End of Life & Death Doula Services

From birth to death, we continue to SHED®. Shedding is continual process of letting go of the old, and taking on the new.

At Birth, it’s our umbilical cord that is SHED to give us LIFE.

At Death, it’s transformational SHEDDING of our bodies.

Throughout life we go through a lot of attachments and detachments, not the physical ones like birth and death, but they are emotional ones. Your ability to deal with life’s detachments is about obtaining peace and happiness.

“Shedding what no longer serves you isn’t a loss; it’s making room for transformation.”

Kathy B Dempsey

Photo taken by Kathy Dempsey, 2008, Wisconsin

What is a Death Doula?

Death Doulas, like Birth Doulas at the beginning of life, are trained nonmedical support professionals that provides holistic, physical, emotional, and spiritual care for the dying and their loved ones before, during, and after death.

Less than 30% of adults do end of life planning…

Our Teams Services:

Speaking, workshops and retreats
Life transitions coaching
End of life planning
Living funerals and festivals of life
Legacy projects
Life review
Mediation and advocacy
After death care planning and services
Grief support

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, MD was a Swiss-American psychiatrist, a pioneer in near-death studies, and author of the internationally best-selling book, On Death and Dying, where she first discussed her theory of the five stages of grief. She graduated to “dance in the galaxies” on August 24, 2004, in Scottsdale, AZ.

“Death is an integral part of life, as natural and predictable as being born,”

Elizabeth Kubler Ross, MD

PODCAST – “Your Clock is Ticking: Are You Ready?” COMING SOON!

“Your Clock is Ticking: Are You Ready?” is a lively yet insightful podcast hosted by two humorous death doulas, Kim and Kathy. With wit and wisdom, they help listeners face the reality of life’s inevitable end—whether it’s expected or not. Each episode dives into the practical and emotional aspects of end-of-life planning, offering candid conversations and light-hearted advice to make sure you’re not only prepared but at peace with what’s to come. It’s time to stop avoiding the clock and start embracing life while preparing for its finale!

Kathy B Dempsey, RN, MED, CSP, didn’t expect to get her “death sentence” at 25 years old. But being diagnosised as the first healthcare worker in the country to test HIV positive, she learned, even as a ER trauma nurse, she was not prepared to die. Kathy is a keynote speaker, award winning author (8 books) who helps people of all ages with change and transitions. With Lenny the Lizard, the powerful metaphor that reminds people to SHED, their mantra is, From birth to death we continually let go of the old and take on the new. Kathy did her master’s thesis on Death & Dying and has been helping thousands of people SHED for over 30 years. She is also a Death Doula and took her training at the world renowned Omega Institute in New York.

Dr. Kimberly Harms has been around the block in life. She has served as a Commissioned Officer in the United States Public Health Service, a dental school professor, a grief counselor, a death doula, a civil mediator, a clinical dentist with her late husband Jim in Farmington MN, a school board Chair, President of an international women’s organization, the first woman President of the Minnesota Dental Association, a National Spokesperson for the American Dental Association (21 years), an award-winning, best selling author and international speaker on the topics of grief, conflict and legacy planning. She has also suffered many personal losses, including the deaths by suicide of her mother and son and the death by broken heart of her husband after their son’s death. Her most important role now is mother to her two surviving children and grandmother to 6 precious grandchildren.