“Knowing what your loved ones want at the end of life is empowering and the best gift you can give to people who love and support you.”

Sometimes, grief can push us to discover new gifts within ourselves. Through the painful process of becoming a widow 12 years ago, massage therapist Leanna Whitcher learned how to do grief massages for her clients. Recently, the 14-year Briar Cliff resident became an end-of-life (EOL) doula.

“With the loss of my wife, Tam, to lung cancer, I started looking into grief massage, and from there, found my way into EOL doula classes,” Leanna shared. She participates in cancer fundraising walks in Tam’s honor every year.

Grief massage requires gentle bodywork that helps regulate the nervous system. EOL doulas are non-medical professionals who ease the end-of-life process by assisting with advance directives, medications, legacy projects as well as providing education, guidance and more.

Leanna took EOL doula classes developed by an oncology and hospice nurse who recognized the gap between hospice and the additional care and support families need.

Growing up in Connecticut and attending college in Massachusetts, Leanna said she is “an East Coast girl.” Her father was in the Air Force and the family was stationed in Colorado for a few years when she was little. “I have great memories from that time. All the cadets were my big, older brothers,” Leanna explained.

Leanna had an exciting job working for a senator in Washington, D.C., but said, “I got tired of the weather and decided to move back to Colorado.” She said the long road trip back here, by way of Mexico in 2001, was memorable and fun.

Over the past 19 years, Leanna has accumulated a vast amount of experience as a massage therapist, working in spas, with chiropractors and in other studios. She has her own massage studio, Body Karma, in Centennial with word-of-mouth referrals and her EOL business is Body Karma Doula Services and EOL Nesting.

To continue her EOL training, Leanna recently attended the Empowering End of Life Care conference in Golden to keep up with changes to Medical Aid in Dying. Leanna has also explored water cremation, a new, ecologically-conscious alternative to traditional burial or fire cremation services.

Leanna said she is honored to walk individuals or groups through Five Wishes, an advance directive and care plan, which is not standard in attorney-prepared wills. Leanna has card games centered around EOL to help start the conversation. Leanna’s mom, Linda has started an EOL group at her 55+ community because of the discussions she and Leanna have had.

Leanna’s goal is to take the fear out of passing and bring joy and beauty to it instead. “There’s so much information out there, I just want to keep learning more and sharing it,” she said. “Knowing what your loved ones want at the end of life is empowering and the best gift you can give to people who love and support you.”

At home, Leanna has two rescue dogs Dana and Dax, who are mother and son. She is a member of Studio Pilates International Castle Pines and loves meeting friends for dinner, especially at Cranelli’s Italian Restaurant.

To reach Leanna, email her at bodykarmaco@gmail.com.

By Lisa Nicklanovich; photos courtesy of Leanna Whitcher