Death Doula Services
Are you interested in creating an end-of-life plan?
What is a Death Doula?
The word doula comes from an ancient Greek word and means person of service.
Death doulas offer non-medical, holistic care and support to a dying person and their family before, during, or after death.
Doulas come to this work from a variety of backgrounds, and as such, focus their work in different areas.
As a result of her work with the dead, Marilynn knows that we die the way we live.
She learned that death is not a random medical event that just happens to us, it’s a part of life, and if we choose to, we can show up to it in this way.
Would you like to create an intentional end-of-life plan for yourself ?
If so, please read on.
Best 3 Months Coaching & Care Planning
Imagine…You have 3 months to live, and you can make them the very best they can be. All you need is a vision and thoughtful plan with others to help you fulfill it!
This is not an advance directive.
It is an End of Life Priority and Care Plan: A way to prepare to experience completion, contentment, and fulfillment during your final months and weeks of life.
(The context for this, whether Truth or Fiction, is that you only have 3 months to live from the health and age you are right now.)
In our sessions we will identify your end-of-life priorities, current reality, and action steps for a life-fulfilling end of life vision in each one of these:
In our sessions we will identify your end-of-life priorities, current reality, and action steps for a life-fulfilling end of life vision in each one of these:
Five Domains of Life
Physical: Creating Comfort, Safety and Healing Environment
You consider what is most important for your physical body and comfort.
Example Questions to help you contemplate and lean into discovering your answers:
· How would you like to be cared for physically?
· Where would you like to be during the last weeks and months of your life?
· Who would like to attend to you physically if needed?
Emotional: Honoring Feelings and Relationships
You consider what is most important for your emotional needs and heart.
Example Questions to help you contemplate and lean into discovering your answers:
· Describe your emotional life.
· What is your relationship with emotions?
· What relationships are important to you and need healing or completion?
Spiritual: Honoring Beliefs and Practices
You consider what is most important for you spiritually.
Example Questions to help you contemplate and lean into discovering your answers:
· How do you define Spirit?
· What are your beliefs about the afterlife?
· What questions or curiosities do you have about Spirit and death?
Mental: Legacy Life Review
You consider what is most important for your mind to feel settled and complete.
Example Questions to help you contemplate and lean into discovering your answers:
· What’s given your life meaning?
· What is the most important moment in your life?
· What might you want or need to do to feel complete before your physical death?
Practical: Honoring the Body after Death
You consider and determine your wishes for your after-death planning.
Example Questions to help you contemplate and lean into discovering your answers:
· What do and don’t you want to happen to your body after death?
· How do you want your body to be cared for?
· Who will care for your body?
What to Expect from the Best 3 Months
This program assumes that the participant has three (3) months to live and is designed to help them prepare for their end-of-life journey as it relates to the five (5) domains of life.
The Best 3 Months program consists of six (6) sessions. The first session is 30-minutes and typically includes room for introductions and orientation to the process. The subsequent five (5) sessions will focus on one (1) of the above stated domains. A set of reflection questions related to the associated domain is provided when the session is scheduled. The participant will share their answers at least 24-hours before the scheduled session. This information will be used to:
· Identify what is most important to you
· Discuss what you value most
· Identify what you will need and what you can’t live without
· Explore your hopes, dreams and expectations
· Choose who will help you fulfill your plan
In this process, we will identify your current reality and desired outcome for your last 3 months of life in each domain. Our work together will be to establish how to move from your current reality to your desired vision. During these conversations, you will be assisted in determining realistic action steps or steppingstones to get you from your current reality to your desired outcome, and upon completion, you’ll be provided with a Vision Map (PDF Document) of what you want to have happen.
What folks are saying about Marilynn as a Death Doula
“I loved working with Marilynn on all the bits and pieces involved in preparing for my own good death. Marilynn knows her stuff and listens with such grace and gentleness. I was able to talk through things and be reflected back, to hear how things sounded to me and to tweak and refine thoughts and action steps. I am very happy to have a complete matrix of everything I will need to be fully prepared logistically and energetically. It feels amazing to know that I can ask for what I want for the time before and after my passing, and be creative and even have fun with all the wonderful possibilities. There have been a few really good deaths in my life that have left me such inspiration and joy. I want to give that to others.”