MY STORY

Following a decades-long corporate career that kept me moving across the country (Indianapolis, Chicago, New York City, Phoenix and San Diego), I moved into a period of career coaching and consulting.* During that time life circumstances led me to move back to the Midwest (this time to Kansas City to be closer to family) and to discover the surprise of my life: meeting my late-in-life love Jim Mitchell (“Mitch”) and enjoying a rich and soulful decade together.

After several years of traveling the country together–and falling more deeply in love along the way–we were forced to turn our attention to the encroachment of Parkinson’s disease on Mitch’s otherwise fit body. A lifelong athlete, he took on the challenge directly, and through exercise and diet he was able to keep the symptoms at bay for quite a while. We became a team as we navigated the increasing needs of a progressive condition, becoming ever closer in heart and spirit. We both believed in the importance of fully accepting the end of life so we could live more fully in the present we still had together.

We joined a Parkinson’s support group that helped prepare me for the role of full-time caregiver and him navigate the physical and emotional challenges ahead. We both had extensive backgrounds in exploring spirituality and Jungian psychology, so we were able to have candid and deep conversations about remaining conscious during this profound period of change. I was continually inspired by the graceful way Mitch accepted the ever-increasing limitations on his body, even as he increasingly turned his focus inward to prepare for this last chapter of his life.

As we neared the end of our time together, I realized how my own long-time interest and participation in Jungian studies and therapy, as well as in hospice work, had prepared me for this moment. I felt a sense of destiny in having the privilege of being Mitch’s partner through such a meaningful experience together. And I was so blessed to help him approach the end as he wished – being fully present and at peace, with gratitude for a life well lived.

After he died (peacefully in hospice care with my hand on his heart), I naturally went through a period of deep grief, which had an energy of its own that would inform what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Having been helped by participating in both caregiver and grief support groups, I was drawn to pursuing coaching/educator certification programs in two areas: Conscious/Positive Aging Coach and Conscious/End-of-Life Educator.

While I will always miss the presence of my loving partner, I am grateful for all we experienced and learned together so that, along with my studies and training, I may help others as we all navigate the aging journey together.

* https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianesalucci/