Graduate and Postdoctoral Training

Angela Shook, an end-of-life doula who graduated from and now teaches in UVM’s End-of-Life Doula Professional Certificate Program

(FEBRUARY 25, 2023) Angela Shook, an end-of-life doula who graduated from and now teaches in UVM’s End-of-Life Doula Professional Certificate Program, was interviewed by News Finale for an article on forgiveness at the end of life.

Forgiveness can be a path for some people to find peace at the end of life, but it isn’t a requirement or the only way to get there. Shook notes that the dying person doesn’t need the added pressure of forgiving. “They may already be facing physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual pain of their own,” she says. “They may be scared, fearful of what comes next, and dealing with all of that on an already depleted energy bank.”

Instead, Shook recommends holding space for the dying to process however way feels right for them. “They have the right, ability, and safe place to feel their emotions, whatever they may be,” she says. “I try to meet them where they are and offer a nonjudgmental space to review their life and experiences as they choose. We can bear witness to unresolved conflicts and resentments without pushing forgiveness. We can allow them to just be.”

And this advice applies to those who are not nearing the end of their life but simply want to find peace and move beyond past hurts.