When and why is a death doula needed?
A death doula is someone who stays with you when words and strength run out. We do not provide medical care. We offer human support: calm presence, clear guidance, careful conversations, and respect for your choices. We support people and families:
• before death (during serious illness, end-of-life planning, family communication), and
• after loss (grief, mourning, and the difficult days that follow).
We also support other forms of loss — including the grief for a life that cannot be returned.
What a death doula does
A death doula provides non-medical support in situations of loss, grief, and end of life. This may include:
• explaining what is happening in clear, gentle language,
• helping family members coordinate roles and responsibilities,
• creating a simple plan for the next steps,
• preparing for conversations with doctors,
• navigating services (palliative care, hospice, social support),
• helping clarify and document a person’s wishes,
• supporting meaningful goodbyes and memory practices in a way that fits the family.
What a death doula does not do
• We do not diagnose, prescribe, or provide medical treatment.
• We do not replace hospice, emergency services, or palliative care. Medical decisions belong to qualified clinicians.
• We do not impose beliefs. We respect each family’s values, faith, culture, and traditions, and we work within a clear ethical framework.
When to reach out
• When you are facing end-of-life decisions and feel overwhelmed or unsure.
• When caregivers are exhausted and need structure, support, and respite.
• When you are living through loss and grief (death of a loved one, separation/divorce, major relationship loss, grief for a pet).
Presence, clarity, and human order — especially where there is usually only silence.
• after loss (grief, mourning, and the difficult days that follow).
We also support other forms of loss — including the grief for a life that cannot be returned.
What a death doula does
A death doula provides non-medical support in situations of loss, grief, and end of life. This may include:
• explaining what is happening in clear, gentle language,
• helping family members coordinate roles and responsibilities,
• creating a simple plan for the next steps,
• preparing for conversations with doctors,
• navigating services (palliative care, hospice, social support),
• helping clarify and document a person’s wishes,
• supporting meaningful goodbyes and memory practices in a way that fits the family.
What a death doula does not do
• We do not diagnose, prescribe, or provide medical treatment.
• We do not replace hospice, emergency services, or palliative care. Medical decisions belong to qualified clinicians.
• We do not impose beliefs. We respect each family’s values, faith, culture, and traditions, and we work within a clear ethical framework.
When to reach out
• When you are facing end-of-life decisions and feel overwhelmed or unsure.
• When caregivers are exhausted and need structure, support, and respite.
• When you are living through loss and grief (death of a loved one, separation/divorce, major relationship loss, grief for a pet).
Presence, clarity, and human order — especially where there is usually only silence.