The East Rockville Death Cafe is a community of people interested in being thoughtful about death and dying. We feel honored to offer a place to discuss death and its physical, emotional and financial aspects and effects on those dying and their family and friends. We talk about practical things and often have participants with specific knowledge: death doula, advanced planning, funeral practices, etc. We have been meeting for more than 6 years. If you can attend please email pdubroof@assistinghands.com for the meeting ID and Password.

|Meeting room link, no RSVP necessary

A gentle, monthly drop-in. Come say hi. Bring your thoughts, questions, or just your face. Whether you’re knee-deep in this work or quietly circling it, this is a space to connect, reflect, and be in community

Join DCDC steering committee member Leslie Tolf a wonderful cafe gathering ~ email to register (leslieatolf@gmail.com) or use the link below:

A monthly (or more) death cafe in our historic cemetery. Indoor event. Free to attend. You're welcome to bring something to share—tea, sweets, or a small donation (suggested $5) to support event costs.

Due to space limits, please reserve your seat in advance. Seat reservations: HERE

📍The Historic Congressional Cemetery Chapel, 1801 E St SE, Washington, DC

At Beloved Yoga + Wellness, we host a Death Café on the first Wednesday evening of each month, offering a safe, welcoming, and respectful environment for discussions around our shared mortality. Over tea and refreshments, we gather for open, participant-led conversations about death and dying, helping to normalize these discussions and deepen our understanding of the role mortality plays in our lives. Everyone is welcome—some guests attend once, while others return month after month.

Organized by DC Death Collective Supporting Member, Kristina Davies

Host: Lolonyo

Join us for Deathy DC: A Death & Grief Cafe, a gentle gathering space for honest conversation, reflection, and community. This is a monthly Community & Education Series. Whether you’re navigating grief, curious about death work, or simply seeking connection, you’re warmly invited to join us. Come as you are. All are welcome. Free to the public.

Join us in person for a monthly free Death Cafe at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington where folks come together to chat about death and things related to death such as end of life planning. It's a safe space to share stories, ask questions, or just listen. No pressure, just honest conversations about something we all think about but don't always talk about. Come as you are and be a part of this unique experience!

A Death Cafe is a space for open, honest conversation. Every death cafe is unique. We will share our stories, talk about how grief has shaped our lives, and contemplate how we might want to explore our approach to death. A Death Cafe is a group-led discussion of death; it is not a grief support group or counseling session.

Over many years, free Death Cafes have helped people all over the world confront their mortality with acceptance, compassion, and curiosity.

If you're able, bring a sweet or savory treat to share.

Led by Kristen P. Patterson, long-time UUCA member and a trained death doula. For more info, please reach out at 703-829-9615 or deathcafe@sacredjourneydeathdoula.com.

UUCA's free Death Cafe meets the 4th Wednesday of every month from 6:30-8:00 pm.

RSVP here.

Location: Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington (UUCA), 4444 Arlington Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22204

Legacy Letter virtual workshop: Join DCDC member and death doula Kristen P. Patterson of Sacred Journey Death Doula for an online workshop. Do you want to write your own Legacy Letter? Join this virtual workshop to craft one! Through reflective questions, you will distill your memories, values, favorite rituals, and lessons learned into a letter that you can pass on to your loved ones. It's a gift for you and the people you care about, which you can do at any age. Discounts available for couples or pairs of friends who enroll together (and for participants who later enroll in my full 1:1 end-of-life planning services).

Find out more and register at: https://sacredjourneydeathdoulaevents.as.me/schedule/06898e42

Join us for a Death Cafe—an open, informal gathering where people come together to talk about death, dying, and the many thoughts and feelings that surround them. There is no set agenda or objective beyond creating a welcoming space for honest conversation. It’s not a grief support group or counseling session, but rather a chance to explore a topic we all share in common.

Tea and cake will be served as we reflect, share, and listen in a spirit of curiosity and respect.

The East Rockville Death Cafe is a community of people interested in being thoughtful about death and dying. We feel honored to offer a place to discuss death and its physical, emotional and financial aspects and effects on those dying and their family and friends. We talk about practical things and often have participants with specific knowledge: death doula, advanced planning, funeral practices, etc. We have been meeting for more than 6 years. If you can attend please email pdubroof@assistinghands.com for the meeting ID and Password.

A monthly (or more) death cafe in our historic cemetery. Indoor event. Free to attend. You're welcome to bring something to share—tea, sweets, or a small donation (suggested $5) to support event costs.

Due to space limits, please reserve your seat in advance. Seat reservations: HERE

📍The Historic Congressional Cemetery Chapel, 1801 E St SE, Washington, DC

Join DCDC member and death doula Kristen P. Patterson of Sacred Journey Death Doula for an online workshop. Are you curious about what end-of-life planning entails? Perhaps it's been on your to-do list for years, but you've never put your wishes on paper. Join a virtual intro workshop on the practical and emotional work of EOLP. We'll discuss the documents, conversations, and decisions to be prepared now and avoid chaotic decisions later. Discounts available for couples or pairs of friends who enroll together (and for participants who later enroll in my full 1:1 end-of-life planning services).

Find out more and register at: https://sacredjourneydeathdoulaevents.as.me/schedule/06898e42

|Meeting room link, no RSVP necessary

A gentle, monthly drop-in. Come say hi. Bring your thoughts, questions, or just your face. Whether you’re knee-deep in this work or quietly circling it, this is a space to connect, reflect, and be in community

Join DCDC steering committee member Leslie Tolf for the newly launched cafe gathering ~ email to register (leslieatolf@gmail.com) or use the link below:

Join DCDC member and death doula Kristen P. Patterson of Sacred Journey Death Doula for a summer Demystify Death Nature Walk in Glencarlyn Park in Arlington, VA. 

Do you find yourself struggling in your current season of life? Perhaps you are caring for elders, raising children, and managing a job, without time to find meaning in your day-to-day life. Perhaps you feel alone, missing a spouse, key friend, or family member who died recently, or many years ago. You may be holding ambiguous grief due to unexpected job loss or the end of a marriage, or anticipatory grief for a loved one with dementia. 

Join a small group for an intimate walk in nature where we will connect the seasons of our lives with the seasons of nature. We will contemplate our mortality through mindful observation of the natural world and gentle reflections, opening our hearts to wonder and joy.

Learn more, read reviews, and register:

https://sacredjourneydeathdoulaevents.as.me/schedule/06898e42

Join us for a Death Cafe—an open, informal gathering where people come together to talk about death, dying, and the many thoughts and feelings that surround them. There is no set agenda or objective beyond creating a welcoming space for honest conversation. It’s not a grief support group or counseling session, but rather a chance to explore a topic we all share in common.

Tea and cake will be served as we reflect, share, and listen in a spirit of curiosity and respect.

Legacy Letter virtual workshop: Join DCDC member and death doula Kristen P. Patterson of Sacred Journey Death Doula for an online workshop. Do you want to write your own Legacy Letter? Join this virtual workshop to craft one! Through reflective questions, you will distill your memories, values, favorite rituals, and lessons learned into a letter that you can pass on to your loved ones. It's a gift for you and the people you care about, which you can do at any age. Discounts available for couples or pairs of friends who enroll together (and for participants who later enroll in my full 1:1 end-of-life planning services).

Find out more and register at: https://sacredjourneydeathdoulaevents.as.me/schedule/06898e42

Interested in creating community around our shared mortality? Join us every other month for casual chats, guided by our readings, about death, dying, grief, and ultimately, life.

Gatherings are hosted by death doula Ali Brill. 

https://partiful.com/u/KZPkrIW8XRNT2kBjx883

In Reflection Park’s next program of our Caring for Caregiver series, we're delighted to partner with Ana Leilani Ka’ahanui, a Certified Forest Therapy Guide and Virginia Master Naturalist. Guided by Ana, we will move gently through Reflection Park's woodland trails, pausing to notice what the forest offers, like the light filtering through the canopy, the textures underfoot, and the sounds that fill the silence between our thoughts.

For those who spend so much of their time holding space for others, this walk is an invitation to be held — by the forest and the community of people who understand the weight of this work.

This program is designed for a small group, and space is limited to the first 16 individuals who register. A waitlist will be available if spaces fill up.

For more information and to register: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/reflectionpark/2271481

Prison Terminal, the Oscar-nominated documentary explores the end of life of an incarcerated man cared for by other incarcerated men.

What is it like to die in prison? With an aging population within and outside prisons, more attention is being paid to how to care for people at the end of life. While most hospices and families focus on comfort care, dignity, and legacy, for incarcerated people agency and choice are extremely limited at the end of life.

This free screening of Prison Terminal, the Oscar-nominated documentary short directed by Edgar Barens explores the end of life faced by individuals whose decisions and activities are determined by prison authorities. The filmmaker of Prison Terminal spent six months with incarcerated men who were aging and dying, prison staff, and incarcerated peer caregivers. The documentary focuses on one incarcerated man, Jack Hall, a U,S. war veteran convicted of murder, and the incarcerated men who cared for him as he declined and died.

The film’s director, Edgar Barens, and representatives of the Humane Prison Hospice Project, will join us for a panel discussion following the screening, facilitated by DC Death Collective members.

The setting for this gathering is particularly meaningful because Congressional Cemetery and the DC Jail share a wall, reminding us that issues of mortality and humanity exist side by side.

Come view the film and join us to discuss the growth of programs in U.S. prisons that expand dignified, compassionate care for incarcerated people as they age and die. The aging incarcerated population reflects demographic shifts outside prisons: resources are few and the topics of dying and incarceration both face public avoidance. We hope to encourage community awareness and action around these topics.

"The commitment of the inmate hospice volunteers – and the competence and reverence with which they provide care – shows that dying people’s comfort and dignity can be preserved even in the least desirable situations. Our society could learn a lot from the example they set. A triumph of documentary filmmaking!"Ira Byock, MD, palliative care physician ; author of Dying Well and The Best Care Possible

We are grateful to Historic Congressional Cemetery for opening the space for this collaborative event and to Humane Prison Hospice Project for offering the film to our shared community for this screening and conversation.

Seats are limited in our chapel building: free pre-registration is required. Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/prison-terminal-the-last-days-of-private-jack-hall-tickets-1991797881080?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true

Partners

• DC Death Collective

• Humane Prison Hospice Project

• Historic Congressional Cemetery

Join DCDC member and death doula Kristen P. Patterson of Sacred Journey Death Doula for an online workshop. Are you curious about what end-of-life planning entails? Perhaps it's been on your to-do list for years, but you've never put your wishes on paper. Join a virtual intro workshop on the practical and emotional work of EOLP. We'll discuss the documents, conversations, and decisions to be prepared now and avoid chaotic decisions later. Discounts available for couples or pairs of friends who enroll together (and for participants who later enroll in my full 1:1 end-of-life planning services).

Find out more and register at: https://sacredjourneydeathdoulaevents.as.me/schedule/06898e42

Please join end-of-life doula Lori Scheffler in this judgment-free conversation designed to encourage open dialogue about death, dying, life & what truly matters most. Please RSVP by July 3rd.

The East Rockville Death Cafe is a community of people interested in being thoughtful about death and dying. We feel honored to offer a place to discuss death and its physical, emotional and financial aspects and effects on those dying and their family and friends. We talk about practical things and often have participants with specific knowledge: death doula, advanced planning, funeral practices, etc. We have been meeting for more than 6 years. If you can attend please email pdubroof@assistinghands.com for the meeting ID and Password.

|Meeting room link, no RSVP necessary

A gentle, monthly drop-in. Come say hi. Bring your thoughts, questions, or just your face. Whether you’re knee-deep in this work or quietly circling it, this is a space to connect, reflect, and be in community

Join DCDC steering committee member Leslie Tolf for the newly launched cafe gathering ~ email to register (leslieatolf@gmail.com) or use the link below:

A monthly (or more) death cafe in our historic cemetery. Indoor event. Free to attend. You're welcome to bring something to share—tea, sweets, or a small donation (suggested $5) to support event costs.

Due to space limits, please reserve your seat in advance. Seat reservations: HERE

📍The Historic Congressional Cemetery Chapel, 1801 E St SE, Washington, DC

Join us for a Death Cafe—an open, informal gathering where people come together to talk about death, dying, and the many thoughts and feelings that surround them. There is no set agenda or objective beyond creating a welcoming space for honest conversation. It’s not a grief support group or counseling session, but rather a chance to explore a topic we all share in common.

Tea and cake will be served as we reflect, share, and listen in a spirit of curiosity and respect.

Join DCDC member and death doula Kristen P. Patterson of Sacred Journey Death Doula for a summer Demystify Death Nature Walk in Glencarlyn Park in Arlington, VA. 

Do you find yourself struggling in your current season of life? Perhaps you are caring for elders, raising children, and managing a job, without time to find meaning in your day-to-day life. Perhaps you feel alone, missing a spouse, key friend, or family member who died recently, or many years ago. You may be holding ambiguous grief due to unexpected job loss or the end of a marriage, or anticipatory grief for a loved one with dementia. 

Join a small group for an intimate walk in nature where we will connect the seasons of our lives with the seasons of nature. We will contemplate our mortality through mindful observation of the natural world and gentle reflections, opening our hearts to wonder and joy.

Learn more, read reviews, and register:

https://sacredjourneydeathdoulaevents.as.me/schedule/06898e42

Join DCDC member and death doula Kristen P. Patterson of Sacred Journey Death Doula for a summer Demystify Death Nature Walk in Glencarlyn Park in Arlington, VA. 

Do you find yourself struggling in your current season of life? Perhaps you are caring for elders, raising children, and managing a job, without time to find meaning in your day-to-day life. Perhaps you feel alone, missing a spouse, key friend, or family member who died recently, or many years ago. You may be holding ambiguous grief due to unexpected job loss or the end of a marriage, or anticipatory grief for a loved one with dementia. 

Join a small group for an intimate walk in nature where we will connect the seasons of our lives with the seasons of nature. We will contemplate our mortality through mindful observation of the natural world and gentle reflections, opening our hearts to wonder and joy.

Learn more, read reviews, and register:

https://sacredjourneydeathdoulaevents.as.me/schedule/06898e42

Join us for a Death Cafe—an open, informal gathering where people come together to talk about death, dying, and the many thoughts and feelings that surround them. There is no set agenda or objective beyond creating a welcoming space for honest conversation. It’s not a grief support group or counseling session, but rather a chance to explore a topic we all share in common.

Tea and cake will be served as we reflect, share, and listen in a spirit of curiosity and respect.