Instagram story viewer> @my_dearest_death> Posts

Yasmine Gonzales 🧿

@my_dearest_death

743

followers

1642

following

Death & Grief Educator
Death Doula
Grief Facilitation 1:1 & Groups
Co-Founder @texasendoflifecollective

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

“They’re not ready to give up.”

It’s the first of the month and it kind of feels like Groundhog Day, because I’m anticipating what to expect.

In the latest edition of my life and “What does a doula do?”— my current role as a hospice liaison has me hitting the streets of SA, meeting with clinicians and communities to educate them about hospice eligibility and its benefits.

We still have quite a ways to go in changing the way we think about hospice in the U.S. For many, it still represents giving up hope. Giving up on life.

Hospice isn’t about giving up. It’s about shifting the focus from curative treatment to comfort, support, quality of life, and what matters most to the person. And for goodness sake, it’s about being physicians having honest conversations with their patients. I’ve heard “they’re not ready to give up” from families and physicians alike.

I’ve seen how hospice can give people space to process, set goals, make plans, and spend meaningful time with the people they love. How a hospice care team (ohh and a doula as the cherry on top!) surrounds and supports not just the person, but the whole family unit.

Maybe the goal is Christmas, a milestone birthday, or seeing their daughter graduate. Maybe it’s simply more time making memories instead of spending time managing appointments, hospitalizations and decline.

There’s still hope in hospice. Sometimes hope just looks different.

I woke up tired today but up for the challenge of sharing another perspective. I’m all for people making the decision that’s best for them, and my goal is that for those with time, they get to make an informed one. by @my_dearest_death

3

0

16 days ago

Funeral directors + death doulas—we want you in this conversation!

What’s keeping us from working together? Where do our roles intersect, where do they need clearer boundaries, and what could meaningful collaboration look like?

Join @texasendoflifecollective on Zoom with Jennifer Lares @mullingmortician —funeral professional, educator, and so much more—for an open conversation about working across these two professions and, ultimately, supporting families well.

Jennifer has been traveling across North America, listening to and participating in conversations about this very topic at conferences and gatherings throughout the deathcare field. **Go check out @mullingmortician’s work**—and join us for the conversation.

This one is for death doulas and funeral directors across North America and beyond.

Bring your questions. Bring your experience. Come curious.

Thursday • 7 PM - 8:30 PM CDT
Free • Zoom • Eventbrite link in bio

Please share this with a funeral director or death doula who should be part of the conversation.

HUGE thank you to @deadgoodlegacies for the wonderful photos via Unsplash. by @my_dearest_death

3

17

a month ago

This week I was invited to assist at a dance party in a memory care community for seniors living with dementia.

At first, they were waiting around like shy middle schoolers—waiting for someone else to make the first move. So I decided to be brave and start asking for dance partners.

Little by little, we danced—some seniors from their seats or wheelchairs, some strong enough to stand and dance in place, and some who eventually ended up twirling ME around.

While dancing in a daisy-chain trio, one woman pulled us close to yell over the music, “If Father so-and-so sees us, we’ll be excommunicated!” 🤭

Towards the end of the event there was a resident who’d been chatting to herself and pacing in and out of the space. A song came on that she must’ve liked, because she suddenly stopped in front of me, and when I offered my hands she clutched them tight, and we danced in place.
A part of the song came on that made me want to yell, “Woohoo!” It just felt like the okay thing to do, and I could tell my partner was FEELING this song.

She chimed in, “Woohoo!”And then, in what seemed like a brief moment of clarity, she clearly exclaimed: “THIS IS WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT!”

My smile couldn’t have been bigger. I was right in step with her:
“This IS what it’s all about!”

Memory and language may fade, but connection doesn’t. A shared moment of pure presence can still bring joy & hope (and sometimes even a little bit of mischief & clarity, all in the same beat).

Join the @texasendoflifecollective on Thursday, August 28, at 6pm CDT for a free discussion to better understand dementia. Register through our website texasendoflifecollective.com or directly thru Eventbrite (texaseolcollective).

*photo courtesy of Artyom Kabajev on Unsplash)

#dementiaawareness #dementia #dementiasupport #caregiver by @my_dearest_death

3

0

2 months ago

We’re excited to start offering Death Cafes in San Antonio & the Hill Country. We’re registered with deathcafe.com online so you can keep up with future events there, too. Death Cafes exist worldwide!

Join us! Please RSVP in a DM or to texaseolcollective@gmail.com

When: Friday, September 11, 2026 from 2-3:30pm
Where: @flower_in_flour_ bakery and coffee shop
6915 Bandera Rd #104, SATX 78238

Our objective, based on the Death Cafe mission, is to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their lives. A Death Cafe is group directed with no agenda, objectives or themes. It is a group discussion rather than a grief support or counseling session. And we do this as people, often strangers, gather to eat cake, drink tea (or coffee) and discuss death.

Join us for this free event. A TXEOLC co-founder and collective member will be there to welcome you for discussion and community. by @my_dearest_death

3

3

2 months ago

We’re back—and we’re excited to share what we’ve been working on!

After a full summer and a little time away, we’re happy to introduce the new Texas End of Life Collective website.

Our mission is to connect our community with meaningful end-of-life education, trusted resources, and compassionate support, while cultivating collaboration among the death care professionals who serve San Antonio and the Hill Country.

Our website will be the hub for everything TXEOLC, including:

✨ A calendar of upcoming events, workshops, and gatherings—both virtual and in person

✨ A growing member directory, where you’ll be able to learn more about the professionals who make up our Collective.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be introducing upcoming events, highlighting our members, sharing educational resources, and continuing to build a connected, informed, and compassionate community.

Whether you’re seeking support, looking to learn, or part of the death care community, we’re glad you landed here and look forward to connecting with you.

Visit our website to explore what’s new, and stay tuned as we continue to grow together.

🖤 Link in bio.

P.S. Shoutout to @deadgoodlegacies for providing the beautiful green burial photo 🤩 on the site. by @my_dearest_death

3

4

2 months ago

Our recent May Collective meetup sparked a thoughtful discussion about how we show up when our scope & boundaries are stretched in deathcare work.

A big part of the conversation centered on what happens when doulas are pulled into family conflict and dynamics—or find themselves stepping into them.

There were a range of perspectives, and a lot of curiosity around how different people navigate these moments in practice.

What are your thoughts or experiences?

#deathcare #deathdoula #sanantoniodeathdoula #satx by @my_dearest_death

3

2

4 months ago

At a recent @texasendoflifecollective social I was talking with @elleraven.xo about Daisy’s farewell, as she’d recommended @juliabeverleydvm for in-home pet euthanasia. I was sharing about our experience. We talked about this work—how important the animal side of deathcare is, too. She’d recently presented on pet death & grief at @_deathdisco_ and shared another great local resource—this one for pet aquamation just outside of San Antonio @eternalwaters.aquamation (currently in Texas aquamation is only an option for pets, not humans—yet). 🤞

Having experienced both euthanizing pets with short longevity and unexpectedly finding pets after they’d died, I believe the compassionate choice, when possible, is to help them have a peaceful, supported death rather than experience a crisis (like a broken hip from a fall) or prolonged suffering. It’s never too early to speak to a veterinarian if you’re wondering if it’s time.

No ethical veterinarian will euthanize a pet inappropriately. You can also schedule a quality-of-life evaluation to discuss medications, hospice support, mobility assistance, comfort care, and safety accommodations before making any decisions. And you’re not alone, some of us death doulas also support you and your your animal beloveds.

#sanantoniodeathdoula #petdeathdoula #petlosssupport #petgrief by @my_dearest_death

3

0

5 months ago

Last month I was daughter and doula for my parents as we planned to have their old girl Daisy laid to rest. My mom ended up filming so much, so I thought it would be an opportunity to share with all of you how beautiful it can be to honor a beloved animal companion, much in the same way we can take care of our beloved humans, and how working together to helps us start moving through our grief. RIP Sweet Daisy. 💗

Thanks to my local doula friends for personal recommendations for mobile veterinarians. I will be doing another post discussing our wonderful experience with @juliabeverleydvm, as well as children and pet loss.

#deathdoula #petdoula #griefsupport #shrouding #petloss by @my_dearest_death

3

4

5 months ago

Grateful to contribute to “What Does a Death Doula Do?” alongside peers Ashley @loyal.hands and Nicole @forget.me.not.doula - it was interesting to see how much overlap there was in our responses and approaches to this work.

A heartfelt thanks to Jennifer Lares @mullingmortician for inviting us to contribute and for highlighting not only what death doulas do, but also how we work alongside and in collaboration with the funeral industry. She continues to be a thoughtful ally to the deathcare community.

Here is Part 2! by @my_dearest_death

3

0

5 months ago

I was asked to contribute to this article about the work of Death Doulas by @mullingmortician Jennifer Lares, editor of Funeral Insider Magazine. Grateful to be featured alongside other thoughtful professionals in this space and to be part of conversations helping bring more awareness, education, and humanity to end-of-life care.

I especially appreciate the way Jennifer is helping bridge conversations and collaboration between death doulas and funeral professionals, creating more connection and continuity of care around death, dying, and after-death support. More on that topic in Part 2.

Here’s Part 1 🖤 by @my_dearest_death

3

4

5 months ago

* Other frameworks to consider that explain or influence how we show up are ideas personality systems like the Enneagram or Myers-Briggs, neurodivergence, etc. Thoughts? Drop them in the comments.

Next Collective meetups in May:
• Social meetup for coffee Friday, May 15 at @flower_in_flour_
•Classroom meetup Thursday, May 28 from 6:30-8pm

If you’re interested in joining please DM us to RSVP!
If you’re new to the group DM us for info / for an interest survey. by @my_dearest_death

3

4

5 months ago

Share with others and bear witness to their losses. There’s no timeline in grief—join whether your loss is recent or your older/adult child died many years ago. We can sit with this grief however it shows up. You’re welcome to share everything from the hardest parts, to the stories that help you remember them in their fullness. Grief is love. Message me to join. by @my_dearest_death

3

0

5 months ago