Bringing Yourself to the Work
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.
The Modern Good Death
One of the most beautiful aspects of being a doula is helping people to take ownership of their own death, and helping them realize that it doesn’t need to look the way they think it’s supposed to look. It can look however they want. And as doulas, we have the privilege of helping them put it all together.
It’s Our Birthday!
This week IDLM celebrated our Fifth Annual Birthday Bash. It was a fantastic time! One of the major topics under discussion is particularly vital to new doulas trying to build a practice—where do you start? We all know it’s important to get out there, but where is there? And who are you supposed to talk […]
Getting Yourself Out There!
It probably won’t be easy, especially if you’re starting from scratch. But nothing worth really doing is ever easy, and the good news is you have the whole community at IDLM behind you, supporting you every step of the way.
Caring for the Caretakers
We all know the importance of self care. Part of client care is making sure that the people who are caring for their loved ones have the time and the opportunity to care for themselves as well, whether that means getting away for an afternoon to do some shopping or just a couple of hours to get a decent meal and a nap.
Spotlight on Catherine, Your Death Project Manager
Even for doulas, advance care plans aren’t everyone’s strong suit. But this stuff is too important not to know! Fortunately IDLM has regular advance care planning classes taught by the fabulous Miss Pam Carter, and on top of that we are proud to be partnered with the Death Project Manager, an expert in helping you get organized in preparation for end of life.
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.
Peering Beyond the Veil
Here’s something you might not know: Arthur Conan Doyle, the author who created the great fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, was a big fan of going to seances. He was not only a follower but a spokesperson for a movement that began in the 1890s called Spiritualism, which reached its height in the late 1910s and […]
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, […]
