"I believe each person is unique and has within him or herself the ability to learn new techniques and skills, to heal from trauma and losses, to cope with what feels like the unbearable. There is HOPE in all aspects of life, loss, grief, and crisis. Each person has the ability to access their strength and courage in order to grow, learn, transition, adjust, and heal from whatever event has occurred in their past, or from what they are currently facing in their present."    (Eileen Stein, MSSW, LICSW) 

A loss of any kind can be devastating, whether it be the death of a loved one, a job, a relationship, a home or any type of separation.  We realize that everyone has their own way of dealing with grief and loss situations and that is why we offer a variety of support and healing modalities.  We offer the following services to assist those in a hospice care situation, in transition and anyone experiencing grief and loss of any kind:

SPIRITUAL CARE COORDINATION 

We assess the spiritual preferences and religious needs of the hospice client and family, and arrange for the provision of spiritual and religious support in accordance with the wishes of the client and family.  We work with other human service and community organizations as needed.  We also serve as a liaison to the client’s/family’s community of faith. We are responsive to the needs of the client and family. We advise the client/family clergy, priest, rabbi, or other spiritual caregiver of the issues related to the terminal illness of the patient. We network with clergy and laity in the community to provide information about hospice and engage them as partners in the care of patients and families. We provide education about hospice, spiritual care, death and dying, grief and bereavement, living in the face of death and other related topics to community groups (civic or religious). If the client and family do not have a religious affiliation but wish to receive pastoral care, we as ULC ordained ministers, provide for spiritual and religious support and services as appropriate. We can participate as part of the hospice management team, providing leadership, team building, policy development, problem solving, and decision making, as requested or required. Also as ordained ministers we can help you or your loved ones create special gatherings, memorials, rituals and other events.

Cost:  $25.00 per hour in most cases, plus $.75 per mile travel expenses, but we consider each case individually.

END-DAYS COMPANIONING (Includes Energy Healing) 

Can you have a remarkable death?  Absolutely YES!  Using a variety of tools such as healing touch, music, guided meditation, aromatherapy, essences, gems and crystals and the Dreamwalker program, our mission is to help those in the process of crossing over, as well as their loved ones still on earth.  Our focus is conscious transition and aspects of this experience such as understanding, preparing and integrating.  We respond to the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual needs of our clients using a non-clinical, intuitive approach.  Since each person's situation is unique and we design our programs thusly, we request that you contact us for a free initial consultation.  The program consists of a series of sessions, approximately 1 hour each.  We can suggest a minimum number of sessions following the initial consultation or the client is free to choose the amount he/she feels would be appropriate to his/her situation. This service combines nicely with our Spiritual Care Coordination Services.

Cost:  $25.00 per hour in most cases, plus $.75 per mile travel expenses, but we consider each case individually.

DREAMWALKER DEATH TRANSITION 

Every human experiences a series of transitions in their life. The greatest of these are birth, ascension (spiritual awakening) and death. These journeys can be lonely and arduous for even the strongest man or woman because of the deep transformations that occur within. Dreamwalkers are guides who assist people through their seasons. 

A Dreamwalker is someone who connects with a person during their transition and assists their spirit in crossing over.  They set aside a certain amount of time each day during the process to make sure the soul leaves the earth plane and completes their journey to the angelic realms.  Usually the Dreamwalker makes the arrangement with their client before their passing, but in some cases the family may summon the assistance of a Dreamwalker after their loved one has made their transition from the body if they feel some type of assistance may be needed.

Dreamwalking is not new.  It has been practiced by Native American Indians and other indiginous cultures for thousands of years.  Modern humans have simply disconnected themselves from the transition processes, and they have become something associated more with fear rather than viewed as steps along the soul's eternal journey.

As Dreamwalkers, we provide a sense of security and balance during the death transition process.  We do not get involved in any specific belief systems. Whether you are Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, or even if you don't have any specific beliefs about the afterlife, we are simply there as a guide and point of comfort. The time period of a Dreamwalk varies. Depending on the client's situation and when the work begins (before or shortly after the physical death), a Dreamwalk can last from just a couple days to several weeks.

Cost:  Each case is considered separately but the total cost typically runs between $350 and $600.

GRIEF AND LOSS RECOVERY

This is the program developed by the Grief Recovery Institute in Sherman Oaks, California.  The program is suitable and appropriate for all belief systems. At Peaceful Choices we offer it to those whose hearts are hurting, whether you believe that this life is all there is or whether you wish to heal your grief while upholding your belief in the continuation of consciousness after physical death and communications between the physical and non-physical dimensions.   Even people who have this belief - including mediums and psychics - go through the grieving process.  No human escapes it. Basically, the Grief Recovery program is a great place to start your healing no matter what you believe.

It differs from grief counseling or therapy in that it is educational rather than clinical.  The group programs are not "support" groups, nor are they "self-help" groups. They are facilitated groups which use The Grief Recovery Handbook as the basic text, along with a format written by the founders of the Grief Recovery Institute.  Individual sessions follow a similar format. The children's program also includes material from the book When Children Grieve.  The programs are designed specifically to assist all who wish to help those with broken hearts retake a productive place in the mainstream of their lives.

The uniqueness of the program lies in the essential idea that grief is the normal and natural emotional reaction to loss. Even though that is an accurate statement, the majority of guidance for grieving people tends to move them toward their intellects to deal with their broken hearts. Thus the comment - "Grievers don't wind up at our door with broken heads, they all arrive with broken hearts."

While our ideas are neither new nor revolutionary, they are almost exclusively focused on helping people deal with what remains emotionally incomplete at the time of a death, a divorce, or other losses, or as reminders of a loss occur over time. We have known people to wait decades for "time to heal" them, their lives limited and restricted, only because no one has been able to help them with recovery actions. It is our job to address the presenting issues of grief and recovery, not the intellectual ideas that distract them from the task at hand.

Cost:  $225 for 12 weeks of group or individual sessions (We will have our Grief Recovery web pages up again soon!)

DEATH AND DYING COMMUNITY OUTREACH & EDUCATION COORDINATION 

We coordinate and deliver community education regarding death, dying, grief and loss to the community through formatted programs, presentations, workshops and curriculums. We present educational programs to diverse groups including elementary, middle and high school students, university students, community and civic groups and other area professionals about death and dying and other services that we provide. We also research, develop, implement, and update curricula for school and community education presentations, as well as coordinate and plan events for Grief and Loss awareness. We promote our programs and services through community events and presentations, such as health fairs, community festivals, and where otherwise appropriate.

Cost:  Determined per project.  Free consultation available and is recommended.

LOVE IS FOREVER :  BEYOND BEREAVEMENT 

A series of classes OR a 4-day retreat (new!) that will change forever how you think about life, death, the value of relationships, and the power of love.  You can learn to communicate and rebuild relationships with your loved ones on the other side. 

Have you lost someone who was important to you in your life?  A tragic loss can cause us to question and re-evaluate many things in our lives.  If it is the loss of a loved one through death, perhaps the main question people want the answer to is - why?  And if it was a violent situation, then they also may want to know what could have been done-if anything-to prevent it? 

We explore the transition and grieving processes, how to face the challenge of death in our lives, what happens after we die, how those left behind can recover and learn to find new meaning in life, how we can stay connected to those who have crossed over, and even how to transform mourning into celebration. Our retreats and classes offer healing, sharing, connecting, and the opportunity to see death/dying from a different perspective: the passageway between the physical world and the spiritual realm. When we hold death in a new way, we can experience it in a new way. 

Activities include music; ceremony; centering; guided meditation; making memories; creating legacies; exploring resources for getting through the holidays; mini workshops; a healthy, whole foods lunch buffet; concert and movie.

Facilitated by ULC Ordained ministers, certified Reiki masters, Dreamwalkers and Grief Recovery Specialists.

Cost:  $495.   MINIMUM PARTICIPANTS: 5-6.  To maintain quality of presentation, space is limited to 12 participants. (Since the series of classes follows a specific healing process, it is extremely important to attend the very first debriefing.  Otherwise, please request an individual consultation before joining the rest of the classes.)

Objective:  To acquire an expanded perspective of death.  To overcome fear, unfamiliarity, concern or confusion surrounding death. To explore the after-life and after-death communication.

Topics covered include:

• What happens after you die
• Relationship gridding
• Vibrational ascension
• Recognizing the signs
• Journaling and grief cards
• Working with Angels and guides
• Exploring the experiences of others
• Special celebrations, guests and movies

If you host a retreat or series of classes in your area and you get 6 people to sign up and pre-pay, your tuition is FREE!  Great for bereavement support and study groups.  (An added bonus:  If you host the event in your home, you may only need 5 people!)

Afterlife Links:

Hans King:  http://hansking.com/

Email peacefulchoicesinfo@yahoo.com if you are interested or would like more information about any of the above services.