My life was profoundly changed when my husband, mother, and dog were all diagnosed with cancer within the same year. While my husband and mother both are in remission, the grief and stress of this time shook me and made the many gaps in our systems and the ways we are (and aren’t) supported during such life-altering moments glaringly clear. As someone with chronic illness, I’m no stranger to navigating the healthcare system for myself, but supporting my family members through it was a very different experience.
During that time, my mother shared a story about how my grandmother would sit bedside with people in her community as they were dying. Hearing this stirred something within me, and I realized my purpose was connected to this story. Since then, I’ve been tending to that seed, growing my work as a death doula, grief companion, and teammate and nurturer for caregivers.
My path into deathcare has been shaped by both lived experiences and formal training. Blending my background in social work with integrative and creative modalities like therapeutic horticulture, herbalism, breath and movement practices, and ritual, I provide emotional, spiritual, and practical support for dying, grief, and loss. Whether companioning someone at the end of life, teaching chair yoga to caregivers, or leading grief gardening workshops, I strive to hold a gentle and grounded space for finding our way through the hard stuff of life.
A great joy is collaborating with unique organizations to create spaces and experiences that inspire growth, healing, community, and courageous conversations—for both staff and clients. I’ve consulted with local organizations and facilitated holistic grief care and death education workshops throughout Pittsburgh and nationally. My partnerships have included libraries, boutique stores, public parks, universities, professional organizations, cemeteries, and more.
These opportunities align with larger goals of normalizing conversations about death and grief, meaningfully supporting caregivers and those who are dying, and inviting people to reconnect with nature’s cycles and their own capacity for healing.
My work is deeply rooted in the belief that care, connection, and presence are essential during life’s most profound transitions—and that quality care should be accessible to all. It’s an honor to walk alongside those navigating these paths, helping them find moments of care, understanding, and acceptance.
Please feel welcome to reach out if you’d like to connect, explore support options, or collaborate.
https://www.moonsetandco.com/
carrie@moonsetandco.com