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Ask a Death Doula Podcast is a weekly show hosted by Hospice and Oncology nurse Suzanne B. O’Brien. Suzanne is the CEO and founder of International Doulagivers Institute. This is a vital platform for discussions and interviews that will bring back death into the natural fold of life. Ask a Death Doula will share vital education on how to care for those who are dying as well as sharing inspiring stories from working at the bedside with over 1000 dying people from all around the world. Please visit www.doulagivers.com to access our free education and resource center. About International Doulagivers Institute: The goal of Doulagivers Institute is simple and powerful - to provide affordable and accessible education and support to everyone in the world so that every person has the opportunity to die with comfort and dignity in their own home. Death is something that we all have in common no matter our race, religion, or socioeconomic status. We believe that this education to support people to have the most positive end of life experience is a human right, not a privilege.
Episodes
2 hours ago
2 hours ago
What if everything we've been taught about success is incomplete?
From the time we're young, we're taught that success looks like achievement, titles, promotions, money, recognition, and checking all the boxes. But what happens when you finally arrive... and something still feels missing?
In this powerful episode of Ask a Death Doula, Suzanne B. O'Brien sits down with Kerrie Lee Brown, award-winning journalist, Chief Content Officer and Editor-in-Chief of SUCCESS® Magazine, to explore a conversation that is transforming millions of lives:
What is the true definition of success?
After interviewing thousands of the world's most accomplished leaders, entrepreneurs, celebrities, and changemakers, Kerrie has witnessed a remarkable pattern. The people who appear the most successful on paper are often asking the same deeper question:
"Is this really why I'm here?"
As a heart attack survivor at just 39 years old, Kerrie shares how a life-changing experience shifted her own understanding of success—from achievement to alignment, from external validation to inner fulfillment, and from chasing more to becoming more.
Suzanne brings the wisdom of more than two decades as a hospice nurse, sharing what thousands of people at the end of life have taught her about the difference between accomplishment and a life truly lived.
Together they explore why service, purpose, connection, and authenticity may be the missing pieces in the conversation about success.
In This Episode You'll Discover:
- Why traditional definitions of success often leave people feeling empty
- The difference between achievement and true fulfillment
- What people at the end of life consistently say matters most
- How major life challenges can become invitations to rediscover your purpose
- Why your "next chapter" may be your most meaningful one yet
- How service creates a deeper and more sustainable form of success
- Practical ways to reconnect with what your heart has always known
Memorable Takeaway
Success isn't about becoming someone else. It's about remembering who you truly are.
When we stop measuring our lives by titles, income, or accomplishments alone and begin measuring them by love, contribution, growth, and authenticity, everything changes.
Perhaps the question isn't:
"How successful am I?"
Perhaps the better question is:
"Am I living the life I came here to live?"
About Kerrie Lee Brown
Kerrie Lee Brown is an award-winning media executive, international journalist, speaker, and transformational leader with more than 30 years of experience shaping some of the world's most influential media brands.
As former Chief Content Officer and Editor-in-Chief of SUCCESS® Magazine, she interviewed thousands of thought leaders, entrepreneurs, celebrities, and innovators, gaining extraordinary insight into leadership, resilience, reinvention, and what creates a truly meaningful life.
Following a heart attack at age 39, Kerrie experienced a profound personal transformation that inspired her to redefine success through the lens of wellbeing, purpose, and authentic leadership.
Today she is the founder of RedLily® Media and co-founder of Lioness Global Initiatives™, helping amplify meaningful stories and empowering women around the world to embrace courageous reinvention.
Learn more at: https://kerrieleebrown.com/
Learn More About Lioness Global here: https://www.thelionessglobal.com
Connect with Suzanne B. O'Brien
If this conversation resonated with you, you'll love Suzanne's mission to help people live fully by understanding what matters most before the end of life.
Through the Doulagivers Institute, Suzanne is leading a global movement to restore the sacred understanding of aging, dying, grief, and living—empowering communities to care for one another with knowledge, compassion, and confidence.
Subscribe, share this episode with someone who may be redefining success in their own life, and join the movement toward a more meaningful future.
Because in the end...
The greatest success isn't what you accumulated.
It's who you became, how deeply you loved, and how fully you lived.
SAVE YOUR SEAT: Death Doula Secrets Webinar here: July 18th https://event.webinarjam.com/4kv5v/register/0ov7va8z?webinar_id=34
Monday Jul 06, 2026
Monday Jul 06, 2026
What if the future of end-of-life care isn't found inside the healthcare system—but within our communities?
In this powerful episode of Ask a Death Doula, Suzanne B. O'Brien, RN, shares why the global death doula movement has reached a pivotal moment—and why it's time for its next evolution.
Drawing from more than 20 years as a hospice and oncology nurse and over 1,000 bedside experiences, Suzanne reveals the critical gaps she sees in today's end-of-life landscape, why so many aspiring death doulas struggle to build meaningful, sustainable practices, and what it will truly take to create a cultural shift around aging, caregiving, grief, and end-of-life.
This episode also marks the exciting announcement of the very first Death Doula Bootcamp—a transformational three-day live virtual experience designed to help compassionate people become confident community educators and leaders.
This isn't about collecting another certification.
It's about becoming part of a movement.
In This Episode You'll Discover:
- Why Suzanne believes this is one of the most important moments in history for the death doula movement.
- The powerful story that inspired the creation of the Death Doula Bootcamp.
- The hidden reason so many healthcare professionals feel burned out, disconnected, and trapped.
- Why death is not primarily a medical event—but a deeply human and sacred experience.
- The three biggest challenges facing today's death doulas—and how to overcome them.
- Why bedside work alone is not the path to building a sustainable death doula practice.
- How the most successful death doulas create both impact and income by serving communities long before a health crisis occurs.
- The importance of advance care planning, caregiver education, aging support, grief care, and compassionate community leadership.
- How free education can become the catalyst for lasting cultural change.
- Suzanne's vision for returning end-of-life care to families, neighborhoods, and communities around the world.
Key Takeaway
Changing the culture around death will not happen one family at a time.
It happens when compassionate people step forward as educators, leaders, and advocates—bringing knowledge, confidence, and sacred support back into their communities.
The future of end-of-life care isn't simply about serving people who are dying.
It's about helping people live well, prepare well, care well, and love well—long before the final chapter arrives.
Join the First-Ever Death Doula Bootcamp
If you've ever felt called to this work...
If you're already a death doula but aren't sure how to build a thriving practice...
If you're a caregiver, nurse, social worker, therapist, chaplain, or simply someone who knows there has to be a better way...
This Bootcamp was created for you.
During this live three-day experience (August 27–29), you'll learn Suzanne's proven community educator model—the same framework that helped grow Doulagivers into a global movement serving hundreds of thousands of people worldwide.
By the end of the Bootcamp, you'll leave with:
- Your own community education event fully planned
- A proven outreach strategy
- A clear roadmap for serving your community
- Greater confidence in your role as an end-of-life educator
- The tools to create meaningful impact while building a sustainable practice
This is not just information.
It's implementation.
It's transformation.
And it's an invitation to become part of one of the most important cultural movements of our time.
Reserve Your Seat Today
Join us for the first-ever Death Doula Bootcamp and become part of the movement to create Compassionate Communities for Aging and End of Life.
Learn more and register at:
www.DeathDoulaBootcamp.com
If This Episode Inspired You...
Please subscribe to Ask a Death Doula, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who feels called to bring more compassion, education, and sacred care into the world.
Together, we can return end-of-life care to where it has always belonged—in the hearts, hands, and communities of everyday people.
Tuesday Jun 30, 2026
Tuesday Jun 30, 2026
What happens when you listen to the quiet voice in your heart and trust where it leads?
In this inspiring episode, Suzanne B. O'Brien sits down with Doulagivers graduate Killy Sanchez from Guatemala to explore a remarkable journey that began with caring for her mother and grew into a calling that is now touching lives around the world.
Like so many people, Killy first entered the world of caregiving through personal experience. What she discovered along the way was something much bigger than she ever imagined—a deeper understanding of life, love, service, and the sacred nature of the human experience.
Following her heart led Killy to become a Certified Doulagiver®, but it didn't stop there.
Today, Killy is helping Spanish-speaking communities around the world access life-changing end-of-life education and support. She is a vital part of the growing Doulagivers Institute Español initiative, helping expand free resources, including the award-winning Level 1 Family Caregiver Training, to Spanish-speaking families globally.
Killy also facilitates The Good Death Book Club in Spanish, creating a beautiful space where people from many countries can come together to explore meaningful conversations about life, death, grief, caregiving, forgiveness, and what truly matters.
One of the most moving moments in this conversation is Killy's story of caring for her cousin at the end of life.
When her cousin needed support, Killy opened her home and her heart. Using the skills, compassion, and wisdom she learned through her Doulagivers training, she helped bring family members together, bridged difficult relationships, created opportunities for forgiveness, and fostered meaningful conversations that may never have happened otherwise.
What unfolded was a powerful example of what becomes possible when a family is supported through the end-of-life journey with love, understanding, and intention.
Through Killy's guidance, her cousin's final chapter became one filled with connection, acceptance, peace, storytelling, healing, and love.
This episode reminds us that ordinary people have the extraordinary ability to change lives.
When we follow our hearts, answer the call to serve, and show up for one another, we create ripple effects that extend far beyond what we can see. Families heal. Communities strengthen. Fear transforms into understanding. Love becomes the guiding force.
This is how we change the world.
One person.
One family.
One act of compassion at a time.
In This Episode You'll Discover:
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How Killy's caregiving journey began with her mother
-
What inspired her to become a Certified Doulagiver®
-
The profound impact end-of-life education had on her own life
-
How she supported her cousin and family through a sacred end-of-life journey
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The role forgiveness, communication, and connection play in healing
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Why following your heart can transform not only your life but the lives of others
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The growth of Doulagivers Institute Español and its global impact
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How Spanish-speaking communities can access free caregiving resources today
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Information about joining The Good Death Book Club in Spanish
Resources Mentioned
- Resources Mentioned The Good Death Book Club (Spanish Edition)
- Free Level 1 Family Caregiver Training in Spanish: https://doulagivers.com/level-1-optin...
- Doulagivers Institute Español: https://doulagivers.com/spanish-resou...
- The Good Death by Suzanne B. O'Brien https://thegooddeathbook.com
- Free Doulagivers Level 1 Family Caregiver Training: https://www.doulagivers.com/monthly-f...
Connect & Learn More
If this conversation inspired you, we invite you to take the next step.
Join The Good Death Book Club in Spanish and become part of a global community exploring what it means to live fully, care deeply, and embrace the sacredness of life, death, and grief.
You can also access free Spanish-language caregiving resources, including the award-winning Level 1 Family Caregiver Training, designed to help families feel more prepared, supported, and empowered during life's most important transitions.
Together, we are bringing compassionate care, education, and community back where it belongs—into the hearts and homes of people everywhere.
Because when one person follows their heart, the world changes.
Tuesday Jun 23, 2026
Tuesday Jun 23, 2026
Is the Medical Aid in Dying Movement Opening Up a Bigger Conversation?
As Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) legislation continues to expand across the United States, a deeper question is emerging:
What is really driving the conversation?
In this episode, Suzanne B. O'Brien, RN, Founder and CEO of Doulagivers Institute and author of The Good Death, explores the growing movement around Medical Aid in Dying and asks us to look beneath the headlines, politics, and debates to uncover what many people are truly seeking.
Suzanne recently appeared on the nationally acclaimed Freakonomics Radio podcast alongside New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who discussed her decision to sign Medical Aid in Dying into law in New York State. While opinions on MAID vary widely, Suzanne believes there is one important truth that deserves more attention:
The desire for Medical Aid in Dying is often rooted in fear.
Fear of pain.
Fear of prolonged suffering.
Fear of loss of dignity.
Fear of losing autonomy.
Fear of becoming a burden to loved ones.
But what if, instead of debating only the final decision, we focused on addressing the fears that lead people there?
Drawing on more than 20 years as a hospice and oncology nurse and the bedside wisdom of over 1,000 dying patients, Suzanne shares how education, preparation, community support, and compassionate end-of-life care can transform fear into peace.
This episode opens an important conversation about what it means to die well—and ultimately, what it means to live well.
In This Episode, You'll Learn:
- Why Medical Aid in Dying has become such an important public conversation
- The fears that most commonly arise at the end of life
- What thousands of patients have taught Suzanne about suffering, peace, and quality of life
- How lack of education around dying creates unnecessary fear
- The difference between a medical event and a human experience
- Why end-of-life planning can dramatically reduce suffering
- How communities can reclaim the sacred role of caring for one another
- The critical gaps in our healthcare system around aging, caregiving, and end-of-life support
- What families can do now to prepare with greater confidence and peace of mind
A Question Worth Asking
If people are choosing Medical Aid in Dying because they fear pain, suffering, loss of dignity, or becoming a burden...
Shouldn't we first make sure they have access to the education, support, resources, and care that can address those fears?
That is the conversation Suzanne believes is the invitation of this moment: Returning Death Back to Sacred Experience it was meant to be.
Resources Mentioned
Death Doula Secrets Webinar: https://event.webinarjam.com/4kv5v/register/zmyryix0?
Free Doulagivers Level 1 Family Caregiver Training : HERE
Freakonomics: Who Gets to Choose a Good Death: 678. Who Gets to Choose a “Good Death”?
Learn the foundational skills every family should know for caregiving and end-of-life support.
The Good Death Book: Click here
Suzanne B. O'Brien's bestselling book on what the dying teach us about living fully, loving deeply, and facing death without fear.
Doulagivers Institute
Providing free education, resources, and professional certification programs to help return the sacredness of aging, caregiving, end-of-life, grief, and community support.
Connect with Suzanne
Suzanne B. O'Brien, RN is a former hospice and oncology nurse, international bestselling author, and founder of Doulagivers Institute. She has trained hundreds of thousands of people worldwide in end-of-life care and is dedicated to ensuring that every family has access to the knowledge and support needed to navigate aging, caregiving, and dying with dignity and peace.
If This Episode Resonated With You...
Please subscribe, share it with someone you love, and help us continue the movement of bringing death, caregiving, and community back into the conversation.
Because when we learn how to support a good death, we learn how to create a better life.
Tuesday Jun 16, 2026
Tuesday Jun 16, 2026
What if success wasn't measured by titles, status, or income alone?
What if true success was measured by fulfillment, purpose, compassion, presence, and the impact we leave on others?
In this special Doulagivers Graduate Spotlight episode, we are honored to introduce Yasmeen Fatima—author, Certified Doulagiver, and a beautiful example of what becomes possible when we follow the quiet calling of the heart.
Yasmeen completed her Doulagivers training in 2020 and has since dedicated her work to one of the most tender and sacred spaces imaginable: supporting children and families facing grief, loss, and end-of-life experiences.
Suzanne recently had the opportunity to meet Yasmin in person while speaking at a conference in Guatemala, and the connection was a powerful reminder that this work transcends borders, languages, and cultures. It is a universal calling to show up for one another in our most vulnerable moments.
In this heartfelt conversation, Yasmeen shares how the Doulagivers training transformed not only her professional path, but her life itself. She speaks about the courage it takes to follow your purpose, the unexpected gifts that emerge when you do, and why supporting children through grief is some of the most meaningful work she has ever known.
As an author, Yasmeen has also created beautiful resources to support families navigating loss, including her book Heaven Starts Here: A Children's Guide to Grief—a compassionate and much-needed guide that helps children understand, process, and move through grief with love and support.
This episode is part of our ongoing Doulagivers Graduate Spotlight Series, where we celebrate graduates who are bringing the teachings of compassion, community care, sacred dying, sacred grieving, and sacred living into the world in unique and powerful ways.
Because success today is being redefined.
Success is living in alignment with your values.
Success is sharing your gifts.
Success is answering the call to serve.
Success is leaving the world a little better than you found it.
And Yasmeen Fatima is doing exactly that.
In This Episode:
- Yasmeen's journey into the Doulagivers training in 2020
- How following her heart changed the direction of her life
- The sacred work of supporting children and families through grief
- Why pediatric grief support is so deeply needed today
- The impact of compassionate end-of-life and grief education
- Yasmeen's books and resources for children experiencing loss
- What true success means in a world hungry for purpose and connection
- How one person's calling can create a ripple effect of healing for countless others
About Yasmeen Fatima
Yasmeen Fatima is a Certified Doulagiver, author, and compassionate advocate for children and families navigating grief and loss. Her work focuses on supporting young people through some of life's most challenging transitions with honesty, love, understanding, and hope. Through her books, education, and service, she is helping create a world where children and families have the support they need to navigate grief with greater understanding and connection.
Connect and Learn More
Explore Yasmeen's work and discover her children's grief resources, including Heaven Starts Here: A Children's Guide to Grief.
Yasmeen’s website: https://yasmeenfatimah.com/
Thank you for joining us as we continue to celebrate the extraordinary graduates of Doulagivers Institute who are helping return the sacred to dying, grieving, and living—one family, one community, and one heart at a time.
Resources
Free Doulagivers Level 1 Family Caregiver Training
The award-winning training that has helped hundreds of thousands of people around the world feel more prepared for caregiving, end-of-life, and grief.
Save your seat here: https://www.doulagivers.com/monthly-free-class-register
The Good Death Seminar Series
Join us for this transformational 12-month journey into death literacy, end-of-life planning, and sacred living.
https://thegooddeathbook.com/the-good-death-seminar-series/
Connect with Suzanne
Website: https://www.suzannebobrien.com
Doulagivers Institute: https://www.doulagivers.com
Get the Book: The Good Death Here
"Bringing back the sacredness of death brings back the sacredness of life."- and THIS is how we change the world! Xo Suzanne
Tuesday Jun 09, 2026
Tuesday Jun 09, 2026
In this special birthday episode, Suzanne reflects on turning 59 and shares some of the greatest lessons she has learned from caring for more than 1,000 people at the end of life and training over 400,000 people to care for the dying.
What do those nearing the end of life teach us about how to live?
Again and again, they remind us that time is our most precious resource. They remind us not to wait to become who we came here to be. They remind us that purpose matters. Love matters. Presence matters.
Suzanne shares why she has come to view each day as its own lifetime—an opportunity to show up fully, love deeply, serve meaningfully, and not miss the gift of being alive.
She also shares her birthday wish for the coming year: to help train another 100,000 people through the free Doulagivers Level 1 Family Caregiver Training so that more families around the world feel prepared, empowered, and supported through caregiving, end-of-life, and grief.
This episode also celebrates the return of the Good Death Seminar Series—a transformational 12-month educational series designed to bring death literacy, empowerment, and sacred understanding back into our communities.
Because when we bring back the sacredness of death, we bring back the sacredness of life.
In This Episode
- Why time is our most valuable commodity
- The powerful lessons learned from those at the end of life
- How living with purpose changes everything
- Suzanne's birthday wish for the coming year
- Why every family deserves end-of-life education
- The return of the Good Death Seminar Series
- How restoring death literacy helps restore humanity
- The movement to return to Sacred Dying, Sacred Grieving, and Sacred Living
The Good Death Seminar Series 2026–2027
June 11, 2026
How Did We Get Here?
How did death become the number one fear in our world? Exploring what we've forgotten and how we can remember.
July 9, 2026
What Is Hospice Care and How Does It Work?
Understanding hospice, the Hospice Gap, and how families can bridge it.
August 13, 2026
Advance Directives and POLST Forms
What they are, how they work, and what you need to know to make your wishes legally actionable.
September 10, 2026
Choosing a Healthcare Proxy
The language we often get wrong and how to select the right person.
October 8, 2026
Quality of Life
Defining what quality of life means to you and why it should guide your healthcare decisions.
November 12, 2026
The 9 Essential End-of-Life Questions
The conversations and decisions that create peace of mind.
December 10, 2026
Having the Family Conversation
How to discuss end-of-life wishes and why this may be one of the greatest gifts you ever give your loved ones.
January 14, 2027
When Families Don't Agree
Navigating conflict and differing opinions around end-of-life care.
February 11, 2027
The Three Most Common End-of-Life Phenomena
What people around the world report experiencing at the end of life and what it may mean.
March 11, 2027
Home Wakes, Home Funerals, and FUNerals
Exploring family-centered after-death care and celebration.
April 8, 2027
Green End-of-Life Options
Natural burial, water cremation, human composting, and emerging choices.
May 13, 2027
Grief and Bereavement
The truth about grief, healthy bereavement, and how to talk with children about death.
All seminars are held live on Zoom. Space is limited and registration is required for each individual session.
A Birthday Wish
If this message resonates with you, please help make Suzanne's birthday wish come true.
Share the free Doulagivers Level 1 Family Caregiver Training with your family, friends, healthcare professionals, faith communities, and social networks.
Education changes fear into understanding.
Understanding changes experience.
Experience changes lives.
Together, we can create a world where no family faces end-of-life alone.
Resources
Free Doulagivers Level 1 Family Caregiver Training
The award-winning training that has helped hundreds of thousands of people around the world feel more prepared for caregiving, end-of-life, and grief.
Save your seat here: https://www.doulagivers.com/monthly-free-class-register
The Good Death Seminar Series
Join us for this transformational 12-month journey into death literacy, end-of-life planning, and sacred living.
https://thegooddeathbook.com/the-good-death-seminar-series/
Connect with Suzanne
Website: https://www.suzannebobrien.com
Doulagivers Institute: https://www.doulagivers.com
Get the Book: The Good Death Here
"Bringing back the sacredness of death brings back the sacredness of life."- and THIS is how we change the world! Xo Suzanne
Tuesday May 19, 2026
Tuesday May 19, 2026
In this deeply important and heartfelt episode, hospice and oncology nurse, death doula educator, and founder of the Doulagivers Institute https://doulagivers.com, Suzanne B. O’Brien RN, shares the truth about why so many end-of-life experiences today are filled with fear, overwhelm, and unnecessary suffering.
After supporting over a thousand people at the end of life, Suzanne explains that the problem is not a lack of love — it is a lack of education, understanding, and support.
The good news? A peaceful and meaningful end of life is absolutely possible.
In this episode, Suzanne breaks down the top three reasons end of life is not going well for most families today — and what we can do to change it.
In This Episode, Suzanne Discusses:
1. Families No Longer Have the Skills to Care for Loved Ones at End of Life
- How end-of-life care was once passed down from grandmother to grandchild
- Why these sacred caregiving skills have been lost over the last 100 years
- The emotional toll on families who are suddenly expected to become caregivers overnight
- Why this is not a failure of families — but a failure of education
2. Most People Do Not Understand What Hospice Does (or Does Not Do)
- The truth about the hospice model today
- Why hospice should be understood as a “consultant model” rather than continuous care
- The reality that family caregivers provide approximately 98% of the hands-on end-of-life care, even with hospice services involved
- Why the median hospice stay of only 16–18 days creates crisis care instead of supportive care
- Suzanne’s firsthand experience as a hospice nurse trying to teach families how to care for loved ones in an impossible timeframe
3. Fear of Death Is Driving Suffering
- How fear delays important conversations and planning
- Why people often come onto hospice services far too late
- The impact of denial and avoidance around death in modern culture
- How fear prevents families from learning the skills they need
- Why death is not just a medical experience — it is a deeply human one
The Hope: Education Changes Everything
Suzanne shares how compassionate education, preparation, and support can transform the end-of-life experience for both the dying person and their loved ones.
For the past 16 years, the Doulagivers Institute https://doulagivers.com has been offering free family caregiver education to help empower people with the skills, understanding, and confidence needed to care for loved ones at the end of life.
The free Level 1 Family Caregiver Training is now available in 15 languages and includes:
- The Doulagivers 3 Phases of End of Life Framework
- A live interactive teaching experience
- A downloadable workbook
- Guidance on how to physically, emotionally, and spiritually support someone at end of life
- Practical caregiver education families can use immediately
Save Your Spot for the FREE Live Training
This training is offered live and interactively — there are no replays.
Suzanne invites everyone to take this training before they need it, because one day, someone we love will need us.
“A peaceful end of life should not be a privilege. It is a human right.”
Learn more and register here: https://www.doulagivers.com/monthly-free-class-register
Memorable Quotes from This Episode
“Most end-of-life experiences are not going well today — not because families don’t care, but because they were never taught how to care.”
“Hospice is incredibly valuable, but most people misunderstand what hospice actually is.”
“Families are doing approximately 98% of the hands-on end-of-life care, even with hospice services involved.”
“Death is not a medical experience. It is a human one.”
“When we teach people how to care for one another at the end of life, we don’t just change death — we change humanity.”
Connect with Suzanne B. O’Brien RN
Take the Free LIVE Death Doula Training: https://www.doulagivers.com/monthly-free-class-register
Website: https://doulagivers.com/
Get The Book: The Good Death Here
Follow & Share
If this episode touched your heart, please share it with caregivers, healthcare professionals, and loved ones who may benefit from this important conversation.
Together, we can help bring compassion, education, and dignity back to end-of-life care.
Tuesday May 12, 2026
Tuesday May 12, 2026
In this deeply emotional Mother’s Day episode, Suzanne B. O’Brien RN shares one of the most sacred callings many of us will ever experience: walking our mothers home at the end of life.
As daughters, mothers, caregivers, nurses, and women in community, we are so often the ones called forward to care for those we love through aging, illness, and the final transition. Yet most families today are trying to navigate end-of-life care without the knowledge, preparation, or support that once was naturally handed down from grandmother to grandchild.
And the result is heartbreaking.
Families are overwhelmed. Terrified. Exhausted. Grieving while caregiving. Trying to do the most important work of their lives without the skills or understanding to feel grounded and empowered.
In this episode, Suzanne speaks openly about:
- The truth behind the current hospice model
- Why families provide 98% of the hands-on care, even with hospice involved
- How hospice shifted after becoming a Medicare benefit
- Why most people enter hospice very late, often already in crisis
- The devastating impact fear of death has on quality of life, caregiving, grief, and bereavement
- Why presence and time are the greatest medicines we have at the end of life
- The sacred role of “mothering our mothers” as they age and transition across the veil
- How learning end-of-life skills transforms fear into peace, empowerment, grounded presence, and love
Suzanne also shares a heartfelt call for women everywhere to rise into a new era of compassionate caregiving and conscious community support — bringing back the sacred human wisdom that once guided families through life, death, grief, and love.
Because this moment is asking us to remember:
Community takes care of community.
And when we learn how to show up for one another with presence, compassion, and practical skills, everything changes.
This is the heart of Doulagivers Institute:
To return end-of-life education and caregiving skills back to the hands and hearts of families.
The free Doulagivers Level 1 End-of-Life Doula Family Caregiver Training is now available globally in 15 languages and has helped transform the lives of hundreds of thousands of people around the world.
This free 90-minute live training includes:
- A downloadable workbook
- Practical end-of-life caregiving education
- Understanding the three phases of end of life
- Emotional, spiritual, and physical comfort measures
- Guidance for families and caregivers
- A new way of approaching life and death with peace instead of fear
And the impact has been profound.
What Participants Are Saying
“My sweet sister passed away last night after fighting Multiple Myeloma for almost five years. Because of your EOLD training I was able to be fully present with no fear. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
— Cathy S.
“I am a retired nurse with an extensive background in oncology, critical and palliative care. That was the BEST 90 minutes of clear comprehensive education on end-of-life care I have ever heard. Excellent!”
— Jan S.
“The Doulagivers Level 1 Training was life changing for me! Had the BEST night of sleep in over 30 years!”
— Ruth Moss
“I was drawn to the Doulagivers Level 1 Training in search of help with grief. I had tried grief counseling, therapists, and workshops, but nothing helped. This training changed everything for me. I can now see how deeply connected end-of-life education is to healing grief and loss. I feel very connected here.”
— Kristen O.
“When my son died, I felt broken when he kept saying he wanted to go home. I replied that he was home. I get it now. He was telling his momma he was ready to go. Thank you.”
— Theresa H.
“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I feel healed from my parents’ death issues that I have carried for over 40 years. Your compassion comes through every word.”
— Viv H.
This training is more than education.
It is healing.
It is empowerment.
It is remembering who we are for one another.
Join the Free Global Training
One training can truly change your life.
Grab your seat for the next free Doulagivers Level 1 End-of-Life Doula Family Caregiver Training and share it with those you love. https://www.doulagivers.com/monthly-free-class-register
Because this is how we change the world:
One family, one community, one heart at a time.
About Suzanne B. O’Brien RN
Suzanne B. O’Brien RN is an oncology and hospice nurse, founder of Doulagivers Institute, international bestselling author of The Good Death, and a global leader in end-of-life education and conscious living. She has trained over 400,000 people worldwide in compassionate end-of-life care and believes that death is not a medical experience — it is a human one.
#EndOfLifeCare #MothersDay #Caregiving #Hospice #DeathDoula #Doulagivers #TheGoodDeath #FamilyCaregiver #ConsciousLiving #GriefSupport #AgingWell #CommunityCare #LifeAndDeath #SacredCaregiving
Tuesday May 05, 2026
Tuesday May 05, 2026
This is a moment in time that marks a profound shift in how we care for one another.
In this powerful episode, Suzanne B. O’Brien, RN—founder of the Doulagivers Institute—announces a historic expansion of the Doulagivers Death Doula World Training, now available in 15 different languages.
For the first time in modern history, people around the world can access free, life-changing education that teaches them how to care for a loved one at the end of life—bringing these essential human skills back into the hands of families and communities.
This is more than a training.
This is a global movement.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- Why end-of-life care is a human right, not just a medical service
- The reality that families provide 98% of hands-on care—yet most feel unprepared
- How we’ve lost these sacred caregiving skills over the past 100 years—and why it’s time to bring them back
- What a death doula is and how this role is transforming end-of-life care worldwide
- The vision behind translating this training into 15 languages—and why this matters now more than ever
- How YOU (or someone you love) can access this free training and become empowered, prepared, and at peace
Why This Matters
Every single one of us will face end-of-life—either personally or with someone we love.
And yet, most people enter this sacred time feeling:
- Unprepared
- Fearful
- Overwhelmed
The Doulagivers mission is simple and profound:
👉 Give the skills back to the people and “fill the gap” Because death is not just a medical event—
It is a deeply human, emotional, and spiritual experience.
A Message from Suzanne
“Death is not a medical experience—it’s a human one.
And when we bring knowledge, presence, and love back into this space, everything changes.”
Global Impact
With this training now available in 15 languages, Doulagivers is:
- Reaching families across cultures and continents
- Empowering communities with practical, compassionate care skills
- Supporting a global shift toward more peaceful, connected, and conscious end-of-life experiences
Access the Free Training
You can join the Doulagivers Level 1 End-of-Life Doula Family Caregiver Training for free and learn how to:
- Provide comfort and care during the final stages of life
- Understand the 3 phases of end of life
- Support your loved one physically, emotionally, and spiritually
- Feel confident instead of afraid during one of life’s most important moments
👉 Register for the NEXT LIVE DEATH DOULA TRAINING here: https://www.doulagivers.com/monthly-f...
Join the Movement
This is about more than education.
It’s about changing the way the world experiences death—and therefore, life.
If you’ve ever felt called to:
- Help others
- Be present in meaningful moments
- Bring more compassion into the world
This is your invitation.
🔗 Connect & Learn More
- Take the free DEATH DOULA Training: https://www.doulagivers.com/monthly-f...
- Website: https://doulagivers.com
- Get The GOOD DEATH Book: https://thegooddeathbook.com/
Share the Message
If this episode touched you, please:
- Share it with someone you love
- Leave a review
- Help us spread this mission across the world
Because together…
we can bring dignity, peace, and sacredness back to the end-of-life- AND life experience- and THIS is how we change the world!
Tuesday Apr 28, 2026
Tuesday Apr 28, 2026
In this powerful and necessary episode of Ask a Death Doula, Suzanne B. O’Brien, RN, shares the essential questions every aspiring death doula must ask before choosing a training program.
With the rapid growth of the death doula profession, not all trainings are created equal. This episode is a call to discernment, integrity, and responsibility—because the work of supporting individuals and families at the end of life is sacred, deeply human, and requires the highest level of preparation.
Suzanne breaks down the three non-negotiables that define a legitimate, ethical, and high-quality death doula training—so you can confidently choose a path that truly prepares you to serve.
-What You’ll Learn
- Why the death doula profession requires high ethical standards and deep training
- The risks of choosing an underqualified or superficial program
- How to be a wise and empowered consumer in a rapidly growing field
- The 3 essential components every legitimate death doula training must include
- How proper training directly impacts the quality of care families receive
-The 3 Must-Haves in a Legitimate Death Doula Training
1. Comprehensive, Real-World Education
A true training goes far beyond theory. It must include:
- Real evidence based end of life care models from someone who actually worked in end of life care.
- Medical training for the Non-Medical Doula
- Physical, mental emotional, and spiritual care
- Hands-on, practical tools Doulas can actually use
- Real bedside insight—not just conceptual teaching
👉 If it doesn’t prepare you for real-life situations, it’s not enough.
2. Structured Support & Mentorship
This work cannot be learned in isolation.
A high-quality program includes:
- Live guidance and mentorship
- Opportunities to ask questions and process experiences
- Ongoing support as you step into practice
👉 This ensures you don’t just learn—you become confident and capable.
3. Clear Pathway to Service & Practice
A legitimate training doesn’t just certify you—it prepares you to serve.
Look for:
- Guidance on how to work with families
- Ethical frameworks and scope of practice
- Has a Business Model and business building support
- Real-world application so you can step into your role immediately
👉 Because this is not just education—it’s a calling into service.
Why This Matters
End-of-life care is not just another profession—it is a sacred human experience.
Families deserve:
- Skilled guidance
- Compassionate presence
- Knowledgeable support
And doulas deserve:
- Training that truly prepares them
- Confidence in their abilities
- The ability to make a real difference
When we raise the standard of training, we raise the standard of care.
“This work is of the highest service. We must hold the highest standards—not only for ourselves, but for the families who will trust us during the most vulnerable time of life.”
-Resources & Next Steps
Register for the LIVE Death Doula Discovery Webinar on Wednesday, April 29th at 7pm EST HERE: https://event.webinarjam.com/4kv5v/re...
- Learn more about becoming a trained death doula
- Understand How Death Doulas are the answer to a failing health care sysytem
- See where Death Doulas are working and how much they are making
Join the upcoming FREE Doulagivers Level 1 End of Life Doula and Family Caregiver Training Webinar here Join us at Life Café here Register to join us for FREE: THE GOOD DEATH BOOK CLUB EXPERIENCE: 12 MONTH FREE DEATH AND DYING COURSE Or visit our website here!
Please Share! Share this episode and invite them to join this sacred and supportive experience.
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