Training Program

EOL Doula Training —
complete curriculum.

Lessons16 Lessons
Duration9–11 Hours
AlignmentNEDA Core Competencies
CertificateCertificate of Completion
16
Course lessons
9–11
Training hours
1
Live certification session
100%
NEDA aligned
Community access
Opening Module — Before Lesson 1

You are about to enter sacred ground.

End-of-life work is not a career choice. It is a calling. And if you are here — something in you already knows that.

Most people run from death. They look away. They change the subject. They fill the silence with noise because the quiet of a dying room feels like too much to hold.

You are not most people. The person called to this work can sit in that quiet without flinching — and hold a grieving family together with steady hands and a steady spirit.

When medicine has done everything medicine can do — you walk in.

Core Lesson — Runs Through Every Module

Humility and Non-Judgment
· The Walk With Thee Standard · 35 minutes

We do not know people's stories. We have no right to judge anyone we care for, nor their family and friends. You are not there to evaluate how they lived — you are there to honor how they die. This is not a lesson you complete and move past. It is the thread that runs through every lesson that follows and every room you will ever enter.

Full Curriculum

16 lessons · NEDA aligned

L1
What is an End-of-Life Doula?
25 minutes
Role definition · History of the doula movement · How EOL doula differs from hospice · The Walk With Thee model
L2
The Doula as Case Manager
25 minutes
Coordinating the care team · Family communication · Being the single point of contact · Documentation basics
L3
Understanding Death and Dying
30 minutes
The physical dying process · Emotional and spiritual dimensions · What families experience · Anticipatory grief
L4
Presence as Practice
30 minutes
Therapeutic presence · The art of being with · Sitting with fear, grief, and uncertainty · What your clients actually need
L5
Working with Families
35 minutes
Family dynamics at EOL · Conflict resolution · Communication strategies · Boundaries and professional relationships
L6
Advance Care Planning
30 minutes
Advance directives · Medical Power of Attorney · POLST/MOLST · Having the conversation · Document navigation
L7
Legacy and Life Review
35 minutes
Legacy projects · Life review facilitation · Ethical will · Helping clients find meaning and completion
L8
The Living Celebration
25 minutes
Pre-death gatherings · Planning and facilitation · Sacred ceremony design · Walk With Thee Living Celebration model
L9
Cultural and Spiritual Competency
30 minutes
Diverse death practices · Religious traditions · Creating sacred space · Meeting families where they are
L10
The 11th Hour — Vigil Care
35 minutes
Active dying presence · Bedside vigil facilitation · What to do and say · Holding space for the family
L11
After the Death — Immediate Support
30 minutes
The first hours · At Home Wake facilitation · Grief support · The Dignity Walk
L12
Mental Health Awareness for Doulas
30 minutes
Recognizing depression, anxiety, and grief responses · When to refer · Geriatric psychiatric basics · Caregiver mental health
L13
Working with the Care Team
25 minutes
CNAs, hospice, RNs, social workers · Communication protocols · Your role in the team · Walk With Thee standard
L14
Building Your Doula Practice
30 minutes
Pricing your services · Marketing · Ethics and boundaries · Insurance · Continuing education
L15
The Walk With Thee Standard
20 minutes
Agency model · Doula as contractor · How to work with Walk With Thee · Community and mentorship
L16
NEDA Core Competencies & Medicare Hospice CoPs
35 minutes
NEDA scope of practice and code of ethics · Medicare Conditions of Participation · Collaborating with hospice · NEDA Proficiency Badge prep · Walk With Thee study guide
After Completion

Certification & credentials

Certificate of Completion

Awarded upon successful completion of all requirements. This certificate documents your training as an End-of-Life Doula through Walk With Thee Training Academy.

  • Complete all 16 course modules
  • Attend the Live Final Integration & Certification Session
  • Participate in the Walk With Thee Doula Commitment Pledge

NEDA Proficiency Badge

Optional after program completion. Walk With Thee covers all NEDA Core Competencies and prepares you for the optional NEDA Proficiency Badge assessment.

Exam details: $115 exam fee · 90 minutes · 85% passing score required · Requires NEDA membership · Walk With Thee provides a study guide as part of L16

Live Final Integration & Certification Session

2 to 2.5 Hours · Required · Not Optional

This session is longer than a regular class by design. This is not a wrap-up call. This is a ceremony.

Extended key concept review and case scenario practice
Open Q&A — extended time
The Why Story — every student shares their calling
Walk With Thee Doula Commitment Pledge — spoken together
Individual acknowledgment — every graduate called by name
The Blessing — spoken over every graduating class

Ready to begin your
training?

Take the First Step