Certification pathway
End-of-Life Doula
Build practical skills in bedside presence, conversations, family support, grief, and ethical non-medical care.
From $262.50 USD
Online End-of-Life Doula Training & Death Doula Certification
For Those Called to Compassionate End-of-Life Care
Perhaps you’ve been the person people turn to. The one who has cared for someone you love, or felt how deeply the loss of an animal companion can shape a life. That desire to care has a place here.
Welcome to IEOLCA
Compassionate education for the many ways we care.
You may be researching death doula training after caring for someone you love, looking for a meaningful new direction, or hoping to build on years in healthcare, hospice, spiritual care, or another helping profession. Perhaps a beloved animal has shown you how much support families need through pet loss.
Whatever brought you here, you may be looking for the same things: a clearer understanding of your role, practical ways to help, and the confidence to be present when life feels uncertain. Our self-paced programs bring those pieces together, with thoughtful reflection and personal guidance along the way.
Presence. Reflection. Connection.
The heart of end-of-life doula care
Sage Lewis25-year pet professional · Creature TeacherIEOLCA End-of-Life & Pet Death Doula
Student & Graduate Experiences
★★★★★
Supporting people and animal companions.
“IEOLCA has deepened my relationship with life, aging and death. As a 25 year pet professional and life coach, I was searching for a program that offered support for both people and animals. The pet death doula and human death doula certifications from IEOLCA far exceeded my expectations!”
Explore Our Programs
Find the training that fits your path.
IEOLCA offers online End-of-Life Doula Certification and Pet Death Doula Certification, alongside focused courses in dementia care, medical aid in dying support, cultural rituals, and building a doula practice.
Honor-Based Tuition Options
Honor-based support for eligible programs.
Online & Self-Paced
Learn where and when it works for you.
Lifetime Access
Revisit lessons and resources anytime.
60-Day Money-Back Guarantee
A full refund within 60 days if the program is not the right fit.
Certification pathway
Pet Death Doula
Support animals and their people through declining health, end-of-life choices, remembrance, and pet loss.
From $174.50 USD
Focused training
Dementia & Memory Care Doula
Offer person-centered communication, caregiver support, and compassionate guidance for people living with dementia.
From $174.50 USD
Focused training
Medical Aid in Dying Support Doula
Develop informed, non-medical support skills for accompanying people and families through assisted dying.
From $174.50 USD
Focused training
Cultural, Religious & Spiritual Rituals
Explore end-of-life rituals and diverse traditions with sensitivity, respect, and cultural humility.
$29 USD
Focused training
Business Essentials for Death Doulas
Build a thoughtful doula practice with practical guidance on services, pricing, agreements, and outreach.
$99 USDA gentle place to begin
What’s calling you?
You may have a sense of where you’re drawn, or you may still be finding the words. Our free reflective quizzes offer a little space to explore your experiences and what matters to you.
Supporting people & families
Could end-of-life doula work be part of your path?
Perhaps you’ve cared for someone you love, volunteered in hospice, or simply felt drawn to being there when it matters. Explore what brings you to this work.
Free · 8 questions · About 2 minutesTake the End-of-Life Doula Quiz →
Supporting animals & their people
Where might your love for animals lead?
Maybe a beloved pet changed your life, or you already care for animals and their families. Explore your connection to supporting them through end of life and loss.
Free · A gentle reflection on your pathTake the Pet Death Doula Quiz →
Student Stories
In their own words.
Lisa F.IEOLCA Certified End-of-Life Doula
Student & Graduate Experiences
★★★★★
A Sense of Direction and Well-Being
“I'm really enjoying this process. It's giving me such a sense of direction and well-being. This has been an amazing journey.”
Jacob L. SchlangerGraduate, IEOLCA Pet Death Doula Training
Student & Graduate Experiences
★★★★★
It Gave Me a Road to Follow
“This course not only reaffirmed my intuition, but gave me a road to follow. I can't wait for this journey to begin. It grounded me so I can help others.”
April L.IEOLCA Certified End-of-Life Doula
Student & Graduate Experiences
★★★★★
Practical tools and deeper understanding
“IEOLCA gave me practical tools, guidance on boundaries, and a deeper understanding of how to support people with compassion during one of life's most sacred times.”
Nancy M.Graduate, IEOLCA Pet Death Doula Training
Student & Graduate Experiences
★★★★★
Tools, Reflection, and Compassionate Guidance
“Training with IEOLCA's Pet Death Doula program provided valuable information, thoughtful reflection, compassionate guidance on grief, and important tools and templates.”
Annette K.IEOLCA Certified End-of-Life Doula
Student & Graduate Experiences
★★★★★
Exactly what I was looking for
“I completed a death doula certification course through another organization, but felt like something essential was missing. This course is exactly what I was looking for.”
C. BrownGraduate, IEOLCA Pet Death Doula Training
Student & Graduate Experiences
★★★★★
Supporting Pets and Their People
“This training helped me understand that walking with an animal at the end of their life is a sacred honour. I now have the required tools to support pets and their humans through this final transition.”
Laurie CampbellCertified End-of-Life Doula · Verified Google Review
Student & Graduate Experiences
★★★★★
Empowering and practical
“IEOLCA's Certified End-of-Life Doula training is by far the most empowering and practical of the doula courses I have taken. I feel much more equipped for this work with the instruction, examples, and tools Amy-Lynne has provided.”
Robert R.IEOLCA Certified End-of-Life Doula
Student & Graduate Experiences
★★★★★
A thorough curriculum
“An incredible resource for those seeking a thorough curriculum. The combination of videos and written materials provides an in-depth overview of compassion, listening, person-centered care, family relations, proper boundaries, and self-care.”
Why IEOLCA
Practical learning. Personal support.
Clarity, confidence, and useful ways to care—with support as you find your path.
Thoughtfully built learning
A clear curriculum grounded in end-of-life care, with practical learning and reflection woven together.
Personal attention
Your IEOLCA educator personally reviews required assignments, with feedback that supports your learning.
Tools for real care
Program-specific guidebooks, conversation prompts, worksheets, and templates help you put learning into practice.
Care that honors each person
The Platinum Rule, clear scope, and ethical boundaries guide how we teach compassionate support.
Room for your life
Learn at your own pace, return with lifetime access, and choose from available honor-based tuition options.
Support beyond certification
Graduates receive lifetime Graduate Hub access, digital assets, continued resources, and a complimentary directory listing.
About IEOLCA
Education rooted in dignity, presence, and practical care.
IEOLCA was created to make comprehensive end-of-life education accessible to people called to this work. Our approach is grounded in the Platinum Rule: supporting each person as they wish to be supported, with respect for their values, culture, relationships, and definition of meaningful care.
Co-founders Amy-Lynne Mahon and Perry Metheral bring experience in end-of-life care, hospice, spiritual care, grief and bereavement support, and postgraduate medical education. Together, they created IEOLCA to unite compassionate presence, clear scope, reflective learning, and practical preparation.
Amy-Lynne Mahon & Perry Metheral
IEOLCA Co-founders
Jennifer CottonIEOLCA Certified End-of-Life Doula
Student & Graduate Experiences
★★★★★
Accessible education and meaningful support
“I was so impressed by the comprehensive information presented and how closely the material reflects real support for those transitioning. Thank you for making this training accessible, flexible, and affordable. I feel supported and confident as I move forward in this service.”
Finding clarity
Questions as you explore your next step.
You may be looking for a new direction, a more confident way to support others, or learning that fits alongside the life you already have. Start with the questions that matter to you.
Finding your path
You can begin with curiosity, lived experience, or a wish to offer more.
I feel drawn to this work, but I’m not sure where I fit. Can I start here?
Yes. You may be exploring after a personal loss, recognizing a thread of caregiving in your life, or looking for a meaningful new direction. You do not need to have a business plan or a settled professional identity to begin learning. Our free quizzes can help you reflect on what draws you to supporting people or animals, and the program pages explain what each path includes.
Do I need a healthcare background or previous doula training?
No healthcare background is required for our foundational End-of-Life Doula and Pet Death Doula programs. Students bring many kinds of experience, including family caregiving, hospice volunteering, animal care, spiritual care, and an interest in supporting others. Our teaching focuses on non-medical support, clear boundaries, and knowing when to refer to another professional.
Can I learn for personal growth, family care, or volunteering?
Yes. Some students want to develop a doula practice; others want to feel more prepared in their family, community, volunteer role, or existing profession. You are welcome to learn for the reasons that matter to you. The program pages explain any assessment requirements for those pursuing a certificate or certification.
Choosing your learning
Find the program that connects with the care you want to offer.
How do I choose between the End-of-Life Doula and Pet Death Doula programs?
The End-of-Life Doula program focuses on supporting people and families through dying, death, grief, and remembrance. The Pet Death Doula program focuses on animals and the people who love them, including anticipatory grief, quality-of-life conversations, end-of-life choices, rituals, and pet loss. Some learners choose both. Neither role replaces medical or veterinary care.
I already work in a helping profession. Can this build on what I do?
Yes. You may be looking for more confidence in difficult conversations, practical grief-support resources, or a clearer approach to being present. Our foundational and focused programs offer different ways to deepen that learning. Choose according to your interests and current role, and continue to follow the scope and requirements of your own profession.
What if I have already completed end-of-life doula training elsewhere?
Our Bridge Pathway may be an option for learners with qualifying prior end-of-life doula education who want to pursue IEOLCA certification. Eligibility and assessment requirements apply. The Bridge Pathway page explains what is involved so you can determine whether it fits your previous learning.
Learning with IEOLCA
Understand the pace, the support, and the practical side of learning.
How does self-paced learning work, and how long will I have access?
Programs are online and self-paced, with lifetime access. You can work around employment, caregiving, and other commitments, pause when you need to, and return to the material. Completion time varies by program and learner; the individual program pages describe their structure and requirements.
Will I receive personal feedback and practical resources?
Amy-Lynne personally reviews required student assignments. Resources vary by program and can include guidebooks, conversation prompts, worksheets, and templates to help you connect learning with care. Each program page describes its materials, assessments, and support so you can see what is included before enrolling.
Will the training help me understand what to say and how to help?
The programs explore practical ways to listen, invite conversations, support families, honor wishes, and respond to grief within a non-medical role. Reflection helps you consider your own experiences and assumptions alongside the skills you are learning. The aim is to help you approach care with greater clarity and confidence while recognizing when someone needs medical, veterinary, mental-health, or other professional support.
Tuition & what comes next
Clear information about access, completion, and continued connection.
How does honor-based tuition work?
For programs with tuition options, you self-select an available tuition level according to your circumstances. No application or proof of income is required. Every level within the same program provides the same learning materials, access, and support. Available levels and prices are shown on the individual program pages.
What is the difference between a certificate and certification?
Our End-of-Life Doula and Pet Death Doula certification programs have their own completion and assessment requirements, including the relevant Code of Ethics and Scope of Practice. Focused programs may award a certificate of completion rather than a doula certification. Each program page identifies the award and its requirements. An IEOLCA credential does not grant a medical license or permission to work outside your scope.
What support is available after certification?
Certification graduates receive lifetime access to the IEOLCA Graduate Hub, continued resources and professional tools, their certificate and digital assets, and a complimentary IEOLCA Doula Directory listing. These provide ways to stay connected and continue developing as you bring your learning into your own community.
What if I enroll and discover the program is not the right fit?
IEOLCA programs include a 60-day money-back guarantee. If you have questions about a program or need help deciding where to begin, you can also contact us before enrolling.
Have a question about your own path? Write to us at office@ieolca.org →
A thoughtful next step
Make room for what’s calling you.
Explore the learning that speaks to the care you want to offer. Whether you’re finding your direction or ready to begin, there’s room to take your next step here.
Self-paced learning · Lifetime access · 60-day money-back guarantee
