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Mary Good, Secretary of the Board, End-of-Life DoulaGrowing up in the Allegheny mountain foothills of western New York State, Mary was nourished by being close to nature, despite the long snowy winters. After finishing her B.A. in Sociology she moved to Los Angeles for its sunny, mild climate and proximity to the Santa Monica Mountains where she could enjoy numerous hiking trails.
Mary’s longest career was as a marketer for multi-ethnic cable broadcaster International Channel. The network’s audiences were expatriates from across the globe building a new life in the U.S. while continuing the traditions of their homeland. She enjoyed engaging with diverse cultures that make up the American melting pot. When the network had to close down, Mary returned to school for a Masters of Spiritual Psychology. Mary was affiliated with Agape Spiritual Center in L.A. for over 20 years, serving as spiritual counselor and a volunteer with the prayer and transition ministries. Her interest in end-of-life began while she was her father’s caregiver during his final weeks of life. She subsequently became the Volunteer Coordinator for the Hospice that cared for him, serving for seven years before retirement. It was the most fulfilling vocation of her life. She also studied Death Midwifery with Sacred Crossings during those years. Mary and her husband moved to Grass Valley in 2018, returning to foothills not unlike those where she spent her childhood. She discovered Hospice of the Foothills, where she is now a Bereavement volunteer, co-leading a weekly grief group. She completed the Inspired Endings End-of-Life Doula certification, which was hosted by Full Circle of Living and Dying, where she now serves on the Board of Directors. She enjoys helping people who are facing death to come up with a legacy project that is meaningful, and create a written plan for the setting of their final days in terms of music, lighting, favorite poems and whatever an individual feels will support them during their passage. In her free time, Mary enjoys yoga, meditation, gardening, cooking exploring hiking trails in her new stomping grounds, swimming in the Yuba, dancing in her living room and hopefully some international travel in the near future. |
