Death Midwifery Training Offered

Free presentations on Friday, Nov. 13; Workshop (registration required) for Nov. 14 and 15

— from Gretchen Krampf —

• Friday November 13 at the Orcas Island Senior Center from 1-2 p.m.for a talk on: “What is a Death Midwife”, Free.
• Friday November 13 at the Orcas Mandala Yoga Studio from 7-8:30 p.m. for a talk on: ““Death Midwifery a model of Wholistic Death Care”, Free.

A Death Midwife is a person who is trained and experienced in death who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the dying person and their support network before, during and just after death.

• “Death Doula Training Course” Saturday & Sunday November 14-15 at the Heartwood House from 9-5, presented by Ashley Benem LMP, Death Midwife, Minister. Preregistration is required for this class. Space is very limited. $200 tuition. Email asacredpassing@gmail.com or call (360)927-5040 to register.

In this Death Doula Training, we will cover the basic scope of care of a Death Midwife and the how the service offered through A Sacred Passing can be blended to create a true web of support for the dying client and their loved ones. We will cover the physical and emotional care of the deceased and the surviving family and friends. Including: body preparation, vigil presencing, active listening, holding sacred space, how to integrate multiple traditions (cultural and spiritual) into a cohesive respectful offering, working with many options for burial presentations, and many hands on skills.

Ashley Benem is a licensed massage practitioner, Death Midwife and Minister. She is the owner of A Sacred Passing: Death Midwifery Service in Bellingham Washington. She is also the creator of the “Art of Death” Exhibition and Conference. She has been working with the sick and injured since 1991, first with emergency care, then as a LMP and Birth Doula, and now with the tender care of our dying.

Death Midwives provide the dying person with individualized care uniquely suited to their physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and cultural needs.They are a non-medical supportive companion and guide to assist the dying person toward a more conscious dying experience. A Death Midwife usually offers a variety of options and seeks to minimize unnecessary interventions at the end of life.