True North Awakening

01/24/2026

Perfection is loud.
Presence is powerful.
One changes appearances, the other changes lives.

We spend so much time trying to get it right that we forget to show up. But showing up—imperfect, human, real—is what actually matters.

Presence is always the best medicine.
XO Christine

01/22/2026

Did you know?

The Treasure Valley is home to a Wind Phone — a quiet, reflective space created to support healing after loss.

Introduced through a collaboration with a local Girl Scout, Alsip & Persons Funeral Chapel, and True North Awakening, the Wind Phone offers a place to speak words left unsaid, feel connection, and honor grief in a gentle way.

Watch the news interview on my website to learn how the Wind Phone can bring comfort and healing.

Link in bio to watch; https://truenorthawakening.com/community-resources/

01/21/2026

There is still time to register for this FREE training with Suzanne B O'Brien RN, founder of Doulagivers Institute , tonight, January 21st, at 7pm ET

Join us for this FREE, heart-centered training where you’ll learn how to support loved ones—and your community—through the end-of-life journey with compassion, clarity, and confidence. Whether you’re a family caregiver, someone called to serve, or simply exploring this path, this session will introduce you to the essential skills of an End-of-Life Doula and how this role can bring peace, purpose, and healing to one of life’s most sacred transitions.

👉CLICK HERE TO REGISTER:
https://training.doulagivers.com/a/2148214763/XT5ce8vt

01/21/2026

Hope you will join us on January 28th from 6:30-7:45pm at the Victory Branch Ada Community Library.

Space is limited-save your seat today!
Click on lik to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1969987386303

Starting Wednesday, January 28, join us at the Victory Branch for The Good Death, Good Life Café. This will be a time to gather in conversation and community about life and death--and everything in between. It starts at 6:30pm and will be held monthly. We hope to see you there.

01/20/2026

Join us for this FREE HYBRID EVENT at both JUMP (Jacks Urban Meeting Place in Boise, Idaho) AND ONLINE on January 27th from 7:00-8:30 PM MST for “Death over Tea” Endings That Matter: Conversations About a Good Life and a Good Death.

We are very excited to share that Suzanne B O'Brien, RN, the founder of Doulagivers Institute and author of the international bestseller, "The Good Death" book https://thegooddeathbook.com/book, will be joining us online for this special event. Space is limited and registration is required for this special hybrid event.

Suzanne B. O’Brien, RN is the Founder & CEO of Doulagivers Institute. Her life's mission is to increase access to high quality end of life education and care for patients and families throughout the world. She has developed free resources and training for family caregivers and practitioners from her firsthand experience as a hospice and oncology nurse and palliative care professional at the bedside of more than 1,000 end of life patients.

Death over Tea, a unique event that encourages organic conversations about the inevitable journey that we will all experience and the journey that most of us will take in caring for our loved ones at the end of life.

If you live in the TREASURE VALLEY, please consider joining us in person at JUMP (Jacks Urban Meeting Place) in downtown Boise.

👉 REGISTER HERE TO SAVE YOUR SEAT FOR THE IN-PERSON GATHERING:
https://jumpboise.org/events/death-over-tea
👉 HERE FOR ONLINE GATHERING:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/637827277557

Join the conversation and register today. Space is limited.

01/20/2026

A quiet afternoon with three men in their 90s became a powerful reminder of how precious life — and love — truly are. Stories of decades-long partnerships, shared grief, deep memory, and gratitude have a way of staying with you long after the conversation ends.

Read my related blog that reflects on love, loss, presence, and what it means to hold space for others at the end of life in this deeply personal blog.

Read more — link in bio.

01/20/2026

It was an honor to have Althea Holmes, founder of Ewkniklee Mee, LLC at our most recent episode of "Death over Tea". Thank you Althea for sharing your precious time and heart with us!

We had a deeply meaningful conversation around grief, loss, strength and healing.
Ewkniklee Mee, LLC is a memorial design studio dedicated to helping families honor their loved ones with beauty, dignity, and compassion.

Creating custom obituary programs, memorial keepsakes, and legacy pieces that help families preserve stories that matter. Her work weaves artistry with empathy, offering families comfort during some of life’s hardest moments.

CLICK ON LINK TO CONTACT ALTHEA TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE BEAUTIFUL AND MEANINGFUL WORK THAT SHE DOES:
https://ewkniklee.com/

https://youtu.be/loNrUJrITSE

Enjoy the most recent episode of "Death over Tea" with special guest, Althea Holmes, founder of Ewkniklee Mee, LLC, a memorial design studio dedicated to hel...

01/17/2026

“To let go does not mean to get rid of. To let go means to let be.” — Thich Nhat Hanh

Releasing what no longer serves you is an act of compassion, not loss.

01/17/2026

Christine is now booking 2026 speaking and training opportunities.

As we look ahead to the new year, Christine is available for conferences, corporate events, panels, professional trainings, and community education. Her work centers on care, connection, and the human experience — offering grounded, compassionate insight for audiences navigating caregiving, grief, healing, and end-of-life support.

Speaking and training topics include:

✔️ Caring for the Caregiver — recognizing burnout, boundaries, and sustainable support

✔️ Honoring Humanity Through End-of-Life Care — dignity, presence, and person-centered care

✔️ Navigating Grief and Loss — practical tools and emotional understanding

✔️ Creating Ritual and Ceremony Around Grief — reconnecting through nature, meaning, and reflection

✔️ Reiki in Clinical Settings — how complementary therapies empower individuals to participate in their own healing

✔️ End-of-Life Doula & Family Caregiver Training through the Doulagivers Institute (in-person training available in the Treasure Valley beginning January 2026)

Christine brings a thoughtful, approachable teaching style that blends education with lived experience. Her presentations are designed to foster understanding, encourage meaningful dialogue, and support individuals and organizations doing emotionally demanding work.

Whether you’re planning a professional conference, workplace training, healthcare education session, or community gathering, Christine offers both in-person and virtual options tailored to your audience and goals.

Interested in hosting a speaker or training in 2026?

Reach out to learn more, discuss availability, and explore how Christine can support your next event by clicking the website link in our bio.

01/17/2026

Live fully, love deeply 💙

In this episode of *Basics with Barbara*, we explore her heartfelt experiences from the *End Well 2025* conference. Barbara opens up about the courage it takes to ask for help and the surprising gifts that come when we let others in. She reminds us to embrace joy, compassion, and the beauty of living fully until our last breath. Let’s pause, reflect, and cherish every moment together.

Videos on this channel of the LEARN Video Library feature topics on aging lifestyle choices presented by professionals in aging industries.

01/15/2026

Thank you Dougy Center for providing such incredible resources and tools for grief and loss for children, teens and young adults.💜

Dougy Center's new resource, "Someone You Care About is Grieving: Tips for Supporting Them," includes helpful real-world tips on checking in, how to be a good listener, things to say and do, as well as ideas for taking care of yourself. Download it athttps://www.dougy.org/assets/uploads/Someone-You-Care-About-is-Grieving.pdf

For more activities and resources to help kids and teens who are grieving, go to www.dougy.org/resources.

01/14/2026

Winter is not a season of urgency. It’s a season of rest, reflection, and quiet recalibration. Reiki assists in the process of this; reach out to book an appointment. Link in bio.