“We are Human too.”: The Challenges of Being an End-of-Life Doula

Abstract

End-of-life (EOL) doulas are emerging professionals who provide an intimate approach to the death process by focusing on the psychological, social, spiritual, and emotional needs of dying individuals. EOL doula work is stressful; it exposes individuals to recurring stressors such as suffering and grief. Trained professionals are needed to help advocate for the dying individual and their families. Despite the growing literature on EOL doulas, information regarding the challenges of being an EOL doula is underrepresented in the literature. This paper is one of the first to address this concept. Twelve in-depth, semi-structured interviews regarding the EOL doula experience were conducted as a part of a larger exploratory study. Three overarching themes emerged from the larger project: motivations to become an EOL doula, roles of an EOL doula, and challenges of an EOL doula. In this article, only challenges of EOL are discussed, along with subsequent subordinate themes.