I knew my girl Pippa wouldn’t live forever, but there’s knowing it and there’s living it. As these things often do, Pippa’s decline came suddenly and I was overwhelmed with the many decisions and arrangements that needed to be made quickly. Billie Jo stepped in immediately and took care of all the communication, arrangements, and gave me a resource describing the dying process which brought me so much peace and allowed me to honor Pippa’s life and our bond by not spending her last days on earth trying to fix or change it and instead granting her the time to leave when she was ready.

When I look back on this time, while it is still painful and likely always will be, I have no regrets in how I spent my last days with my best friend. Billie Jo helped me to honor Pippa’s life by seeing her through her last breath and it’s a gift I will never be able to repay but will be forever grateful for. If you have an animal in your life, I highly recommend working with Billie Jo. Letting go of our dear animals will never be easy, but in the right hands, it won’t feel as lonely.

I hired Billie Jo to work with my mother when her cancer recurred. I worried that my mother, notoriously averse to discussing bad feelings, and who really believed in the importance of “battling to the end,” would suffer more by refusing to think about dying: I wanted her to feel like she had some control over facing the end we all face.

I’m so glad she was willing to do this work. I know she valued it–she told me repeatedly how much she loved her work and conversations with Billie Jo. And it was a huge gift to our family that my mom was able courageously and consciously to face her dying, to invite family and friends to come spend time with her once she entered hospice care, that no one had to “pretend” that they were doing anything but giving her all the love and support she deserved in her dying days. She died the way she wished and planned–at home, surrounded by family.

The class was very interesting, informational, and lots to think about. I enjoyed every session.

This was my first experience working with a death doula on end-of-life. The subject of death, for me, has historically signaled fear, anxiety and dread. Participating in this program was a big step toward alleviating some of those feelings as I learned how to create a plan that ensures that the way I leave this world is as mindful as how I live in it. Not only did Billie Jo meet each of us in the group where we were at in the process, she provided a wealth of resources (informational / practical / emotional / educational) that were both enlightening and supportive as we moved through each step. I learned a great deal and am very glad to have participated.

This experience has been more positive, challenging, and rewarding than I anticipated. By delving deeply into planning for my last days of life, I discovered how to live today with greater awareness, appreciation, grace, and joy. What a gift to myself!

Billie Jo was an excellent course facilitator. She was very knowledgeable on the subject matter and made the space incredibly safe. It was very obvious to me that she cared greatly for each individual participant and the integrity of the group. The flow of the course was smooth and there was a nice variety in information (eg education, participant sharing, video, topic links to learn more, etc). Billie Jo is authentic, smart, and loving, and all of these wonderful traits shined throughout the course. I highly recommend End-of-Life Coaching. It was thought-provoking and encouraged me to take action in my daily life. It’s valuable to anyone at any stage in life.