Dorothy McPhie wore many feathers throughout her life, but to those who knew her, she was something rarer: a witness to human potential.

I came to Dorothy seeking healing and found a midwife of possibility. She had an extraordinary gift for holding space while people excavated their shadows, simultaneously discovering their treasure.

I met Dorothy in March of 2019 during one of the darkest seasons of my life. Like so many who crossed her path, what began as an appointment evolved into a friendship that changed me forever.

In order to preserve my dignity, she offered a trade at the end of our first session: my esthetic services for hers. I’m certain I got the better end of that deal. That’s just who she was — and in retrospect, that too was part of her care plan for the stranger she just met.

She would cover me in oils like Frankincense — my favorite — and call me Goddess. And at the end she would honor me with a prayer, then leave me to soak it all in, feeling as though I was hovering between earth and sky.

She never claimed ownership of my dreams or my vision. Instead, she reflected them back to me — reminding me that they came from me, nowhere else.

She honored me, believed in me, challenged me, celebrated me, and reminded me — again and again — that everything I was seeking was already within me.

When most would give up on their dreams, Dorothy helped me trust myself enough not to abandon mine.

For that and more, I am forever grateful.

I love and miss you terribly, Dorothy.
— Aphrodite