Doula Profile: Christina Bruce-Bennion
by INELDA
Christina Bruce-Bennion
Christina lives in Boise, Idaho, and is part of the team at Epilogues, an end-of-life care provider. Compassion and kindness are at the core of her work and her approach to life. Her interest in this work stems partly from personal experience with loved ones who have passed and having learned that even with the emotion involved in final good-byes, there is an incredibly powerful and life-affirming aspect to being with someone as they take their last breath. For over 20 years she has worked in refugee resettlement, assisting families from over 20 countries who speak multiple languages and hold many different faith traditions. She brings to her work a focus on case management, training, program development and oversight, and community collaboration.
Q&A With Christina
When and why did you decide to become an end-of-life doula?
I embarked on this journey just in 2021, but my decision was influenced by several life experiences. I have worked with the refugee resettlement program for over 20 years, and during that time have had the privilege to be a part of death and dying traditions with people from so many different parts of the world who have been really insightful and changed the way I view the process. I also went through cancer several years ago, and that experience definitely makes you think about your own mortality and end-of-life wishes. My own mother passed away this summer, and as a former nurse, she was always very clear about how she wanted her end-of-life experience to be, so we were able to have those conversations over time. Finally, my friend Tammy decided to start an end-of-life doula organization here in Boise and asked me to join, so that was the official push to start me down the path.
How long have you been doing this type of work?
Just in 2021, so I am very new to it!
What type of environment do you work in?
I am happy to meet clients where they are—home, hospice, hospital, whatever.
What do you do before you meet with a new client?
As I am still learning, I am still forming my process, but generally I try to get myself to a centered, quiet space internally so that I can really listen and be present when I am with a client.
Can you share a short anecdote or insight that changed you?
For many years I have worked with the refugee resettlement program here in Boise. A few years ago, a wonderful older woman who had arrived in the U.S. as a refugee entered her final days after an illness. She was alone in the U.S., as no family members had been able to join her. She had been a vibrant woman—an actress and poet who was always so charming. As she was dying, I was invited by women from her community to join them at her deathbed. It was a wonderfully moving experience to see how they came together around her with such care and respect so that she did not die alone in a new country. Being part of that experience really changed my thinking about how we define “family” and “loved ones” at the end.
Who has been one of your teachers or mentors?
The women from various refugee communities who have taught me so much about how to care for people at the end of life and the many different ways to mourn and honor the dying. They have broadened my understanding so much.
What do you wish you had known when you started as a doula?
I wish I had actually known more about the process of dying—I learned so much during the INELDA training.
Do you have any words of encouragement for fellow doulas?
As a novice myself, all I can say is stay open, keep learning, and lean on others with more experience and knowledge.
What is your dream for your practice or doulas in general?
I would love to see a wider understanding and acceptance of the art of dying well. The peace that it brings both the dying and their loved ones.
Contact Christine
Web: Epilogues Matter