iele paloumpis |
AboutMuch of my life's work has been devoted to supporting others as they emotionally heal. This has taken on many forms. Over the past decade I've worked extensively with youth whose families live in poverty, offering them outlets to express themselves through dance. I also teach movement classes to adults with mental health disabilities as a way for them to socialize and connect to their capacity for physical and emotional balance. I'm an herbalist and work with plant-based medicine as a supportive ally to holistic care. Since 2014, I've served as an end of life doula and griefworker. I've spent time volunteering at Valley Home Care and Hospice in Paramus, NJ, providing vigil services and respite to families. I've studied under the guidance of Deanna Flores Cochran and received a certificate from her Accompanying the Dying program in February 2016, and I'm a certified end of life doula through Mount Sinai’s Hertzberg Palliative Care Institute’s Doula Program. I've also facilitated arts and healing workshops in Coney Island for those who have lost loved ones to violence. For more information about what has led me on my path as an end of life doula, see My Journey Through Grief below.
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In 2004 I lost my close cousin, Sara, to drugs and violence. Sara lived with my family for a number of years and she was more like a big sister to me. As a young adolescent I idolized her like no other. Sadly though, Sara struggled with addiction. She was in and out of rehab, and on and off the streets until her life was cut short. The circumstances around her death remain largely unknown, which has added a layer of pain for those who continue to love and mourn her. My greatest sadness is knowing she died while abandoned; rather than receiving care at the end of her life, she was met with disregard and violence. Coming to terms with my grief has been a long and arduous process. Our society has lost much of its connection to death and there is a significant lack of understanding about grief in general. After the loss of my cousin, I found myself searching for people who would understand. Some were able to show up for me, and for that I am eternally grateful. There were many others who just didn't know how. This lack of understanding is a product of our society, we are trained to distance ourselves from grief. We aren't given ample time to grieve in nearly every sphere of our lives. We've become numb to violence and largely disconnected. After Sara's death, I found myself in a supportive role for many people in my life who were also going through significant loss. We understood each other. Sitting with others as they mourn is a sacred experience that's hard to describe. All I can express is the humbleness and honor I feel whenever I'm asked to share that space and time with others. I have learned that grief is the form that love takes when the person you love has gone away. While the journey is not linear, it does change over time - we will all have an ever-evolving relationship to love and grief until our own last breath. And we should not have to venture this journey alone. I hope and believe we can create communities of care throughout all of life's transformations. I am here as someone who has traveled the mourner's path toward healing and I intend to extend those energies outward in a way that's honest, heart-centered and deeply connected to my community. |
Training and Experience |
The credentials I have received include End Of Life Doula trainings and certifications at Valley Hospice and Home Care (2014), Mount Sinai’s Hertzberg Palliative Care Institute’s Doula Program (2015) and being mentored under the guidance of Deanna F. Cochran, RN from November 2014 – February 2016. I've also studied and practiced various forms of somatics for the last 15 years, and taken intensive courses in herbology under the tutelage of Rosemary Gladstar in the summer of 2014.
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