Get to Know Me
Death Doulas Used to Be Rare. The COVID-19 Pandemic Changed That
TIME MAGAZINE
Feb. 28/March 7, 2022 Issue
Michelle Thornhill, Death Doula Since 2010.
To free up family members to focus solely on their dying loved one, death doulas can help make funeral arrangements and handle other logistics.
Get to Know Me
Hi, I'm Michelle Thornhill
I am a sought-after speaker, Grief Support Specialist and End-of-Life Doula providing service excellence for well over 20 years!
HUFFPOST
I am honored to have been quoted in the HuffPost article Hospice Workers Share The Foods That Bring Patients Comfort Till The End. This piece explores the deep connection between food, memory, and comfort at the end of life—a subject close to my heart as an end-of-life doula, hospice volunteer and grief specialist.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to share my insights alongside other compassionate professionals. Thank you to HuffPost for shedding light on this meaningful topic and amplifying the voices of those who companion the dying.
Please take a moment to read the article and reflect on the ways we can honor life through small, meaningful acts of care.
Historic Eden Cemetery entrusted with “The Black Philadelphians"
Historic Eden Cemetery is affectionately known as a cemetery of cemeteries, or a collection cemetery. -this is because some of the first interments were actually reinterments from closed cemeteries and burial grounds. With over 90,000 persons entrusted to our care, it is the final resting place of many distinguished residents. William Still, Father of the Underground Railroad and countless other notables are laid to rest there. Today, it is the oldest continuously operating African American cemetery in the North. Historic Eden Cemetery takes great pride in being entrusted with the care of “The Black Philadelphians” from the Morton Cranial Collection. We are committed to caring for them meticulously and ensuring their ongoing reverence throughout the entirety of Eden’s history. Read full article here.
About the Founder and CEO
My Approach
Time does not heal wounds; actions do. I firmly believe that individuals can reach a level of satisfaction when given specific tools to maneuver their way through three transitions; moving beyond the pain that comes with grief and loss, living their best life, and planning for the inevitable.
Michelle Wilder-Thornhill
Life is filled with transitions, and I consider it an honor to help people through them. I have over 20 years of experience in bereavement-care, and a desire to share proven coping strategies and an evidenced-based action program to help individuals move beyond the pain that comes with grief and loss.
I am Vice President of the Natio
Life is filled with transitions, and I consider it an honor to help people through them. I have over 20 years of experience in bereavement-care, and a desire to share proven coping strategies and an evidenced-based action program to help individuals move beyond the pain that comes with grief and loss.
I am Vice President of the National End-of-Life Doula Alliance, where I have served as a member of the Board of Directors since 2020; a member of the Board of Directors for New Jersey Death with Dignity; an Instructor for the University of Vermont's PACE End-of-Life Doula Professional Certification Program; a Collaborator with the University of Alabama Embodiment, Communication, and Health Living Justice Project; a committed member of the Advisory Board for Girls Leading Africa and a member of the Advisory Council for Greater Hope Medical Center.
I am an Advanced Certified Grief Recovery Specialist, a Certified Trauma Healing Facilitator and an End of Life Doula experienced with Medical Aid in Dying (MAID- NJ) and Voluntary Stop Eating and Drinking (VSED.) As a sought-after speaker and consultant, I make discussing important topics manageable. I use systems-based approaches and action programs to lead retreats, seminars; workshops; support groups, and private one-on-one sessions for individuals, organizations and companies. I also instruct two educational programs for adults: Pet Loss and Helping Children Deal with Loss. I am trained to assist adults, teens and children; and I am a trusted professional called on to assist communities in crisis; a Vitas Hospice Volunteer, a member of The Hospice Foundation of America and The National Home Funeral Alliance.
I am also proud of my dedication to former roles such as Managing Director of historic cemeteries, Philadelphia Chapter President for the International Association of Women, and Family Readiness Program Instructor for the U.S. Army.
By establishing Legacy & Hope, LLC,
I have pulled on my vast industry experience, education and training to enhance the overall quality of service and care that I provide my clientele.
Get Help for Yourself or Someone You Care About
Get Help for Yourself or Someone You Care About
Please contact Legacy & Hope directly for more information. We look forward to answering your questions. Schedule your 30 minute complimentary consultation to see if this service would be a good fit for you or your loved one.