End-of-Life University Ep. 498 Memory Bears and Grief in Community with Michelle Sebern RN
Learn how a project making memory bears for people who are grieving is opening the door to conversation about the end of life.
My guest Michelle Sebern is an RN who trained as an end-of-life doula to channel her skills and passion into more community-focused work. When she found her rural community wasn’t quite ready to receive end-of-life doula services she decided to find a more creative way to give back. She will share how she founded The Memory Bear Maker and now creates customized bears to help people in their grief and begin end-of-life conversations. Learn more at her website:
This episode includes:
- Michelle’s journey from nurse to doula and memory bear maker
- The challenges of introducing doula services into a community not quite ready for that step
- How she discovered memory bears to be the perfect blend of her passions
- How memory bears help with grief
- Why the bears are an alternate doorway into end-of-life education and conversations
- How grief unites people by dissolving barriers
- The magic of storytelling that comes with memory bear making
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Previous interview with The Peaceful Presence Project
- NEW Gift Guides for Caregivers, People Receiving Care, and People Who are Grieving
- Get my two newest books!! Stories from the Dark Night and The Tao of Death
- Get EOLU Podcast Merch here
- Conversations on Death with ChatGPT – Audiobook here; Print Book here
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