A death doula - also called an end-of-life doula or end-of-life coach, provides non-medical, holistic support to a dying person. Although the primary focus remains on the dying person, support is also provided to loved ones as well. Think of us as the calm, steady presence in the room that can educate and keeps things focused on the person at the center of it all.

Our role is flexible and entirely tailored to the individual's needs, values, and cultural background. We do not replace doctors, nurses, or hospice teams. We complement them by filling the deeply human space that clinical care cannot always attend to.

A death doula steps in so that no one has to navigate this journey alone.

When someone is approaching the end of life, the practical details of daily living don't disappear, they just become harder to manage. We show up for all of it.

Support includes but is not limited to:

• Caregiver companionship & respite - giving family members space to rest

• Light tidying and household organization

• Swedish Death Cleaning - the gentle, intentional process of sorting and simplifying belongings, ensuring loved ones aren't left with that burden

• Assistance with pet care

• Personal care support - non-medical help with hygiene, oral care, gentle washing, and grooming to preserve dignity and comfort

• Adjustments for a sensory-calming environment may include lighting, temperature, bedding texture, aromatherapy, background music (or silence), and positioning for dignity and comfort

• Monitoring and communicating changes in condition to family and the clinical care team

Some of the most important work we do happens in quiet conversation or in comfortable silence.

• Active listening and presence - sitting with the dying person, offering companionship, and validating emotions without judgment

• Grief and fear support - helping to process and validate feelings, offering grounding practices, breathwork, guided meditation, and normalizing the anxieties that naturally wax and wane at end of life

• Relationship mediation - thoughtfully facilitating conversations between the dying person and their loved ones, helping set boundaries, and creating space for meaningful goodbyes

• Life review and legacy work - inviting reflection on meaningful memories, accomplishments, regrets, and messages the person wishes to leave behind

This work is not about fixing anything. It is about bearing witness and making sure no one feels invisible during one of life's most profound moments.

The final days and hours of life deserve intention and peaceful presence. We start well in advance to create a vigil plan that honors the dying person's wishes and encourages a calming atmosphere for those present.

Planning the vigil

• Initial consultation to understand wishes, values, cultural preferences, and family dynamics

• Collaborative creation of a vigil plan - covering desired rituals, music, lighting, positioning, who will be present, and potentially who should not be present

• Coordination with medical, hospice, and pastoral care teams to ensure alignment

• Guidance on advance directives, DNR/DNI & POLST documentation to prevent last-minute confusion

We are a non-denominational provider and we meet every person exactly where they are regardless of faith, tradition, cultural background, or spiritual belief.

• Helping identify and honor the spiritual practices, customs, prayers, or rites that are meaningful to the dying person

• Designing or supporting private rituals - blessings, handwashing ceremonies, music, readings, or symbolic acts that affirm values and mark this sacred transition

• Coordinating with clergy, chaplains, or cultural elders when requested, ensuring all rituals align with the person's own wishes

• Providing inclusive, affirming care for all communities including interfaith families and those with no religious affiliation

Your beliefs - whatever they are - are honored here.

When someone you love is dying, it can feel like the ground has disappeared beneath you. We help steady the people who are holding everything together.

• Preparing family members for the physical signs of approaching death, what to expect, what is normal, and what to do. We educate to lessen fear, allowing compassion and understanding to take it’s place.

• Coaching caregivers on comfort techniques and communication appropriate to each stage of decline.

• Supporting family members through anticipatory grief - the grief that begins long before the death itself.

• Engagement & education for difficult conversations between family members when emotions run high. Self-regulating practice along with gentle coaching can sometimes soothe the spiral.

• Providing referrals to licensed grief counselors, bereavement groups, and community resources for the journey ahead.