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 Who Is a Death Doula (End‑of‑Life Worker)?
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 Listener, a guide, supporter and organiser, someone who knows just how to be present without fixing anybody, who intuitively cares.

 

A Death Doula — also called an End‑of‑Life Doula, Death Worker, Death Companion, or End‑of‑Life Guide, Death Walker, is a trained, non‑medical support person who walks beside individuals and families during life when they are diagnosed with a life threatening illness, moving towards end of life, dying, death, after death care, practical matters and bringing ceremony and ritual and early grief.

A doula offers holistic support: emotional, practical, informational, spiritual, cultural, and relational.
They do not replace medical or palliative care — they complement it by tending to the human side of dying.

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A doula is often described as “the steady one in the room.”

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We believe in living fully until you die.  We hear your needs and wants and navigate with you how and if we can make them happen.

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Why People Seek a Death Doula
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People reach out for a doula when they want:

  • calm, grounded support

  • help navigating fears, choices, and unknowns

  • someone to guide the family

  • continuity across the whole journey

  • support with planning, legacy, ritual, or meaning

  • after‑death care guidance

  • a companion who is comfortable with all aspects of dying and grief​

 

 
Scope of Practice (Australia)

A clear, holistic explanation of what death doulas do — and do not do.

 

​​Death doulas offer:

Emotional Support

  • Presence, reassurance, listening

  • Normalising the dying process

  • Grounding and calm​

  • Vigil planning

  • Comfort measures

  • Household support

  • Organising the environment

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Information & Education

  • What to expect in the dying process

  • Rights, choices, and options

  • Navigating systems and services

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Advance Care Planning Support​

  • Values clarification

  • Guidance with Advance Care Directives

  • Support choosing a substitute decision‑maker

  • Family Support

  • Helping loved ones understand what’s happening

  • Supporting children and partners

  • Reducing overwhelm and conflict

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After‑Death Care

  • Body care guidance

  • Home vigil support

  • Funeral options and pathways

  • Early grief support

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Ritual, Ceremony & Meaning‑Making

  • Blessings, vigils, farewells

  • Legacy projects

  • Cultural or spiritual practices (as guided by the client)

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Advocacy

  • Helping clients express their wishes

  • Supporting communication with healthcare teams

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What Death Doulas Do Not Do
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Death doulas in Australia do not:

  • provide medical or clinical care

  • diagnose, treat, or manage symptoms

  • administer medication

  • make decisions for clients

  • replace palliative care, nursing, or medical teams

  • impose beliefs or cultural frameworks

 

This clarity protects clients, families, and doulas — and strengthens collaboration with health professionals.

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Resource List for Death Doulas (Australia)

For practitioners, trainees, and those deepening their craft.

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Professional Bodies & Networks
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Practice Tools
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Peer Support
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Finding a Death Doula
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Planning Tools
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Support Services
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For Families
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  • Talking with children about death
    https://raisingchildren.net.au/guides/a-z-health-reference/death (raisingchildren.net.au in Bing)

  • Hospice & palliative care services (local listings)

  • Community health services

  • Local First Nations health organisations
    https://www.naccho.org.au​​​

Books for People Grieving a Suicide
 

For the Newly Bereaved

These books help people survive the early days — when the mind is fogged, the heart is shattered, and nothing makes sense.

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1. No Time to Say Goodbye — Carla Fine

A foundational book written by a woman whose husband died by suicide. Honest, steady, and deeply validating for people who feel blindsided or alone.

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2. Surviving a Suicide Loss: A Resource and Healing Guide — AFSP

Clear, gentle, and practical. Helps people understand common reactions, trauma responses, and what to expect in the first year.

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3. After Suicide Loss: Coping with Your Grief — Bob Baugher & Jack Jordan

Short, accessible chapters for overwhelmed minds. Excellent for people who can only take in small pieces at a time.

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For Understanding the Complex Emotions

These books help people name the tangled feelings that accompany suicide loss — guilt, anger, shame, relief, longing, love.

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4. Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief — David Kessler

Written after the death of his own son. Helps people move from “Why?” to “What now?” without forcing closure.

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5. Say Goodbye — Brook Noel & Pamela Blair

A compassionate guide for sudden loss. Validates the chaos, the questions, and the emotional swings.

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6. Touched by Suicide — Michael Myers & Carla Fine

A blend of personal stories and psychological insight. Helps people understand that their reactions are normal and survivable.

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For Parents, Partners & Close Family Members

These books speak directly to the intimate, relational layers of suicide loss.

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7. Silent Grief: Living in the Wake of Suicide — Christopher Lukas & Henry Seiden

Written by a psychotherapist whose brother died by suicide. Explores family dynamics, silence, and the long arc of healing.

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8. After a Parent’s Suicide: Helping Children Heal — Margo Requarth

For adults supporting children or teens. Clear, gentle guidance on how to talk, listen, and hold space.

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For Teens & Young Adults Grieving a Suicide

These are safe, steadying books for younger people.

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9. You Are Not Alone: Teens Talk About Life After the Loss of a Loved One — Lynne Hughes

Real stories from teens. Helps young people feel less isolated.

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10. The Memory Book — Joanna Rowland

A guided journal for children and teens. Supports expression when words are hard to find.

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Books to explore

These titles help someone who is ill, newly diagnosed, or beginning to turn inward.

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1. The Death Doula’s Guide to Living Fully and Dying Prepared — Francesca Lynn Arnoldy

A practical, gentle workbook that helps people reflect on their life, clarify their wishes, and prepare emotionally and practically for dying. It includes prompts, legacy projects, and centering practices.

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2. The Death Doula Handbook — Annie Selah

A warm, accessible guide that blends cultural wisdom, personal stories, checklists, and rituals. It helps people understand the stages of dying, navigate fear, and create meaningful closure.

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3. Being Mortal — Atul Gawande

A compassionate exploration of ageing, illness, and what matters most at the end of life. Helps clients articulate values and priorities.

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4. The Art of Dying Well — Katy Butler

A practical, soulful guide to navigating decline, medical systems, and the emotional terrain of dying.

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Books for Grief, Loss & Emotional Processing

These support clients and their families.

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5. It’s OK That You’re Not OK — Megan Devine

Validates grief as a natural, non‑fixable process. Excellent for people feeling misunderstood or pressured to “move on.”

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6. Bearing the Unbearable — Joanne Cacciatore

Short, poetic reflections that help people sit with sorrow, love, and meaning.

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7. The Wild Edge of Sorrow — Francis Weller

A beautiful, ritual‑centred exploration of communal grief, ancestral grief, and the healing power of being witnessed.

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Books for Meaning‑Making, Legacy & Life Review

Perfect for clients wanting to reflect, integrate, or create something to leave behind.

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8. The Five Invitations — Frank Ostaseski

A spiritual‑yet‑practical guide to living and dying with awareness, presence, and compassion.

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9. When Breath Becomes Air — Paul Kalanithi

A memoir of a neurosurgeon facing terminal cancer — profound for individuals exploring identity, purpose, and letting go.

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10. The Book of Forgiving — Desmond & Mpho Tutu

A structured, gentle pathway for clients wanting to reconcile relationships or release burdens before death.

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Books for Families, Carers & L special people

These help people understand what’s happening and how to support someone dying.

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11. A Beginner’s Guide to the End — BJ Miller & Shoshana Berger

Clear, compassionate, practical — from medical decisions to emotional support to after‑death care.

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12. Final Gifts — Maggie Callanan & Patricia Kelley

Hospice nurses share stories about the symbolic language of the dying, helping families understand what their loved one is expressing.

Books for Spiritual, Mythic & Ritual Support

For clients who respond to story, symbol, and ceremony.

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13. The Smell of Rain on Dust — Martín Prechtel

A poetic, indigenous‑rooted exploration of grief as praise and the necessity of ritual.

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14. Anam Cara — John O’Donohue

A lyrical Celtic meditation on soul, companionship, and the thresholds of life and death.

Books for Children & Teens Facing Loss

For families wanting to support younger people.

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15. The Invisible String — Patrice Karst

A simple, comforting metaphor for connection that continues beyond death.

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16. Lifetimes — Bryan Mellonie & Robert Ingpen

A clear, gentle explanation of life cycles — excellent for children of all ages.

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Books for Children About Death, Dying & Grieving
For Young Children (Ages 3–7)
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1. The Invisible String — Patrice Karst

A gentle story about the unbreakable connection between people who love each other, even when they’re apart or someone has died. Perfect for separation anxiety, bedtime worries, and early grief.

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2. Lifetimes — Bryan Mellonie & Robert Ingpen

A simple, clear explanation of the life cycle — for plants, animals, and people. Helps children understand death as a natural part of life.

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3. The Goodbye Book — Todd Parr

Bright, simple illustrations that name feelings like sadness, anger, confusion, and loneliness. Ideal for very young children who need emotional language.

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4. The Memory Tree — Britta Teckentrup

A warm story about a fox who dies and is remembered by friends. Teaches that memories can be comforting and sustaining.

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For Primary‑Aged Children (Ages 6–10)

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5. The Heart and the Bottle — Oliver Jeffers

A tender story about grief, emotional withdrawal, and slowly opening the heart again. Beautiful for children who have become quiet or withdrawn.

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6. Ida, Always — Caron Levis & Charles Santoso

Based on two real polar bears in the Central Park Zoo. A story about illness, companionship, and saying goodbye. Honest without being frightening.

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7. The Scar — Charlotte Moundlic

A raw, truthful book about a boy grieving his mother. Helps children understand that big feelings are normal and survivable.

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8. The Rabbit Listened — Cori Doerrfeld

A story about how sometimes the most healing thing is simply being listened to. Great for siblings or children who don’t want to talk yet.

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For Older Children & Early Teens (Ages 10–14)

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9. Bridge to Terabithia — Katherine Paterson

A novel about friendship, sudden loss, and the power of imagination. Supports children facing unexpected or traumatic grief.

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10. The Thing About Jellyfish — Ali Benjamin

A tender exploration of grief, guilt, and trying to make sense of a friend’s death. Ideal for thoughtful, introspective kids.

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11. Michael Rosen’s Sad Book — Michael Rosen

A deeply honest reflection on sadness after the death of the author’s son. Validates complex emotions without sugar‑coating.

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Books That Help Explain Illness, Dying & What Happens in a Family

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12. The Tenth Good Thing About Barney — Judith Viorst

A child remembers their pet by listing ten good things. Wonderful for introducing rituals and memory‑making.

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13. When Dinosaurs Die — Laurie Krasny Brown & Marc Brown

A practical, child‑friendly guide to death, funerals, feelings, and questions. Very helpful for families wanting clear explanations.

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14. I Miss You: A First Look at Death — Pat Thomas

A simple, reassuring book that explains death and grief in accessible language. Good for children who ask direct questions.

Books for Children Facing a Loved One’s Illness or Decline

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15. The Huge Bag of Worries — Virginia Ironside

Helps children externalise and talk about their worries. Useful when a parent or grandparent is ill.

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16. Always and Forever — Alan Durant

A story about a family of animals grieving a beloved friend. Shows how routines, stories, and community help healing.

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Books for Teenagers About Death, Dying & Grief
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For Teens Navigating the Death of a Friend or Peer

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1. The Thing About Jellyfish — Ali Benjamin

A tender, thoughtful novel about a girl trying to make sense of her friend’s sudden death. Perfect for introspective teens who process through thinking and questioning.

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2. Bridge to Terabithia — Katherine Paterson

A classic story of friendship, imagination, and sudden loss. Helps teens understand grief as both devastating and transformative.

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3. We Are Okay — Nina LaCour

A quiet, beautifully written novel about loneliness, grief, and finding connection again. Ideal for teens who withdraw or go silent when grieving.

For Teens Facing the Death of a Parent or Close Family Member

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4. The Fault in Our Stars — John Green

A love story shaped by illness and mortality. Honest, emotional, and often comforting for teens facing anticipatory grief.

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5. A Monster Calls — Patrick Ness

A powerful story about a boy whose mother is dying, visited by a truth‑telling monster. Helps teens name anger, fear, and the complexity of love.

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6. The Last Time We Say Goodbye — Cynthia Hand

A sensitive exploration of grief after a sibling’s death. Supports teens dealing with guilt, silence, or “what if” thinking.

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For Teens Who Need Emotional Language & Validation

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7. Turtles All the Way Down — John Green

Not directly about death, but deeply about anxiety, spiralling thoughts, and emotional overwhelm. Useful for teens whose grief shows up as anxiety.

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8. The Poet X — Elizabeth Acevedo

A novel‑in‑verse about identity, voice, and surviving emotional pain. Great for creative teens who express themselves through writing.

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9. The Perks of Being a Wallflower — Stephen Chbosky

A raw, honest look at trauma, friendship, and healing. Helps teens feel less alone in complicated emotional landscapes.

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For Teens Who Prefer Non‑Fiction or Memoir

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10. When Breath Becomes Air — Paul Kalanithi

A profound memoir by a young doctor facing terminal cancer. Best for older teens who want meaning‑making and philosophical depth

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11. Notes on Grief — Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

A short, powerful reflection on losing a parent. Validates the intensity and unpredictability of grief.

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12. You Are Not Alone — Various Authors (The Trevor Project)

Stories from young people about loss, identity, and resilience. Affirming for LGBTQ+ teens or those feeling isolated.

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For Teens Who Want Hope, Connection & Meaning

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13. They Both Die at the End — Adam Silvera

A speculative novel about two teens who learn they have one day left to live. Surprisingly uplifting — about connection, courage, and choosing how to live.

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14. The Book Thief — Markus Zusak

A story narrated by Death itself, set in WWII. Helps teens explore mortality through story, metaphor, and beauty.

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15. The Sky Is Everywhere — Jandy Nelson

A lyrical novel about grief, love, and rediscovering joy. Great for teens who feel guilty about laughing or moving forward.

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