Woodstock Death Care
Offering death care in Woodstock and Hudson Valley, NY, in devotion to reclaiming death as sacred and remembering the art of caring for our own dead.
Woodstock Death Care committed to reclaiming death as a natural, family- and community-centered process—one that honors choice, autonomy, and empowerment for the dying person and their circle of care.
We offer gentle guidance to the support circle on how to tend to their own, while providing a heart-centered, grounding presence through the dying process. This includes: contemplative care planning, end-of-life care, vigil presence, after-death care, home funeral guidance, memorial and life celebration guidance, and community-based contemplative death, dream, and grief circles.
Services
Our services complement the care already in place, including hospice care. We specialize in supporting those who are choosing alternatives to institutionalized end-of-life care and who wish to take an active role in their own dying process—or in caring for a loved one—in ways that reflect how they have lived.
This includes:
Creating a care plan for end-of-life, death and after death care.
Working alongside circle of care, which includes family, friends and Hospice care team, to provide additional hands on care.
Creating and tending to sacred spaces for vigil before and after death.
Offering guidance to circle of care to offer hands-on after-death care with reverence and compassion.
Holding home funerals or meaningful rituals after death in personalized settings, where families are active participants in caring for their loved ones.
Guiding decisions about body disposition in ways that honor the life lived and the values of those involved.
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In this offering, I walk individuals and families through their care wishes over a series of sessions. I recommend at least three one-hour sessions, during which we explore elder care, end-of-life care, death care, and after-death care.
Participants also receive a 40-page booklet that serves as a practical guide for defining how you might care for your parents, or how you would like to be cared for, during medical crises or at the end of life.
This is a practical, contemplative process, creating space to live and die more consciously. It is suitable for people of any age and at any stage of health.
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Support for individuals who are in the final phase of life - often when a person’s health is declining, treatments are no longer curative, and attention is focused on comfort, presence, and honoring wishes.
I work alongside hospice teams, offering non-medical, complementary support. I bring a calm, compassionate presence to help ensure a person’s wishes are honored and upheld. I provide steady support to both the person who is dying and their circle of care, helping to cultivate a space of connection, reverence, and rest.
During this time, I can also support planning for vigil and after-death care, if desired.
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Bedside vigil takes place when a person is actively dying. It is a time for devotional presence. Loved ones may build an altar, sing, pray, meditate, or share stories, and we assist in creating a safe, sacred space. This may last hours, days or more. I work alongside other death care workers in my area as part of an informal community death care collective and this is the time where they are brought in if 24/7 vigil care is needed outside of the existing circle of support.
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After a death, there is still care to be given. I support families in tending to the body with reverence and calm, honoring cultural, spiritual, or personal practices. This may include gentle washing, anointing, dressing, and creating a sacred space, following a pace that feels natural and that honors the wishes of there person who has died.
Whether guiding a home vigil, preparing for a home funeral, or coordinating with funeral homes or hospice, I offer presence and practical support so that this tender time may unfold with intention, dignity, and love.
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As a Home Funeral Guide, I educate and empower families to exercise the innate right of caring for their own dead.
A home funeral allows families to care for their loved one after death in the comfort and intimacy of their own home. This practice honors the natural rhythms of grief, providing time and space for meaningful rituals, personal farewells, and community support.
I collaborate with families and licensed funeral directors to preserve the family's autonomy in creating a personalized and meaningful farewell.
Whether you're interested in a quiet vigil, a ceremony that reflects your loved one's values, or guidance through the legal processes, I offer support to help you navigate this sacred time with intention and care.
"Death is our friend precisely because it brings us into absolute passionate presence with all that is here, all that is natural, all that is love."
— Rainer Maria Rilke