One of the interesting things about doula work, particularly for end of life doulas, is that most people find themselves drawn to this type of work later in life. For most of us, doula work is a second or even third career, or maybe just a vocation we devote ourselves to outside of whatever we might consider to be our “real” work.
The wonderful thing about this is that when we do find our way to becoming death doulas, we bring with us all the expertise we have already gained through our other training and education. Many people become doulas through nursing or other medical experience, even if that experience is simply being the caretaker for a family member. Others of us come from a variety of backgrounds—I know doulas who formerly (or currently!) work as office administrators, human resource representatives, business consultants, teachers, pastors, and artists.
It may seem at first that doula work is completely unrelated to whatever you were doing before, and that you’re starting again from scratch with no idea what you’re supposed to do. But the truth is, whatever you are bringing forward with you is something that you will be able to use as a doula. Office work, especially administrative work, means you know your way around forms and paperwork, which are vital skills in helping people build their advance care plans. Medical experience will obviously be useful for bedside work with hospice patients. Marketing-type jobs will have you prepared to build and run your business, and to potentially help other doulas do the same. Jobs in the service industry and the arts help you build the “soft skills” of communicating with people and helping them to feel supported, which is invaluable for working with patients as well as their familiesand other contacts.
At IDLM we love to celebrate the diverse backgrounds of all our doulas. Everyone brings something unique and valuable to our community, but more than that, everyone brings something unique and valuable to the work. There is no other doula exactly like you, and no one who can serve your clients exactly the way you can.
So no matter what path brought you here, I hope you feel like you are in the right place. And I hope even more that you realize how very happy we are to have you as a member of the IDLM community. You may feel like you still have a lot to learn, but that’s okay. None of us knows everything. Own your strengths and be proud, and when it comes to the areas you still need a little help, you’ve got the whole IDLM community to lean on.
So come join us on the Movement and let us know where you’re from and what you’re good at. You are a valuable part of the IDLM community!
