Inevitable Journeys Coaching

06/12/2025

Over the years, I have been asked by families to “please don’t tell them they are dying.” I have sat at bedsides where family members pleaded with me not to say the word hospice or acknowledge death out loud. I always hold that request with respect. I know that the reasons are deeply personal, woven from culture, tradition, history, and love. I would never dismiss those choices. Still, what I have witnessed time and again is that the person who is dying almost always already knows. Their bodies tell them. Their hearts know. Their awareness deepens, even if no one around them dares to name it.

What stays with me are the moments lost when the truth is withheld. I have seen people leave without the chance to say goodbye, without being given the opening to speak words they have held close for years, words of forgiveness, apology, or gratitude. I believe those conversations, as painful as they might feel, are among the most sacred parts of dying. When we avoid them, we sometimes protect ourselves more than we protect the person we love.

This is not simple, and I don’t pretend there is only one way. There are situations where speaking directly isn’t possible or appropriate. But from what I have witnessed, I believe that naming what is real gives people the chance to meet the end of life on their own terms, with dignity, honesty, and peace. And to me, that is one of the greatest gifts we can offer.

In the end, this will always be your choice as a family. But if it were up to me, I would encourage honesty. Not harsh or unkind, but gentle and loving, meeting your person right where they are. In doing so, you not only support them in one of the most tender chapters of their life, but you also allow them the chance to feel truly seen, heard, and held as well as giving them the opportunity to say goodbye, which would be taken from them if the honest conversations were not had.

xo
Gabby

You can find this blog here:
https://www.thehospiceheart.net/post/give-them-the-chance-to-say-goodbye

06/12/2025

21/11/2025

Labouring into life and labouring same way out. Love this

11/10/2025

21/09/2025

10/09/2025

06/09/2025

Join Benjamin James, End of Life Support for The Mourning After Podcast. He’s an End-of-Life Doula, Celebrant, and Funeral Director and he invites you on his journey as he navigates the end-of-life experience from a male viewpoint. He's created heartfelt and honest conversations with community members and professionals alike.

https://www.benjaminjamesendoflife.com/themourningafterpodcast

02/09/2025

20/08/2025

What’s the difference between an advance care directive and an advance care plan? If you’ve explored our new website, you might notice something missing – we no longer use the term ‘advance care plan’.

This wasn’t accidental – we’ve made a considered decision to avoid using it. Read our latest blog to find out why 👉 https://bit.ly/45F3qiv

15/08/2025

Pressure damage. Skin integrity. Tissue viability. All phrases used when talking about our skin and how we look after it and keep an eye on it when we become unwell and then start to die.

When we become more poorly, we move less, our skin is an organ and deteriorates and changes like our other organs, it becomes dehydrated and changes as we eat less too, all normal and expected.

Because of all of this, it becomes vulnerable and at risk of breaking down, tearing, become damaged and sore.

This is why we need to help people get comfortable and regularly change positions even if only slightly. We need to consider creams and props and boney bits on our bodies. A slight hip tilt of moving a leg or adding a pillow can make the world of difference.

Pressure damage can start within 20 minutes. My skin is healthy and I am well and I still got this much of a mark after crossing my legs for just 15 minutes. If my skin and I were poorly, that could look very different.

Health care professionals involved in our care can really help with this and will help monitor our skin. This is why it is recommended we get new cushions, entire beds and use different tools, incontinence aids and creams to help look after our skin so we have one less thing to worry about when the time comes 🙏🏼

09/08/2025

📣 You asked, so I delivered! 🎙️

Dying for a Cuppa®️The Podcast, is now officially live on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts AND Spotify 🎉

Go search for Dying for a Cuppa on your favourite platform and dive in — all 18 episodes recorded so far are there waiting for you.

From raw and real chats to personal stories and factual information, we talk about death, dying, grief, and all the stuff people usually avoid — in bite-sized, easy-to-listen-to episodes. And with a cuppa and sugary treat 🍰

And guess what? New episodes will start dropping in September… and there are some VERY exciting, even more real and open ones coming your way.

Go find me, click bells, share away and follow etc in all the places you can, it helps you and the algorithms and most importantly, it helps folks find the podcast to get the information and support they need 🙏🏼

Thank you all much for all the podcast love so far!

08/08/2025

Have you heard of Thanatology? It's the study of death, dying, and bereavement. Help Texts' team members, Melissa Lunardini and Rah Adams are Certified Thanatologists, and do an amazing job making sure all the work we do at Help Texts is safe and clinically sound. We also work with Thanatologists around the world, who are expert contributors at Help Texts and help us craft personalized text messages for our subscribers. These experts include Jillian Blueford, Rachelle Bensoussan, Andrew Vitale, Stephanie Heitkemper, Cole Imperi, and Pamela Gabbay.

Truly, the depth of knowledge Help Texts subscribers receive straight to their phones, is amazing. Imagine having a full team of Thanatologists in your pocket, as you navigate the toughest moments of your life.

Want to learn more about his field of study? Thanatologists study the human experience of loss, studying impacts including:

🧠 Psychological - How grief rewires our brains and changes our identity
👥 Social - The way communities respond to death and support the bereaved
🌍 Cultural - Rituals, beliefs, and practices around death across different societies
🫀 Biological - The physical toll of grief on our bodies and immune systems
✨ Spiritual - Questions of meaning, afterlife, and transcendence during loss

Question for YOU: Is there one of these aspects of grief that has always fascinated you? Or perhaps one you wish we talked about more openly as a society?

We're curious to hear which dimension resonates most with your experiences or professional work.