Synopsis:

Ethan Sisser, a young man with terminal brain cancer, sits alone in his hospital room. When he starts livestreaming his death journey on social media, thousands of people around the world join to celebrate his courage. Still, Ethan envisions more – to teach the world how to die without fear. To do that, he needs to film his death.

Honoring Ethan's wish, his doctor Aditi Sethi transports him to an idyllic house in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. What unfolds next is a story rarely glimpsed: how a community of strangers helps a young man die with grace.

A sensory immersion into leaving the body, “The Last Ecstatic Days”reveals a man who will not let us forget him – even after he’s taken his final breath.

Post-Screening Discussion:

Tiffany Sauls, MD, Founder and Director of Asheville Integrity Psychiatry

Tiffany Sauls MD (she/her) is a board-certified child/adolescent and adult psychiatrist who specializes in integrative treatments for mental health. Originally from Atlanta, GA, she attended undergraduate at Davidson College in Davidson, NC, and medical school at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, GA. She completed a residency in Triple Board (Pediatrics, Adult Psychiatry, and Child/Adolescent Psychiatry) at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, KY, and is a Diplomate with the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine (ABIHM). Dr. Sauls' research includes the use of wilderness therapy as a treatment modality for at risk adolescents. She has served on a healthcare providers advisory committee for the Children and Nature Network and led a Prescribing Nature program for pediatricians across the United States. She has subsequently worked in both residential and outpatient settings with a continued focus on experiential and nature based therapies. Her path to psychedelic medicine came from an early curiosity about the healing potential of plants and nature. Dr. Sauls has completed training through the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) to provide MDMA assisted therapy to patients with treatment resistant PTSD. She is also trained in the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model of therapy. She is excited to bring psychedelic medicine combined with nature immersion both to the Southeastern United States and to the forefront of psychiatry. She lives on the edge of Pisgah National Forest in Asheville with her husband, two children, and a menagerie of pets. She makes beautiful stained glass flowers and plays outdoors when she can.

Tandy Wells, Therapist

Tandy Wells holds an MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Western Carolina University and a BA in Psychology from North Carolina State University. As a graduate student, Tandy's studies focused on psychedelic-assisted therapy and its implications for addiction treatment. Tandy believes healing can occur by repairing disconnection with nature, the body, and the present moment. He hopes to help others reestablish these relationships by cultivating mindfulness, self-compassion, and radical acceptance. As a therapist, he gravitates towards action-oriented modalities such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction.

To learn more about our 2024 impact and outreach campaign, please visit: www.givebutter.com/thelastecstaticdays

A Screening of "The Last Ecstatic Days" with Facilitator Tiffany Sauls, MD and Therapist Tandy Wells from Asheville Integrative Psychiatry

An opportunity to see a life-affirming film about dying in community.