Death’s Apprentice Education & Planning and the We are All Dying Podcast Present:
Death Stories:
Talk about death. Live a better life.
Have you ever been present when someone died?
If you’ve ever been with someone at the very end of their life, it might have been one of the most intimate and affecting things you’ve ever experienced.
Witnessing the profound transition that occurs at the end of life can fill us with awe, curiosity, and stir up emotion in ways that may not be entirely predictable. And yet, despite how powerful this experience can be, we’re often left without opportunities to share it with others in any meaningful way.
We believe that talking about death can help us lead better lives. Specifically, we believe that everyone should have an opportunity to share their experience of witnessing life’s final transition in community, surrounded by loving support.
That’s why we’ve created “Death Stories”. We hope you’ll join us for the powerfully connecting experience of talking about something that really matters, with other people who truly get it.
What’s your story?
This is a monthly, live gathering where a group of people come together to speak about what it was actually like to be present when someone died, not in a general or abstract way, but in the specificity of the moment itself, with others who understand (or are curious about) the weight and nuance of that experience.
Here’s how it works:
We meet on the last Sunday of the month (except August and December), for an hour on Zoom at 4 pm Pacific, 7 PM Eastern.
There’s no recording available. If you come, you’re coming to participate. We are hear to witness each other in every sense of the word. Come with your cameras on, and with no distractions (well, no avoidable distractions at least!)
This is not a webinar, and it’s not a workshop. It’s a community of practice, a real live connection space, it’s a place to learn, to grow, to connect, and to be present.
Every month, we’ll guide you through a sharing exercise and introduce you to a compelling special guest. We will work together, spend some quiet time in personal reflection, and then move into small connection groups to share our own death stories. Then we’ll come back together to marvel at what happens when we make space for stories that truly matter.
It’s an hour talking about death that will help you live a better life.
Here’s what doesn’t work:
Death Stories is not a grief circle, and it’s not a space for processing fresh loss.
Death Stories is not a therapy session, we have no religious affiliation or overtly spiritual views, and your co-hosts and special guests are never selling anything.
While grief may naturally be part of what arises when we discuss death, the focus here is on the experience of witnessing an expected death (either natural or with medical assistance), and on finding language for something it’s rarely possible/permitted to speak of elsewhere.
Though your facilitators take a trauma-informed approach to these sessions, Death Stories is also not a space for stories of sudden, violent, or traumatic death.
Please reach out if you would like to discuss a referral for grief therapy, or if you have questions about whether these sessions are right for you.
A co-creation through and through:
You’ll be tenderly guided through our session, but neither of us (Christa or Jenna) are “teaching” you during our time together. You are every bit as important to this experience as we are…we are making this space, and building this community of practice together. Your participation is central to our shared experience, and we are truly honoured that you will be part of Death Stories. Whether you come once, show up when you can, or join us every month, just know that we quite literally couldn’t do this without you.
Each month, we’ll also be joined by a very special guest whose work touches on death, storytelling, and meaning-making.
We’re so happy to have Darnell Lamont Walker with us in April. Darnell is an Emmy-nominated children’s television writer, author, and death doula whose work explores how we make sense of complex emotional experiences through story (both at the start and end of life).
By the way: Jenna and Christa have both sworn a solemn oath to only ever use our powers for good. (We’ve noticed a bit of a magical force whenever we’re together…some pretty amazing stuff happens when we start brain-storming!)
Quite simply the best online workshop I’ve ever attended: I can’t believe how after such a short time, a group of total strangers felt so connected.
-Anna C, community workshop participant
Sign up now to be notified when registration opens: spots are limited and folks on our waitlist will get the first chance to register.
Important to know:
Death Stories is a free, community-based offering. When you register, you’ll receive login details and information about the event from the Death’s Apprentice Education & Planning and The We Are All Dying Podcast newsletters. Please check your filters if you don’t see our messages!