End-of-Life Doula Support
Non-medical emotional, practical, spiritual, and family-centered support for people who are dying and the people who love them.
I offer end-of-life doula support, sometimes called death doula care, for individuals and families navigating the final part of life. Support can begin well before the final days and may continue through and after a death.
Some people reach out with a clear need; others simply know that something is changing and they could use more support.
What Is an End-of-Life Doula?
An end-of-life doula provides non-medical support for people who are dying and for the people around them.
End-of-life doula support can work alongside hospice, medical providers, therapists, spiritual care providers, and family members. My role is not to replace medical care, but to offer additional emotional, practical, spiritual, and family-centered support.
Sometimes that means sitting quietly with someone who is dying, helping a family talk through what matters most, supporting caregivers, preparing for a vigil, or making space for memory and ritual. End-of-life doulas are also sometimes called death doulas, death midwives, end-of-life guides, or transition guides.
When Families Reach Out
End-of-life doula support does not have to begin only in the final days or hours of life. Some families reach out when death is near; others reach out earlier, when a diagnosis, decline, caregiving situation, or difficult family conversation makes it clear that more support would help.
You might reach out because:
You or someone you love has received a terminal diagnosis
A loved one is declining or nearing death
Caregiving has become emotionally or physically exhausting
Family members need help talking together
You are preparing for death at home
You want support around Medical Aid in Dying
You want support around Voluntarily Stopping Eating and Drinking, often called VSED
You need help after a death has occurred
You may also reach out simply because something feels overwhelming, unfamiliar, or hard to name.
How I Can Help
Support can look different depending on the person, family, setting, and stage of the process.
I can help people and families talk through what is happening, what matters most, and what support they need.
This may include:
Family meetings
Conversations with the dying person
Support for spouses, partners, adult children, parents, and caregivers
Talking about wishes, fears, needs, and hopes
Emotional support before and after death
Grief support for family members
Emotional and Family Support
End-of-life care often involves ordinary tasks during an extraordinary time.
Practical support may include:
Organizing the space
Cleaning and light household support
Creating a calmer environment
Respite for caregivers
Practical planning and organization
Helping family members think through what needs attention
The goal is not to make everything perfect, but to make daily life feel a little more manageable and supported.
Practical Support
Some families want support during the final days or hours of life.
Support may include:
Vigil support
Sitting with the dying person
Supporting loved ones who are present
Helping create a quiet or meaningful environment
Legacy work
Ritual or meaning-making, if desired
After-death support
This support can be spiritual, secular, practical, or simply human. I follow the needs, beliefs, and preferences of the person and family.
End-of-Life Presence
MAID and VSED Support
I offer emotional, practical, and family-centered support around Medical Aid in Dying (MAID), sometimes called Death with Dignity, and Voluntarily Stopping Eating and Drinking (VSED).
Support may include preparing emotionally, talking with family, considering the setting and who will be present, and receiving support before, during, or after the death.
These can be deeply personal and complex decisions. I do not direct the decision, determine eligibility, or provide medical or legal guidance. My role is to offer steadiness, preparation, and support for the person and family.
For medical, legal, or procedural information, I encourage you to speak with your medical team and review trusted Washington resources, including the Washington State Department of Health and End of Life Washington.
What I Cannot Provide
End-of-life doula support is non-medical. I do not provide medical or legal advice, determine eligibility, guide medication use, or direct end-of-life decisions.
If medical, legal, hospice, or mental health crisis support is needed, I will encourage you to connect with the appropriate licensed, hospice, or emergency professionals.
Online and In-Person Support
End-of-life doula support may be available online or in person, depending on the service, location, need, and availability.
In-person support may take place at home, in a care facility, or another appropriate setting in King County and the greater Puget Sound area. Online support can be useful for planning conversations, family meetings, emotional support, preparation, legacy work, and follow-up care.
Some families use a combination of both, beginning online and meeting in person when more direct support would be helpful.
Many people reach out when things are uncertain, changing quickly, or difficult to sort through alone.
A free 30-minute consultation can be a place to talk through what is happening, ask questions, and consider what kind of emotional, practical, spiritual, or family-centered support may be useful.
End-of-life doula support is non-medical. I do not provide medical care, medical advice, legal advice, eligibility determinations, medication guidance, or direction about end-of-life choices.