As people go from home health care, to nursing homes to hospice, advanced care planning documentation completions increase. In 2020, Advanced Directive completions among black patients increased by 41 percent, yet this number is still less than non-persons of color. My speaking addresses this disparity and works to align end-of-life care preferences and documentation for all people.
I have had the honor to be a featured presenter at The Center for African American Health Annual Collaborative Health Fair and for the Colorado Black Heath Collaborative Annual Family Black Party. As an advisory board member of the Mental Health Center of Denver Dahlia Campus, I have had the privilege to speak on several issues related to health and wellness. I have run several online programs. The most successful is named, Incarceration to Transformation, where the incarceration is by a person’s own self-inflicted limitations. My public speaking style is more conversational and less like a presentation.
I have over five years’ experience leading classes and lectures on mindfulness, meditation, and yoga philosophy as a Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider. My final presentation for business school can be found on their YouTube channel, in which I introduce my doula practice Outside Rites, Ltd. and Corpse Pose Yoga.
I was drawn to the path of becoming an end-of-life doula after my father passed in July of 2021. Noticing how difficult it was for my family and my father’s friends to sit with him before he passed and the resistance to the conversations around what choices needed to be made and what options were available, I wanted to be there to help other families navigate what is often a traumatic time. Born and raised in Colorado, I’ve always been an outdoor enthusiast and my father had made a request for his final moments to be in his backyard. Unfortunately, my family and I didn’t know what we needed in order to fulfill that final wish. This is why I choose to incorporate nature therapy into my end-of-life doula practice – so that other’s who wish to be outdoors or as close to nature as possible in their final moments can have the support they need to make that happen.
With an Outdoor Industry MBA, End-of-Life Doula certificate, Ecotherapy Facilitator certificate, and as a registered yoga teacher with over a decade of teaching experience, I offer a unique combination of services for both end-of-life clients as well as the general public. For clients with a terminal diagnosis or nearing end-of-life I offer outdoor vigils and excursions (also known as “bucket list” trips). For family members, friends, and anyone grieving a loss I offer workshops, wilderness immersions, and private coaching/consulting focused on incorporating nature and yogic teachings for holistic well-being.
Speakers Bureau
My final presentation for business school can be found on my YouTube channel, in which I introduced my doula practice Outside Rites, Ltd. and Corpse Pose Yoga. I also have over five years’ experience leading classes and lectures on mindfulness, meditation, and yoga philosophy as a Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider.
End-of-Life Doula, Yoga Teacher, Meditation Guide & OfficiantZenful Life Living, LLCEnergy Worker, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach
Location:Denver Metro/south through ParkerDenverColorado80224homePhone:720-593-9361homeEmail:mrashyfbyhgvbaf@tznvy.pbzmoc.liamg@snoituloslufnezINTERNETWebsite:Zenful Life
Categories: Advance Care Planning, Aromatherapy/Essential Oils, Client Advocacy, Companioning for Dying Person, End-of-Life Doula Services, Legacy Projects, Life Review, Living Funerals, Meditation/Visualization, Guided, Memorial Services, Notary Public, Officiant/Minister, Reiki/Energy Work, Respite for Caregivers, Sitting Vigil, Support for Caregivers, Urns and/or Caskets, Vigil Planning, Yoga, Restorative/Supportive
It is simple… what do you do to live YOUR best life? Regardless of any condition or diagnoses, are you living the fullness of your true authentic self? As an EOLD, I provide an Advocate to allow an individual to transition consciously with dignity. My duty is to provide choices and non-medical support to create plans and actions to provide inner peace in the eye of a storm. It is a remarkably interesting dichotomy to be happy or content, until the very last breath.
There is not a person on the planet that does not have some sort of individual struggle. I’m a divorcee, single parent, Gen-Xer, who survived a stroke in my 40’s. I had to rehabilitate and reinvent myself and figure out how I was going to utilize the additional time that was provided to me. We are not given a playbook that guarantees our paths in life, and we will not escape our own passing, death or homegoing. When given the chance though, we are allowed choices before and in our time of transition.
I am Sara E. Stewart, an End-of-Life Doula, Notary, Insurance Agent, Certified Yoga Teacher and Meditation Guide, Officiant, Health Coach and Energy Worker. I am not a particularly religious person. I am a person of faith and I have woven the Buddhist principles of the Four Nobles Truths and the Eightfold Path into my life. I am here to help you tackle the topics that make life and death challenging and advocate for you. Allow me to hold space for your questions, joy, sadness, confusion, peace, grief, mourning, contentment, etc. I welcome your conversation.
My philosophy is to, “Define your NO to get to your YES.” If you can get all your “NO” out of the way, you will allow space for the “YES”. I feel that ultimately, getting to “YES” is how we live our best lives… despite our situations.
What brought me to Doula work:
In retrospect, there were several events in my life that directed me to end-of-life care. My undergraduate degree is in Speech and Debate. In the late 1990’s, I was a hospice volunteer. In 2001, I completed a post-baccalaureate program in Legal Studies and became Ordained. My fitness business was destroyed during the 2020 pandemic and I paid close attention to the devastating tolls inflicted on families. Greater conversations were had about the inequality and inequity in health care. My family members and I updated our advance planning documents, including Wills. I started researching the number of people that do not prepare written documents for their end-of-life and decided to combine planning and advocacy with direct care to start a new, next step in my life. I selected the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine End-of-Life Doula Professional program. I considered the heart-centered and practical work combined with the medical knowledge gained with the completion.
Services offered:
Advanced Planning
Notary Public
Restorative or Supportive Yoga
Chair Fitness
Meditation
Energy Work
Officiant
Accompaniment to medical appointments
Organization
Light house cleaning
Making a Memory Book/ Life Reflection/ Legacy Projects
Complete errands
Living Wake/Celebration of Life/Living Funeral/Memorial Service
Prepare meals
Companionship and/or conversation
Aromatherapy
Cannabis Advocacy
Non-medical Advocacy
Emotional and Spiritual Care/Support
Urns
Non-Denominational Weddings
Sitting Vigil
Education, Training, Certifications, Professional Experience, etc:
University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine End-of-Life Doula Professional Certificate
Breathe for Change Yoga/Meditation Teacher Yoga Alliance approves Certificate
Institute of Integrative Nutrition Health Coach Certificate
Hospice Volunteer Training
Roosevelt University Post-Baccalaureate Legal Studies Certificate
Northeastern Illinois University B.A. Speech and Debate
Kishwaukee College A.A. Business Administration
Speakers Bureau
As people go from home health care, to nursing homes to hospice, advanced care planning document completions increase. In 2020, Advanced Directive completions among black patients increased by 41 percent, yet this number is still less than non-persons of color. My speaking addresses this disparity and works to align end-of-life care preferences and documentation for all people. Allow me to tell you about the 5 Words That Make Some People Cringe.
I have had the honor to be a featured presenter at The Center for African American Health Annual Collaborative Health Fair and for the Colorado Black Heath Collaborative Annual Family Black Party. As an advisory board member of the Mental Health Center of Denver Dahlia Campus, I have had the privilege to speak on several issues related to health and wellness. I have run several online programs. The most successful being, Incarceration to Transformation, where the incarceration is by a person’s own self-inflicted limitations. My public speaking style is more conversational and less like a presentation.