Collective Story


Once strangers, our personal and professional lives came together through a shared passion for the profound experiences attached to death and dying. We identified how essential it is for the conversations to begin intentionally, thoughtfully, and sooner. We value the generational wisdom in our work together and believe in a collective responsibility to the community.  We believe one person's suffering is all our suffering and recognize this as a sacred and humble calling to service.  

The Collective is part of an integrative and cogenerational approach to death and dying. Individually or within groups, the North Coast EOL Collective offers resources and education to those curious about or wanting agency over their end-of-life experience. We are committed to creating a culture of openness and acceptance, challenging taboos and fears through conversation, education, questioning, and listening well. We offer virtual and in-person experiences where individuals are safe sharing their stories and being heard and seen. A space and place for people to grieve, process, and find their bearings. A space for people to be supported and comforted, respected and honored, and most importantly, connected. 

Personally and professionally,  we know conversations, connection, and learning about death and dying can improve the quality of one’s life and create a sense of community around a profound experience we all share. The work and offerings hold space for our shared humanity and awareness that we are all “walking each other home.” (Ram Dass & Mirabai Bush)

Our practice is based on the belief that the North Coast EOL Collective has a shared responsibility to the community by making visible what is too often invisible.

Founders

  • Margo Lalich, MPH, BA, RN

    Founder/Nurse Consultant/EOL Doula

    The end-of-life experience, ritual, giving voice to, and making visible what is too often invisible about death and dying are integral to my practice. As a nurse, EOL doula, daughter, and mother, I’ve been honored and humbled to share end-of-life experiences with patients, community members, and families across cultures. I offer a unique understanding of the end-of-life experience of individuals with complex health needs and developmental/intellectual disabilities. As a Death Cafe facilitator, I am committed to holding a safe and inclusive space for normalizing conversations about the complexity and diversity of the death and dying experience.

  • Abby McNeil, MSW, LCSW, ACHP-SW

    Founder/ Licensed Clinical Social Worker

    Preparing for end-of-life, or managing the impact of a life-changing illness, has a unique emotional meaning for each person. Finding a sense of meaning when illness arises gives space for understanding our values, preferences, and hopes for end-of-life. I believe sharing our deep emotional selves brings opportunity for restorative healing amid the indignity shaped by disease and illness.

  • Carolina Starrett, MFA, BA

    Founder/ Legacy Doula/EOL Doula

    I come to this work through the lens that the end-of-life is not only a medical experience but also a sacred time in our lives that should be treated with dignity and care. Specializing in life review and legacy work, I hope to facilitate meaning-making with loved ones. Through my legacy work, I craft a space in which the interconnection of collaborative and generational making is honored. Together we explore the ways in which stories and language are carried in the body and passed down, giving the dying and their loved ones the intentionality of a legacy.