Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Johnson.
Ashley, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Death. End of Life transformations has long been a topic that I gravitated to. My first memories go back to childhood when I would ask my grandmother for the obituaries instead of the Sunday comics (weird.. I know). Fast forward to today in which I acquired over 10 years experience in the death care industry. When a friend was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer at the age of 27, it came naturally to me to perform the duties of an End Of Life Doula. When she transitioned, I become a NEDA proficient End Of Life Doula and host an annual 5k to raise colon cancer awareness. Joining the Loyal Hands End of Life Doulas, I work with other caregivers and members of their medical team to ensure that self-determination is better fostered in clients, also gathering as much information as needed to encourage them to make informed choices regarding their end of life. It is an honor and privilege to help families who are uneasy at the end of life planning, transition period, and afterlife planning. I LOVE what I do-ula and do it with honor and compassion. I am happy to be apart of the death positive movement!! “Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live”.
Has it been a smooth road?
It’s not always easy to know how to talk about dying. Awkwardness, embarrassment and fear mean we tend to shy away from connecting our end of life plans with loved ones. Death is the 2nd leading fear of society. Everyone loves the birth doula but afraid of the death doula. I want to change the narrative of conversations about death with the death positive movement.
Tell us more about the business.
Loyal Hands End of Life Doulas provide holistic non-medical, non-judgmental support, and guidance to individuals and families that are passing through tough times of critical, transformative life changes. Death doulas fill in the gap by being an intricate part of end of life care team. You do not get a second chance do to end of life right. Loyal Hands offers a multidisciplinary and integrated approach to meeting the needs of those who are dying. This approach takes into account the spiritual, physical, mental, practical and emotional needs of clients through contemplative compassion. We are along side the families from the initial diagnosis through bereavement. Loyal Hands offers their clients enjoy empowerment services, as their end of life doulas promote informed decision-making while also fostering maximum self-determination for the individual and their families. We serve in person and have clients all over the world through virtual consultations and travel. Maintaining the highest level of code of ethics, some of which include avoidance of conflicts of interest, honesty and integrity, confidentiality, as well as other core values for our clients and their families is something that I am most proud of!
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Death will not be a taboo topic. Having a death doula will not be a stigma.
Contact Info:
- Website: Loyal-Hands.com
- Email: care@loyal-hands.com
- Instagram: Loyal Hands
- Facebook: LoyalHands
Image Credit:
@TheMercuryCollective
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