Hello. I am Amy Anam Cara. My birth name is Amy, which means "beloved". I added Anam Cara later to further describe my soul purpose as "Soul Friend". As an End-of-Life Doula, that is exactly who I am, a soul friend. You cannot possibly do this work without connecting soul to soul. So what is an End-of-Life Doula? Well, you may have heard of birth doulas whose purpose is to "provide continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to their clients before, during, and shortly after childbirth to help them achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible"https://www.dona.org/what-is-a-doula-2/. An End-of-Life Doula provides very similar compassionate and heart-centered services, except it is at the end of life; an experience we all will have. End-of-Life Doulas may also be referred to as Death Doulas, Death Coaches, End-of-Life Facilitators, and more.
Each End-of-Life Doula brings their own individual talents and energy to their clients. Some have an affinity for death planning, while others shine at the bedside in the final hours of the journey.
The role of the End-of-Life Doula is not to provide legal or medical advice but to simply provide a wide range of support and education to the dying and their tribe, something that has been lost and forgotten as our society has "advanced". Like birth, the mother and child already "know" how to birth however, it is advantageous for the mother and child to have a team of caregivers nearby, whether it be medical help, a supportive partner, a midwife, or a birth doula. The expertise, community, and compassion make a difference in the process and the experience for everyone. That is the same at the end of life. No matter the circumstances, the body "knows" how to wind down. It is the extended community of support that assists the dying and each other as they witness an event that is life-changing for all.
I am always in awe and filled with gratitude to be a part of a dying experience.
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