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What classes have you taken that help support and prepare you for working with the dying?

I have a good friend who is studying with the Peregrine Institute, based in Santa Fe, and she is thriving and learning by quantum leaps. I have several friends who have studied at the M.D. Anderson Hospital in Houston and they highly recommend that course of study, which is offered once a year in the summer. I've also been very impressed with Tracy Walton's oncology training. She will be in Austin later this year.

My studies in meditation have benefited me greatly when offering a tranquil, peaceful energy to they dying, as have many books, including Steven Levine's books on death and dying and Ken Wilbur's Grace and Grit.

What have you found most helpful in preparing you to work compassionately with the dying?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Karen T. Boulanger on February 16, 2011 at 12:12pm

The best resource I have found is Lyn Prashant's work: Degriefing. You can visit http://www.degriefing.com/ and sign up for her newsletter. Tell her Karen from San Jose sent you. :>) Lyn worked with Steven Levine.

As I work at a children's hospital, I massage children at end of life. Self- care is of the utmost importance. Cheryl Richardson wrote a book on Extreme Self Care that I would recommend.

Permalink Reply by Daniel Cohen on February 18, 2011 at 12:30pm

In various ways every course I have taken is applicable. Of special help for working with the dying have been Geriatric Massage, Lymphatic Massage, Korean Martial Therapy and Medical Qi Gong.

Permalink Reply by Kate King, MA, LMT on April 11, 2011 at 4:24pm

In terms of professional training, I have done the Day-Break Geriatric Massage level one certification and enjoyed it a lot. I know that level two provides even more in-depth training on working with medically frail clients including those at end of life.

I think training in medical massage, massage for cancer and for chronic pain are all beneficial too. And I second the need for excellent self-care!

Joan Halifax has a lovely audio program from Sounds True called Being With Dying. It is not explicitly about massage, but it provides a wonderful perspective on the deeper dimensions of doing this kind of work.