End-of-Life Doula Services Brisbane
Talk to Sherryl Searle Today
“You matter because you are you, and you matter to the last moment of your life. We will do all that we can not only to help you die peacefully, but also to live until you die.”
Dame Cicely Saunders
Our modern western culture holds so much fear around death that when people find themselves face-to-face with either their own mortality or that of someone they love, many don’t know what to do. It can be incredibly scary to face the unknown alone.
As an end of life Doula I aim to support and empower you and those you love – informing and educating you about the dying process, facilitating compassionate conversations and helping to navigate the overall process.
The point at which you engage my services and to what extent you use the various elements of the service, depends on you. You may choose to engage me when you are living well and wanting help to create an advance health care plan or, to pre-plan your funeral ceremony. Alternatively, you may chose to contact me post-diagnosis of a life limiting illness, during your treatment or in the later stages of life. Whenever you contact me and for however long you choose to engage me, I am committed to tailoring my services to meet your needs.
My services include:
- Engaging in compassionate conversations with both the individual and/or their family if they wish
- Sharing information and exploring service options and choices
- Advance care planning
- Funeral pre-planning
- Being present as an ‘end of life companion’ for when active dying occurs
- Offering or sourcing relaxation therapies
- Assisting in navigating the medical system and accompanying individuals and carers to medical appointments and
- Co-creating life-stories and other legacy projects.
My work with you will embody:
Compassion
Throughout my Social Work and Celebrant career I have often sat with, and listened to people through what has sometimes been the worst day of their lives. I have listened with respect compassion and empathy – giving people space to express their feelings of sorrow, despair and sometimes shock and anger. On other occasions, I have offered practical assistance, reassurance and comfort – whether that be through filling out forms or facilitating conversations between family members.
As someone who has faced a life limiting diagnosis in the past, I also have personal experience and understand how daunting it can sometimes feel to navigate the health system, while also dealing with the shock of your diagnosis and facing your own mortality.
Knowledge and experience
Some people prefer to die in a hospital or hospice and others prefer to be at home. People also often transition from actively seeking curative treatment to no longer receiving treatment. With my decades of experience in the health and palliative care systems, I am able to walk along side you, wherever you are in the process – informing your decisions and supporting your choices in whatever way is needed.
I have always valued life long learning and am committed to ongoing professional development and the creation of a broad referral network. If I don’t have the knowledge or skill that you may need at a particular time, I will either acquire the knowledge or source the skill you need through an appropriate referral.
Integrity
As a qualified Social Worker and Celebrant, I have always abided by a strict professional code of ethics. You can be assured that I will always respect your wishes and privacy while working diligently to provide you with a high quality and value for money service. You and your needs will be the central focus of my work with you. My primary goal is to assist you in making the best choices for yourself and to then support you in implementing those choices.