An End of Life Doula walks beside people at the thresholds of life and death.

As a non-medical professional, an End of Life Doula (also called a Death Doula or Death Midwife) supports individuals and their loved ones through the practical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of dying, death, and grief. Through thoughtful planning, honest conversations, and a steady presence, we help people navigate this profound transition with greater clarity, dignity, and peace.

Part guide, part advocate, part steady presence. Our role is not to lead the way, but to help you find your own.

A Funeral Celebrant helps create and officiate personalized funerals, memorial services, celebrations of life, and/or “living funerals” that honor a person's values, beliefs, and unique story.

Whether you have a clear vision or are starting from scratch, I work closely with individuals and families to design meaningful ceremonies that reflect what matters most. Together, we'll create a gathering that celebrates the unique life and offers comfort, connection, and remembrance.

As a celebrant, I can officiate spiritual, secular, agnostic, or atheist ceremonies and can collaborate with clergy, funeral homes, or other professionals when desired.

Transition coaching offers support through the process of major life changes that can feel disorienting or overwhelming. Beyond end of life care, this might include retirement, a layoff, a career pivot, becoming an empty nester, boomerang parenting, a health diagnosis, or other significant endings and beginnings. Together, we work to help you stay grounded, make sense of what’s changing, and move forward with clarity and intention.

I offer compassionate, non-medical support for individuals and families navigating end of life, grief and major life transitions.

Services include advance care and end-of-life planning, life reviews, legacy projects, vigil support, Medical Aid in Dying support, grief support, ceremonies and memorials, as well as, transition coaching. Each offering is tailored to your unique needs, values, and circumstances.

I serve clients throughout the San Francisco Bay Area focusing on the East Bay cities of Alameda, Oakland, Piedmont, Emeryville, Berkeley, Albany, Kensington, El Cerrito, Orinda, Moraga, Lafayette, San Leandro and Castro Valley.

Virtual services are available for clients anywhere, and travel beyond my local service area may be arranged with applicable travel expenses.

Getting started is simple. Submit the form on our Contact page to schedule a complimentary 45-minute consultation. We will discuss your needs, my approach and pricing. Then we’ll walk through next steps and answer any questions you may have.

I work with people who find themselves facing profound change — whether that’s planning for or approaching the end of life, supporting a loved one who is dying, grieving a loss, or moving through a significant life transition. I also support those who are simply “death curious” and want to explore these topics with more openness and understanding.

My work is grounded in a commitment to inclusive and affirming care for people of all ages, cultures, and identities, including the LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities. I am a SAGECare Inclusive Deathcare Badge holder, which means I create spaces where everyone is met with dignity, respect, and belonging.

Different flat-rate packages and hourly rates are available depending on the services you’re interested in. After an initial conversation, I’ll provide a transparent quote with no hidden costs.

You can reach me anytime via the form on the Contact page. I aim to respond quickly — usually within one business day.

Advance planning is the process of thinking about and documenting your end-of-life wishes so that your values, preferences, and priorities are known and honored. This includes healthcare decisions (such as an Advance Health Care Directive), legal and financial planning (such as a Durable Power of Attorney, trust, or will), and funeral or memorial preferences. Perhaps the most important step is having conversations with your loved ones now to avoid confusion and conflict should the unexpected occur.

While many people associate advance planning with aging or serious illness, everyone should have most of these elements in place by the time they are in their 30s. Life is unpredictable, and making these preparations early can bring clarity, reduce stress, and provide peace of mind for everyone involved.

Advance planning is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself and the people you love because it ensures that your wishes are understood and honored. It reduces stress and uncertainty during times of crisis and helps prevent difficult decisions from becoming sources of overwhelm or conflict. While these conversations can feel uncomfortable, they often bring an unexpected sense of relief, clarity, and peace of mind.

Planning ahead allows you to:

• Designate someone you trust to make medical decisions if you are unable

• Designate someone you trust to manage your financial affairs if you are unable

• Reduce estate taxes plus time, energy, and cost associated with probate court

• Provide instructions for the care of your children, other dependents, or pets

Both hospice and palliative care focus on improving quality of life and providing comfort, but there are important differences.

Palliative care is available to people living with serious illnesses at any stage and can be provided alongside treatments intended to cure or manage the disease.

Hospice care is for people with a terminal illness who are expected to have six months or less to live. Hospice patients are no longer seeking curative treatment but have chosen to focus solely on comfort care. Hospice services are typically covered by Medicare and Medicaid and are provided wherever a person calls home, whether that's a private residence, assisted living community, or skilled nursing facility. In addition to providing medical, emotional, and spiritual support, hospice can significantly reduce end-of-life costs and ease the burden on families. An often-overlooked benefit is that when a person dies at home while enrolled in hospice, there is generally no need to call 911 or involve law enforcement—the hospice team guides the family through the next steps with care and compassion.

Hospice and End of Life Doulas share a common goal: helping people experience comfort, dignity, and support at the end of life. Hospice provides essential medical care for people with a terminal illness and a prognosis of six months or less, including pain and symptom management, nursing care, social work, chaplaincy, and support for family caregivers. However, hospice teams are often limited by Medicare regulations, staffing, and the amount of time they can spend with each patient and family.

A Death Doula is a non-medical professional who complements, not replaces, hospice care by providing personalized support tailored to your unique needs and wishes. Doulas can begin working with individuals and families long before hospice is involved and continue to offer practical guidance, emotional and spiritual support, advance planning, meaningful conversations, advocacy, and companionship throughout the dying process. In short, hospice cares for the medical journey, while a Death Doula helps care for the whole person—and the people who love them.

Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) is an end-of-life healthcare option in which a mentally capable, terminally ill adult may request a prescription from their healthcare provider for a medication they can choose to ingest to die peacefully.

MAID is authorized in several states, including California, and involves specific requirements, ethical distinctions, and processes for each jurisdiction. Visit Compassion & Choices to see an updated map of where MAID is authorized and which states have pending legislation.

To be eligible for MAID in an authorized jurisdiction, you must be:

• An adult (aged 18 or older)

• Terminally ill with a prognosis of six months or less to live

• Mentally capable of making your own healthcare decisions

• Able to self-administer the medication through an affirmative, conscious, voluntary act to ingest it. Self-administration does not include injection or infusion via a vein or any other parenteral route by any person, including the healthcare provider, family member, or patient themselves