Companioning Mortality

As both a physician and ordained ceremonialist, I guide people through life's most profound transitions by weaving together conventional medicine, ancient wisdom traditions, and deep respect for each person's unique journey and the community that surrounds them.

My path began in childhood, when my grandmother, a pioneering force of nature and hospice volunteer early on in the movement, involved me in caring for my great-grandparents during their final transitions. Through these formative experiences, I witnessed how death could be a natural, sacred passage rather than just a medical event. This early understanding as well as journeying with exquisite human and more-than-human guides through my own underworld wanderings, what the mystics call a dark night of the soul, shaped my approach to medicine and eventually led me to become not just a physician but an underworld guide; a shaman who isn't afraid to journey into the metaphorical and literal dark places with those facing life's deepest and most profound transitions.

Having navigated healthcare both as a provider and as someone who seeks integrative and holistic approaches, I deeply understand what it means to feel misunderstood or marginalized by conventional medical systems. This perspective allows me to create a space where you can bring your whole self - including aspects of your identity or beliefs that you might usually feel you need to hide in medical settings.

In my more than 20 years of experience as a ceremonialist and spiritual director, I've learned that healing often requires us to venture into territories beyond conventional medicine. As your guide, I help you tap into the inherent wisdom of your own body, your ancestors, and the more-than-human world and the natural rhythmic cycles of life. This integration of many ways of knowing can transform the end-of-life journey from a series of medical decisions into a portal for profound personal and relational growth.

When clients feel truly seen and supported in bringing their authentic selves to this journey, something remarkable often happens: both existential and physical pain can soften, making space for what matters most. Whether that's spending precious time with loved ones, crafting a meaningful legacy, or exploring the deeper mysteries of this transition, my role is to help create the conditions where this sacred work becomes possible.

Drawing on my medical expertise, ceremonial training, and personal understanding of holistic healing, I craft personalized care plans that honor both the practical and spiritual dimensions of end-of-life care. My approach recognizes that each person's journey is unique, and that true healing often comes through reclaiming our own authority and connection to the deeper currents of life and death that humans have understood for millennia.

Just as I guide individuals through their own journeys, I also support families and loved ones in navigating these sacred transitions. By creating ceremonial space and honoring wisdom traditions, I help transform what might feel like an overwhelming medical event into a meaningful rite of passage that can strengthen bonds and create lasting legacies of love.

My work honors the understanding that death, like birth, is a profound threshold that affects not just individuals but entire webs of relationships. Whether you're the one facing a life-limiting illness or someone supporting a loved one through this journey, I offer a unique combination of medical expertise and spiritual companionship. Together, we can explore ways to make this challenging passage not just bearable, but potentially transformative.

With over two decades of experience celebrating and marking life's pivotal moments - from births and blessings to unions and deaths - I understand how ritual and ceremony can help us navigate even the most difficult transitions. My approach is particularly suited for those who:

• Feel alienated by or wary of conventional medical systems

• Seek to integrate multiple healing and wholeing traditions and embodied ways of knowing

• Want to maintain their authenticity and autonomy through their healthcare journey

• Desire support in creating meaningful ceremonies or rituals around death and dying

• Hope to explore the deeper spiritual and existential dimensions of this transition

At the heart of my practice is a profound trust in each person's innate wisdom and capacity for growth, even - and sometimes especially - in life's most challenging moments. By creating a space where all aspects of your identity and experience are welcomed and honored, we can work together to craft a path forward that feels true to who you are and what matters most to you.

”Relationships are all there is. Everything in the universe only exists because it is in relationship to everything else. Nothing exists in isolation. We have to stop pretending we are individuals that can go it alone.”

-Meg Wheatley, Turning to One Another

When she’s not with patients or clients and families or finishing a PhD in Philosophy, Andi enjoys fully surrendering to her own embodied pleasures within the human and more-than-human companions and knows these practices are necessary for sustaining her witness of grief and suffering, including that of the planet in the climate crisis and sixth mass extinction. Dancing burlesque, swimming in rivers, lakes, and oceans, and wandering in wildish places are some of Andi’s favorite ways to wile away the hours.

Let’s Connect

If you're feeling drawn to exploring how we might work together, I invite you to schedule an initial information session. During this sacred hour of connection, we'll have the opportunity to discuss your unique situation, explore your hopes and concerns, and determine if my approach resonates with your needs and values. This conversation also allows you to experience firsthand how I create space for authentic dialogue about life's most profound transitions.

Many people find that simply having this initial conversation helps them feel more grounded and clear about their path forward, regardless of whether we continue working together. In our discussion, you're welcome to bring your full self - including any questions, fears, or aspirations you may have about the journey ahead.

Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, I serve clients throughout the region and can travel on a case-by-case basis to locations throughout Northern California and the Central Valley. Whether you're in San Francisco, East Bay, Marin, or in the Central Valley or the surrounding areas, we can explore ways to create the support you need during this significant life transition.

To schedule an information session, you can click on the “SCHEDULE” button below or email me at info@andichatburn.net. I typically respond within 48 business hours and offer both in-person and virtual meeting options to accommodate different needs and circumstances.

Know that reaching out is an act of courage and self-care. Whether you're facing your own health journey or supporting someone you love, taking this step opens the possibility of approaching this profound life transition with greater wisdom, support, and connection to what matters most.