Queer
Grieving
Supporting Queer & Trans Lives in Death, Dying, and Grief
An educational and community-centered course designed for anyone who wants to show up more confidently, compassionately, and effectively for Queer and Trans individuals navigating death, dying, and bereavement.
Taught by:
Dr. Melissa Delizia (Doctor of Social Work, Licensed Social Worker & Certified Professional Coach)
Lauren Carroll (Funeral Director & End-of-life Educator)
Graduates receive a certificate
4 Thursdays, July 10-31
2-4pm Mountain Time
Grieving Queer
Queer and Trans people face some of the most profound marginalization in life—and in death.
Their grief, end-of-life experiences, and cultural needs are often overlooked or erased entirely from traditional deathcare and grief support systems.
Through a combination of historical context, personal reflection, legal education, and skill-building, Grieving Queer will equip you to be an informed ally and advocate. Whether you’re a death worker, activist, caregiver, or simply someone who believes in dignified deathcare for all, this space offers the tools and insight to help close the gap in inclusive, affirming end-of-life support.
"And so I've found, both in my own personal experience and in working with other people in my community, that it's not just that some of our grief experiences are different, but our ability to access resources and to get accurate and inclusive support is something that's a huge barrier for queer folks."
-Jamie Thrower
The Classes
01
Unlearning Bias & Understanding Queer Grief
class one
02
The Unique Grief of Queer and Trans Lives
class two
03
End-of-Life Planning for Queer and Trans People
class three
04
Inclusive Deathcare Practices & Community Rituals
class four
And 5-10 hours of self study work each week
This course is for death workers, grief supporters, caregivers, advocates, students, and anyone committed to equity in death and grief work.
It's especially for those who want to deepen their understanding of the unique needs of Queer and Trans people and take active steps toward inclusive, affirming care.
Equity Matters
⋆
Equity Matters ⋆
At La Mort, we understand that each person stands at a different crossroads of resources, privilege, and need. To honor this reality, and the changing financial landscape of America, we have created a new, 3-tier pricing system that stands apart from our traditional payment plans and sliding scale options.
Select the payment tier below that suits you best
Extended payment plans through PayPal, Klarna, and Afterpay.
Tier One
For those facing financial constraints who are stretching to participate
Tier Two
For those with stable finances who can participate without strain
Tier Three
For those with financial abundance who wish to actively redistribute
Your teachers
Melissa Delizia
Melissa Delizia, MSW, LSW, DSW (she/they) is a death doula, educator, professional coach and social worker whose work lives at the intersection of sacred care, transformative education, and social justice. With a Doctorate in Social Work and certifications in grief companionship, deathcare, and sacred ceremony, Melissa brings both clinical insight and spiritual depth to their offerings.
Their practice is rooted in ancestral connection, mediumship, and energy work, with a focus on holding space for queer and trans individuals navigating death, dying, and grief. Melissa approaches this work with reverence, tending to the liminal with embodied presence and a belief in the healing power of collective care and ritual.
As an educator and adjunct professor, they are dedicated to reshaping how death is taught and understood—centering marginalized experiences, challenging systems of harm, and cultivating spaces where grief and identity are honored in all their complexity. Whether teaching or learning, Melissa holds a deep commitment to equitable deathwork and heart-centered education.
Lauren Carroll
Lauren Carroll, co-founder of La Mort, is a Death Educator & Holistic Funeral Director who is passionate about weaving community and family back into the death space. Her work centers around re-aligning our culture with Mother Earth and helping humans remember how to love one another. She is a former board member for the National Home Funeral Alliance and co-founded The Deathwives. She lives on an urban farm at the base of a mountain where she tends to her animals, raises her two children, and dances around bonfires on the full moon with friends while listening to Nick Cave.
Our Teaching / Learning / Creating Style at La Mort
We leave behind the polished, gate-keepy approach to education. We teach in ways that carry story and experience. We listen. We laugh (a lot). We go off-script sometimes. We cry (with you)(for those you’ve loved)(for those we’ve loved). We like science and studies and logical frameworks, but also mysticism and poetry and all that stuff. We really love to honor history and those who came before. We move through some serious curricula, but don’t take anything too seriously. We dedicate ourselves to seeing you, and want you to feel seen. We deeply honor our intuition and yours. We lead with integrity (always). And we welcome the odd-balls and misfits, because it takes one to know one.