Facilitator - Diane DeVivo
I am a certified Professional Co-Active Coach and a Licensed Facilitator for Before I Go Solutions.
When my mother died unexpectedly, we, her four children, knew nothing about her wishes. Yes, she had a will, but it wasn’t specific and none of us had ever spoken to her about it in any detail. She left behind our childhood home filled with stuff. What did she want done with it? Her will only said everything was left to the four of us divided evenly among us. It was confusing, frustrating and sad. We had to make decisions we had no idea how to make and all while grieving her death.
That taught me the value of having those hard conversations before it’s too late so when I was given the opportunity to incorporate end-of-life planning into my coaching as a facilitator for Before I Go Solutions, I jumped at it. I knew I could help others not go through what we went through with my mother’s death.
Have you considered:
- what will happen to your pets if they outlive you? Did you know that in almost all states in the US and in many countries, pets are considered property? That means they have the same “rights” by law as your couch when you die……unless you provide for them differently in your will.
- what your loved ones will do with your belongings after you die? Do you have some special items that you want to gift to special people? What about your journals, your photographs, your love letters…..or anything else that is most private to you?
- what happens to your digital accounts upon your death – e-mail, website, social media, etc.? What do you want done with them and who do you want to have access to them?
There are so many things to consider but the good thing is they can all be handled with the proper end-of-life conversations and documentation.
I offer you several options in working with me and am happy to adjust any of my advertised programs to meet your needs. I work with you one on one or in a group.
As a coach, some of my programs include in depth coaching where we can explore in more detail your feelings (fears, discomfort, confusion) about end-of-life issues with the result being a comprehensive and satisfying end-of-life plan.
Some programs are more suited for those who already have an end-of-life plan but are stuck on a few issues and would like to discuss those particular issues so that your plan can be completed.
If you are grieving the loss or impending loss of a beloved pet, I offer coaching around that grief to learn about and practice approaches for handling grief and loss to better cope with it.
Other services
Death Cleaning Workshops
Pet Loss Workshops
Podcast “Death-Defying Discussions” with my colleague, Michael Williams
About Me
When I was a young girl, I secretly wanted to be a superhero. I longed for superpowers to fight for “truth, justice, and a better tomorrow” (in the words of a contemporary Superman).
When I grew up that secret longing pulled me into public service where I could work for truth and justice even if I couldn’t leap tall buildings in a single bound or slay dragons. A career in the U.S. Department of State afforded me other opportunities for adventures though they didn’t involve warp speed or lightsabers. I saw a lot of this world and never turned away an opportunity to travel to someplace different or gather new experiences. I fell off a horse at the pyramids in Egypt, rode a motorcycle, achieved a brown belt in judo, rode a camel, saw a full solar eclipse, taught motorcycling to Marines, became a master scuba diver, saw Mt. Everest from the air…….and more.
Along the way I acquired cats and a love of Star Wars. The cats – who I do think are true Jedi – started with one kitten as a gift many years ago and has become a passion leading me into volunteering for cat rescue organizations. Along with many cats of my own, I’ve fostered 75 cats and kittens (so far!).
During all this, coaching found me. Now my “fight” is to help people talk about and prepare for death and dying, to understand what a gift that is to those we leave behind, and to deal with grief. This is my superpower.
But in the end what really matters goes back to my basic desire as a kid – to help others find their own “truth and justice” and to close out their lives knowing they left a legacy that will live on after them. That is their superpower.
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