Henry Fersko-Weiss is the executive director of the International End of Life Doula Association. He created the first End of Life Doula Program in the United States at a hospice in New York City. He is on the faculty of the Open Center's Art of Dying Institute.
Fersko-Weiss sees this book as a summing up of close to 20 years of serving people who are dying and their families. This has involved watching hundreds of people die. He sees the end of life as a gift whereby we come to "find the best of who we are. It strips away everything that is unimportant and leaves what is essential. It opens us to great love, generosity, and courage."
The end of life doula approach first involves helping people plan how they want their last days to unfold. The second stage revolves around vigiling during the breakdown of the body, and the third occurs after the person dies and others begin the grieving process. Fersko-Weiss hits high stride in his commentary on the importance of deep active listening, the art of life review, creating legacy projects, guided imagery, the significance of ritual, and the healing powers of grief. This resource can serve as a spur to compassion and as map to the art of dying.
