How do I know I need a death doula?

You don't need to be actively dying to benefit from a conversation with a Death Doula. Many decades ago, our Western culture moved away from the family/community model of death that our ancestors had been using for centuries. By removing death from the home and family, we've vicariously decreased conversations around death and dying, and  increased the fear around the same issues. 

 

• Maybe you're wanting to downsize your worldly possessions so you don't leave behind a house full of junk for your loved ones to sort through. 

• Maybe you have someone you love who is facing a terminal illness and you want some tools on how to better communicate with and support them. 

• Maybe you have been a caretaker for an ill family member for a long time and you need to be heard about the difficulties involved in that role, possibly you need a respite or want to plan ahead for their upcoming death. 

• Maybe you've been given a life-altering-pull-the-rug-out-from-under-you diagnosis and your world feels like it's spinning out of control. 

• Maybe your close friend died suddenly and that has sent you reeling into an anxious spin about your own mortality.

• Maybe you've been told your parent has days left to live and you are overwhelmed, scared, sad and things are happening to fast. 

• Maybe you're grieving your person and it feels really lonely and hard to feel fully present in your life. 

 

Each of these scenarios above would definitely benefit from a conversation with a death doula. Much like a birth doula, a death doula's offerings vary based on what each individual client needs.