A Death Doula’s Guide to a Meaningful End by Jane Callahan

April 29, 2026|Patty Brennan|Uncategorized

Book Review by Patty Brennan

I found myself grabbing the yellow highlighter repeatedly as I read Jane Callahan’s new gem of a guidebook. The author weaves together her own life experience and client stories while synthesizing an overview of end-of-life issues, decision points, and resources. It makes for an informative and engaging read that brings the nitty-gritty of end-of-life doula work to life.

A repeated theme throughout the book is that we don’t know what we don’t know or need to know. This idea resonates with my decades-long perception that, when it comes to navigating our choices in the face of a major life transition, it is not possible to know all the answers, but there is power in learning to ask the right questions. Doulas can help clients identify the questions they should be asking if they want to make informed decisions, prevent trauma, and have agency over their experience. This is what empowerment looks like.

Communication and advocacy are a big part of the doula’s role and a section on end-of-life conversations from the doctor’s perspective was especially helpful, highlighting the work of Dr. Matthew Tyler (HowToTrainYourDoctor.com). His model uses the following framework: helping the person understand their disease and how it will play out, explaining what their options are, asking what matters most to them, and building a plan around that. Jane then outlines a series of essential questions for the person’s care team to create the plan. I believe these questions will provide the structure needed to guide difficult conversations, for both doulas and families.

A section on legacy planning includes a wide range of legacy project ideas and related resources that doulas can use to support clients in the creative process. Legacy work is the outward manifestation of the life review process, answering the questions, Why was I put here? What am I leaving behind? What did I learn? How did I matter? What have I left unresolved?

Here are just a couple of the resources Jane shares:

Share the Care: How to organize a group to care for someone who is seriously ill, by Cappy Capossela and Sheila Warnock
Death Nesting, by Anne-Marie Keppel and Dr. Karen Wyatt

Patty Brennan

Patty is the owner and visionary force behind Lifespan Doulas. For 40+ years, she has been a doula, midwife, educator, author, nonprofit executive, and entrepreneur. Patty has personally trained over 3,500 people to become doulas. She is the author of "The Doula Business Guide: How to Succeed as a Birth, Postpartum or End-of-Life Doula," 4th Edition, and accompanying Workbook. In 2025, she published her most recent book, "Into the Fog: Navigating My Mother's Journey Through Dementia" which is both a memoir and guide for family caregivers.