I have been working on putting together the idea and plan for starting a new career for a little while now. I know what I want to do, and if you have read this blog before, you know too. I think it is time to stop hiding behind the “new career” moniker, and take my idea/desire public. I want to coach terminally ill clients so that they have the end of life experience they want.
While I am absolutely sure that helping terminally ill individuals have the end of life experience they want is what I am supposed to do next, it is hard for me not to fear that others will not understand what this means and why I would want to do it. What it means is fairly easy to explain, the harder part to explain is the “why” and all the inevitable follow on questions. Why would I want to do this? Isn’t it rather depressing? Are you going to be like Kevorkian? Well, let me try to answer these questions.
The what: There is presently a void in our medical care system. There is lots of guidance out there for those that are caretakers of the terminally ill, but there isn’t a lot of information for those who are dying on how to get what they want and need in this final period of their life. Specifically, I want to help people figure out what they need to do and deal with in order to die peacefully. While we can medicate people at the end of their life, we can’t medicate their psychological discomfort. That can only be managed by dealing with the issues that are unresolved. Also, I think we need to give people the skills to talk to their loved ones about what they want and don’t want when it comes to medical care and treatment. I am in no way looking to make decisions for others, just help them talk to those they love about the decisions they have made or help them make the challenging decisions. It is hard enough to deal with dying and saying good-bye to your loved ones. Why add the challenge and discomfort of not being able to tell your loved ones when you want to stop treatment, what kind of life support measures you want taken or not taken, and who you want around you at the end of life. I hope to use my coaching approach to aid and support individuals in facing these challenges.
The Why: I want to do this, because it is honestly something I think I am meant to do. I feel that I am successful, by my standards, in my professional life. However, there is usually something missing from my professional life that leaves me unfulfilled. It is the helping part. I haven’t found too many opportunities where I have really felt like I help people, except when I am coaching. I don’t want to be a full time executive coach. It would be more meaningful than what I do right now, but there would be too much pressure to sell and bring in business. That isn’t what I want to do.
As for the depressing part, I don’t think so. Yes, all my clients will die, but I am ok with that as long as the end of their life is better than it would have been without my help. And no, I am not going to be the next Jack Kevorkian. While I respect an individual’s right to take his or her own life, it isn’t something I am comfortable being a part of.
So, long winded as it is…..this is what I am looking at for my next career. I am calling it End of Life Coaching or EOL for short. I needed to stop calling it “my next career,” if I want it to happen. By giving it a name and a life outside of a protected circle, I hope to also give it life.
JMB
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