Who We Are At Consoling Grace ...

The people behind Consoling Grace are those to whom this program is dedicated; those whose life experience and wisdom have been the seed of growing this program for many, many years. The people who have provided all of us with consoling grace are the thousands of hospice patients and bereaved persons who have shared their stories - and bared their souls so that their sum of dignity and the glory of their fragile life-gifts might illumine all that Consoling Grace offers.

The people animating Consoling Grace are mothers and grandmothers, fathers and uncles, aunts and elders, who have 'gone before us in the sign of faith' but nevertheless have managed to pass on the 'learned intergenerational wisdom link' that we might be taught as they were, the 'how' of lived compassion - and in their memory renew the authentic community that once flourished in our families, churches, and communities.

Eileen Geller, R.N., B.S.N., is the Founder and President of Consoling Grace.

In a professional capacity, Eileen has worked for more than twenty years as a registered nurse in the fields of hospice and palliative care. As a 'midwife for souls,' she has cared for thousands of dying persons and ministered to their families. In this capacity she has developed extensive expertise in areas of pain control, symptom management, care of the caregiver, advance directives, and care of the bereaved.

Eileen is passionate about advocating for the rights of the seriously ill and the dying and has been a spokesperson locally and nationally in print, radio, and TV. She has appeared on the 'Today' and McNeil Leaher shows nationally and been featured in the New York Times. She directed the campaign opposing assisted suicide in Washington State in 1991 and has since worked with parishes and programs who seek to improve end-of-life and bereavement care in our communities.

Eileen is a well-known motivational and inspirational speaker. She been a featured speaker at national and local conferences dedicated to improving end-of-life and bereavement care.

She has worked with Seattle area parishes for more than twenty years to provide education, support, and outreach to seriously ill and bereaved parishioners. In addition, Eileen has served on the board of a variety of organizations, including Christian Community Hospice, an Evangelical volunteer hospice providing service to the dying, and Compassionate Choices, which provided life affirming resources for seriously ill persons and their families.

Eileen has been active in the pro-life movement as well, having testified in Olympia many times over the years on behalf of the pre-born, the disabled, and the dying. She is also past-co President of Human Life of Washington, and spent many years on the Board of Directors of the Redmond, Washington organization.

For the past several years, Eileen has focused on developing Consoling Grace, a faith-based model of bereavement and end-of-life care. She is also the Founder and Director of Consoling Communities, an educational resource for indeviduals, communities, and professional organziations, and businesses.

Eileen considers Consoling Grace to be an apostolate of the Holy Spirit, dedicated to comforting God's children with the solace of His love.

In addition to Eileen's expertise, Consoling Grace has the benefit of the combined wisdom of an informal advisory board with several experts who serve as program consultants.

Program advisors are experts in a variety of areas, including bereavement and pastoral care, as well as persons who have experienced grief and loss in their own lives. Advisory Board members and consultants include Fr. Oliver Duggan, Pastor, Assumption Catholic Church; Steve Donaldson, Director SELE Program; Maria Teresa Subercaseaux, Masters in Family Therapy; Beverly Goldsmith, M.S.W., Coordinator of Safe Crossings and the Director of Camp Erin; and Patrick Brown, J.D., Ph.D., Distinguished Scholar in Residence at Seattle University School of Law.

Advisors include Fr. Robert Spitzer, President of Gonzaga University; Camille De Blasi, President and CEO of Healing the Culture; Elenor Schoen,writer; Shelagh Lustig, nurse and bereaved parent; Bella Umali, bereaved spouse; and Alexandra Szablya Ramdin, bereaved daughter.

Consoling Grace is also blessed to have the services of over 25 active volunteers who provide a variety of community-based and church-based services to benefit the ill, dying, and bereaved. Without them, we could not provide this 'Ministry of Consolation.'