Julie G. Norris, author and speaker

Julie G. Norris is the author of The Thoughtful Goodbye and the voice behind this site's free writing space. She writes, and is now available to speak, about end-of-life planning and grief from lived experience, not theory, shaped by her grandmother's careful preparation and by the harder experience of navigating loss when no plan was in place.

With a background in corporate leadership, Julie has a natural ability to translate difficult, often-avoided subjects into clear, human, and even hopeful conversation. Every talk is designed to be warm and practical, never clinical, meeting an audience exactly where they are.

Whether for a hospice team, a faith community, a library, or a room of professionals, the goal is the same: to help people move past the discomfort of the topic and toward the relief that comes with being prepared.

Talks and topics

What Julie speaks about

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End-of-Life Planning

Approaching the unavoidable with care

What a thoughtful goodbye really looks like, why planning ahead is a gift to the people we love, and how to begin without feeling overwhelmed.

Finding the Right Words

Writing obituaries and eulogies

How to capture a life with honesty and warmth, what to include, and how to write with grace even when the relationship was complicated.

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The Story Behind the Book

Lived experience, not theory

The personal journey that led to The Thoughtful Goodbye, and what loss taught Julie about preparation, grief, and everyday kindness.

Who Julie speaks to

Hospice & healthcare teams Faith & community groups Libraries & senior centers Estate & financial professionals Funeral professionals Conferences & workshops

Formats

  • In-person keynote or featured talk
  • Interactive workshop
  • Community talk or lunch-and-learn
  • Virtual presentation or webinar

Bring a thoughtful conversation to your event

Tell me a little about your audience and the date you have in mind, and I will follow up to talk through the details. There is no pressure, just a conversation.

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