I don't usually talk about my personal life in this column, but this month I dedicate this space as a tribute to my beloved dog Spootie, who left this world a week ago today at age 16.

Even though I'm an experienced hospice chaplain and grief counselor, I'm amazed at how much she's taught me about grief over these last several days. Things I've known for years -- and taught to others -- but forgot to feel.

I am deeply grateful to her for the thousand little gifts of love and joy she's given me. But in terms of my work, I thank her for reminding me of what grief feels like so that I can better identify with my clients and be more present for them as they grieve their own losses.

Dr. Terri Daniel, CT, FFGT

Clinical Chaplaincy, End-of-Life Educator

Bereavement and Trauma Support

office@deathgriefandbelief.com

END-OF-LIFE, AFTERLIFE AND BEREAVEMENT

A Relationship Between NDEs and Dreams

"While understanding the neurophysiologic basis of NDEs poses distinct challenges, primarily because they are extremely difficult to investigate under controlled conditions, research has consistently mapped a variety of psychological, spiritual, and physical after-effects following NDEs, including sleep-related changes.

In their 2024 article in the journal Dreaming , Lindsay et al. explore how NDEs can influence dreaming. Their study investigates the association between NDEs and several dream characteristics and explores whether changes reported by NDE survivors stem from the NDE itself or from the trauma associated with coming close to death." READ MORE...

Pediatric Palliative Care

Dr. Bob Macauley is one of only a few hundred pediatricians in the U.S. specializing in palliative care for children with life-threatening illness. Uniquely, Dr. Macauley attended both divinity school and medical school at the same time, which gives him a spiritual perspective on palliative care as well. He is the author of the recently published book Because I Knew You: How Some Remarkable Sick Kids Healed a Doctor’s Soul. LISTEN HERE

A Buddhist Nun Teaches About Death

00:00 Introduction

01:15 Exploring Hospice Nursing in Rural New Mexico: Challenges and Rewards

04:00 What Really Happens When We Die? Understanding the death process

07:42 The Nature of Consciousness: What Is the Mind?

12:17 Healing Through Compassion: Overcoming Pain and Suffering

18:38 Unlocking the Power of the Mind: Your Best Protector Against Adversity

22:25 Preparing for the Inevitable: A Guide to Acceptance and Peace at Death

35:45 Discovering the Limitless Potential of the Human Mind

45:54 Preparing the mind for Open Heart Surgery

51:05 Making a Difference: How Can We Contribute Positively to the World?

SACRED ACTIVISM

If you Missed Our Free Workshop on Sacred Activism,

The Recording is Now Available

Brian D. Smith

Grief Guide, Life Coach

Dr. Terri Daniel

Educator, Hospice Chaplain

Karen Wyatt, MD

Hospice Physician

End-of-life workers, counselors and spiritual teachers are directly affected by disruptions in social programs and human rights. While much of our work takes place in the spiritual and emotional dimensions, do we have an ethical and moral responsibility to be engaged in current events and take action when a community’s spiritual, emotional and psychosocial well-being is at risk?

LISTEN TO THE AUDIO RECORDING HERE

Harvard Offering FREE Courses

to Help us Become Better Citizens

If you want to be able to hold your own in a conversation about free speech and the current threat to American democracy, scroll through the list of classes on this Harvard course list, and you'll find that these are online and absolutely free:

. Civic Engagement in a Constitutional Democracy

. American Government: Constitutional Foundations

. Citizen Politics in America: Public Opinion, Elections, Interest Groups,

and the Media

Speaking of how to converse intelligently and respectfully about the current political climate, our 2025 holiday season symposium -- Mindfulness, Non-Violent Communication and MAGA -- will be all about how to navigate difficult conversations. Registration is now open, and like the Harvard courses, it's FREE!

Worship Spaces Make Space

for the Neurodivergent

"Across the U.S., families like Percy’s who once thought worship was off-limits are returning to faith communities thanks to a small but growing number of sensory rooms in religious settings. Located in underutilized classrooms, storage spaces and former nurseries, these rooms vary in size and appearance, but are all designed to offer a calm, predictable environment that can help with nervous system regulation" READ MORE...

Modern Mindfulness for the Buddhist-Curious

"The Young Buddhist Initiative began out of a desire to create a nurturing space where young people could support each other in their spiritual practice. Ananta came across Buddhism at age 18 through a meditation group at his university, and knows the value of having a cohort of like-minded peers. “There are people like you who also have spiritual aspirations and are interested in leading a particular lifestyle. That can be very supportive.” READ MORE...

WORKSHOPS, CLASSES

AND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

Seeking Hospice Bereavement Volunteers

in Portland, Oregon

A Portland/Vancouver-area hospice will be training a limited number of volunteers to offer grief support to local families. This would entail a training/onboarding process and then 2-4 hours a week of in-person visits to clients in Portland and/or Vancouver and Longview WA.

SKILLS NEEDED:

. Some education in grief theory and counseling preferred

. Engaging personality

. Computer skills

. Organization/time management skills

Email inquiries with a brief overview of your experience and interests to terri@danieldirect.net

Grief Therapy Training in Washington State

If there's a chance you can get to the Pacific Northwest this summer, you won't want to miss this opportunity to study with the great Dr. Robert Neimeyer and a stellar list of renowned teachers in a multi-day retreat on beautiful Bainbridge Island near Seattle. The content addresses a wide range of in-depth topics in grief research and therapy approaches (a detailed outline of the program and be found here).

Editor's note: I took this training myself two years ago, and my certification in Family-Focused Grief Therapy has been incredibly valuable for me. I highly recommend this program!

DETAILS AND REGISTRATION HERE

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office@deathgriefandbelief.com

971-236-1541

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Spootie

3/20/2009 - 7/17/2025