About
Carol Valcourt
I am the owner of Patient Presence. I provide compassionate guidance through life changes, loss and death. I am a Certified Grief Coach through David Kessler's Grief Educator program, a Certified End of Life Doula through Doulagivers Institute and a hospice volunteer. I have experience with the loss of loved ones, pets, jobs and my own expected trajectory.
I am empathetic, welcoming, passionate and kind.
I have been caring for elderly family members and planning family funerals since 1989. When my Uncle Sam died, not only did I plan his funeral, but also spent a year emptying his seven-bedroom home that he shared with three of his predeceased siblings. This process was both physically and emotionally challenging. The experience made me very curious about what I was thinking, feeling and my resulting behavior. Of course, I was grieving and feeling sad, but also, was lonely, angry, and even resentful. The grief wasn’t in isolation; other losses including 13 extended family members, friends and even pets resurfaced.
Photo by Terri Warnstorff
Experience
Grief Educator and End of Life Doula
Qualifications
Certified Excellence
Grief Coach Certification
Grief Coach for Pet Loss Certification
David Kessler's Grief Educator Program
Certified Grief Educator
"A Certified Grief Educator is committed to providing the highest level of grief support through education, experience, and insights into the often unacknowledged rocky terrain of grief.
Certified Grief Educators completed a certificate program designed by world-renowned grief expert, David Kessler. They bring his unique methodology, tools, and decades of experience to help people navigate the challenges of grief."
International Doulagivers Institute
Certified End of Life Doula
Certified Elder Care Doula
Certified Care Consultant
"A death doula, also known as an end-of-life doula, end-of-life coach, death midwife or death coach, is a person who assists in the dying process, much like a midwife or doula does with the birthing process. They provide emotional, spiritual, and physical support to the dying person and their loved ones before, during, and after death. The role is often community-based, aiming to help families cope with death through recognizing it as a natural and important part of life."
