Learn how a training program for end-of-life doulas is preparing a wide variety of students to care for their loved ones with compassion and heart.
My guest Francesca Arnoldy has trained as both a birth and death doula and continues to guide clients through these passages at the beginning and end of life. She is the developer and program director of the End-of-Life Doula Professional Certificate Program at the University of Vermont that provides training for not only doulas but also other medical providers and lay people in caring for the dying. She is the author of the book Cultivating the Doula Heart: The Essentials of Compassionate Care. Learn about her work at her website:
https://www.contemplativedoula.com
This interview includes:
- Similarities between birth and death
- The unexpected success of the EOL Doula Certificate Course at the University of Vermont
- Why the course stresses the importance of doing personal inner work before serving others
- How the shift in death awareness seems to be accelerating now
- The difference between sympathy, empathy and compassion
- Why we need to avoid trying to “fix” others
- What it means to truly “hold space” for others
- How the doula program fills a gap in medical care and is being gradually accepted by the medical community in Vermont
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Francesca’s website
- Cultivating the Doula Heart book
- EOL Doula Certificate Course at UVM
- Who’s Your Person What’s Your Plan Initiative
- Working Through Wishes Livestream Workshop – July 11, 2019
- Spiritual Journeys in Chronic Illness Course – starts July 9, 2019
- Art of Dying Author Series with Karen Wyatt MD – September 6, 2019 – Open Center, NYC
- Workshop: Earth Lessons for the Soul – September 7, 2019 – Open Center, NYC
- Beautiful Dying Expo – November 2-3, 2019, San Diego CA
- Join the team at Patreon.com/eolu and get access to the EOLU mug: “Mind if we talk about death?” (only Patrons can purchase it)
If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes! Thanks again to all supporters on Patreon.com/eolu!
Tune in to a series of brief webinars by 5 new teachers of death and dying classes. They share excerpts from their courses that we hope will inspire you to want to teach your own community class based on your knowledge, experience and passion for end-of-life issues. 
In this episode I share some recent studies that validate the fact that being aware of death has positive effects on behavior toward others. This is evidence that we need more classes, workshops, books, films, and discussion groups about death in order to promote health, peace, tolerance, and compassion in the world.
You can also get the Teaching Guidelines for a Death & Dying Class 
