What is an end-of-life doula?

Published June 2025 | 6 min read
Expert contributor: Helen Callanan, Founder, Director and Lead Educator, Preparing the Way
Words by Angela Tufvesson

A terminal diagnosis is scary and overwhelming. An end-of-life doula can provide practical and emotional support for you and your family.

After Kathy took her husband Bill to the emergency room for what they thought was kidney stone pain, they were stunned to learn he had suspected lesions in his lungs. These were later diagnosed as terminal lung cancer. “It was a big shock,” says Kathy.

The couple, married for more than 40 years, felt overwhelmed and unsure about what to do next. So they engaged end-of-life doula Helen Callanan.

Helen helped Kathy and Bill tell their two daughters, three grandchildren and extended family about the diagnosis. “She helped us make sense of everything at that early stage,” says Kathy.

Helen’s support continued after Bill began chemotherapy treatment. “She became the glue that held us together, because we were dealing with a lot of different people,” explains Kathy.

Over the next two years, Helen helped Kathy and Bill with everything from navigating medical appointments to making plans for Bill to die at home. “With all the things she helped us put in place, we felt ready,” says Kathy.

After Bill died, Helen helped Kathy carry out the arrangements they’d made for his memorial celebration. “We had a celebration of Bill's life on our bush property. Helen hosted the day – we had a bushwalk and a picnic, and we buried his ashes,” says Kathy.

She says having an end-of-life doula gave the couple a sense of control over the situation. “If he had to die, then we made it beautiful,” says Kathy. “We couldn't have done that without Helen, because we didn't know what was possible.”

What is an end-of-life doula?

A doula provides non-medical practical and emotional support to a person and their loved ones during a significant life event like childbirth. (The word ‘doula’ comes from a Greek word meaning ‘to render a service’.) An end-of-life doula – sometimes called a ‘death doula’ – supports people and their families before and after death.

“So many people don't know their options – an end-of-life doula supports them and the people close to them to know what their options are,” says Helen, who is the Founder, Director and Lead Educator at Preparing the Way, which provides end-of-life doula training.

She says an end-of-life doula offers reassurance, resources, options and education. This helps people make choices that match their values, wishes and needs.

“We can go to doctors’ appointments and navigate the healthcare system. We can help get paperwork in order. We can help have conversations with families. We can provide spiritual support and support with ritual and ceremony. We can connect people with support services. We can help people with legacy documents, advance care directives and funeral planning,” explains Helen.

While treatment and palliative care teams tend to come and go as they’re needed, Helen says an end-of-life doula can forge solid relationships with family and loved ones, making it easier for them to access ongoing support from diagnosis until after death.

“I've often worked with people for two-and-a-half or three years. We’re not there every day necessarily, but we’re present throughout the entire journey,” she says.

“Death has become so medicalised, but it's not a medical event... it’s a family event. It's a deeply personal and often spiritual event, and support from a doula can be so valuable.”

Are end-of-life doulas the same as hospice or palliative care providers?

End-of-life doulas and hospice care share a common goal: to provide a broad range of help and support for someone in the final stages of life, plus support for their loved ones. But unlike hospice and palliative carers, end-of-life doulas do not provide medical help like symptom control and pain management. Their focus is purely on non-medical support and services.

“There are four things a doula doesn’t do: we don’t diagnose, recommend starting or stopping medications or treatments, administer medication or give advice. We provide options and support,” says Helen. She adds that end-of-life care involves much more than medical treatment. It also supports people’s spiritual and emotional wellbeing through psychosocial care. This kind of support helps build resilience, enhances quality of life and ensures dignity and comfort for patients and their loved ones as they face the challenges of illness and their end of life.

Helen believes end-of-life doulas play a vital role within a multidisciplinary care team. “I can't do my job without good medical and nursing support in palliative care,” she says.

At the same time, she notes people living with a diagnosis, dying or grieving spend only about 5% of their time with doctors or nurses. The remaining 95% is spent alone or with family and friends. “Doulas work in the 95%,” she explains, emphasising how valuable their support can be, especially in regional and remote areas where access to care is often limited.  

She observes that more people now want to have a say in their end-of-life care and are leaning towards less-structured options at home. This creates demand for end-of-life doulas, particularly as the population ages and the need for palliative care services grows. 

While many end-of-life doulas have extensive experience or come from a nursing background, they don’t need a formal tertiary qualification, because this role is more about supporting the individual and their loved ones, rather than providing medical care. For those who do choose to undergo training, there are several options, including the Certificate IV in End of Life Doula Services, which takes 18 months to complete.

How to find an end-of-life doula

Helen has been working as an end-of-life doula for more than 35 years. Before this, she worked with natural and complementary therapies, supporting people dying in hospitals.

“I'd never heard the word doula, but I started responding to what was in front of me,” she explains. “Sometimes a family would say they wanted to take their mum home to die, and I knew where to hire a hospital bed. If someone was grieving, I would sit with them.”

More than three decades later, Helen says being an end-of-life doula is still “incredibly rewarding”. “It's such a privilege to be with people at this time and provide various supports that can ease a very challenging, confronting and confusing time.”

Indeed, Helen and Kathy stayed in touch after Bill’s death. “Knowing Helen is so helpful because I can talk about my grief – but in a happy way because Bill and I were together for more than 40 years,” says Kathy.

Kathy recommends setting up a meeting with prospective end-of-life doulas to find a good personal fit. “Once you feel like there's a connection, it just grows because you're dealing with quite personal and emotional things.”

It can be helpful to ask about the doula’s availability for the long term and in emergencies. You should also ask how connected they are with local medical and support services, as well as their fees. 

Preparing the Way has an extensive network of end-of-life doulas. Hospitals and hospice care providers, support services and word-of-mouth can also help you connect with doulas.

Caring for your mental health

Whether you’re facing the death of a loved one or grieving their passing, it’s important to seek support. Our mental health programs include a free HealthyMinds Check-in^* for eligible members. This gives you faster, easier access to psychologists and digital support services to help you take control of your mental wellbeing.

We even offer cover for mental health services on selected extras. Members with eligible extras cover can claim consultations with a psychologist (if you don’t have a Medicare Mental Health Treatment Plan or you’ve used it up), an HCF-approved counsellor or an accredited mental health social worker.