Jan 9, 2025
I would consider today's guest, Kate, a born caregiver. I
could sense her caring spirit immediately. Before losing her
12-year-old son, Ephrem, Kate worked as a birth doula and was in
training to be a midwife. She loved supporting new young parents as
they welcomed their new babies into the world.
After Ephrem died suddenly from complications from an aortic
dissection, Kate no longer felt like she could continue working as
a birth doula so she became a home health aide. One evening, Kate
was assigned to be with an elderly man who was nearing the end of
his life. Instead of offering support as a family welcomed new
life, she sat with them as they prepared to say goodbye. Kate
realized something that night - Ephrem's death had unveiled a new
calling for her. She knew that hospice work was now what she was
meant to do. Instead of supporting families as life entered the
world, Kate would help people and their families at the end of
life.
But hospice work was not Kate's only new calling. After
Ephrem's death, Kate attended Luella's Lodge (a place near
and dear to my own heart) for a retreat for bereaved parents. Kate
found herself signing up for retreat after retreat. Each one gave
her more strength. During one such retreat, Kate sat down with
Carrie, co-founder of Luella's Lodge asking what she thought of the
idea of Kate starting her own retreat center, fashioning it after
Luella's Lodge. Carrie was thrilled.
Kate and her husband founded The Beekeeper's Well to
offer support to bereaved families. Kate's dream is to eventually
have a physical retreat center for bereaved parents in Southeast
Michigan, but that will take time. For now, Kate offers weekly
Sunday night drop-in Zoom support groups as well as grief coaching.
Kate also hosts 'Home Retreats' anywhere in the US or Canada. These
retreats are meant for smaller groups. Kate goes to a home (or
often a weekend rental) and brings the retreat center experience to
the bereaved. Kate finds local experts in yoga, breath work,
massage, and other healing modalities and brings the magic of a
grief retreat to grieving parents wherever they need it.