I know many of you are outside the US but I thought this was an interesting read ! https://archive.ph/EQCcl

A reflection space for death care workers with Amy Firth & The Visible Death Worker Community This 90 minute virtual call is for death care practitioners and grief workers supporting, or looking to support, families eligible for the assisted dying process. 10am - 11:30am // Weds 9th September (AEST) REGISTER HERE: https://events.humanitix.com/holding-families-through-assisted-dying **NB: Please note this is not an information session for families seeking Voluntary Assisted Dying. This is a closed event for death care professionals looking to share and learn from each other, from both a professional and cultural perspective. ABOUT THE WEBINAR: Known here in Australia as Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD), this practice goes by different names depending on where you're working from. Canada calls it MAID, Medical Assistance in Dying. In the US it's most often Medical Aid in Dying. New Zealand uses Assisted Dying. The Netherlands, Belgium and much of Europe still use the word euthanasia. Whatever the name where you are, the territory we're gathering to talk about is the same. VAD is relatively new here in Australia (available to families in my state of NSW since 2023) and many of us are still learning, still finding our footing in how we support and prepare families and accompany families in our death care role. Not so much with the practicalities of the process itself, but with everything that sits around it. The parts nobody hands you a manual for. This webinar presents an opportunity to hear from each other about the tender role we play when supporting these families, and what we can learn from each other in what we collectively witness in this particular strand of our work. Together we'll explore: - The Space Between Yes and Goodbye, supporting families who are counting down the nights - Continuity of care, from before, to death, to funeral, and beyond - VAD grief presenting as sudden death bereavement

Soooo glad you're here, welcome friend! I'm Amy - interfaith minister, funeral director, and recovering marketing consultant. I made this community because too many good death care practitioners are invisible to the families who need them. And I've spent long enough on both sides of that problem to know exactly why - and what to do about it. For the past decade I've sat with dying people, held families in their rawest hours, and designed ceremonies that actually look & feel like the person who died. Before that - and running alongside it - I spent fifteen years working as a communications and marketing consultant across the arts, education, charities and corporate organisations. Building brands, running campaigns, creating content, helping people find a clear voice in the world. Which means I understand, from the inside, why visibility feels so uncomfortable in this field. The sense that promoting yourself is somehow at odds with the sacredness of the work. The hesitation before posting. The undercharging. The relying on word of mouth and hoping it's enough. I also know that when good practitioners stay invisible, families default - to the loudest option, the most conventional model, the one that moves quickly and perpetuates the dominant model in death care so many of us are trying to disrupt. That's what this community is for. Figuring out how to be findable, in a way that actually fits this work. So - tell me who you are, where you're based, and what kind of death care work you do. I'd love to know who's in the room... I'm just so glad we've all found each other. x

If you work in death care - as a funeral celebrant, death doula, funeral director, interfaith minister or end of life carer - and you want to build your presence so the families who need you can actually find you, you're in exactly the right place. The community is free to join. With free & paid classes added all the time. And this is very much a living, growing thing - built for a global community of death workers doing things differently. Start by watching the welcome video here. Then have a look around, introduce yourself in the community feed, and let me know what you most want to learn... Welcome to The Visible Death Worker 👋 Really glad you're here. 🖤

Amy - I just purchased your e-book and it's fantastic! Inspiring examples of unique gatherings that are truly meaningful, and practical suggestions for how to begin crafting a celebration of life for someone. This is a great new tool in my toolbox!