'Befriending Mortality' 6-Week Online Course With Holly J Pruett
About The Series
Befriending mortality can be seen as a spiritual quest, a psychological assignment, a philosophical riddle, or a culture-making undertaking. In this six-part series, we approach the fact of our deaths as a subject for learning. Dedicated to democratizing information and rebuilding our collective knowledge around how we care for our dying and our dead, each session engages poetry, stories, big questions, and nitty-gritty details.
Sessions
(6) 90-minute online sessions from 5-6:30 pm PT, alternating Mondays on:
Sept 14, Sept 28, Oct 12, Oct 26, Nov 9, Nov 23
Session recordings and extensive resource materials are included.
Cost
Early Bird: $175 - $350 sliding scale
General Admission: $195 - $375 sliding scale
To register, click HERE
Course Content
Befriending Mortality Sessions
Week 1: Befriending Mortality – What happens when we approach death as a teacher? Might we learn better how to care for the dying in our midst, to live in the presence of our mortality, to relate to our dead as something other than “lost,” and to die when it is our turn? Might grief be developed as a skill, not just suffered as an emotion? Could the skill of heartbrokenness be essential to the times we are in?
Week 2: Final Disposition – What will happen to your body when you die? What guides this decision? We will pull back the curtain on the full range of options, including how to detect greenwashing when it comes to technologies and products marketed as eco-friendly, including natural organic reduction (also known as human composting, terramation, and soil transformation) and alkaline hydrolysis (aquamation, or water or flameless cremation).
Week 3: The Dying Time – How do we support the dying in our midst? What supports might we want for our dying time? We’ll look at the landscape from diagnosis to death: palliative care and hospice; medical aid in dying (MAID), voluntary stopping eating and drinking (VSED), and other forms of “choice in dying”; assembling a care team and the role of an end-of-life doula; and the deaths that don’t go “according to plan.”
Week 4: From Death to Disposition – Historically, care for the dead was handled by family and community – and legally, it is still our right to do so. But for many, our ancestral ways of caring for each other after death have been forgotten. We’ll review the aspects of deathcare now outsourced to professionals – bathing, dressing, and transporting the body; sourcing a casket, shroud, or urn; handling the paperwork – and consider the benefits of more hands-on engagement.
Week 5: Remembering Together – How do we honor and strengthen the continuity of relationships across the veil of life and death? We’ll consider inspiring examples of creative ceremonies of bereavement and remembrance, including meaningful funerals, living memorials, and “re-dos” of ceremonies that went wrong or never happened.
Week 6: Creating a Death Plan – Birth plans have been promoted as a way for expectant parents and their care team to clarify and communicate their values, needs, and preferences for both optimal and unforeseen scenarios. A written death plan can do the same. We’ll review all the elements you may want to consider: physical/medical, legal/logistical, emotional/spiritual, and social/cultural, across the time spectrum of before illness, during the dying process, and after death.
About Your Facilitator
An experienced and knowledgeable life passage guide, Holly J. Pruett helps individuals, families, and communities to prepare for, live with, and talk about death. Holly is professionally trained as a Life-Cycle Celebrant, Community Death Educator, Home Funeral Guide, and Death Doula, with two Proficiency Badges from the National End-of-Life Doula Alliance and certification in Thanatology from the Association for Death Education & Counseling. You can find Holly here: https://www.hollyjpruett.com
Transformations For Grief
In online sessions for people grieving a loss, critically-acclaimed vibraphonist Chris Dingman plays evocative improvised music that guides an internal journey many have found comforting and healing. Creative writing specialist Dr. Debbie Bronkema and somatic therapist Dina Percia hold space with prompts designed to meet you where you are, a brief candle-lighting ceremony, a somatic awareness meditation, and an optional sharing circle after the music. We invite you to be as you are and explore what arises in a compassionate, safe, and supportive setting.
To register, click HERE
Community-Centered Death Care: A Lived Experience
Community-Centered Death Care: A Lived Experience
Presenters: Kevin Shukla, Jim Emmerson, and Gale Ousele
To register, click HERE
Join the North Coast EOL Collective for a conversation about one family's experience caring for a loved one through the end of life and beyond: the support in her final months, care for her body after her passing, a home burial, and continued care for her living legacy.
Kevin Shukla, a resident of Hebo and frequent participant in the North Coast EOL Collective offerings and the Coastal Community Death Care Series, will be joined by Jim Emmerson and Gale Ousele; friends, neighbors, and co-facilitators in one peaceful passing. Together, they will reflect on their experience throughout the entire continuum of home death care.
Rather than a "how-to" presentation, this offering will provide an opportunity to learn through lived experience. Their story invites us to consider what is possible when families, friends, and communities reclaim meaningful roles in caring for one another through death, burial, remembrance, and stewardship.
As always, there will be time for conversation and questions.
This offering reflects the North Coast EOL Collective's belief that learning about death and dying happens not only through education, but through listening to one another's stories, strengthening community wisdom, and creating A Collective Approach to Death and Dying
To register, click HERE
Dying to Know: A Community Conversation About End-of-Life Care, Planning & Support
In person | Local
Thursday, September 17, 2026 | 9:30 am–1:30 pm
Tillamook County Library | 1716 3rd St., Tillamook
Join community partners in Tillamook County for the 2nd annual Dying to Know event, a free gathering for Tillamook County residents to learn, connect, and become better informed about end-of-life care and planning.
The morning will include conversations about:
Death doulas
Home health and hospice
Funeral and cremation services
Death Café
The event brings together local organizations and professionals working across the continuum of end-of-life care and support, including Building Partnerships for Older Adult Behavioral Health, Morningstar Death Doula, Adventist Health Tillamook, Columbia Pacific CCO, Waud’s Funeral Home & Tillamook Crematory, and the North Coast EOL Collective.
The Cheryl Hauser Effect: Story and Conversation about VSED
The Cheryl Hauser Effect, a documentary
Location: The Lantern, 2828 Southeast Stephens Street, Portland, OR
The film shares the story of Cheryl Hauser, a Minnesota woman who, after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, chose to face the end of her life on her own terms through VSED (Voluntarily Stopping Eating and Drinking). At seventy-six, Cheryl became a thoughtful advocate for end-of-life autonomy, inspiring important conversations about dementia, caregiving, and personal choice.
This special preview event offers an early look at The Cheryl Hauser Effect while the film is still in production. Through selected clips and conversation, we'll explore Cheryl's story and the impact this film hopes to make.
During this special evening, you will:
• View selected, never-before-seen clips from the documentary
• Learn more about VSED and end-of-life options
• Hear from those directly involved in the story and the work surrounding end-of-life autonomy
A conversation will follow with:
Randi Ewing, Palliative Care Director, Eden Health
Dr. Stephanie Kaplan, Naturopathic Physician Specializing in End-of-Life Care
Dr. Pete Regan, First physician to prescribe under Oregon's Death with Dignity Act
Jamie Thrower, End-of-Life Doula and Grief Educator
Join us for an evening of storytelling, education, and conversation as we share Cheryl's story and build support for the film's completion. Learn more at thecherylhausereffect.com
Admission:
$10.00
Astoria Death Cafe
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 Kyle Fujisawa
THANATOPSIS Contemplations on Death, Grief, and Renewal
THANATOPSIS
Contemplations on Death, Grief, and Renewal
Thanatopsis explores the end of life, grief, and the sense of loss that accompanies death. The artist’s separate bodies of work conceptually reflect upon impermanence and transformation beyond the physical form. Death is a taboo subject, yet we all eventually arrive there. Death is a natural part of the cycle of life, and the artist’s work places aesthetic, emotional, and philosophical value on this inevitable transition.
Featuring artists: Emma Lewis Acker, Marne Lucas, Dardinelle Troen
September 21st, 2026 — October 22nd, 2026
THANATOPSIS WORKSHOPS
Astoria Visual Arts is partnering with the Royal Nebeker Gallery to present Thanatopsis, an exhibition accompanied by workshops and public programs fostering deeper connection through discussion and creativity as community members contemplate mortality. Join us for a series of informational events exploring end-of-life care advocacy, death, grief, loss, and healing. Programs will take place at the Royal Nebeker Gallery and Astoria Visual Arts and are funded in part by Oregon Humanities with support
Green Burial Council Monthly Educational Webinars
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
Grief in the Shadows: Supporting Children and Teens after a Stigmatized Death
Presented by Cristina Chipriano, L.C.S.W., F.T.
Registration closes 10 a.m., PDT, September 23, 2026
While any type of death can leave families feeling isolated, some are met with more shame and stigma than others. Deaths from suicide, homicide, substance use, or certain illnesses may evoke disapproval or blame toward the person for how they died, distracting from who they were and how they lived. This webinar explores the unique challenges faced by children and teens who are grieving a stigmatized death. We will discuss the profound emotional complexities, including the guilt, blame, powerlessness, and fear, that can accompany these losses. Join us as we consider best practices for challenging stigma and providing meaningful support for children and families who are grieving a death that may be shrouded in silence and judgment.
Register HERE
Astoria Death Cafe
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 Kyle Fujisawa
Green Burial Council Monthly Educational Webinars
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
Astoria Death Cafe
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 Kyle Fujisawa
Green Burial Council Monthly Educational Webinars
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
Transformations For Grief
In online sessions for people grieving a loss, critically-acclaimed vibraphonist Chris Dingman plays evocative improvised music that guides an internal journey many have found comforting and healing. Creative writing specialist Dr. Debbie Bronkema and somatic therapist Dina Percia hold space with prompts designed to meet you where you are, a brief candle-lighting ceremony, a somatic awareness meditation, and an optional sharing circle after the music. We invite you to be as you are and explore what arises in a compassionate, safe, and supportive setting.
To register, click HERE
Transformations For Grief
In online sessions for people grieving a loss, critically-acclaimed vibraphonist Chris Dingman plays evocative improvised music that guides an internal journey many have found comforting and healing. Creative writing specialist Dr. Debbie Bronkema and somatic therapist Dina Percia hold space with prompts designed to meet you where you are, a brief candle-lighting ceremony, a somatic awareness meditation, and an optional sharing circle after the music. We invite you to be as you are and explore what arises in a compassionate, safe, and supportive setting.
To register, click HERE
Green Burial Council Monthly Educational Webinars
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
Transformations: A Connect Faith Collaboration
About Transformations journey sessions
Each session of Transformations features a new, improvised musical journey on vibraphone and voice, performed by me, Chris Dingman. Every journey is in the moment, responsive to those present, while holding space for you to explore what comes up through an internal journey facilitated and held by the music.
Zoom Link (the same every session):
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83686439990?pwd=VzVIVWQ5TkJuMW5USkU1ZjE1RHRzQT09
Meeting ID: 836 8643 9990
Passcode: 192689
Transformations For Grief
In online sessions for people grieving a loss, critically-acclaimed vibraphonist Chris Dingman plays evocative improvised music that guides an internal journey many have found comforting and healing. Creative writing specialist Dr. Debbie Bronkema and somatic therapist Dina Percia hold space with prompts designed to meet you where you are, a brief candle-lighting ceremony, a somatic awareness meditation, and an optional sharing circle after the music. We invite you to be as you are and explore what arises in a compassionate, safe, and supportive setting.
To register, click HERE
Astoria Death Cafe
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 Kyle Fujisawa
Personal Choices at End of Life
Personal Choices at End of Life
Manzanita Conscious Aging and Community Connections presents:
Wendy Longacre Brown is a certified end-of-life doula (INELDA, NEDA), filmmaker, and national speaker dedicated to supporting individuals and families as they navigate the end of life. Her work includes guiding those considering Voluntarily Stopping Eating and Drinking (VSED), a legal option for eligible individuals seeking to shorten the dying process with compassionate support. Wendy is the co-founder of the Minnesota Death Collaborative and the producer of The Cheryl Hauser Effect, a documentary inspired by her mother's end-of-life journey. She brings decades of film production experience together with advocacy and compassionate end-of-life care.
Drawing from her work as an end-of-life doula and her family's experience, Wendy invites conversation about VSED, personal choice, and what it means to live fully through the end of life. The presentation includes a preview of The Cheryl Hauser Effect and concludes with time for questions and discussion. Please join us—and bring your questions.
A $5 donation at the door supports the Pine Grove Community House
Green Burial Council Monthly Educational Webinars
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
Transformations For Grief
In online sessions for people grieving a loss, critically-acclaimed vibraphonist Chris Dingman plays evocative improvised music that guides an internal journey many have found comforting and healing. Creative writing specialist Dr. Debbie Bronkema and somatic therapist Dina Percia hold space with prompts designed to meet you where you are, a brief candle-lighting ceremony, a somatic awareness meditation, and an optional sharing circle after the music. We invite you to be as you are and explore what arises in a compassionate, safe, and supportive setting.
To register, click HERE
Transformations For Grief
In online sessions for people grieving a loss, critically-acclaimed vibraphonist Chris Dingman plays evocative improvised music that guides an internal journey many have found comforting and healing. Creative writing specialist Dr. Debbie Bronkema and somatic therapist Dina Percia hold space with prompts designed to meet you where you are, a brief candle-lighting ceremony, a somatic awareness meditation, and an optional sharing circle after the music. We invite you to be as you are and explore what arises in a compassionate, safe, and supportive setting.
To register, click HERE
Transformations For Grief
In online sessions for people grieving a loss, critically-acclaimed vibraphonist Chris Dingman plays evocative improvised music that guides an internal journey many have found comforting and healing. Creative writing specialist Dr. Debbie Bronkema and somatic therapist Dina Percia hold space with prompts designed to meet you where you are, a brief candle-lighting ceremony, a somatic awareness meditation, and an optional sharing circle after the music. We invite you to be as you are and explore what arises in a compassionate, safe, and supportive setting.
To register, click HERE
Holding Space Training
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.
Transformations in Grief
We welcome you to join us this month for Transformations!
June Schedule on Zoom
Monday, June 8th, 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm Eastern Time*
Tuesday June 23rd, 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 in the moment, responsive to those present, while holding space for you to explore what comes up through an internal journey 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, please visit the program website.
Astoria Death Cafe
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
Holding Space Training
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.
Transformations in Grief
We welcome you to join us this month for Transformations!
June Schedule on Zoom
Monday, June 8th, 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm Eastern Time*
Tuesday June 23rd, 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 in the moment, responsive to those present, while holding space for you to explore what comes up through an internal journey 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, please visit the program website.
Holding Space Training
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.
Green Burial Council Monthly Educational Webinars
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
Transformations in Grief
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.
Voice, Presence, and Choice: A Community-Based Approach to Advocacy
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.
Astoria Death Cafe
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
Holding Space Training
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.
Transformations in Grief
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.
Coastal Community Death Care Workshop Series: Neighbor-to-Neighbor Support for Serious Illness, Dying, and Grief
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
An Introduction to Ketamine Therapy for Palliative and End of Life Care
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.
Coastal Community Death Care Workshop Series: Neighbor-to-Neighbor Support for Serious Illness, Dying, and Grief
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
Green Burial Council Monthly Educational Webinars
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
Coastal Community Death Care Workshop Series: Neighbor-to-Neighbor Support for Serious Illness, Dying, and Grief
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 Practice - North Coast Oregon Threshold Choir
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