My name is Shona and I have many roles within my community that centre around bringing people together, sharing hearts and listening to the unique landscape that resides in each person.
I am a facilitator of Community Grief Tending, which gifts me the privilege of hearing the grief of many people come alive. My role here is to open up my listening heart and ears and I notice that when grief is witnessed, there is some freedom, some space created. Space for acceptance, space for connection, space for healing, and even joy.
I am passionate about supporting people to speak about their end of life wishes and thoughts in a gentle safe space, helping them to feel seen, heard and valued, and to ensure that their voices are heard and respected within different medical and care settings, and within their family.
I have completed my Foundation Training with Living Well Dying Well and I am currently studying my diploma. I am practising as an end of life doula and it has been an honour to companion those that are dying, and their family.
I also support friends and family and people in my community with their advanced planning, and with both anticipatory grief and grief following a loss.
Trees, flowers and rivers are a source of joy and connection for me. Some of my other community roles include being a funeral celebrant, forest school facilitator, a community food grower and a Way of Council facilitator.