Frequently Asked Questions

I am young and healthy and so is my family - why would I need a death doula?

This is the best time to get your affairs in order! By putting your wishes in writing, you are taking a huge burden off of your friends and family at the time of your death. Of course, we want to live a long and healthy life, but unfortunately sudden death is always a possibility and in the event that you become incapacitated or die suddenly, your loved ones will be suffering - the last thing you want them dealing with on top of their grief is making your end-of-life decisions without truly knowing if it's what you want.

You can never be too early, only too late. 

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How do I know if I need a grief coach or a grief therapist?

Unfortunately, there is no clear answer to this. Grief and bereavement are completely individual experiences and we all will navigate them differently for every loss that we experience. A good rule of thumb is that if you suspect, even slightly, that you may be experiencing symptoms of complex bereavement disorder or depression along with your grief, a licensed therapist should be your first resource as they are equipped to help you cope with the symptoms you're experiencing and can also provide diagnosis if needed. 

For information on complex grief and a list of symptoms, you can click here.

If you are interested in grief coaching, you may fill out the contact form at the bottom of this page to schedule a FREE ten minute consultation to find out if you are a candidate. 

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Death scares me... how can I talk about it without triggering my fears?

I can relate. Death scares me too but I found through my studies and making my own end-of-life plans that the sense of control this gives me helps subside the fear a little. The unknowns will always be there but having a say in the things you do have control over can be comforting.

As a grief coach, I can help you navigate the conversation in a way that is comfortable for you and as we encounter fears, we can stop and explore them together to find ways of helping you cope with and overcome some of your fears surrounding death and dying.

 

What if I change my mind about my end-of-life plans?

Then update them! We are constantly evolving creatures and I strongly encourage you to keep your end-of-life plans updated so that they reflect your most current wishes. This will help not only provide some assurance and comfort for you, but to your friends and family as well! 

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Will my insurance cover death doula services?

Unfortunately, death doula services are not covered by medical insurance at this time. The support from a death doula is holistic and non-medical but immeasurably helpful as they can perform the tasks that hospice workers and nurses want so desperately to provide but simply cannot due to their high number of patients and job duties.