Meet Dr. Jamie
Rev. Jamie Eaddy-Chism, DMin, is a multi-faceted healer, dreamer, theologian, thanatologist, and traumatologist who plays a vital role in her community. Her work is dedicated to promoting healing and well-being, focusing on navigating trauma, loss, and grief. She skillfully combines her commitment to justice and liberation with her expertise in thanatology and trauma in her educational, guidance, and care services.
She believes in a multi-sensory experience and uses sound therapy, aromatherapy, somatic healing practices, and touch (with consent) in her work. Dr. Jamie supports many individuals, including educators, activists, clergy, medical professionals, staff, and community members, especially during their most challenging and distressing times.
She passionately commits herself to challenging systems that perpetuate death and strives to create sacred spaces to explore our shared humanity. She actively promotes a decolonized approach to learning and care and is acutely aware of the white-centered approach in many death care circles. Because swallowed grief is never digested, her vision is to provide a breathing space for grief, emphasizing empathy, equity, and compassion.
With a diverse background, including a 2015 Princeton University Black Theology and Leadership Institute Fellowship, a Master of Divinity from The Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from the Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her work. Her certifications as a trauma professional (CTP) and thanatologist through The Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) demonstrate her expertise. Dr. Jamie's dedication extends to numerous organizations, where she is an active member and serves on the board of The Monkey & The Elephant.
Dr. Jamie firmly believes in the intersection of faith and holistic well-being and that all Black Lives Matter. Her interests enrich her approach, such as her love for art, travel, music, and poetry. As a world traveler, she's dedicated to learning about the cultural richness of those she supports. Her learning helps her join organizations in rethinking and decolonizing their care practices. Her sessions on the intersection of Trauma, Black Grief, and White Supremacy have resonated nationally and internationally.
Many individuals, including chaplains, ministers, therapists, and mental health professionals, have flourished and grown under her nurture and guidance.
She also serves as the Grief Doula and Director of Wellness and Counseling for the Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia (AVP), where she supports individuals and communities impacted by violence and homicide. Dr. Jamie is the author of Getting Naked to Get Free and the curator of "The Ratchet Grief Project™," which showcases her commitment to innovative approaches to healing and transformation. She lives in Philadelphia and is married to Dr. Michael D. Chism.