End of Life Doula
Cheryl Kelly provides personalized assistance and service to navigate the difficulties of death and dying.
Serving as an End of Life (EOL) Doula, is a profound honor and privilege! She finds great purpose in serving others, particularly those who are facing death and those who desire to plan in advance for their end of life experience.
Cheryl served as a personal caregiver for more than 15 years. She provided exceptional, compassionate care as she worked at the bedside of her grandmother who died peacefully at home at the age of 103. From that experience of total care until the last breath, her passion for this type of service evolved and ultimately led her to become an EOL Doula and founder of Kletos, End of Life Services.
Kletos was birthed out of a heart of compassion, a genuine desire to serve others in this capacity, and professional doula training from the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont (UVM).
As a doula, Cheryl enters into the space of the dying, listens intently, and honors all that is important, meaningful, and painful. She practices Unconditional Positive Regard; accepting and supporting others exactly as they are, without evaluating or judging them. Trusting in the inherent wisdom of each person to discover and decide his or her own path.
She is a companion to the dying and driven by creating experiences and projects that honor her clients and leave lasting memories for surviving loved ones to cherish.
To keep balance...apart from her practice, she enjoys interior decorating, reading, and being a pen pal - connecting with people all over the world through the dying art of letter writing.
Cheryl also enjoys spending quality time with her husband.
What is an End of Life Doula?
An End of Life (EOL) Doula is a trained professional who provides non-medical, non-judgmental support, typically when death is imminent.
EOL Doulas (also known as End of Life Specialists, Death Doulas, Transition Coaches, and more) provide compassionate care, champion for the wishes of the dying person, and assists the dying with intentional planning and “living fully” right up to the last breath.
The word "doula" originates from the ancient Greek term meaning "servant" or "a woman who serves." Perhaps you are familiar with the 20th century term birth doula, commonly referred to professionals who provide physical, emotional and other practical support before, during, and following birth.
Today, a growing movement of End of Life Doulas emerged in response to shifting attitudes about death and increasing interest in establishing legacies and personalizing the end of life experience.
EOL Doulas practice with open minds and open hearts. Serving with a "beginner's mind" as students of death and students of their clients; meeting people where they are in their journey; and always learning and supporting the client's belief without attachment to their own belief or the outcome.
The doula turns toward and leans into suffering with abiding faith in people! Doulas companion and serve versus treat and help; and they cultivate inner calm and peacefulness, even in the face of chaos and intensity.
Companioning is not about assessing, analyzing, fixing or resolving another's pain or grief. Instead, it is about being totally present. The companioning model is anchored in the "teach me" perspective.
What is the role of an EOL Doula?
A doula does not take the place of medical professionals, hospice care, or the comfort of family and friends. Rather, the doula’s role is to help the dying person navigate through the unfamiliar territory that occurs at the end of their life.
EOL Doulas may aid in the following areas:
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Education about the dying process
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Guidance through the many available end-of-life options
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Support through practical, emotional, and spiritual care
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Advocacy when the dying person can no longer speak for themselves
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Coordination between family, caregivers, and medical professionals
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Companionship for the one who is dying
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Knowledge of when death is imminent
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Inspiration for the dying person to contemplate their life’s meaning and legacy
By providing compassionate care, presence, and insight, the doula can help bring a deep sense of peace and meaning to the client and their family. As the dying person and their loved ones learn about the dying process and how they can be involved in the journey, anxieties often lessen, walls break down, and a great depth of appreciation and respect for each other can emerge.
Of course, death can be messy, and relationships even messier, so adding a doula to the mix doesn’t always guarantee final days that are peaceful and serene. Medical emergencies happen, grief and stress can overwhelm, and old wounds or conflicting opinions can cause rifts in the family. In these situations the help of a calm, dispassionate, and non-partisan doula can be even more important.
Doulas, emphasize the importance of talking and thinking through death and the process of dying. This involves respecting the dying individual’s wishes first and foremost, but providing options and guidance as clients consider where and how they die, who should be there, what their surrounding environment should be like, what rituals to observe, and how their body should be handled after death.
What We're About
offers a plethora of services to create an end of life experience that exemplifies what's meaningful and valuable to you!
We will customize a plan based on your specific end of life wishes which will save your loved ones time, money, and unnecessary suffering when death approaches.
Kletos was established to meet the following needs:
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Help promote proactive conversations about death and dying.
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Help people plan for and have more control over how they want to die and be remembered.
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Support both dying and healthy people in "living fully" right up to the last breath.
Drawing on experience as a caregiver and a career and background in customer service, coupled with a deep passion for serving others, I offer a culturally-sensitive and creative approach in serving Kletos clients.
It would be a privilege to discuss your unique needs
and goals, and to support you and your loved ones as your personal End of Life Doula!
Cheryl Kelly, Founder & Professional End of Life Doula
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Serving at the crossroads of life & death
END-OF-LIFE DOULAS
ARE CHANGING THE WAY
PEOPLE APPROACH DEATH
Death is coming! It’s understandable not to want to think about it or discuss it, but when a dreaded diagnosis or the natural decline from age comes...it’s hard to avoid.
Still, we rise and go about our busy lives, bypass thinking deeply about death. There are surgeries, procedures, medications, and other interventions such as diet and exercise that offer hope in delaying death. But ultimately, death inevitably comes to each of us.
We are distracted by our busy lives, list of tasks, and whirlwind attempts to check items off of our bucket list. All of this is good however fact is...one day we are going to die. We'll wake up as we normally do and go about our daily routine; however one day will not end as we expected or planned.
But maybe that isn’t you. Perhaps you realize that death is coming, and you want to address it and face it head on, with clear eyes, sound mind, and a full heart. You recognize that death is a natural part of life, and you want to die well. You want to take care of your family, leave behind a meaningful legacy, and have your own or your loved one’s final wishes fulfilled in an honorable way.
Maybe you want all those things, but just can't seem to get started to make it happen.
Great news! There are people who are trained to help with this situation. Caring, compassionate individuals who have learned about the dying process in order to help you through the journey. They are part of an emerging profession known as death doulas, death midwives, end of life specialists, or (the preferred term) end-of-life doulas.
Dedicated to helping people talk about their final wishes and committed to have people's wishes for end of life care expressed and respected.
Many people arrive at death having never made their views, wishes, and preferences known. So they wind up dying in a manner they would not have chosen, with regrets, and/or unresolved business. Perhaps they are alone in a hospital or facility rather than at home surrounded by their loved ones, or they are at home alone when they would have preferred a hospital or other communal environment.
Then, there are unresolved offenses and unforgiveness that are very apparent and you desire to reconcile with friends and loved ones.
These sorts of things often leaves surviving family and friends with a feeling of guilt and uncertainty, wondering if there was more that could have been done or if given the opportunity, would have been done differently.
To prevent these scenarios, people must talk about their end of life wishes beforehand and be intentional about preparing and planning.
Kletos provides the tools and resources for you to begin the process in an organized, professional, and confidential manner.
Take the first step today...
we are here for you!
