Life review is a method of creating closure for those facing the end of their lives. I facilitate life review by encouraging story-telling and asking about pivotal moments in life. It can be a formal process that is recorded for loved ones or it can be more informal and organic and happen over the course of many conversations. The beauty is that it’s healing and therapeutic for everyone involved!

My Mom is in her late 70s and is in good health, but I asked her if I could do a life review with her. It was a little uncomfortable and there were several jokes about, “Do you think I’m about to die or something?” I told her that I wouldn’t regret doing it with her now but may regret not doing it with her later. I came up with a few questions to keep me focused before we spoke and downloaded the StoryCorps app to record it.



It wasn’t as special as I had hoped. My Mom was frazzled by her day and didn’t really have the energy to “go there.” I learned a really important lesson: for this to be impactful it’s important that the person being interviewed is ready to put the energy into doing some work, especially if they’ve lived a long life! I recommend setting aside at least an hour in a quiet space where the interviewee is most comfortable, and I would consider breaking it up into multiple sessions if they have a lot to say.

Legacy work tends to be tangible, something that engages the senses, that is created or initiated by clients with their loved ones in mind. We are only limited by our imagination in creating a legacy project! Imagine how meaningful it would be to have a simple bracelet or pendant made by your loved one after their death. Scrapbooks, letters, audio recordings, time capsules, donations to charity, having trees planted in the local park… there are limitless options! The challenge is to find something that is feasible and that fits with the legacy that the clients want to leave. As a doula, I am able to help clients realize their legacy project from the smallest craft to one that impacts an entire community.

*I originally learned about Life review and Legacy work from Colleen Wright.