Who We Are

​We are a group of integrative death professionals who serve our community in a variety of ways.  We are end of life doulas, home funeral and vigil guides, celebrants, green burial advocates, body workers, and much more. We work together to provide integrative death care opportunities to those who are dying, their families, and their support network. Our goal is to educate and inform professionals within the state of MN as well as the public, and to help those in need find appropriate services. To be listed on our directory, simply become a member and we'll get you listed!

The Collaborative's Leadership

We have formed a leadership circle to initiate the collaborative. We welcome your thoughts and ideas! 
Anne Murphy, Events Coordinator, is a Celebrant, Home Vigil Guide and Death Educator, and owner of A Thousand Hands. She is trained in the art of supporting individuals and families through the season of death and dying through heart-centered, compassionate and meaningful conversations, rituals and ceremonies. Go to A Thousand Hands at: https://athousandhands.com
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Emily Stacken, Communications Director,​ is a trained End-of Life / Death Doula, and gained her certification through Going With Grace. Emily serves as a Hospice Volunteer for Sholom Hospice, and also provides grief support and resources for organ donor families at LifeSource. She attended United Theological Seminary and received a Masters of Arts in Leadership. Her capstone project, the Radical Death Series,  prioritized issues of racial equity, collective grief, and what it means to embrace death as inseparable from life. 
Wendy Brown, Membership Coordinator, is a trained End of Life Doula through the International End of Life Doula Association (INELDA) as well as trained in Healing Touch. She has gained insightful perspective through her work with clients in the Twin Cities, as well as through local hospice programs. Wendy spent many years as a blog writer, creating awareness of the importance of the written word—a foundation for her passion towards Legacy Projects. Her role as an End of Life Doula is one she holds with honor and humility. Go to Chemin at: ​www.mychemin.com
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Kate Wolfe, Secretary, is currently training as End of Life/Death Doula and volunteers as a legacy writer. As an event planner who sees nature as her sanctuary, Kate is dedicated to creating opportunities for self care—as a personal practice and for the community around her. Death has been a close companion of Kate’s life, and as one dear friend described this threshold, “Those who have seen the darkness know best how to seize the moment and find the light.” It is a mantra Kate holds close within her heart. 
Cheryl Larson, Website Manager, is an End-of-Life Doula from International End-of-Life Doula Association (INELDA), certified Feng Shui Practitioner, professional organizer, project manager and owner of Peace by Piece Transitions. Specializing in the transitions of life; downsizing, intentional life review decluttering, creating legacy imprint projects, and compassionately supporting the end of life for loved ones and their families with Shima, her therapy Golden Retriever. Shima is a Hopi word for Love, loving everyone in the world. Cheryl & Shima currently volunteers at Crescent Cove in Brooklyn Park, a respite and hospice home for children.
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Michelle Kolling, Finance Director, is an INELDA trained end of life doula and founder of HELD. While serving as a caregiver to her husband during the end of his life, she came to understand the transformational possibilities that exist when being deeply present in the dying experience. Michelle serves as a hospice volunteer and a board member at Rein in Sarcoma and is a member of INELDA and NEDA. She is also pursuing certification as an NLP and hypnotherapy practitioner through IntraAwareness. To learn more about how Michelle practices the art of death midwifery go to www.heldoula.com.
Janet Brown, Member At Large, is a trained End of Life Doula through the International End of Life Doula Association (INELDA), Zen Buddhist practitioner, and founder of Good Death Doula. While some define a “good death” as one that is free from avoidable distress and suffering. Janet views a good death as one where people feel comfortable talking about death in a way that creates agency, intention, and closure while incorporating wellness and peace on life's ending. Janet works with individuals and their families through hospice, vigil, and the grieving process with compassion, love, support, and understanding that this time is sacred, precious, and beautiful.
​​Newsletters
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