Offerings…

My work as a death doula feels like an intuitive and sometimes delicate dance – adapting and responding to people’s needs as they move through their process and pulling from my knowledge, resources and bags of tricks as needed. Listening a lot. Asking questions. Holding space. Offering an embodied presence. Calling on others at times. Much of the work feels amorphous and non-concrete. People often don’t know what they need or are not yet at a place to receive it - we figure it out together as we go.

For the purposes of explaining what I do and for contracting with people, I have organized my offerings into five categories. They overlap with each other and are in no particular order. I bring the same approach and set of beliefs and values to them all. Click on one of the big white buttons below for more details.

We can work together on any or all of this. Whether you are the dying one or one of their people. At any time. It is never too early to start making friends with your own mortality or to acknowledge a big life transition. And it’s never too late to ask for support in navigating an imminent death or loss or its aftermath. All these changes carry energetic imprints and healing can happen at any time.

I can meet you in your home, in hospice/hospital or in a public space such as a park or coffee shop. I can also work with you via e-mail, video-call, telephone, and text.

What I don’t offer…

Death doulas are not formally certified or regulated in BC or Canada, so our scope of practice is not legally defined. Given that, it is important to respect the scopes of practice of professionals who are regulated, and to clearly set boundaries on what we do. Here’s what I do not offer.

  • Legal or financial advice

  • Medical/clinical/nursing advice, care, or case co-ordination

  • Personal care or housekeeping

  • Counselling, social work or mediation

  • Decision-making on your behalf

  • Signing or witnessing of legal, financial, or medical documents 

In addition, I choose not to offer the following services that may supplement my offerings, though I may be able to offer referrals or sub-contract them on your behalf.

  • Event planning or catering

  • Memoir writing, historical fact checking, or searching of historical records

  • Self-publishing, graphic design, or photo books/slide shows

How the money works

This is the toughest part for me frankly. As part of the ‘death positive’ movement, I am committed to a cultural shift to bring deathcare back to our communities and families and homes, so I struggle with charging money to support people to do that. I am also committed to having our work recognized and valued, and to seeing the death doula role become real for more people - and so we have to make it possible to make a living doing it. I also need to make some money in my life - at least enough to support my habit of reading and training related to death and dying!

Money is just a form of energy. We all need some to live - like food and water and air and warmth.  I view charging for my services as a harmonious exchange of energy. I provide you with services. You provide me with something in return – ideally that is money, but it does not have to be. I don’t want financial means to be a barrier to accessing my services.