founder's story
She built the gathering she needed the most, because she couldn't find it anywhere else.
The Loss That Started Everything
When my father died, no one told me there would be a day when the grief would become the gift.
My father died suddenly when I was 29.
I was not prepared. No one is. But I was especially unprepared for what came after, the silence, the isolation, the way the world expected me to return to normal when nothing about my life felt normal anymore. The grief was enormous. The company was brief.
I wore my grief out loud because I refused to pretend. And because I felt so profoundly alone in it that I needed someone to see it.
His death led me to my spiritual path. That path led me, eventually, to mediumship, a calling I spent years trying to outrun. I trained as a certified end-of-life doula instead. I thought if I could serve people through death without claiming the gift, I could live a quieter life. And still, the calling found me.
During COVID, I lost both of my grandmothers. In 2023, I lost my best friend to breast cancer.
In August 2026, I begin my master's program in thanatology, the formal study of death, dying, and bereavement. I have spent twelve years building a life inside this work, not because I chose the most comfortable path, but because loss has a way of showing you exactly who you are meant to be. I built this event because I know what it is to need it and not have it.
10th
Experience
This is the modern woman's casserole.
When someone dies, people show up. Food arrives. The phone rings. And then, slowly, inevitably, it stops. The world moves on. The casseroles end. Grief, which has barely begun, is left to be carried alone.
Celebration of Life Seattle is what I'm building in place of that silence, warm, nourishing, and arriving exactly when it's needed most.
A full day for everyone death has touched. A vendor floor of people who serve grief with dignity. A room where hospice workers and widows and daughters and people who don't yet have words for what they've lost can sit side by side. Speakers who lived it. An evening that closes the day in a way nothing else can.
It is my birthday. October 10th.
And I want to spend it with you, celebrating your loved ones. Because your grief, deserves somewhere beautiful.
— Colleen
Psychic Medium · Grief Advocate · Thanatologist (in training)
Founder, Luminosity Grief Services & Celebration of Life Studios
“My experience with Colleen was profoundly beautiful and so beneficial. She connected me to my loved ones and helped me get answers I needed to move forward in my process of dealing with the loss of my husband. This was my second experience with her and both times were amazing, showing me how we get to keep our personalities after we die and our loved ones are watching over us and want to help. The experience is so valuable. I highly recommend her group and individual sessons.”
Natalie
Client
Testimonials
What Clients Say
There are moments in life that deserve more than sympathy. They deserve space. Celebration of Life Seattle was created for anyone who has experienced loss and is looking for connection, meaningful conversation, and the reminder that love continues.
“Their sessions helped me find calm and clarity. Each class brings peace and strength I carry into daily life. I’ve never felt more connected to my body and mind.”
Jenny
Blogger
Stay connected. Grief doesn't move on a schedule, and neither do we. Subscribe for updates on Celebration of Life Seattle, vendor and speaker announcements, ticket releases, and the gatherings we are building next. Join a community that was made for exactly what you are carrying.
