Become a Certified End-of-Life Doula

Transform Lives–Including Your Own

Learn the skills to support people and their families during life’s most sacred transition.

Flexible online learning with expert guidance to serve others at your highest level.

A Growing Demand for Compassionate Care

The world needs more end-of-life doulas—trained professionals who can offer emotional, physical and practical support to individuals and their loved ones during the very specific time from ‘when-treatments-begin-to-stop-working’ to early bereavement.

Our program equips you with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to step into this meaningful role. Whether you’re seeking a new professional path or a way to deepen your impact in your community, this training is designed to support you every step of the way.

What Sets Our Program Apart?

Expert-Led Training. Learn from a pioneer in the grassroots end-of-life doula movement with over 25 years of hands-on experience in end-of-life care as a hospice nurse (16 years), palliative consultant and end-of-life doula in private practice (20 years), as well as corporate developer of hospice doula programs.
Unique Focus Areas: Strong Personal Component and Pre-Hospice Advocacy
Comprehensive Curriculum. Understand the key end-of-life issues, gain practical tools, emotional support techniques, and learn the consultancy role of doula.
Affordable Options. Choose a payment plan that works for you–save $500 with full pay or pay monthly.

Get Started Today!

Your Journey to Certification

Our curriculum is divided into three phases, ensuring you build a strong foundation before advancing to practical and leadership skills:

Phase 1: Foundations of End-of-Life Doula Work

Physiological processes of approaching death and nonmedical interventions
Understanding of current end-of-life issues and how to navigate them.
Key communication and listening techniques specifically for our work.

Phase 2: Practical Tools and Techniques

Supporting families through anticipatory grief, dying, death and early bereavement.
Develop meaningful end-of-life rituals and and your own special processes
Complete a personal self-reflective pathway integral to structuring your unique service.

Phase 3: Advanced Skills and Professional Support

Building your doula practice based on your personal legacy.
Creating your unique offer, pricing, packages and promotions
Community education, networking and leadership in the end-of-life care community.

explore the curriculum

Hear From Our Graduates

“I was really struggling to find my place/niche as a Doula. Deanna helped me to get clear on my gifts not only as a Death Doula but as a human being. She helped me to see that the person I am has to fit into the business I create. I had been fighting this idea…”

Rachel Grigor

Minnesota

Deanna Cochran has been a leader, mentor, and a friend to me for many years now. I recently retained Deanna to provide some professional guidance for me regarding my thoughts on moving forward toward developing my own business. I have a broad background, but lack the many varied seemingly qualifying letters such as RN, PhD, LLC, etc. I trust Deanna and was immediately heartened when she said “Sarah, no more qualification is needed. Your credentials and experience are enough!” Within our hour together, she helped me to narrow down and focus on the viable business paths I have to pick from, but which I was unable to see and arrive at on my own. I highly recommend anyone who is in need of professional guidance to retain Deanna. My money and time was wisely invested in Deanna and I will continue to work with her as I further develop my business and services.

Sarah Leach

Texas

Affordable, Flexible and Worth the Investment

We believe education should be accessible. That’s why we offer flexible payment options to fit your needs.

Tuition: $1800 USD

Full Pay: $1300 (Save $500!) | Monthly Payments: $300/month for six months

10-day Money Back Guarantee: If you would like to withdraw from the program within 10 days from registration, just email us and we will refund your investment minus $100 non-refundable administration fee.

This investment satisfies way more than just a professional pathway; it is about personal fulfillment in meaningful work that nourishes us as we bring comfort to others.

Step Into Your New Life Today

Don’t continue to wait to step into this meaningful role. Next year will be here before you know it, and if you are still here in this same place, that’s another year lost and people not helped. Whether you’re ready to enroll or just want to learn more, we’re here to help. Schedule a free call to discuss your goals and see how this program can fit your needs.

Schedule your free call enroll now

Have Questions? We’ve Got Answers.

Yes, as a bonus to this program, you have access to an entire year of monthly LIVE sessions with Deanna and surprise Special Guest sessions.

Deanna Flores Cochran, creator of Certified CareDoula® Essentials is your teacher. A native of Washington, DC and longtime resident of Austin, Texas, Deanna is an internationally known, highly respected leader in end-of-life doula education. Through trial and error, she created a powerfully effective practice model–CareDoula®. Deanna’s mission is to help others succeed. For a history of her groundbreaking initiatives.

The program is self-paced, so you can fit it into your schedule. The actual course and certification is created for 16 weeks. Some do it in 2-3 months, but most people enjoy it so much they end up taking their time and finish in 4-6 months. Most people report they spend about 4 – 10 hours per week (depending on their goals) in their study (which includes, assignments, reading suggested books, and business planning). You have an entire year with our LIVE sessions and support so take your time.

No prior experience is necessary. We provide all the tools and training you need to succeed. What we share is a heart for service to the dying, their families and circle of support. We are all from every background you can imagine.

Graduates work as independent doulas, with hospices, in consultancy roles with community organizations–there are many options. We help you build YOUR specific service in the program.

As long as you have a strong internet connection, Certified CareDoula® Essentials is available anywhere on any device that you can access the internet.

We do not require in-person training, although we do love getting together. Deanna arranges gatherings throughout the year when she is available.

Yes! You will have lifetime access to your training and certification material in Certified CareDoula® Essentials.

If you want to retain access to your bonus (our membership library, the CareDoula Way), you will pay the yearly renewal fee of $197/year.

We offer competitive pricing and flexible payment options. Review them HERE.

Yes! You can give the Certified CareDoula® as a gift, just contact us at support@caredoulaeducation.com and ask us to set that up for you.

Register Here.

We have a 10-day money back guarantee. If you would like to withdraw from the program, just email us at support@caredoulaeducation.com within the first 10 days from registration for a refund of your investment minus a $100 non-refundable administration fee.

Are You Ready to Make a Difference?

Take your next step toward toward a more fulfilling life, having impact in your world as an end-of-life doula. Enrollment is open–choose your payment plan and let’s create YOUR way of service!

Schedule your free call enroll now

A Note From Deanna

Not many people wake up one day and decide, “you know, I want to serve the dying.” It does happen but usually how it goes is something like this.

You are a person that people turn to when times are rough. You are the one that seems to show up when others do not or cannot. You are comfortable with dying and death in a way that others are not. You may even be obsessed with it. You find joy in bringing peace and supporting others through their dying time. More people don’t understand you than do.

Then, one day, you hear of ‘end-of-life doula,’ and you go, “WHAT?! Is this a real thing?” You do hours of research.

And you find that, yes, it is. Welcome to the rest of your life!

If this speaks to you, I would love to teach you everything I know, and I know a lot (not everything to be clear, but I can show you a thing or two). What I absolutely do know are people who want to give everything they have to make the dying time better for people and to help reduce suffering in this world. I am here for you when this is your calling and I will show you what it really takes to do this very unique service well.

Deanna Cochran
Founder, CareDoula® Education