From ‘Till Death’ to ‘After Life’:

A four week course to help couples begin end-of-life conversations and take important first steps

The core promise you make to your spouse when you get married is to be there until the end. Yet conversations about “the end” are often put off indefinitely, if had at all. Understandably, no couple wants to think about illness, death, next of kin, health care wishes, etc. especially when they’re just starting out.

And yet…

I’ve married couples who lost their spouses far too soon: one groom was diagnosed with late-stage cancer soon after the wedding and died a few months later; another groom died in a motorcycle accident five years after the wedding. I share these stories not to frighten you, but because “we’re young; we don’t need to think about this yet” is a naïve assumption. None of us knows how much time we have./none of us knows when illness or death will come, or how.

When(ever) it does, you will need to make decisions, locate information, or arrange care while under strain. If both of you die or are unable to communicate your wishes, especially if children and animals are involved, you’ll have a whole other set of decisions/considerations you’ll want to account for. If kids or pets are involved, there are a whole other set of considerations you need to account for.

[No one wants to be searching for passwords, insurance policies, and banking information/figuring out as you go while in the throes of shock or grief, and advanced planning is one way to make those moments less bewildering. 

From ‘Till Death’ to 'After Life' is a four-week course for couples who want to begin these/this conversation(s) and take some important first steps to clarify wishes and get their affairs in order. Which is to say that this isn’t about having every answer or completing every document during the class. It’s about setting aside time to begin, and know/learn what deserves attention, so you can leave with a clearer understanding of what to do next. The/This course will offer insight, guidance, and resources to help you continue the work at your own pace.

I bring this work to you as a funeral officiant, certified life-cycle celebrant with specialized training in end-of-life ceremony and a founding member of the Natural Deathcare Initiative. I’ve also worked through my own planning which required clear-eyed, candor/candid,/which has required me to be clear-eyed and ____ including making my wishes known and preparing legal documents. I’m not a legal expert, fiduciary attorney, estate planner or healthcare provider; my role/intention is to help you approach these conversations with candor, care, and some room to breathe./breathing room. (maybe, if we’re lucky, a bit of humor)

And in addition to the practical reasons to do this, death, when faced honestly, brings life into clearer focus/clarifies priorities, deepens intimacy and reminds us of /affirms the preciousness of life.

If you’ve been meaning to make time for these conversations, or have been postponing them because you don’t want to think about it, I hope you’ll join me.

Email me for class dates, pricing, etc.