Hi,
I’m Valenca Valenzuela, MSW
Grief Counselor, Death Doula & End-of-Life Educator
I am a student of life and loss. I am a holder of ceremonial space. I am a companion to the dying and bereaved. I am an advocate for bringing death and grief out of the shadows by creating safe places for it within our society.
Since 2003, I have been living in Portland, Oregon on the land of the Multnomah, Chinook, and many other named and un-named tribes. I currently dedicate much of my time to growing with my two children, as well as focusing on my own learning of ancestral healing, plant medicine, dreams, gardening, earth-based spirituality, and art. Time spent in the trees or at the ocean helps to ground me and feed my soul.
Professionally, I have been traveling a path that has prepared me for this work in immense ways. I have been a companion to the bereaved and the dying since 2007. As an MSW who has provided grief and family support for 14 years, I understand how to hold space in tender places. From family therapy to advocacy work I have worked with family systems for many years. As a holistic practitioner since 1998, I have helped folks to regulate their nervous systems and embrace embodied practices to help stay grounded and present in their experiences. My long path to Raven & Rose has been one of the most life affirming adventures for me. I have known for years that I wanted to assist families at the end of life, through the threshold of death, and during their bereavement. I feel grounded in this work and I consider it a great honor to serve your family at the end of life.
Qualifications
Jory Mental Health Collective, Grief Therapist & Trainer (2023- Present)
Going with Grace End-of-Life Training, End-of-Life Doula Certification (2020) & Going with Grace Course Instructor (2021- 2023)
Celebrant Foundation & Institute, Life-Cycle Celebrant, Certified Funeral Celebrant & End-of-Life Ceremony (2020)
Portland State University, Master of Social Work (MSW) Graduated 2012
Trillium Family Services, Family Therapist & Trauma Group Facilitator (2011-2018)
University of Portland, Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Graduated 2010
Dougy Center for Grieving Children & Families, Grief Group Facilitator & Grief Services Coordinator (2009-2023)
Village Health Care, Social Services & Companion to the Dying (2007-2009)
Glendale College, Massage Therapy & Holistic Modalities Certification 1998
The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Theater, Dance, and Voice training 1997
