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Sally Gabriel Ph.D.
About Me
Sally Gabriel Ph.D.
I'm a compassionate listener trained in coaching, communication, end of life and grief support. I specialize in helping people navigate the natural processes of aging, illness, dying, death, and grief.
Your journey matters. I believe you have the right to a dignified end of life where you feel cared for and supported. I help you and your loved ones plan for and create a positive and individualized death experience. I accompany you and your loved ones by providing a safe space for the expression of thoughts and emotions.
I'm an End of Life Doula and Grief Educator serving Sarasota and Manatee Counties, Florida in-person and I offer remote support nationwide.
WHY I DO THIS WORK?
My work as an End of Life Doula and a Grief Educator is a calling
Providing care for individuals with advanced illness and approaching the end of life, as well as those experiencing grief, requires...
A compassionate heart
A listening ear
Skillful communication
Flexibility
Curiosity
Presence
Are you ready to create a peaceful, meaningful end-of-life experience for yourself or a loved one? Let’s navigate this journey together.
My Passions
I offer compassionate, non-medical support to patients and their loved ones as they navigate the end of life journey.
Unlike traditional medical care, I focus on death as a natural process not a medical event, and I encourage you to prepare for it with knowledge and confidence.
Just as a birth doula supports women in childbirth, I provide guidance, emotional support, and education during life's final chapter.
Many people feel unprepared to face their own death. I help you prepare for and come to terms with the inevitable end of life.
As a grief educator, I walk alongside the broken-hearted. Through education and support, I empower individuals to understand their grief, develop healthy coping mechanisms, and find ways to honor their loved ones while building a future without their physical presence.
My calling:
It is An honor and a privilege to walk with individuals and their loved ones through life's final chapter.
The end of life holds a unique space in my heart. It wasn't the path I envisioned after graduate school, fresh with a psychology degree focused on aging. Back then, I started work at a housing service for seniors, then moved a world away to spend 15 years in commercial banking.
My life took some unexpected turns, but one thing remained constant – my desire to support older adults. Today, I'm thrilled to be back where I began, working alongside people as they navigate the complexities of aging, illness, grief, dying, death, and what lies beyond.
The year 2017 was a turning point for me. Caring for both my parents, who passed away that spring, opened my eyes to the profound intimacy and complexities of end of life care. I felt unprepared and unsupported through their dying journeys.
Four years later, the opportunity arose to support a dear friend through her final months.Witnessing her peaceful passing, guided by her wishes, solidified my calling. Her positive death experience ignited in me a deep desire to support others and to make things easier for them at their end of life.
Fueled by this purpose, I became a hospice volunteer and pursued specialized training. My End of Life Doula certification from the Doulagivers Institute (2022) and additional training from INELDA (2024) equip me to offer the compassionate support others deserve as they navigate death and dying.
I've expanded my services to include grief coaching and education, drawing on a certification as a Grief Educator (2024) from renowned grief expert David Kessler.
Today, working with patients and loved ones is undeniably the most fulfilling work of my life. I'm honored to be part of a movement that prioritizes a dignified and peaceful end of life experience for all.
My Experience
How people die remains in the memory of those who live on
- Dame Cecily Saunders, founder of modern hospice
Credentials
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B.A. in Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis
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M.A. in Adult Development and Aging from Syracuse University
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M.B.A. in Finance from Columbia University Graduate School of Business
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Ph.D. in Holistic Nutrition from Clayton College of Natural Health
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Certifications in nutrition, health and lifestyle coaching, end of life doula care, grief education, and advance care planning.
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Doulagivers International Association
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International End Of Life Doula Association (INELDA)
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M.B.A. in Finance from Columbia University Graduate School of Business
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National End of Life Doula Alliance (NEDA)
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Florida End of Life Doula Alliance
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Sarasota Area End-of-Life Doula Collective, Co-founder, Secretary-Treasurer, Membership Coordinator
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Member, Grief Educator Alumni Circle
Fun Fact
When I was in graduate school, I took my first course on death and dying with the famous Swiss-American psychiatrist Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, author of over 20 books on death and dying and a pioneer in raising awareness of terminal illness and death. Before her work, death was an unexplored and neglected topic in medical schools and American culture. Little did I know how famous Dr. Kubler-Ross would become! She later became the driving force behind the “death with dignity” movement in the 1970s and an advocate for hospice care. Her most famous contribution is her recognition of the five stages of grief as a pattern of adjustment to loss of all kinds: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
Proud Member Of:
To promote the work of End of Life Doulas and Grief Educators, I am a member of the following organizations
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Doulagivers International Association
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International End Of Life Doula Association (INELDA)
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National End of Life Doula Alliance (NEDA)
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Florida End of Life Doula Alliance
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Sarasota Area End-of-Life Doula Collective, Co-founder, Secretary-Treasurer, Membership Coordinator
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Member, Grief Educator Alumni Circle