Death Cafe profile for Melanie Miller-Wells
Location: United Kingdom
About Melanie Miller-Wells:
Hi my name is Melanie and I have been qualified as a nurse since 1979. I specialised in palliative care and worked for Macmillan as a clinical nurse specialist and also for several hospices as a nurse and complementary therapist.. I worked locally as the service manager for Hospice @ Home, and I am now semi retired and self employed.
I have worked with COPES the gynae cancer support team as a volunteer therapist for 8 years and know how successful support groups can be. As we dont have a Death Cafe facility in our area I am, with a group of like minded friends, who have bereavement support skills, compassion, love, the desire to help others and importantly, a good sense of humour,with either or therapy/pampering skills. It is going to open at The Temple Cafe (food for the soul) in Southend opposite Chalkwell Park, which is a beautiful space owned by Jo Slater, who has a Buddhist temple and therapy rooms attached.... So there will be space for tea and cake... a place for quiet reflection and the opportunity to have free taster sessions of therapies (reiki, hypno, metamorphic technique)... also face painting and hand massage/nail painting (pampering) First meeting for the team is tonight 14/09/2015 and then we will set dates and start advertising... we already have several people who are interested in coming... it will of course be a drop in facility... xxx Blessings xxx
What brings you to Death Cafe?
After the death of my lovely dad, I became interested in bereavement work and trained with my local hospice to become a support worker.
I trained as a soul midwife with Felicity Warner and use therapies for people who are nearing end of life, combining these with nursing care. It was at the request of one of my 'friends' that I trained to become a civil funeral celebrant.
What would you like your legacy to be?
To take the fear out of dying and help those nearing death to come to some form of peace and acceptance of death.
To make people aware that it is not 'spooky' to plan for death, and can be quite liberating to let people know what your wishes are.
To help those to achieve a gentle death and to help others to support those who are dying by guiding them with simple practices that can help them feel comfortable , and, will also help in their own bereavement process.
Thoughts for sharing:
The Music of The Lyre
Thy brilliant raiment settles firm
upon my wearied soul.
And lifts with loving kindness dear,
my hearts discord to dole.
With precious breath against my cheek
in wonderment received.
The tears do fall in swift descent
my memories, relieved.
Flow forth in cleansing readiness
through timeless Light and Space.
Til once more will rejoin again
The tributary of Grace.
Behold the halls of wisest minds,
see where my honour falls.
In hallowed ground now starkly dressed
within enlightened walls.
Consider where my fate belongs,
stirred timeless deep in age.
For whence the final reckoning
doest glance beneath the page.
That I have known and loved in Truth
and gladdened by my birth,
Remembrance of the joys thus lived
so heartened with thy worth.
Illuminate from deep Within
In brilliance for my Soul
For all may err in journeying
Faith recognised the Whole.
For in His likeness we are craft
His honour to aspire.
Awaken now in joyous dance,
The music of the Lyre.
Melanie Miller-Wells's posts on the Death Cafe website
Death Cafe: Death Cafe in Westclliff on Sea, Essex
Posted by Melanie Miller-Wells on Oct. 12, 2015, 6:28 p.m.
With JO SLATER
Oct. 19, 2015, 7.00 p.m. - 9.00 p.m. (GMT)
there are no costs incurred other than the price of a cup of tea and a piece of cake.
Jo and Melanie are very passionate about end of life... Death... Transition
They felt that it would be good to provide something locally where people could discuss death, over a ...
Practitioners question: first death cafe
Posted by Melanie Miller-Wells on Sept. 15, 2015, 4:35 a.m. 2 comments
Hello to you all, how lovely to be able to join such a wonderful group.
We had our first meeting last night for our proposed Death Cafe in Southend on Sea.
We are very blessed to have a beautiful venue, The Temple Cafe which as the name implies is a ...