What is a death doula?

What is a death doula anyway? A death doula is a nonmedical person who supports the dying process, much like a midwife or birth doula does for the birthing process. A community-based role, a death doula aims to help the dying person and their family cope with death by understanding it as an important and natural part of life. That’s the Wikipedia definition anyway.

So what does this look like actually? It can be anything from pre-planning and understanding the myriad of choices available to you at the end of life, to legacy work and meaning making, to sitting bedside at the 11th hour, and even funeral planning and celebrant work. There are so many choices to make, and a doula can help you (and your family) understand them and set priorities.

There are many benefits to working with a doula as well! They include having nonmedical, non-judgemental guidance and advocacy; having a plan in place for yourself, your loved ones or your care team to follow; understanding your choices and empowerment; and most of all, saving time, money and headaches when you need it most.

A doula can help you answer the fundamental question of what is most important to you at the end of life? It can seem like a time out of our control, but a doula can help you with the choices you do have power over.