Is the Death Doula Movement Dying?

 

Or Is It Being Called to Grow Up?

 

There is a quiet question being asked behind the scenes of end-of-life care—by hospices, medical teams, families, and even doulas themselves: Is the death doula movement losing its way? In this powerful episode of ASK A DEATH DOULA, Suzanne B. O’Brien, RN—founder of the Doulagivers Institute and author of the bestselling book THE GOOD DEATH—speaks with honesty, compassion, and clarity about what is really happening within the death doula movement today. This is not an attack. It is a call to integrity.

 

🔍 In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Why death doulas exist in a non-regulated, non-medical, and unlicensed space—and why that matters The difference between a certificate of completion and meaningful, evidence-based end-of-life education How the explosion of “trendy” death doula trainings has created wide variability in ethics, depth, and preparedness What a 2020 article in the Journal of Palliative Care and Social Practice revealed about hospice teams struggling to trust doulas due to inconsistent training. Why death is not a medical experience, yet still requires education in physiology, signs and symptoms, ethical scope, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

 

How Doulagivers listened—to hospices, medical directors, families, and their own graduates—and responded. Real-world examples of Doulagivers graduates working successfully inside hospice systems: Michelle Donaldson, full-time Doulagiver employed by Unified Care Hospice Karen Midlo, hospice community educator Jane Whitlock, resident Doulagiver in senior living Lindsay Ward, now a full-time Volunteer & Bereavement Coordinator for her hospice. Why these women are achieving both IMPACT and INCOME—and why they are not outliers. The important decision that beginning in 2026, Certified Doulagivers will be application-only.

 

Why This Moment Matters The aging demographic shift is undeniable. Mainstream medicine cannot meet the demand alone. Doulas—when properly educated—are not a threat to hospice. They are an asset. They are the bridge. The eyes. The ears. The heart. As one hospice medical director shared about Doulagivers graduate Michelle Donaldson: “The presence of a Doulagiver provides an additional layer of compassionate care—extra eyes, hands, and heart at the bedside. What makes Michelle truly exceptional is the depth of her knowledge, her calm and grounding demeanor, and her ability to have meaningful, honest conversations about the end of life in a way that is both comforting and deeply human.” If you feel that being a Doulagiver / End-of-Life Doula is your calling—and you want training that hospices trust, families rely on, and that is grounded in real bedside experience—

 

👉 Apply to become a Certified Doulagiver Beginning in 2026, certification will be application-only to ensure alignment, readiness, ethical responsibility, and the highest standard of care.

 

👉 Or start with our Level 1 End-of-Life Doula Family Caregiver Training A powerful introduction to evidence-based end-of-life care that is transforming families and communities worldwide.

 

🔗 Apply here: https://join.doulagivers.com/path-to-...

 

🔗 Level 1 Training: Click here: https://event.webinarjam.com/4kv5v/re... With gratitude and unwavering commitment, Suzanne B. O’Brien, RN Founder, Doulagivers Institute