Conscious Dying Collective

Life can hold deep joy and deep sorrow at the same time. In this piece, we explore what it means to let multiple realities coexist.

“Both Realities Can Coexist” Exploring the themes of love, loss and hope, this heartfelt reflection invites readers to find sacredness in togetherness, memory, and the spaces in between.

Our current read, Life: A Love Story by Elizabeth Berg, is a reflection on love, loss, aging, and the beauty of being fully alive.

This book is sure to inspire conversations about what makes a life well-lived.

My Why—

I’m Trish Rux. I live in Asheville, North Carolina.

Outside of my family and friends, books and garden, I’m largely defined by my work in dying and death. It’s been a curiosity all of my life.

My nursing career started in 1982, and I’ve done many different kinds of nursing from Urgent Care to Quality Improvement. The range of possibilities within the profession, the scientific aspects, and the ability to always find a job were a big draw for me.

I always knew that hospice nursing would be the right fit for me, but life circumstances didn’t make way for that role until 2009 at the local VA Medical Center. I was where I needed to be. I loved the veterans. I loved working at the bedside of the dying and supporting their loved ones.

Being in hospice, I saw so many people and families unprepared for the end of life. Many people put off thinking about it, planning for it, and facing it, and a sort of chaos was present in their dying time.

In contrast was the calmer experience of people who had done their work. They had made peace within their relationships and spirituality, prepared themselves and their families by completing their advance directives and other plans, had important conversations, and accepted the fact of the end of their lives.

It became a mission of mine to normalize talking about dying and death.

I took a doula training course and recognized ways we humans can do death better in this medicalized health care system.

As a doula and as faculty with the Conscious Dying Collective, I’m using my experience and knowledge to help people holistically and practically during their most vulnerable and sacred time.

I don’t plan to ever stop learning or ever stop sharing what I learn.

It’s when I feel most alive.

—
Trish Rux, R.N.
End-of-Life Doula
Co-author of Dying Matters: 8 Conversations That Can Change Your Life

Join us in learning how to write your personalized guided imagery for death and dying, one that reflects what matters most to you.

We have some new courses coming up, please visit our website for more information.

Providing holistic dementia care means addressing more than memory loss.

Our 6-week course provides you with the skills to create a care plan that supports families, patients and communities living with dementia.

Registration for The Dementia Journey closes May 8.
Please visit our website for more information.

Our 5-month End-of-Life Doula certificate program combines self-paced study with live Zoom sessions.

Learn more and register through the link in our bio.

Registration is closing tomorrow Wednesday, April 29th!

Registration for our End-of-Life Doula training and The Dementia Journey is closing soon!

Visit the link in our bio to register ✨

Dementia teaches us to meet people exactly where they are, right now.

This 6-week course is an invitation to understand the changing brain.

From diagnosis through end-of-life, you’ll learn how to respond to changes in language, behavior and memory with compassion and confidence.

The Dementia Journey is for caregivers, doulas, and anyone connected to dementia through care, support or personal experience.

Registration closes May 8th

To learn more and register visit our website or click the link in our bio ✨