Childhood Encounter With Death Leads Nicole Briggs-Gary to Help Families Navigate Life's Final Moments

After witnessing her uncle’s death, Nicole Briggs-Gary shares her journey from corporate burnout to becoming a death doula in bestseller “The Moment We Rise.”

RICHMOND, VA, UNITED STATES, October 22, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Nicole Briggs-Gary is one of 15 contributing authors featured in The Moment We Rise: Stories of Healing, Purpose, and the Courage to Choose a New Beginning, an anthology released September 9, 2026, sharing personal accounts of healing, change, self-discovery, and finding new direction. The book reached the bestseller charts in multiple categories, including Biography Reference & Collections, Mental & Spiritual Healing, and related categories, across the United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

Briggs-Gary contributes the chapter “The Softening of the Threshold,” which explores how an early experience with death, years of personal struggles, and an unexpected career discovery led her to become a death doula, supporting individuals and families through the dying process.

At eight years old, Briggs-Gary witnessed the death of her uncle. While family members struggled with shock and grief, she approached his body, gently touched his hands and face, and kissed his forehead goodbye. She then gathered warm towels for grieving relatives and began softly playing the piano, creating a moment of comfort amid the confusion.

That childhood experience stayed with her for decades, although she did not immediately recognize how it would shape her future.

As an adult, Briggs-Gary found herself overwhelmed by corporate work, personal trauma, and a growing sense of disconnection from her life. Questioning her purpose and searching for a new direction, she unexpectedly encountered a social media video featuring Alua Arthur, founder of Going with Grace, discussing the work of death doulas.

The discovery introduced her to a profession she had never known existed.

A death doula provides nonmedical support to individuals and families before, during, and after death, helping them navigate practical, emotional, and personal aspects of the end-of-life experience.

Briggs-Gary enrolled in Going with Grace's end-of-life training program, eventually becoming a facilitator for the organization. She also expanded her work to include Reiki, sound therapy, breathwork, mindfulness, and integrative wellness practices.

Through her experiences supporting families, she began questioning the common assumption that helping someone through death requires constant activity, reassurance, or attempts to make difficult emotions disappear.

During one end-of-life visit, she noticed family members struggling with tension and anxiety as their loved one was dying. Rather than rushing to offer solutions, she slowed down, grounded herself, and invited a family member to place their feet in a bowl of warm water.

The simple sensory experience helped create an opportunity for the family to settle, breathe, and remain present with their loved one.

“Families do not need perfection in these moments,” Briggs-Gary writes. “They need permission.”

Her approach emphasizes creating supportive environments through intentional presence, gentle sensory experiences, breathwork, and sound, rather than attempting to control or change the dying process.

“I have come to understand that my role as a death doula is not to guide death. It is to guide presence,” she writes.

Briggs-Gary's chapter also explores how confronting mortality changed her relationship with everyday life. What began as a search for personal healing became a career devoted to helping others experience difficult transitions with greater connection, dignity, and care.

Her story reflects one of the central themes of The Moment We Rise: discovering a new purpose sometimes requires revisiting experiences from the past and recognizing how they have shaped the person we are becoming.

The Moment We Rise features personal stories from 15 authors exploring illness and healing, grief and loss, trauma, relationships, changing identities, spiritual experiences, self-discovery, reimagined dreams, career changes, and unexpected paths to purpose. The anthology was compiled by Vickie Gould, founder of Life Changing Energy, and published by Morning Oak Publishing. All proceeds benefit Brighter Healing Foundation, supporting its work to expand access to holistic healing education, resources, and support. The book is available in eBook and paperback formats on Amazon.

About Nicole Briggs-Gary:

Nicole Briggs-Gary is a board-certified integrative health and wellness coach, practicing death doula, sound bath facilitator, and Sacred Ceremonies facilitator. She supports individuals and families navigating end-of-life experiences through nonmedical care that incorporates grounding practices, breathwork, sensory experiences, sound healing, and mindfulness. Briggs-Gary also serves as an instructional facilitator with the Going with Grace End of Life Training program. In addition to her work in deathcare and integrative wellness, she is a natural hair care stylist and nature enthusiast. Through her work, she encourages individuals and families to approach life's transitions with presence, connection, and dignity.

For media inquiries or to connect with Nicole Briggs-Gary, visit Intothezenden.com or email intothezenden@gmail.com.

Vickie Gould
Vickie Gould International, LLC DBA Life Changing Energy
+1 517-798-6299