1990 – 2006

I am an educator, facilitator and co-creator in schools and communities, with adults and youth in the classroom, in workshops, seminars, ceremonies, and through my published curricula. (See: Education) The major themes carried through my work during this time include:

My personal development regarding a conscious and intimate relationship with my female body and gaining courage to bring women’s issues into the light. Also, the desire to integrate the relationship the female body has with the moon phases via the menstrual cycle and that these cycles are reflected in the processes of the cycle of life and death. Further, the female body’s relationship to life and death is akin to the experiences of the earth, the seasons and Nature. For me, the experiences of motherhood created a strong bond with the earth and Nature/nurture. These factors build a strong foundation for my holistic approach to puberty and adolescence which I bring to communities. Secondly, reflecting and coming to terms with my own experiences and feelings during puberty and adolescence lays the groundwork for understanding youth and their needs as well as builds courage and confidence to lead other adults and teens.

During the 90’s, another theme centered on rites of passage for teens transitioning to adults in a welcoming community. My appreciation for the importance of community festivals and ceremony grew out of my early childhood experiences in the Roman Catholic Church, my participation in theatre production and my deep connection to indigenous cultures. (See: Life’s Celebrations)

A turning point in my life came in 1996, when I met Tamara Slayton while searching for a holistic approach to puberty and adolescence to bring to the Seattle Waldorf School and my own middle school students. She was a dynamic and inspiring teacher! The collegial relationship that Tamara and I shared until her death in June 2003 gave me the focus to do this destiny work. Our initial focus was meeting the needs of youth and supporting those adults, parents, teachers and professionals who worked with youth. A collaboration with Tamara, Anne-Marie Fryer and myself as contributor, editor and publisher resulted in the I Find My Star publication in 2003. Creating, self-publishing and teaching the Human Fertility and Middle School Issues curricula was the next step for me. Also, our individual work with the relationship of the physical and spiritual bodies of the feminine naturally led Tamara and I to explore our relationship with death. To work with this theme with another woman was powerful. (See: Products & Publications)

2006

During the second half of this year, two events in my life moved my primary focus on youth to the needs of elders and my future calling. This was the year of my 60th birthday. I wished to mark it in a communal way through a Croning (Crowning) ceremony. (See: Life Celebrations) I began preparation in the summer and asked two close friends and Waldorf teachers to participate, Ann Marie Hahn and Carole Street. In September, Carole suddenly became ill. October brought my Croning and one month later Carole died. She asked me to create and host her memorial service which took place in December. (See: End of Life Services) The process of creating this ceremony and authoring a workbook on Rites of passage brought me to develop ceremonies to mark seasonal and comological events throughout the year. (See: Events)

2010-2017

I completed patient care training with Providence Hospice of Seattle and worked for two years with a hospice team. I became a National Home Funeral Alliance founding member and completed two trainings in the art of caring for our loved ones who have died. Next, I spent one and a half years of study in the Funeral and Social Services programs at the Lake Washington Institute of Technology. I also completed patient care training with Evergreen Hospice and worked for one year with a hospice team. I cared for both my parents in our home and then in assisted living for more than 3 years until their death. (See: End of Life Services)

In 2014, I began distilling my work with astrology, Tarot and my spiritual path toward a new Tarot deck and publishing a work which focuses on the journey of woman as a physical, social and spiritual being. The work is rooted in years of research, meditation, a personal cosmology and my spiritual practice.

Present

Currently, I carry forward mentoring and guidance for teachers, parents and therapists concerned with sexuality and youth. (See: Coming of Age Education) Creating and officiating celebrations for life’s transitions continues to be my passion and joy. (See: Life Celebrations) My husband and I moved to Tucson in the spring of 2019. I was called to work with the Web of Life Church and Quynn Red Mountain to further my spiritual and personal development and to connect to the Animist community. (See: Events)