Playing the Long Game
In many places, death work is still not normalized. The problem isn’t that people don’t want or need the services of a death doula; it’s that they have never heard of a death doula in the first place. Nobody they know has ever hired a death doula. Why should they?
My Favorite Mantras
I don’t know how many mantras a person is allowed to have but I sure do hope it’s more than one, because I personally have at least a couple dozen, some of which I have already shared with you right here on the IDLM blog.
It May Be Routine For You, But It’s All New to Them
As a doula, you should be paying close attention to what is going on with your client families as the patient goes through their transition. The concerns they have can only be addressed if someone knows what those concerns are.
Finding the Answers
There are many reasons why people considering their end of life plans might call in a death doula, but what most of those reasons boil down to is that these people have a lot of questions, and they want to connect with someone who has the answers. Well, here’s the big secret: You, the doula, […]
Capture Your Loved One’s Story With Lifebooks
One of the things that makes IDLM such a strong program for doula training is the fact that we are partnered with so many other fabulous organizations committed to finding ways to improve end of life care. From large organizations like the Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice to niche product companies like the Death Deck, these […]
Welcome to the IDLM Family!!
New classes are beginning at IDLM and as always we are all so excited to welcome new members to the IDLM family. Whether our incoming students are totally new to the idea of end of life care, formalizing knowledge they have already gained through life experience, or just brushing up on expertise they already carry, […]
The Importance of Showing Up
A couple of weeks ago I was woken up by a call at around 6:30 in the morning. A friend of mine needed to get to the airport and the person that had agreed to take them had canceled at the very last minute. It wasn’t a huge emergency, as emergencies go; everybody got where […]
Self Care When There’s No Time For Self Care
Autumn is just around the corner. Vacations are winding down and kids are getting ready to go back to school. Classes are even starting up again at IDLM! It’s a good time for a lot of people to take on new projects and new responsibilities, before the holidays come around again and everybody gets really […]
Funerals Are For the Living AND the Dead
These days, many people are abandoning the word “funeral” and instead use the term “celebration of life.” This could not be more appropriate, because the ultimate purpose of these ceremonies is to gather one last time with others to celebrate someone we all cared about.
New IDLM Partner: Lifebooks
There is a saying in some parts of the world that a person doesn’t truly die until the last time their name is spoken. This beautiful idea is an illustration of how much we cherish the memory of people who have gone on before us. One of the ways a doula can serve their clients […]
