What Is a Death Doula & What Is My Approach
Holding Space at Life's Threshold
What Is a Death Doula?
Compassionate guidance from diagnosis through to end-of-life and beyond.
A death doula, sometimes called an end-of-life doula, is a non-medical support person who provides emotional, spiritual, and practical guidance for people facing a life-limiting illness and for the loved ones who walk alongside them.
My role is not to replace medical care, but to walk beside it, tending to the heart, mind, and soul. From the moment of diagnosis through treatment, decline, and the final days, I create space for the conversations that matter most, offer companionship, and help ensure your journey reflects your values, wishes, and sense of meaning.
I also support family members and carers, helping them navigate the emotional, practical, and relational changes that can come with illness and the end of life.
Above all, I am here to witness you, honour your story, and help you navigate this journey in a way that feels true to you.
My Approach
This work is about presence, arriving with an open heart, listening without judgement, and meeting you exactly where you are. Whether we’re sitting together at your kitchen table, in a hospital room, or somewhere quiet and private, I bring a compassionate, safe, warm, and welcoming presence that allows you to feel seen, heard, and supported in whatever you are experiencing.
When we work together, I will:
- Meet you where you are; emotionally, spiritually, and practically.
- Move at your pace; whether you’re ready to plan ahead or need someone to sit beside you in the moment.
- Hold space without judgement; for your fears, hopes, grief, humour, questions, and silences.
- Blend the practical with the soulful, offering both tangible support (planning, paperwork, resources) and emotional/spiritual care.
- Include your circle; welcoming family members and carers into the process if that feels right for you.
My approach is about being a steady, compassionate presence, someone who helps you feel less alone in whatever lies ahead.
What Shaped my Experience
Being a death doula is something I feel deeply called to do. Over the past 20 years, I’ve naturally encountered this work in many forms, supporting people through end-of-life both professionally in my career and personally through family, friends, and loved ones.
One of the most formative experiences for me was walking alongside my brother through his cancer journey. Being with him through chemotherapy, radiation, hospital visits, and ultimately, his final days. In those moments, whether sitting quietly by his side or speaking with others during treatments, I realised how deeply people long to be heard, to have their stories honoured, and to feel a sense of meaning and dignity at the end of life.
These experiences placed something on my heart: the knowing that presence, compassion, and deep listening matter profoundly at this threshold. While end-of-life support has been a part of my personal and professional path for many years, I now feel called to offer this work more intentionally as a death doula.
For me, this is not just a service but a sacred commitment, a wholehearted vow to walk beside those at the end of life with tenderness, reverence, and presence. I believe that even in our final days, there is space for meaning, connection, and dignity. To hold that space, to honour each story, and to accompany someone across this threshold is one of the deepest callings of my soul, and I am humbled to offer it with compassion and care.
A Safe Place to Begin...
If you or a loved one is facing the end of life journey, you don't have to navigate it alone. I'm here to listen, guide and hold space for whatever you're carrying.