WHAT IS AN
END OF LIFE DOULA?
An end-of-life doula, sometimes called a death doula, offers a meaningful form of support that honors both the mystery of dying and the fullness of living. In this non-medical role, I companion individuals and families through the social, emotional, spiritual, and logistical dimensions of end of life work, helping to ease fears, clarify wishes, and open space for honest reflection about change, love and loss.
While support of a doula is invaluable in the face of a life-altering diagnosis, it is equally powerful long before death feels imminent. In a culture that often avoids conversations about grief and impermanence, death doulas help people navigate the unseen terrain of preparing for the end of life, work that ultimately becomes profoundly life-orienting. By tending to unfinished business, creating legacy projects, exploring values, and planning what matters most, individuals can free themselves and their loved ones from a hurried end. In doing so, they create the possibility of living and dying with grace, dignity, and a deeper sense of peace.
I want to help you explore the width of your life, not simply the length.
Who might Benefit FrOM WORKING WITH A DOULA?
We will all one day face a life transition.
It is never too early to prepare for one of the most exquisite and unknowable experience of your life.
Those facing life-altering diagnoses
Navigating the end of life can feel overwhelming. A doula can help you move toward ease, comfort and resolution.
Your life is important, your stories matter, you deserve peace.
Caregivers in need of additional support
Caregiving is often a life altering experience in and of itself. Working with a doula to help navigate the challenges and questions that arise, as well as having an additional advocate for your loved one can be of immense value.
You are not alone and do not have to do this alone.
Absolutely everyone
For anyone who has questions, curiosity, anxieties or fears about death, dying, grief or loss, working with a doula can be a profoundly helpful and life-affirming experience.
Being prepared is perhaps the biggest gift you can give yourself and your loved ones.
Needs & offerings
Life Review, Legacy & Memorial Projects
Reflecting on life helps us organize our accomplishments, wishes, and needs so that we may find our way toward a good death. Life review, legacy and memorial projects are ways into understanding our deepest longings for life and beyond.
Grief and Emotional Support
Navigating grief and the complicated associated emotions can be overwhelming. Turning towards our grief can be transformative, but it is nearly impossible to do in isolation. Grief work is a necessary way to honor our human condition and be changed by love.
Caregiver Respite
I offer care coordination and support network development, as well as working with the caregivers to ensure their wellbeing is maintained as best as possible.
Advocacy & Advance Planning
Preparedness is a gift to self and others. Making sure you have your social, emotional, logistical, and spiritual affairs in order may be one of greatest projects of our life, yet we are not traditionally taught to think let alone work on these until late in life. I offer guidance on writing a living will, advance directives, and establishing and implementing final wishes. My work is oriented to peace and dignity, so that no matter how much time is left, it is spent rooted in advocacy for the highest good of the dying person and their family.
Companionship & Witnessing
Sometimes our needs are as simple as being accompanied and seen. A doula is an expert witness and deep listener at a time when some of the most confounding questions of life may arise. We live in a grief and death phobic society, so I aim to create a safe container where we address any worries or questions that come up when we face the mortality of ourselves or our loved ones.
A Tailored Experience
There are as many ways to navigate life's big questions as there are people to ask them. Each person's wishes and needs will be different, and I work on a case by case basis to meet people where they are. If you have questions or needs, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. It would be my honor to accompany you on your journey toward the great going forward.