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End-of-Life Doula Services

Dying is part of life, but most of us aren’t given the tools or space to walk toward it with clarity, comfort, or care. As a death doula,  I offer compassionate, non-medical, holistic support to ease the logistical, emotional, and spiritual journey of dying. All services are personalized, tuned to your beliefs, culture, family, and what feels sacred to you. Together, we can create a gentler experience for everyone involved: the person who is dying and the loved ones who remain close by.

 

This work is rooted in presence, trust, and honoring the full range of what it means to be alive, right up until the final breath. My heart is especially in LGBTQ+ community care, where safety, affirmation, and chosen family often carry unique weight. At the same time, I offer this support to anyone seeking a more intentional, compassionate approach to dying and grief.

Why this support matters

  • Having clarity and choice brings peace.

  • You (and those you love) don’t have to manage everything alone.

  • Honoring the human, the sacred, the relational helps make the passage gentler.

  • Feeling seen and affirmed for who you are matters, especially at the end of life.

  • Every family system, whether biological, chosen, or community-based, deserves support and care.

  • Trust, safety, and presence allow both the dying and their loved ones to soften into what matters most.

  • Creating space for both grief and love can transform the way we experience loss.

​End-of-Life Literacy

Helping you understand all your options, from hospice, home death, funeral choices, rituals, and after-death care, so that your end-of-life plan reflects your deepest values and your authentic self.

Advance Care Planning

Co-creating conversations and documentation around your wishes: medical preferences, spiritual or religious needs, who you trust to make decisions, what matters most in your final days.

Vigil Presence & Planning

Holding space in the final days and hours: helping plan what the environment feels like (sights, sounds, smells), how you want people to be with you, how rituals or traditions will be honored. Being present, physically and emotionally, as your witness, guide, and companion.

Legacy & Memory Work

Supporting you in reflecting, collecting, and preserving stories, values, messages, and keepsakes. Whether it’s letter-writing, recording stories, compiling memoirs, audio/video memory work, or creating tangible legacy artifacts.

Family Guidance & Caregiver Respite

Offering education to loved ones about what to expect, how to communicate, and how to prepare practically and emotionally. Also giving caregivers moments of relief, respite, emotional support, and relief from feeling alone in the process.

In-person Reiki Sessions

As part of holistic care, I offer an in-person Reiki session (60 minutes) for local clients, which can be added to your doula support package. This energy-healing work can enhance emotional balance, comfort, and deep presence during transitions.

​Individualized Support

Everything is adapted to your spiritual, cultural, and family values. There’s no one-size-fits-all: if certain rituals matter to you, or you prefer a quieter, minimalist approach, we'll shape the journey accordingly.

Flexible Engagements

You can engage me for a one-time project (e.g., legacy work, or a ritual), ongoing support, or full care partnership through the final chapter.

Transparent & Compassionate Guidance

We’ll walk through what you want, what you need, and what’s realistic. All services come with clear communication, honest support, and kindness.

How It Works

This work begins with a conversation. There’s no commitment until you feel ready.

 

We start with a connection call, a free 30-minute call to meet, share your story, and ask questions.

 

If you decide to proceed, we'll hold a 90-minute discovery session to explore your needs, hopes, and values, and to create a preliminary support map.

 

From there we'll build a care plan that I’ll send you in writing outlining the services, timeline, and cost. We’ll adjust until it feels right.

 

With each care plan, you'll have ongoing support. I walk beside you as your doula, checking in regularly, staying flexible as things change, and holding space through the entire journey.

 

This approach gives you structure and softness: clear next steps, with plenty of room to breathe.

How is a death doula different from hospice?

Hospice provides medical care and pain management. A death doula offers non-medical emotional, logistical, and spiritual support. I complement hospice teams by tending to the human side of dying: presence, ritual, meaning-making, and holding space.

When should we reach out to a death doula?

Anytime. Some people invite doulas in months or even years before death is near to start planning, while others reach out during active dying. There’s no wrong time. The earlier we connect, the more space there is to build comfort and trust.

 

Do you provide medical care or make medical decisions?

No. I don’t provide medical treatment, medication, or clinical advice. I can help you understand your options and communicate with your care team, but all medical care remains with licensed professionals.

Can you work with our existing hospice or care team?

Yes. I am also a hospice volunteer with The Community Hospice (part of St. Peters Health Partners) and I collaborate closely with hospice staff, social workers, chaplains, and other caregivers to create a seamless, supportive environment.

 

Do you offer virtual support?

Absolutely. Planning, legacy work, family education, and emotional support can all happen virtually. Vigil support is typically in-person, but I can also guide and support families remotely if needed. Reiki is only offered in person.

Which spiritual and cultural traditions do you support?

Death is deeply personal and often rooted in family, cultural, and spiritual traditions. I welcome and affirm all identities, backgrounds, and belief systems. Whether you envision a secular environment, ancestral rituals, prayer, music, sacred texts, or simply silence, I will honor and uphold what is meaningful to you.

If your traditions are unfamiliar to me, I will learn from you and your community, seeking guidance to ensure they are respected. This is your threshold, and it will be tended in the way that feels right for you.

What kinds of barter or trade do you accept?
I consider goods or services of like value such as: carpentry, masonry, tree services, landscaping, painting, plumbing, electrical services, small engine repair, veterinary services, tattooing, flooring/tiling work, and more. Please reach out so we can talk and you can describe your offering; I reserve the right to accept or decline. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Service Tiers & Packages

Because every journey is different, support can be tailored as lightly or as fully as you need. These tiers are flexible starting points to mix and match from based on your circumstances. We’ll work together to create something sustainable for your family and circumstances.

 

I accept checks, credit card, Venmo, and can arrange installment plans for larger packages. For Threshold Care packages, a 50% deposit reserves dates; the balance is due at the start of active services.

If finances feel tight, I’m open to creative exchange for goods or services in trade of equivalent value (see FAQ above). If you’d like to propose a barter arrangement, let me know. We can discuss your idea and determine whether it feels fair to both of us. I believe deeply that money should not be the reason someone walks this path alone.​​

Foundations

Gentle guidance and planning for those just beginning to think about end-of-life care. $250

Includes:

  • One 90-minute planning session

  • End-of-life literacy resources

  • Introductory legacy and reflection prompts

  • Advance care planning templates and guidance

 

Best for: Early-stage planners, or families seeking clarity and education.

Companionship

Steady emotional and logistical support through a season of decline or active dying. $1000

 

Includes:

  • Everything in Foundations

  • 6 hours of flexible support (used for family education, vigil planning, or emotional support)

  • Email/text support between sessions

  • Optional coordination with hospice or care teams

 

Best for: Those actively walking alongside a dying loved one.

Threshold Care

Comprehensive support through the full arc of dying, from planning to vigil presence. $2400

 

Includes:

  • Everything in Foundations and Companionship (7.5 hours)

  • Custom vigil planning

  • Legacy project facilitation  (one small recorded legacy/letter package)

  • In-person presence during active dying

  • 10 hours of flexible support, divided as needed for the above

 

Best for: Those seeking consistent presence and continuity of care.

Vigil & Hourly Services

  • Reiki (in-person only): $75 for a 1 hour session

  • Vigil hourly rate: $100/hr (for more than 5-hours, I will coordinate with other doulas)

  • Legacy project, short (1 x 90-minute recorded interview, edited audio file, transcript): $250

  • Legacy project, extended (3 x 90-minute recorded interviews, edited audio or video file, short memoir/collection of stories): $1,000

  • Advance care planning session (1 x 90-minute): $200

  • Caregiver respite block (3-hours, non-medical tasks only): $200

  • Travel / mileage fee: $1 per mile beyond 30 miles round trip

  • Retainer / deposit: 50% retainer for Threshold Care packages; 2-hour minimum for hourly bookings.

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© 2025 Shawn Carney Coaching

People of all identities belong here.

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