Meet Julie Lynn

Your loss matters.

Years ago, I was new to my town in Texas and was looking for a way to get involved in my community and meet people. I had a friend who worked in the hospice industry who extended an invitation for me to come and help, so I started volunteering at a local hospice. Within a year and a half, the hospice hired me. Being with patients and families in their grief captivated me in a way nothing had before, and I felt specifically drawn to the bereavement side of hospice work.

I had the empathy, but lacked the book knowledge.

I returned to graduate school to get a masters degree specifically in this area of study. The official name of this degree is a Masters of Science in Thanatology. "Thanos" is the Greek word for death, so the full explanation of the study of thanatology is death, grief and bereavement from many different angles. My graduate studies, combined with my work in two different hospices, have given me a base to help grieving people know they are seen, heard and cared for. Part of grief coaching is to help create new, attainable goals for moving forward while providing encouragement for one small step at a time. Another part of coaching is offering support for what can be "tender" days...birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and significant dates that others may have forgotten.

I am a member of the nationally recognized Association for Death Education and Counseling (www.adec.org) for ongoing education in the ever changing field of thanatology. I am also a facilitator of the nationally known Grief Share program in my area.

Grief support and coaching is meant to give you a place to process your grief narrative right where you are and help you look to the days ahead with hope.

Julie Lynn Ashley, MS Thanatology
Member of the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) for ongoing education in the field of Thanatology.
www.adec.org

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