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To meet Rae Serafina Barker is to discover a dark angel.
I call her that because she describes herself as an "underworld journeyer."
And how cool is that?
Her job is to help folks heal and make meaning through grief. This coincides with creating art and deep spaces.
I love women who hold space for other women. Rae seems to hold space for everyone. She's like the brunette version of Kristen Bell, or something. Just slightly less bubbly.
Every stinking time I scroll past a Facebook post from Rae, I know I have to stop and prepare myself. Today's most recent post began, "I used to struggle with decisions."
Same, sister.
I knew I needed to make time to read her post and let it really wash over me and into me, let it sink under my skin. Her posts always need that attention, as they are so chock full of insight and awakenings and awareness.
She likes to use a plus sign instead of the word "and." This was hard for me to get used to, but I came to understand - the plus sign causes me to slow down + breathe while I'm reading + really think about what Rae is teaching me.
She is a teacher. And, she's also a grief coach. She understands the underworld - a "disorienting and liminal space where we meet sorrow, grapple with the unknown and experience death and rebith."
Yeah.
If you're in the midst of grief - whether it's a traditional loss, a lost dream, change, or even grieving life Pre-Covid - Rae is here to walk you through a journey. Grief invites us into something deep and important. Rae explained that to me.
We met by happenstance on a Women's Virtual Networking Event. A breakout session allowed us to get to know one another, and I was humbled that Rae was interested in the sorrrowful plot of my (as yet unpublished) novel, Rubber Eraser Scars. We planned to chat more after the event, and set up a zoom call a day or two later. During that call, I learned that she does not practice therapy or counsel her clients, but she does assist with identity formation.
An advocate of those affected by domestic violence and a certified life coach, Rae is so well suited to help you with your grief. I asked her how she manages to do this job. For me, a huge empath, I think I would be drained rather than filled up.
Not Rae. As she put it, she has a deep capacity for hard emotions.
Reach out to Rae on Facebook or her website.
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