Anam Cara Legacy
Navigating death & dying with grace, intention and purpose.
About Anam Cara
Anam Cara is a term from Celtic spirituality that translates to ‘soul friend.’ It represents a deep, spiritual connection between two people, where one acts as a trusted companion, guide, or confidant for the other. The relationship is rooted in authenticity, mutual respect, and understanding. Guided by my belief that preparing for death is, at its heart, an act of preparing to live meaningfully, we’ll explore together what life and death mean to you.
End-of-life doula work, death literacy, and serving as a funeral celebrant have since become my core passions, and my goal is to make a positive impact with my loved ones, my clients, and my community.
I invite you to explore my website further to learn about this work and my approach to working with families during difficult times.
I look forward to working with you –
because the last good thing someone can do for their family is to show them what a good death looks like.
End-of-Life Doula
End-of-life doulas serve in many meaningful ways, each offering unique skills and experience. Some focus on vigil support, bereavement services, home funeral education, or family needs before and after a death. My work centers on advance care planning, legacy work, death literacy education, and helping individuals and families plan funerals, memorials, and celebrations of life.
Using the North Star Guide from the Conscious Dying Collective, we will clarify your values, make informed decisions, and create plans that reflect what matters most to you.
The example below, focused on the idea of home, shows the kind of conversations we might have together.
What does home mean to you?
Many people say, “I want to die at home.” But as we move through life, our definition of home changes. It may begin as a first apartment, then a family house, then a smaller down-sized home, a senior living apartment, a room in a memory care unit, or even a shared hospital room with a shelf for a few treasured belongings. In the end, it might be less about the place where you hang your hat and more about where you find comfort.
Together, we’ll explore what dying at home truly means for you Will your family continue to live in the house? Will the memory of your death in that space bring them comfort and connection, or might it make it harder for them to heal? Are back-up plans written down and shared in case there is a medical emergency?
Funeral Celebrant
As a funeral celebrant, trained through the Insight Institute, I will help design a service that best reflects and memorializes the life of your loved one, weaving your choice of music, photos, readings, personal mementos, and unique ceremonies into a tribute to a life lived.
The process begins with a family meeting to gather stories, share memories, anecdotes, and special moments in your loved one’s life, and prepare a eulogy that incorporates those unique experiences that defined them. This work can also be done well in advance, allowing personal touches and providing opportunities for loved ones to take an active role in the service.
With the rise in interest in cremations, there has been a movement away from traditional funerals and memorials toward celebrations of life. These events are often purposefully less somber and more personalized than other ceremonies, with catering, cocktails, and venues not typically associated with this kind of service. But, if simplicity is the goal, a scattering ceremony can be thoughtfully designed, with the location selected, the scattering urn prepared, and the eulogy written.
My approach as a funeral celebrant brings compassion, creativity, courage, and curiosity to every part of this process. I want to know about your loved one - what kind of person were they? What were their passions? Together, we will create a healing funeral that honors life and marks each of our unique significance.
Death Literacy
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Services
End-of-Life Doula services start at $750 for one person. The North Star Guide curriculum includes six modules in six sessions, plus two contemplative sessions, over eight weeks. Each session is conducted via Zoom and lasts 60–75 minutes.
The package includes worksheets, planning tools, reflection exercises, and legacy discovery. A three-month follow-up session is included, and additional sessions at three- and six-month intervals can be scheduled to continue the work. All sessions are conducted with strict confidentiality ensuring a safe and private space for reflection and planning.
Funeral celebrant services typically range from $600 to $1,000, depending on the scope and location of the service. Services honoring children are given as a gift.
Workshops, or death cafes, are conducted in a group setting with up to 20 people per ½ day event. These events can take place in public spaces such as cafes or in people’s homes. The cost is $50 per person and includes workshop materials.