About this Death Cafe

I created the Amicus Mortis Death Café because too many of us are quietly carrying questions about death—and no place to set them down.

I’ve worked in end-of-life care for nearly three decades, and I’ve sat at bedsides where the dying whispered fears they couldn’t say out loud in front of family. I’ve witnessed caregivers crumble from the weight of what goes unspoken. And I’ve watched people walk through grief thinking they were doing it wrong because no one told them how grief actually works.

I’m running this Death Café because I believe death deserves a seat at the table—not as something morbid or clinical, but as something deeply human.

This space isn’t for therapy or advice. It’s for conversation. It’s for asking questions like:

• What scares us about death?

• What do we hope our last days feel like?

• How do we live differently when we talk about dying openly?

We’ll talk. We’ll listen. Maybe we’ll laugh. Probably we’ll cry. All of it is welcome here.

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☕ What to Expect

The Amicus Mortis Death Café is a 90-minute virtual (or in-person) gathering designed to be gentle, inclusive, and real. Here’s how we flow:

• We’ll begin with a short welcome, grounding practice, or reflection

• I’ll introduce some prompts (like “Would You Rather…” death scenarios, cultural reflections, or legacy questions)

• We’ll break into small groups or stay in a circle—depending on the vibe

• You’ll never be forced to speak. Listening is participation, too.

• We close with a simple question: What are you taking with you from this conversation?

This is a judgment-free zone: no one is here to fix, preach, or sell anything. Just humans being with other humans in the mystery of it all.

About Kari Ann Forbush

Kari Ann Forbush (she/her) is a skilled end-of-life doula, care educator, and creator of the Amicus Mortis Death Café—a space for honest, curious, and courageous conversations about dying, grief, and what it means to truly live.

With nearly 30 years in the care world, Kari brings lived wisdom, irreverent compassion, and deep presence to every circle she holds. She began as a Certified Nursing Assistant in 1997 and has since worked across home care, hospice, dementia care, and organizational systems consulting. Her work spans bedside vigils, caregiver trainings, living funeral coordination, legacy projects, and what she lovingly calls “benevolent mayhem.”

Through her doula practice, Amicus Mortis (Latin for friend of death), Kari offers personalized end-of-life support, trauma-informed education, and community rituals that honor both the dying and the living. She also partners with care agencies to enhance caregiver confidence, repair broken systems, and create space for healing in the midst of overwhelming work.

Kari created the Amicus Mortis Death Café as a brave, gentle place where people can speak the unspeakable—without judgment or shame. Her facilitation is rooted in storytelling, skillful listening, and the belief that talking about death brings us closer to life.

 

When she’s not holding space for hard conversations, you might find her on the porch with a mug of tea, scribbling comic strips, facilitating scenario-based skills days, or leading her signature caregiver retreat, “Dignity & Mayhem.”

Contact the organiser of this Death Cafe

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