Guidance through Transition
End-of-Life Doula Support for the Children of Dying People
Death is a part of life that no one talks about. Having a companion makes this important life transition easier.
This service is an educational support program for people whose parents are at the end stage of their lives.
The death of a loved one doesn’t have to be scary or mysterious. It can be a catalyst for growth.
Just like birth doulas, death doulas are trained professionals who help you prepare for a major life transition.
Because we don’t tend to talk a lot about death in our society, the moment of your parent’s passing can feel disorienting and confusing. Most people do not have accurate or reliable information about caregiving during the process of dying.
It’s hard to find someone you can share details with because death tends to be hidden or ignored until the time comes when we have to face it. Medical interventions tend to dominate our lives during the end of life, and yet it can feel like a failure when the time to transition finally comes.
Sharing information, exploring stories and beliefs about dying, and having a caring companion changes the entire experience for the better. That’s why I do what I do.
Companionship When You Need It Most
This service is for you if…
Your parent has received a terminal diagnosis or has a progressively worsening disease.
You are looking for educational, non-medical support to make this moment in your life smoother and more manageable.
You want to transform this incredibly challenging moment into an experience that can be a catalyst for growth and healing.
About your guide…
I am a certified end-of-life doula through the University of Vermont. I’m also a trained academic with a doctorate in the history and literature of intergenerational trauma. I’ve taught for over two decades, designed leadership programs for high-level executives, and coached educators working with traumatized students. What I find I’m best at is being with people when times are hard. I began understanding my gift of working at the intersection of life and death when I lost my mother at the age of 22. Her transition was made so much more beautiful thanks to hospice workers who knew how to educate, guide, and support us. This experience eventually led me to become a guide supporting other people whose parents were at the end of their lives.
About losing a parent…
Death is individual and opaque. It asks us to journey to a strange and unfamiliar place. For as much as we might love science and all its concrete facts, death defies this desire to know for sure by making us focus on our own experience, dive into the unknown, and trust that the meaning we make of it is enough.
The moment in our lives when we lose a parent can be a catalyst for growth rather than devastation. In as much as it is an end, it can also be a beginning. This is why I combine my literary and historical training with my knowledge of death and dying to support you. Your perspective, your narrative, your feelings of support all make the integration process easier.
About this service…
My companionship during this time is first and foremost educational. It is not medical and it is not therapy. I will share with you factual details that make the process of death less of a mystery. This normalizing changes your experience by helping you feel more confident and in control. You’ll also benefit from my years of teaching experience. Grief, in all its forms, is a learning process. We are learning how to adapt to change.
There is no one right way to experience the loss of a parent. Death is experienced differently across cultures, but common themes of beauty and connection remain. I am here to provide you the experience of being heard and to listen to your beliefs about the transition between life and death. I will invite you to create your own narrative of this experience, focusing on what gives you joy and hope.
My services range from one-time conversations to ongoing meetings and support. We can meet virtually no matter where you are in the world. If you are in Philadelphia, I provide in-person services. Please see the options below to schedule.
“Lesley provided a safe space for us to discuss hard challenges candidly. She was not just a coach but a guiding force–helping us redefine what was possible.”
— Co-founder, Suora Studios
“In our culture, the richest and most thoughtful discussions [about death] have always come from the humanities and never medicine—from poets, playwrights, and philosophers.”
— Dr. Christopher Kerr
“Pain is not wrong. Reacting to pain as wrong initiates the trance of unworthiness. The moment we believe something is wrong, our world shrinks and we lose ourselves in the effort to combat the pain.”
— Dr. Tara Brach