Illuminating the Role of Death in Life
Welcome! I’m Nicole.
I am an End-of-Life Guide and Grief Companion. I assist people in navigating the death and dying process, while advocating for your end-of-life wishes. As a death educator, I guide others in finding a sense of ease and comfort in times of immense sorrow and fear. My intuitive spirit and compassion for the human condition has comforted me in speaking openly about the feelings and emotions that transpire from death. Giving to my community is one of my biggest passions and parallels my natural response to hold space for people experiencing death and grief.
It is my belief that death work is a calling and my relationship with death formed organically after the passing of my grandfather in 2001. In 2002, I began working as a Funeral Attendant and Mortuary Assistant in a family-owned mortuary in Northern California. The handful of years I spent assisting families after the death of their loved one was life changing. Death is raw, heavy, and often feared. My experience in this setting paved a path of wonder, fully allowing me to ponder two big questions: “How do you want to live?” and “How do you want to die?”
The years following my work in the funeral industry, I found myself giving my time and heart to the field of Education. Upon moving to Oregon in 2004 I worked as an Early Childhood Education Teacher for almost 10 years. Children are magic, and they have always sparked so much joy and wonder in my life. I transitioned into the world of Social Work in 2013, working with houseless families in Portland and advocating for children in the foster care system. While in this position, it became clear that my flair for helping others comes straight from my heart source and loss and grief support has always been my calling.
In April of 2020, I completed the Death Doula training through the INELDA organization, and in March of 2021, I completed the Death Companion training with A Sacred Passing. My network of supporters and mentors continues to grow every day and I am grateful for all of the guidance I have received from some of the biggest pioneers in death work.
I believe that becoming a death worker and educator is a gift I have been given in life. With compassion and integrity, my hope is to help others remove the taboos surrounding death and close the gaps of isolation and extreme discomfort. My experience is forever evolving, and I trust that the process will shine its light.
