Okanagan Death Doula

In many cultures, death is revered. There are rituals and ceremonies to both grieve + celebrate death and grief within communities.

In North America, we’ve lost touch with this. People die alone, families grieve alone and we struggle to find ways to honour our ancestors.

I want to change that by providing spiritual support to those working in end of life care, their clients and their families.

“While I thought that I was learning how to live, I have actually been learning how to die.”

— Jodi Picoult, Spark of Light

Death Doula Services

Family Vigil / Support Near the End

When someone is pallative or about to cross over, life becomes slow like molasses. There are a variety of tasks needed to be done, but the spiritual and emotional support is where I can work best for you and your family.

Grieftending: $88/hour

Many indigenous cultures uphold the ancient knowing that those that are grieving are deemed 'closest to God' and should not be doing ordinary tasks. Let me take the garbage out, put the soup on and hold space for you - in whatever order works.

Private Death Workshop: $333

Whether you are dying or not, many people desire a place to come and talk about death. Let's do just that! I’ll meet with you on zoom for a guided discussion about death and what it means to live and die well. We can meditate and cry or laugh and hope. From there, I'll direct you in a few exercises to prepare for your own death.

Email hello@wildbreath.ca with interest.

Abortion / Miscarriage Support

Did you know that 60% of abortions are from those who already have children? When they are thinking about the life that both the unborn child will have along with their existing children, they are thinking about love. And whether or not there are children in the picture, the act of terminating a pregnancy can often come with a wild amount of thoughtfulness and care. I see you, mama, for making that choice.

And any pregnancy loss will come with both grief and/or relief.

It’s important to honour and commemorate this sacred gift of a soul coming to you for any length of time.

If you need someone, I can be part of your process, whether it be to help with cooking and herbs beforehand to prep the body, to be a part of making the ceremony sacred or to be a part of grief-tending as the postpartum process continues.

Are you a Death Caregiver?
You also need support.

Wild Breath is here to normalize conversations about the transition of our last breath.

I love to support end-of-life caregivers and their clients, to act as a source of loving support and nervous system reprieve during overwhelming times.

I presented for the Death Doula Association of B.C. in 2021 on four main tools I use:

Nature

What part of the natural world makes you feel the most supported, held, seen and loved? I bring death caregivers and their clients to immersive nature experiences OR we bring nature inside to them.

Yoga Nidra

The practice of yoga nidra, often called a ‘sleep based relaxation technique’ is one that works with your brain waves to turn up the body’s natural healing ability. This requires absolutely no meditation experience and gives ample rest for a stressed individual. In the practice of yoga nidra, the first tool is physical rest and nervous system restoration. After that’s achieved, the sky is the limit. We can create an ability to visualize experiences of healing wishes for someone who cannot leave their bed (for example - a trip to Egypt’s pyramids or an apology that cannot happen in person).

Ritual & Vigils

I create sacred space for vigils or end of life ritual. This may include nature altars, closure ceremonies, legacy wishes, ancestral altars and more.

Astrology

The cosmos support us to our last breath and beyond. We have no idea how loved we are. Natal chart readings help someone to see their purpose in this life, to understand their soul evolution and to consider their relationships. This may act as validation for a life well lived - or as closure for purpose in this life. Click here for natal chart readings.

LOVING WORDS:

What others had to say about Tamara’s workshop at the April 2021 End of Life Summit:

“Oh my goodness! This was my most favourite session of all! I loved the science, the benefits AND to experience this... over the top!!! I would love to have more from this presenter!”

“Absolutely amazing. I have already purchased one of her meditation packages off her website. The experience was everything I didn't know I was missing. I cannot wait to experience more.”

“Amazing session. I will be exploring Yoga Nidra practice and Tamara's work.”

“Beautiful presentation and lovely offering of Yoga Nidra to demonstrate it's value to the doulas and their clients.”

“Loved loved Tamara and her passion for nature. So many great things to think about and utilize.... just fabulous!!!”

“Fantastic! I am not only interested in learning more but I think it was the laid back nature of the presenter that made it so enjoyable :)”

“Beautiful presentation style, and balance between self care for practitioners and information/science behind mindfulness and nature based therapies. Easy to apply this to my practice.”

“Loved the rest!!! Yoga nidra will certainly be a topic for further exploration. Thank-you Tamara your spirit really shines through. I did find I was a bit foggy going into the next presenter as I had such a deep relaxation.”

“Connecting with oneself and the universe brings inner peace, in turn this promotes integration of loss.”

“More time! Would have loved a longer nidra session, but also got a great taste as it was. LOVE Tamara!”