The International End-of-Life Care Association (IEOLCA) is a global education organization dedicated to training, mentoring, and equipping doulas and compassionate companions to serve people at the end of life, along with those who love them. We provide self-paced, evidence-informed, heart-centered learning so that people in many countries, cultures, and care settings can offer meaningful, person-directed end-of-life support.
Our graduates support families in hospice, community, and private-practice settings and are known for their calm presence, ethical clarity, and respect for the Platinum Rule.
Our mission is to expand access to compassionate, non-medical end-of-life support by preparing doulas who can show up with skill, presence, and cultural humility. We believe that when families are supported, when wishes are honored, and when conversations are guided with care, the end of life can be gentler for everyone involved.
IEOLCA’s work is rooted in the Platinum Rule – treat others as they wish to be treated. We teach doulas to listen first, to center the person’s values, and to recognize that each situation is unique. Our training blends practical tools with personal reflection, because becoming an End-of-Life Doula or Death Doula is as much about who you are becoming as it is about what you do.
Our curriculum is also aligned with widely recognized end-of-life doula competencies — communication and presence, planning and vigil support, advocacy and care navigation, legacy and meaning-making, after-death and grief awareness, and professional practice. While the field is not government-licensed, our students are trained to clear, documented standards so they can speak confidently with hospices, care teams, and families.
Every client, family, and community is different. We teach doulas to ask, not assume.
Self-paced online learning for students in 75+ countries and care systems.
Feedback, gentle guidance, and real-world examples are folded into the training experience.
IEOLCA is currently led by Director Amy-Lynne Mahon and Co-Director Perry Metheral, who steward the curriculum, student experience, and the ongoing growth of our training programs. Together they bring decades of experience in hospice, spiritual health, community education, and end-of-life advocacy.
Amy-Lynne is an End-of-Life Doula, senior hospice volunteer, and long-time healthcare professional. She has supported individuals and families through illness, dying, and grief, and understands how much calm, organized presence matters at the end of life.
She ensures IEOLCA training remains welcoming, learner-centered, and grounded in the Platinum Rule so that students feel seen, not evaluated.
Perry has advanced training as a Spiritual Health Practitioner in acute care, inpatient clinical settings, and experience across mental health and palliative care. He helps make sure our programs speak to the whole person — body, mind, and spirit.
Many of IEOLCA’s reflective components, journaling prompts, and community-building practices are shaped by his approach.
IEOLCA collaborates with experienced doulas, hospice educators, grief companions, and business mentors so that students receive a rounded, practical experience — not just theory. Learners join us from North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania, often bringing their own professional background to the work.
Many students tell us the training feels deeply personal — they arrive wanting to learn how to support others and find themselves also relating to their own mortality, grief, and legacy in new ways.
IEOLCA offers a suite of online, self-paced programs for people who want to support the dying and their families with skill and heart. Each course blends clear teaching, real-world examples, and downloadable tools so you can apply what you learn right away — whether you serve in hospice, as a community volunteer, or in private practice.
Choose from full certification, pet loss support, business-building resources, and MAiD / aid-in-dying support training. All programs reflect IEOLCA’s commitment to the Platinum Rule, industry-aligned competencies, and gentle mentorship.