Community Connections in Manzanita, and Cape Meares Aging with Grace.

Click HERE to register

Companioning Children Through Loss: Developmentally Appropriate Support Before, During, and After Death

Guest Presenter: Sarah Farris, MS, CCLS

About the Workshop:

Children experience grief differently from adults, and their understanding of illness, dying, and death evolves with age and development. This focused and practical presentation explores how to thoughtfully include and support children when someone they love is dying – before death occurs, at the bedside, and through the grieving process. Grounded in developmental theory and trauma-informed practice, this presentation examines how children conceptualize death at various developmental stages and offers concrete, age-appropriate language and strategies for honest communication.

Register HERE

Presented by Cristina Chipriano, L.C.S.W., F.T.
April 9, 2026
10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., PDT
Cost: $65/person
Registration closes 10 a.m., PDT, April 8, 2026

Grief is contextual — it is influenced and impacted by personal and social factors. Identity is multifaceted and this intersectionality can create complex encounters or paradoxical experiences for people when they are grieving. Join us in this webinar where we will explore inclusive practices to support people who are grieving and the multifaceted layers that can impact grief.

Register HERE

The Peaceful Presence Project and North Coast EOL Collective are offering the Coastal Community Death Care Workshop Series: Neighbor-to-Neighbor Support for Serious Illness, Dying, and Grief

This workshop is for Tillamook County residents ONLY. No professional experience required. Just an open heart and mind.

Wednesdays from 4:30 - 5:30 pm, April 1 - May 6, 2026. 1 hour of self-paced online learning + 1 hour of live Zoom session. Sessions will be recorded for participants. NO COST

 The workshop is a collaborative effort shaped by the voices of individuals and community partners, including the leadership teams from Conscious Aging and Community Connections in Manzanita, and Cape Meares Aging with Grace.

Click HERE to register

The Peaceful Presence Project and North Coast EOL Collective are offering the Coastal Community Death Care Workshop Series: Neighbor-to-Neighbor Support for Serious Illness, Dying, and Grief

This workshop is for Tillamook County residents ONLY. No professional experience required. Just an open heart and mind.

Wednesdays from 4:30 - 5:30 pm, April 1 - May 6, 2026. 1 hour of self-paced online learning + 1 hour of live Zoom session. Sessions will be recorded for participants. NO COST

 The workshop is a collaborative effort shaped by the voices of individuals and community partners, including the leadership teams from Conscious Aging and Community Connections in Manzanita, and Cape Meares Aging with Grace.

Click HERE to register

The Green Burial Council (GBC) advocates for environmentally sustainable death care through green burial. Our mission is to promote responsible, natural death care by providing education; ensuring that death care providers meet evolving ecological standards, and the public receives quality information on all the death care options available to them.

To register, click HERE

We welcome you to join us this month for Transformations! 

March Schedule on Zoom

Monday March 9, 8:00pm - 9:00pm Eastern Time*
Tuesday March 24, 12:00pm - 1:00pm Eastern Time*
*please adjust to your time zone accordingly
 

Zoom Link (the same every session):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83686439990?pwd=VzVIVWQ5TkJuMW5USkU1ZjE1RHRzQT09
Meeting ID: 836 8643 9990
Passcode: 192689

More Storied than Storybook: Grief and Complex Relationships

presented by Jana DeCristofaro, LCSW
March 19, 2026
10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., PDT
Cost: $65/person
Registration closes 10 a.m., PDT, March 18, 2026

When someone dies, it is not uncommon for people to assume that our relationship with the person (or people) was a positive one. Navigating grief after the death of someone in our lives can be inherently complex because relationships are complex. Just like grief, there can be complicating factors that make a loss even more challenging – especially mental health issues, abuse, substance use, unresolved conflict, or estrangement were involved. Join us in this webinar where we will discuss the challenges people face when grieving the death of someone with whom they had a complex and complicated relationships.

Register HERE

Open to the public. Monthly practice with the North Coast Oregon Threshold Choir.

“We gather and sing to heal ourselves and our community. We train to sing for those at the thresholds of life and death.”

St. Catherine’s Church, Nehalem, Oregon

Questions: northcoastoregonthresholdchoir@ gmail.com

Free Community Offering on the 3rd Tuesday of the month @ St. Catherine’s Church in Nehalem, Oregon

To receive a Song Bath RSVP: northcoastoregonchoir@gmail.com

We welcome you to join us this month for Transformations! 

March Schedule on Zoom

Monday March 9, 8:00pm - 9:00pm Eastern Time*
Tuesday March 24, 12:00pm - 1:00pm Eastern Time*
*please adjust to your time zone accordingly
 

Zoom Link (the same every session):

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83686439990?pwd=VzVIVWQ5TkJuMW5USkU1ZjE1RHRzQT09
Meeting ID: 836 8643 9990
Passcode: 192689

Making Visible the Invisible: A Community Conversation about Death and Dying. Applying the values of Acceptance, Belonging, Connection, and Legacy, Death Cafe is a co-generational gathering that aims to create a comfortable and open space for people to gather and discuss topics related to death, dying, and mortality, and all that it is to be human, navigating the most profound transition of our lives.  It provides a platform for individuals to share their thoughts, fears, and experiences surrounding death in a supportive, non-judgmental, and safe environment.  Adhering to Death Cafe's mission, participation is free, although contributions to cover the cost of the cafes are welcome and appreciated.

Click here to learn more about Death Cafe's history. If you're interested in exploring virtual Death Cafes, click here.

Location:  Astoria Visual Arts (AVA)

Registration (required): Please email dardi@viemort.com (Limit 15 participants)

Co-Facilitators: Dardi Troen and Dell Hambleton

Questions: dardi@viemort.com

Open to the public. Monthly practice with the North Coast Oregon Threshold Choir.

“We gather and sing to heal ourselves and our community. We train to sing for those at the thresholds of life and death.”

St. Catherine’s Church, Nehalem, Oregon

Questions: northcoastoregonthresholdchoir@ gmail.com

Free Community Offering on the 3rd Tuesday of the month @ St. Catherine’s Church in Nehalem, Oregon

To receive a Song Bath RSVP: northcoastoregonchoir@gmail.com

To learn more about the North Coast Oregon Threshold Choir, click HERE