Bittersweet End of Life Doula Care

01/01/2026

The holidays are often the toughest time of year for families who have lost a child. In grief work, we often think about ways to create new traditions because celebrating the old traditions without our loved one feels too painful. This year, my son and I started two new traditions, 19 years after I lost my oldest child, Lucy, to cancer. We were driving home from an impromptu road trip (new tradition #1) to see the wild ponies on Chincoteague, VA, and decided to stop at Old Sturbridge Village on the way home.

We did a little research and discovered that they were running their Christmas by Candlelight event, and that we would be able to catch the last evening of the celebration. It was absolutely magical, and so much fun! From now on, we plan to attend the last evening of the event as part of our Christmas celebration, after returning from a road trip adventure. Life is short, and it felt so good to break out of our usual holiday routine.

Have you switched up your holiday traditions since losing a loved one?

12/16/2025

12/16/2025

Sweetie heard that music therapy can heal hurting hearts. ❤️
BeecherGrogan.com

02/06/2025

When working with grieving parents who are trying to find themselves after the death of their child, I ask them to think about this… what brought you great joy when you were 12?

The answers hold the secret to discovering joy again after terrible loss. For me it was horses, gardening, photography, and nature. What did you love most at 12? Perhaps it’s time to rediscover that old love. ❤️

12/04/2024

I am pleased to share that my new website for Bittersweet is up and running. Please consider sharing my website with anyone in your life who is struggling with the loss of a child, or is parenting a dying child. I can help. ❤️

Providing guidance, love, and kinship to seriously ill children, their parents, and their siblings as they experience life’s most profound transition— together. Bittersweet End-of-Life Doula Care™ offers 1:1 grief support, pediatric end-of-life guidance, and resources for you and your children...

11/19/2024

Sweetie, our 18-month-old miniature therapy horse is doing beautifully with his training! He has been at our farm for one year now and has had lots of experience interacting with young children. He loves children, especially this two-year-old friend of mine, and is extremely gentle and careful with the little ones. We still have lots of training to do together, but I’m so happy that he seems to have the right temperament for this work! ❤️🐴❤️

07/14/2024

when the world
goes mad

become wildly kind
to everyone

everyone
everyone
everyone

my love,

~ you can’t control
much

but you control how
you treat others

in these breaking news
heartbreaking times

when nothing feels
certain

let your raw kindness
be a certainty

allow your compassion
to become a North Star

stamped up in
the sky for

others to follow
back home

~ john roedel

Photo by L. Giguere ❤️

03/13/2024

Bittersweet the therapy c**t turned one year old today!!! 🎂❤️🥰❤️🎂
We spent the afternoon walking with dear friends in the forest and got in some good practice with puddle jumping! Sweetie did a great job in the trailer and is getting more comfortable wearing his anti-slip shoes, which he will need for indoor visits.

02/14/2024

https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/blog/death-is-just-one-day-how-end-of-life-doulas-are-changing-the-conversation-around-how-we-die/?fbclid=iwar2p7vzb0sbtfj_r7hh85e1k52t-ygsk6yne55ijhe_taj9qitu-lafp92q_aem_aavavpmmhv5aawui_wq1u9tvuqbkdio9miwduoak6tjv4qg4qk451b3xqkwxnxojj9k

Meet the end-of-life or death doulas training to help provide emotional, practical, and spiritual support to people who are dying, and to the loved ones around them. And watch Sister Una Lived a Good Death on PBS.

01/26/2024

For the past week I have been absolutely blessed to be invited into the most tender time in the lives of two elders who are preparing to say goodbye to one another. Though I’ve only known them for ten days, their abiding love for each other, and the grace with which they are navigating life’s most profound transition has had a profound impact on me. The LOVE in this home is palpable. The appreciation, gratitude, and care they show for each other, in every moment, is awe-inspiring. While it’s a very sad time for everyone in the family, it’s also a time of immense gratitude. These two loves take my breath away. It’s interesting to me that young love gets all the glory, when it’s this… old love, steadfast love, that breaks all records, and will survive for eternity. ❤️❤️❤️

01/12/2024

I try to live my life in such a way that I have no regrets. Today I visited in the hospital with a spunky little sweetheart who is running out of time. We have been visiting weekly, at my farm or her home, and on the way home I found myself wishing that I’d made time for just one more visit, one more opportunity to make special memories for her and her family. I guess the truth is, there would never have been “enough” time. Please join me in holding this beautiful child and her family in your heart, and in your prayers. ❤️💔❤️

01/08/2024

Meet Sweetie, our miniature therapy c**t in training! Sweetie is learning all kinds of new things, including how to tolerate the manhandling of 4-year-olds! He’s doing beautifully with children, and is very patient when being groomed and patted. He seems to be have been born for therapeutic work, and we are so excited for him to become a certified mini therapy horse!