WHAT IS DCNTX?

A community initiative enhancing awareness concerning death and dying

Support for deathworkers

Social and networking events

MEET THE COLLECTIVE


  • CO-FOUNDER

    Based in Dallas, Texas, and raised in a Detroit suburb, Tammy McNary is a visual artist and a death doula. She founded TRUE DEATH EXPERIENCE, an initiative focused on providing end-of-life support for individuals and their loved ones. Alongside this effort, Tammy co-founded Death Collective North Texas in 2023, a group dedicated to offering community education and support for those involved in end-of-life care. This year, she hosted the first Oak Cliff Death Cafe, with plans to continue the event regularly. Prior to her current roles, Tammy spent two decades as a teaching artist in public elementary schools, nurturing children's creative expression. Tammy's artwork serves as a means of exploring emotions, reflecting her commitment to fostering understanding and empathy. Trained by INELDA, she also volunteers with a local nonprofit hospice.


  • CO-FOUNDER

    Discovering a passion for death work at the age of 10, Britna initially had aspirations of becoming a mortician.

    However, after watching a video of Alua Arthur, she found her true calling in Death Doula work. Britna was certified through Alua Arthur’s Going With Grace and is a member of the National End-of-Life Doula Alliance.

    She hosts a monthly Death Café, and is available for public speaking engagements. Britna also utilizes her artistic skills to add a unique touch to death-related rituals and memorial pieces.


  • CO-FOUNDER | PR + MARKETING

    A deathcare enthusiast, Brenda obtained EOL doula training (INELDA) and seeks to support deathcare workers via public relations, marketing and networking.

  • CO-FOUNDER

    As a death doula, I provide the comfort, support, and guidance I wish I’d had during my father’s four short days in hospice. My goal is to keep anyone else from experiencing the uncertainty and anxiety I felt while trying to keep him comfortable during his final hours. Four months after his death, I assisted my sister-in-law with her father in hospice. Losing both of them inspired me to start my end-of-life doula training.

    My services in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area include but are not limited to, written and video legacy projects, visits to provide support to the primary caregiver and their family, pre-planning to discuss a client’s wishes, celebration of life planning, and vigil planning. Each month, I host a Death Cafe, an open forum to talk about death, a topic not everyone feels comfortable discussing.

    By working closely with a loved one and their family members at the end of life, I help them understand the natural dying process and work to reduce their anxiety and fear. I know how it feels to lose someone close, and I am dedicated to supporting everyone involved during a challenging and emotional time.


  • CO-FOUNDER | Education Chair

    Lorrie Grisnik Anderson is a death doula located in Dallas, Texas. Lorrie worked in hospice care for over 12 years and educated hundreds of volunteers and families about death and dying. She believes that death education is relevant because it reduces the fear of death, helps people develop positive attitudes around death and dying, and allows people to view death as a natural transition at the end of life. Lorrie is a graduate of West Virginia University, a member of Death Doula Network International (DDNI), National End-Of-Life Doula Alliance (NEDA), and a Willow EOL Educator®.