This program is brought to you by the Chicago Area Villages Collaborative, as the fourth and final session of our End-of-Life Series.

Death can be a challenging topic to discuss. Many wonder why and how to prepare for it. In this presentation, you will hear about what a Death Doula is, why people benefit from the services provided, what a home funeral is, how to explore your legacy and the importance of preserving it. The work of a Death Doula is to assist individuals and families to prepare for end of life. Death Doulas have facilitated life-to-death transitions for both the dying and those left behind in all cultures since ancient times. The role of a Death Doula is to support and honor the wishes of a dying individual.

Services include: Death Education, Consultation on All Aspects of Dying Except Medical, Funeral Arrangements (Traditional, Home, Green Burial), Referrals for Trusts and Wills, Advance Directive, Legacy, Caregiver Assistance, Sitting Vigil with the Dying Person, Obituary Drafting, Grief Counseling, Distribution of Possessions, Financial Inventory, Account Closures, Personal Inventory.

About the Presenter: Catherine Durkin Robinson graduated from the University of Vermont’s End-of-Life Doula program and is a credentialed, NEDA-proficient member of the National End-of-Life Doula Alliance. She was also a longtime hospice-trained volunteer and registered pre-need counselor in Florida before relocating to Chicago in July 2022. Her varied career includes 30 years as a progressive political organizer, 10 years teaching high school and college, and 10 years as a newspaper columnist. She teaches future doulas at the University of New England and is also an educator and board member at End-of-Life Psychedelic Care. Catherine also holds regular classes and workshops in Chicago at St. Joseph’s Hospital, assisted living facilities, DePaul University, and Northwestern University. A queer-informed death doula, Catherine also writes a popular death-positive column at https://catherinedurkinrobinson.substack.com/.