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HHA’s Death Doula training will not only equip you with skills, insights and perspectives, but provide you with a network of support from like minded professionals. As a benefit to taking HHA’s Death Doula Training & Certification, you will gain access to:

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• Ongoing Peer to Peer support from your Candidate Advisor

• Access to HHA resources and programs for continued life-long learning

• Network to Death Doula community support groups

 

For more information about Death Doulas and their importance in end of life care, please click here. 

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Why Choose Home Hospice Association as your Death Doula Educators?

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Our Death Doula Training & Certification Program was created by a team of subject matter experts who share a common passion for educating and empowering caregivers and palliative care workers. Our educators come from diverse backgrounds and bring experiences in spiritual, death and bereavement care and are focused on educating Death Doulas on a holistic approach to the end of life journey. To date, we have trained over 150 Death Doulas who provide services across Ontario. 

 

Our weekend training focuses on active participation between facilitators, students and special guest speakers, providing opportunities to practice learning and networking to further expand your skills and knowledge.  

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What’s the difference between Training and Certification?

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HHA’s Death Doula Training is a one-time weekend training program. Whether you are an individual coming to terms with your own mortality or a professional caregiver hoping to advance your client care, you will benefit from the weekend course.  

 

Death Doula Training is recommended for anyone who provides caregiver services to the dying and their loved ones and wants to extend their professional network. This could be professional and family caregivers, palliative social workers and care workers, and clergy. 

 

Beyond the training weekend, you will work with your Candidate Advisor to complete a combination of written assignments and practicum needs, as well as a final exam. Death Doula Certification is recommended to anyone who has a calling to provide this service as career development or profession. 

 

Death Doulas are not currently a regulated profession, however certification provides its own mertis within one's own practice and allows HHA to confidently work with or refer a certified Doula to a client in need.

Learning Objectives

 

By the end of the weekend training, you will have learned:

• The role of a Death Doula in end of life care

• Beliefs, biases and practices surrounding death

• Effective communication skills

• Complexity of grief and how to respond effectively to expressions of grief

• The legalities of funeral practices in Ontario

• Community resources available through HHA networks and partners

 

 

Course Content Includes:

• History of Deathcare

• Evolving Role of a Death Doula

• Grief & Bereavement

• Tending to the Spiritual, Physical & Emotional Needs of the Dying

• What Active Dying Looks Like

• When the Death Occurs

• Contacting the Funeral Home

• Honouring a Life - Rituals, Traditions and Cultural Awareness

• The Art & Skill of Compassionate Communication

• Reserving Judgement

• Palliative Sedation and MAiD

• Consultation Practice

• Vigil Practice

• Selfcare, Triggers and Debriefing

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For more information about Death Doulas please click here or if you have any additional questions about HHA’s Death Doula Training and Certification Program, please email Merri-Lee Culbert