One of the reasons talking to people about death can be so challenging is that it often means talking to them about what is most important to them in life. It can sometimes require a vulnerability that is difficult for people, as they worry about whether they will be valued for what makes them who they are, whether that means their culture, their religion, or their personal identity.
At IDLM it is important to us to honor the identities of all our students and graduates, and to help them honor the identities of their clients, and we always enjoy getting input from partners and IDLM members who come from diverse backgrounds and can help us get a better idea of how best to serve clients from communities we may not have had as much personal experience with.
One of the communities that has often been under represented when it comes to end of life care is the LGBTQ+ community. The fact that so many members of this group have historically not been able to be open about who they are means that in many cases even they are still learning best practices when it comes to end of life care. So we are thrilled that as part of our Summer Summit, we will get a chance to hear from the lovely ladies of Your Morbid Friends about historic and cultural lessons we can use for serving LGBTQ+ clients in our doula practices.
About Your Morbid Friends, from their website:
Cassandra Biron, LCSW is dedicated to supporting individuals through life’s transitions, particularly at the end of life. Her work is guided by her love for people and their stories, and a love and value for elders instilled in her from an early age by her mother. Her private practice specializes in queer care and psychedelic prep and integration. Fueled by her passion for community care and creating unique treatment plans, Cassandra’s work is rooted in healing justice and turning ancestral wounds into ancestral gifts.
Robin Silver, MA, has been talking about mortality since kindergarten. She has an MA in Ecopsychology and mindfulness instructor certification from Naropa University, where she also took courses on Psychedelic Assisted Therapy. She has also undertaken an eclectic breadth of trainings and retreats around the US, Mexico, and Asia. Robin’s work comes from the belief that we must tend to our psychological, emotional, spiritual, and ecological bodies as much as our physical body.
And in case you didn’t know, Robin Silver is also a proud IDLM graduate! She and Cassandra recently hosted a wonderful CE Night about Somatic Disaster Preparedness, which you can watch in the “past events” section of the Movement.
You can learn more about Your Morbid Friends and the work they do at their website. And don’t forget to register for Summer Summit! It’s the last week of July and it’s absolutely free. See you there!
