Denise completed her research projects offering the MBSSEP to patients with Multiple Sclerosis and published statistically significant results in the Journal of Alternative Therapies in September, 1996. (See Research for manuscript). The Executive Editor of this journal is Dr. Larry Dossey, author of Healing Words-The Power of Prayer, One Mind, Reinventing Medicine, Power of Premonitions, Recovering the Soul, Healing Beyond the Body, and Prayer is Good Medicine.

With impressive results under her belt, Denise then turned her attention to Cancer and began modifying the MBSSEP for four women diagnosed with various types of Cancer. With an average age of 38, three of the four women had very serious Stage 3 and 4 Cancers, and were given a prognosis by the medical community of three months to live. Denise’s program was six months long and expected all students to complete the program.

All four women lived one year beyond their 3-month prognoses and were found to be healing beyond the body, as written about by Dr. Dossey. They healed their spirits, their attitudes, and their emotions as they prepared to die. Denise had profound experiences with all of her students during this program. However, Denise had a particularly miraculous series of experiences with one woman, Pam, after she asked Denise to help her die. Denise responded to this very special request, without fully knowing what she was being asked to do. Everything Denise had learned over the past twenty years about the mind, dreams and consciousness was called to honor this very special, bittersweet calling. Denise was effective in assisting Pam in her transition and collected physical evidence to support her experiences.

These experiences became the focus of her Master’s project at Sancta Sophia Seminary from 1998-2001. The title of her thesis was “Beyond Hospice,” with the intention to modify her already successful MBSSEP to help hospice workers enhance their work with the dying. Nurses, social workers, chaplains, and volunteers participated in the project and learned how and when to implement various tools and techniques with their dying patients and their surviving family members.

This thesis project also taught hospice workers how to practice various spiritual techniques for self-care after her literature review found that while hospice workers always felt a “special calling” to work with the dying, she also realized a high burn-out rate existed amongst hospice workers. She found they left this work after only five years of hospice service. Her thesis project focused on helping them to empower themselves and the work they were doing, to reduce burn out, all to enhance their work with the dying, making their work more fulfilling.

Denise continued to be very involved in helping hospice agencies identify and practice various spiritual techniques to not only assist their dying patients but also to implement a spiritual program for self-care. Before the term “Death Doula” was identified in the dying field, Denise was a pioneer in this field.

In 2010, Denise accepted a position as an Interdenominational Hospice Chaplain and Bereavement Coordinator and was entrusted with the end-of-life care of approximately 45 dying patients and their family members. Honing her skills, she had hundreds of opportunities to exercise her beliefs, her skills, and her gifts with patients and their loved ones.

Denise came to realize that beyond tips and techniques of carefully phrased words, intuitive counseling, and reciting spiritual passages, she found that “presence” was the most powerful of all. She realized that with focused and intentional presence, she could hold an energetic space, in which people could peacefully transition. Many are called, few are selected, to participate in this special work.

Over the following 11 years, and until recently, Denise continued to work as a Death Doula, Hospice Chaplain and Bereavement Counselor, both privately and through her work with various hospice agencies. Denise feels passionate about elevating the dialogue we have about the dying process.

Denise is available to provide Intuitive/Spiritual Counseling for those who are in the process of dying, whether they are on hospice or not. Denise is a liaison and consultant to help family members navigate the hospice or dying process. Denise is available for a free 30-minute consultation to help navigate the death of a loved one. If additional pre or post bereavement services are requested, a custom designed package can be created to suit your specific needs.

Denise is also very experienced at providing beautiful Eulogies and Celebrations of Life, and is particularly adept at weaving personal stories into funeral services. Email Denise through the contact form to set up an appointment to discuss your particular needs.