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Shirinyoku in Appalachia
Shirin-Yoku (森林浴) roughly means forest bathing in Japanese. There is now a substantial body of research showing that time just being in nature offers therapeutic benefits, and there is even an Association of Nature and Forest Therapy to support the practice.
I headed off to a remote part of Southeastern Kentucky at the end of January to collect wintertime thanabotanical plant specimens, and to bathe in the beautiful forests of Appalachia (a specific part of the United States). Appalachia is not only home to a rich thanabotanical tradition, but also half of my ancestral roots. I descend from about 8 generations of Appalachians and I wanted to spend time bathing in those kinds of roots, too. Despite the bitter cold, that time in the woods left me feeling renewed and rooted. No matter where you are on the Earth, or what season you find yourself in, take a little time to bathe in your local flora and fauna, and walk where your ancestors walked. It's good for the mind, body and soul. Finding our roots is just as important as staying connected to them.
With Love, Cole Imperi
(and Daisy, pictured in her dog backpack)
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A new writing world...
...with pandemic-sensitive themes is beginning to emerge. Take a look at Jewish End-of-Life Care in a Virtual Age by Dayle A Friedman, David Levin, and Simcha Paull Raphael. Dr. Raphael—rabbi, death educator, and psychotherapist—included our own Cole Imperi in this book so deeply applicable to our current times.
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What Our Alumni Are Up To
[Each month, we will spotlight a graduate and share what they're up to. If you'd like to be included, just reply to this email!]
Shannon Dominguez-Stevens (she/her/ella)
Shannon has spent nearly 15 years dedicated to poverty justice, homelessness and social justice beginning with volunteering in her hometown of Long Beach, CA to the town she has made her chosen home, Sacramento, CA. Shannon activates the use of story in everything she participates in from policy and advocacy to consulting regional leaders to direct services for people experiencing homelessness. In her current position with Sacramento Loaves & Fishes, Shannon leads Maryhouse, a daytime hospitality center for women and families experiencing homelessness. She facilitated memorial services for womxn experiencing homelessness and has also begun to offer support to people as they navigate grief attached to pet death, supported friends as they consider legacy planning and held space for multitudes of grief.
What is one key takeaway that's stayed with you after completing the course?
"That grief shows up in places we may never consider, naming and identifying shadowloss has expanded my empathy and strengthened my skills as a manager. " -Shannon Dominguez-Stevens
Photo Alt-Text: Photo of Shannon as well as a photo of a memorial service she facilitated for a woman murdered while experiencing homelessness.
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Reminder: It's Here!
Introduction to Thanabotany
The Thanabotany track at the School of American Thanatology officially opens for our Spring Season on Monday, April 6, 2021. Once it starts, the course will be self-paced for 8 weeks meaning you can do each module whenever your schedule permits as long as all work is submitted by the final day of class. You can early enroll in this course here. Enrollment is limited.
About the Course:
Thanabotany is where ethnobotany meets thanatology. Students will learn a general overview of what Thanabotany includes, applications of the field, challenges, and will review thanabotanical plant examples. This is a self-paced 8-week course offered online and includes video lectures, downloads, reading materials and is taught by Cole Imperi.
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Join Cole Each Week For Teacher Time
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This weekly time (every Thursday at 3pm Eastern) is available for free to students and alumni! The link to join is in Slack here. Please come! This is your community.
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Monthly Continuing Education
Each issue, we'll share a few articles that have already been read and reviewed by our team. As Death Educators, we want to support you by providing information you can easily share with your own audiences and learn from yourselves. (Have an article or item we should review for a future issue? Just reply to this email.)
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Horticulture Therapy for the Aged
Did you know Horticulture Therapy has applications for a myriad of conditions? A quick Google scholar search will find you peer-reviewed research from China, Taiwan, India, Romania, Poland, and more. In this brain mapping study from the Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, a small group of elderly folks reported less stress or less occurrence of increased stress after planting flowers. Full article here.
Food for thought: Why is horticulture therapy so popular for our aging populations? What can it do that western medical therapies cannot? How accessible is horticulture therapy to different populations?
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Deathworkers Should Make Money?!
At some point, you might encounter a stigma around making money as a deathworker. This is the belief held by some that a funeral director (for example) making money off of the death of others is akin to a nurse making money off of sickness. Most people have no problem with a medical professional making a nice living from their professional work, but there is often a double-standard in place. Many people expect deathworkers (whether they are funeral directors, death companions or otherwise) to be modern-day martyrs, providing a valuable and skilled service either without pay or with only minimal pay. This belief is damaging to the livelihoods of those who offer these valuable services to their communities. Read the full article here. Food for thought: How do the systemic issues of profit in health and deathcare circles (i.e. pharmaceutical companies and corporate funeral providers) elevate or devalue the public perception of those who serve their communities in these roles?
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This month's Continuing Education section has been sourced and reviewed by the School's Thanatology Assistant, Layla Murphy (she/her). She's a Death Companioning Crash Course Initiate and a student at the University of Maryland in their Aging & Applied Thanatology program.
If you have a submission for this section, we'd love to include it! Please reply to this email or send to layla@americanthanatology.com.
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Archival Printed Certificates are Ready for Pre-Order!
If you're a Death Companioning Crash Course Initiate, you are eligible to purchase an archival printed certificate. These certificates are printed on thick, 80lb premium paper and feature the official marble pattern of the School of American Thanatology on the back and front. The certificate comes in a jacket, and with a 3" vinyl, waterproof school seal sticker. (Take a look here!) Signed in ink, they also feature an embossed, raised seal. You may use code INITIATE to take $20 off if you order by March 15, 2021. Please note, these will not ship until the last week of March. Shipping is included for US destinations. Reduced shipping cost for non-US destinations. Note: All initiates have access to a digital certificate which can be downloaded—the printed certificate is an optional add-on.
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What's New at the School
UPCOMING COURSES
A new course housed under our Thanatology track will roll out soon. This is a Writing course taught by a syndicated columnist called Writing: Death & Spirituality. Have you ever wanted to spend time writing about your experiences? This 7-week course might be just the thing you've been looking for. More info in next month's newsletter.
PRINTED CERTIFICATES
These are ready for pre-order! Use code INITIATE for $20 off until March 15, 2021. Shipping is included for US locations, reduced cost for non-US destinations. They do not ship until the last week of March 2021.
REGISTER NOW FOR...
Introduction to Thanabotany
Starts April 6, 2021
Death Companioning: Community Crash Course
Starts April 2, 2021
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