Does discussing death make you uneasy? If so, you may want to learn more about this group of Angels on earth that are committed to walking side by side with others on their end-of-life journey.  An end-of-life doula is a non-medical professional trained to care for a terminally ill person’s physical, emotional, and spiritual needs during the transition from life to death.

If you have never heard of this work in the healthcare field, you are likely to hear more about it now, as there is an emerging market for “Death Doulas.”  The recent Covid-19 pandemic has brought the conversation of death uncomfortably close for many of us.  Death Doulas are also referred to as “end-of-life coaches or planners,” “soul midwives,” “death midwives,” or “transition guides.”  They can help patients and their families navigate the emotional, mental, and spiritual journey of dying and the grieving process.  Many people who seek support from Death Doulas are looking for a way to prepare for or improve the death experience for themselves or their loved ones.

There’s a great deal of intimacy involved, as Death Doulas tend to sit with the dying, read to them, or comfort them with a massage.  Death Doulas can come from all walks of life and backgrounds and can often have careers, such as estate planners, massage therapists, teachers, health workers or caregivers.  Death Doulas are different from other healthcare end-of-life professionals in that Death Doulas are not providing health care.  Instead, they work in conjunction with other parts of the healthcare system, including palliative care which is focused on improving quality of life and comforting those with serious illnesses and/or hospice.

The role of the Death Doula is now becoming more widely accepted and will hopefully become a standard in end-of-life care.  Those interested in becoming a Death Doula can seek out training or professional certificate through The Good Death Experience, in collaboration with Death Doula Coach with me Chara. We offer a fully online End-of-Life/Death Doula Professional Certificate that will help prepare doulas to meet the growing demand for end-of-life support as people live longer and the average dying process continues to become increasingly gradual and anticipated with palliative and hospice care.

Death Doulas are a part of an emerging movement in palliative care, as they fill the gap between what medical professionals provide in end-of-life care and focus specifically on bringing individualized comfort to the patient and their families.  Death Doulas can also assist with end-of-life planning and easing anxieties by helping the families talk openly about death.

For more information visit about our programs www.TheGoodDeathExperience.com.