Take a moment and think back to where you were five years ago.
Did you even know what a death doula was?
Many people didn’t. Even today, when the topic comes up in conversation, there are still questions and curiosity about what this work truly means. But over the past several years, awareness has grown significantly. More families are recognizing that end-of-life care is not just medical — it is emotional, spiritual, relational, and deeply human. More individuals are seeking guidance as they prepare for the end of life, and more professionals are feeling called to serve in this sacred space.
Five years ago, however, Anna Adams was already doing this work.
With a background rooted in hospice, high-acuity care, and direct bedside experience, Anna saw firsthand both the beauty and the gaps within end-of-life support systems. She recognized that while many individuals felt called to become death doulas, there was a need for structured, clinically aware, hospice-aligned training that elevated professionalism within the field.
There was heart in the industry — but not always standardization.
There was passion — but not always operational excellence.
Anna believed the field could rise higher. That belief led to the founding of the International Doula Life Movement.
From its inception, IDLM was designed to raise the bar in end-of-life care and doula education. Rather than offering only a single overview course, IDLM launched with a comprehensive, affordable, and structured curriculum that prepared doulas to serve confidently in real-world environments.
Core training included focused study in:
- Advance Care Planning
- Grief
- Hospice collaboration
- Communication and family systems
IDLM emphasized not only holding space, but responsible advocacy, interdisciplinary collaboration, and professional boundaries.
As the death care landscape evolved, IDLM evolved alongside it. Courses were consistently updated to reflect current industry changes, hospice regulations, and emerging best practices. The Institute expanded its faculty, bringing in subject matter experts and broadening offerings to include dementia care, pet doula work, integrative modalities such as aromatherapy, and 365 a Time to live.
All courses are conducted live through Google Meets, welcoming students from across the country and around the world. In addition, IDLM now offers in-person trainings in multiple U.S. cities, continuing to expand its reach and impact.
What distinguishes IDLM from many other programs is its integrative and forward-thinking approach. IDLM prepares doulas to work with hospice systems, not outside of them. The curriculum includes education on early hospice enrollment advocacy, regulatory awareness, ethical boundaries, and professional communication within healthcare environments.
This approach positions IDLM as a cutting-edge leader in the field — blending holistic care with clinical awareness, compassion with professionalism, and advocacy with compliance. Over the past five years, the organization has grown steadily — not only in enrollment, but in influence. What began as a training program has evolved into a global professional network committed to excellence and innovation in end-of-life care.
To reflect that growth and expanded scope, International Doula Life Movement is now proudly known as:
The International Doula Life Movement Institute.
The new name reflects the organization’s evolution into a full-scale educational institute offering foundational training, specialty certifications, mentorship, ongoing professional development, and a connected global community of graduates.
The Institute prepares doulas to serve full-time, part-time, in collaboration with hospice teams, within care homes, or in private practice — all with a commitment to raising standards in the field.The progress made over these five years is a testament to community support, student dedication, and visionary leadership.
The International Doula Life Movement Institute is not simply offering courses. It is shaping the future of end-of-life care.
And this is only the beginning.
