Death Doula

The end of life is one of life's most profound passages - emotional, spiritual, and deeply human. A death doula offers presence without agenda, witnessing without fixing, helping to make the transition meaningful, even beautiful. Tending to the practical while holding the emotional and spiritual layers of what it means to leave this life.

Who This Is For

Lisa works with individuals and families navigating a life limiting diagnosis - from early stage through end-of-life. She specializes in serving the international community in Oaxaca - those who have made this city their home and who may be without a nearby family support network. For loved ones abroad who cannot be physically present, Lisa can serve as a liaison, keeping family connected and informed through every stage of the journey.

Services are offered in English, with Spanish spoken on a case by case basis.

What Death Doula Support Includes

  • Emotional and spiritual support for the person who is dying

  • Family guidance and communication - helping loved ones understand what is happening and how to show up

  • Legacy work - life review, letters, projects, and meaningful ways of honoring a life being lived

  • Vigil holding - a calm, continuous presence through the active dying process

  • Anticipatory grief support - for family members navigating the grief of a loss that is still approaching

  • Bereavement support for family after the death

  • Liaison support for family members abroad who want to remain connected and informed but cannot be physically present.

Integrated End of Life Care

As needs shift and the body moves through its natural process of dying, Lisa can move seamlessly between death doula support and hands-on end of life caregiving - ensuring that the changing physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the dying person are met with dignity and care at every stage.

For families who already have a caregiver in place, caregiver training is also available - equipping those already present with the awareness, tools, and sensitivity that end of life care specifically requires, so that nothing falls through the cracks and the person dying is always held with the care they deserve.

Grief Support

Family is at the heart of this work. Included in Lisa's death doula service is grief and bereavement support for one family member of your choosing - whether navigating the emotional weight of a loved one's illness, or finding footing after the death. Because care doesn't only belong to the person who is dying. 

From Early Diagnosis to End of Life

Death doula support does not have to begin at the bedside. When there is time, there is so much that can be done - stories recorded, letters written, relationships tended, fears named and met. Lisa works with clients from the moment they feel ready, for as long as they need.

Customized to Your Needs

No two journeys through the end of life are the same. Lisa works with individuals and families to shape a package of support that meets their unique situation - whether that means death doula guidance alone, integrated caregiving, grief support, or the full continuum of care from diagnosis through bereavement. Reach out to begin a conversation about what that might look like for you.

Getting Started

Choosing a death doula is a deeply personal decision. Lisa offers a free consultation - a relaxed, no pressure conversation to explore what support might look like for your specific situation and to see if working together feels like the right fit.