Middle Tennessee Death/End of Life Doula Specialist Program
We will meet every OTHER Saturday starting July 18, 2026 at Alive Grief Center in Nashville. You will receive practical bedside hours with hospice patients and staff. You will also receive practical experience in a hospice inpatient unit.
$999
$70 / 4 monthly
Overview
At IDLM, we prioritize thorough learning and equipping our students with the necessary skills to become professional doulas in their respective communities. Our program caters to those who wish to assist their loved ones or pursue a career as a doula, and we provide support not only during the course but also after. As a part of our doula community, you will forge meaningful connections and receive the assistance you require to be a successful doula in your community.
The live Death/End of Life Doula Specialist Certification program will walk you through what you need to know in order to become a doula from a practicing standpoint and introduce you to ways to run a business and get your first clients. At IDLM, becoming a specialist as a Death/end of life doula involves training in various areas such as companion doula, contemplative doula, life planning, and end-of-life doula.
IDLM requires graduates to complete 12 credits a year and renew certification every 2 years. IDLM provides free continuing education. At this time we do not offer continuing education credits for any other professional licensing. Continuing education credits are given free of charge to IDLM students and graduates.
The Alive Institute will provide for its students to the Barbara Karnes End of Life Guidelines Series books, the “Always Offer, Never Force” book by Barbara Karnes, and The Hospice Care Plan by Odonata Care.
Also Included:
All students receive access to our Signature Business 101 Program which includes 7 modules, workbooks, and 1:1 support. This is self-paced so that you can start anytime and we offer the program live several times throughout the year, which is FREE for you to attend—a $400 Value.
- Join Our Directory For FREE!
- Discounts on Future Education Programs.
- Continuing Support to our Graduates (1:1 if needed).
- Free monthly Grief Support.
- Free monthly Death Positive Talk.
- International Doula Life Movement Family Events.
- IDLM Book Society.
- Open office hours to receive to ask questions and receive support.
Free access to our student and graduate community platform. Free to you!
- Access to our community platform.
- Member-driven support. You can connect with fellow students on a more intimate level.
- More safety. This is a private community and offers greater privacy than social media.
- More flexibility. You can access the platform via desktop or through an app!
- Monthly themes & weekly prompts. This will offer you ongoing growth and insight.
- Workshops & webinars.
- Continuing education nights, special events, and more became easier to keep track of and access replays!
- Free Resource Library.
- Free IDLM Doula Mentors Group. Have all the support you need to launch and support you as you run your doula practice.
Topics Covered:
- LifeBooks Introduction and Setup
- History of Deathcare and End of Life Doulas
- A Doula’s Guide to Personal Safety and Boundaries
- Code of Ethics/Scope of Practice
- Taming Our Inner Grief Ghost
- Welcome to IDLM: Orientation & Community
- Doula 101
- Doula 102
- 101 Basic Communication
- Insurance & EOL: What Doulas Need Should Know
- Inclusivity Practices: LGBTQ+
- Doula Apprenticeship 1
- Contemplative Doula
- Contemplative Exercise and Care for the Doula and Caregiver
- Getting in Touch with Your Own Mortality
- Holding End-of-Life/Death Discussions
- The EOL and The Death Deck with the Creators
- A Seat at the Table: Talking About Death & Dying
- Pre-Course Work for Stages of End of Life
- Introduction to Stages of End of Life
- This How People Die by Barbara Karnes
- The Hospice Care Plan by Odonata Care
- Navigating Difficulties in the Dying Process
- A Doula’s Role in Unfinished Business: Supporting Resolution and Peace at the End of Life
- Doula Apprenticeship 2
- Obituary and Eulogy / Hospital and Vigil Planning/ Medical Aid & Dying/VSED
- Coping with Grief and Loss For Doulas
- Common Disease & Infection Control/PPE
- Pedi Hospice and Parents Loss
- Client Care, Safety, & Bedside Support
- Companion Doula/Communication/Tele-Doula
- Doula Paperwork, Agreements, & Forms
- Doulado & IDLM: Streamlining Your Doula Practice
- Doula Apprenticeship 3
- Life Planning Doula/ EOL Paperwork/Planning
- Home Wakes, Cremation, Funerals, Green Options, Celebrations, and Ceremonies
- IDLM Case Study Planning
- Caring for Clients and Their Pets at End of Life
- Making Memories, Legacy
- EOL Religions
- Presenting to Your Community and Hospice
- In-Class Case Study Presentations
- Doula Apprenticeship/Skills Final
- I am a Doula Practitioner
Megan Morano
Megan creates spaces for honest, heart-centered conversations about death. For her, talking about death makes living more full. She helps build support networks and ceremonies that reflect who you are and what matters most, no matter your stage of life – just curious, aging, faced with a new diagnosis, or entering the final chapter of life.
Her path to this work began early. Growing up in a community touched by sudden loss, she noticed a difference: deaths in old age were honored and ritualized, while sudden deaths often lost their personal touch—quietly mourned, but rarely celebrated. Each person had a unique story, yet most farewells felt the same. As a teen hospital volunteer, she found meaning in listening, being present, and honoring the quiet moments near the end of life.
Years working in the events and music industry honed her gift for creating connection and beauty under pressure. But after facing her own illness in her twenties, Megan experienced firsthand the power of a Care Circle—a web of people who show up when you need it most. That experience guided her back to death work, where all her worlds meet: care, community, creativity, and truth. That calling continues in her professional life through both private practice, supporting patients and families in the community, and her work at Alive Hospice as a Volunteer Coordinator, supporting others called to this work. Walking alongside people during vulnerable transitions strengthens her commitment to practical support, emotional honesty, and dignity at every stage of dying.
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Why IDLM?
Continued education
Monthly at no cost to our students. Keeping you updated on industry advances and tools to enhance your practice.
The Movement
You found your doula family. Our family community for ongoing support on a daily basis.
Instructors
Who are actively practicing their specialty/services daily.
