What is a Death Doula?

The end-of-life journey and how we view and prepare for it, is shifting. With this shift comes a need for support in the transition from life to death. Whether exploring the power of ritual, creating a personal death experience, or providing comfort and advocacy for the dying, death doulas support the end-of-life journey in many ways. In this event, we explore the role of a death doula with professionals working in the field.

Join Lakewood and the Minnesota Death Collaborative for this special conversation. Following the informational panel discussion, guests will have an opportunity to ask questions and connect with the doulas over tea and treats.

About the MN Death Collaborative

The Minnesota Death Collaborative (MNDC) is a group of integrative death professionals who serve the community in a variety of ways. They are end-of-life doulas, home funeral and vigil guides, celebrants, green burial advocates, energy and body workers, and much more. They work together to provide integrative death care opportunities to those who are dying, their families, and their support networks. Their goal is to educate and inform the public and professionals within the state of Minnesota, and to help those in need find appropriate services and resources. Learn more at mndeathcollaborative.org.

About Your Speakers

Janet Brown is a trained End-of-Life Doula through the International End-of-Life Doula Association (INELDA), Zen Buddhist practitioner, and founder of Good Death Doula. Some define a “good death” as one that is free from avoidable distress and suffering. Janet views a good death as one where people feel comfortable talking about death in ways that create agency, intention, and closure, while incorporating wellness and peace at life's ending. Janet works with individuals and their families through hospice, vigil, and the grieving process with compassion, love, support, and an understanding that this time is sacred, precious, and beautiful.

Patricia Harmon has her Master of Social Work and was inspired to do this work from her experience with cancer patients as they moved through the dying process.

Michelle Kolling is an INELDA-trained end-of-life doula, grief coach, and founder of Holistic End-of-Life Doula (HELD). While serving as a caregiver to her husband during the end of his life, she came to understand the transformational possibilities that exist when being deeply present to the dying experience. Michelle is a member of both INELDA and the National End-of-Life Doula Alliance; is a Certified Grief Educator through David Kessler; a Certified NLP Practitioner; and a Hypnotherapist and Life Coach through IntraAwareness. To learn more about how Michelle practices the art of death midwifery, go to heldoula.com.

Amanda Luke (panel moderator) is the Community Programs Manager at Lakewood and serves on the board of the Minnesota Death Collaborative. While not a death doula herself, she is eager to share the amazing work being done by these individuals and hopefully inspire a shared interest in death doulas and death advocacy overall.

The Lakewood Welcome Center

This event will be held in the Lakewood Welcome Center Community Room. This stunning space offers the perfect opportunity for conversations and education. As part of our vision to reimagine the role of a cemetery in modern life, Lakewood is proud to offer this dedicated community space to gather and explore topics related to death, grief, nature, art and more. Learn more about the Welcome Center.

The Learn @ Lakewood Series

Lakewood is honored to hold space for education and information specifically related to death, grief, urban nature, and art in this new series. Partnering with professionals from many disciplines, we explore ideas, encourage thought-provoking conversations, and exchange fresh perspectives with our community. If you have an idea for an educational event you would like to see at Lakewood, please contact [email protected].

Lakewood Heritage Foundation

This event is free for all to attend. In lieu of a ticket cost, we encourage you to donate to the Lakewood Heritage Foundation. Your donation to LHF helps support educational programming, as well as the preservation and restoration of Lakewood’s landscape, art, architecture and public spaces—for the benefit of all. Thank you!

You can donate when you purchase your ticket, or on the Lakewood Heritage Foundation page.

Questions?

Call the Lakewood events line at 612-540-5165 or email [email protected].

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Lakewood Cemetery, 3600 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, United States