The Fifth Season

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Frequently asked questions

The word doula comes from Ancient Greece and means “a person of service.” In modern use, it has come to represent supportive care at life’s thresholds—welcoming new life and accompanying the dying. An end-of-life doula offers holistic, compassionate support to individuals and those who love them, particularly during diagnosis, the dying process, and the deep realities of facing mortality.

An end-of-life doula offers compassionate, personalized support during one of life’s most tender times. We listen deeply, advocate for your wishes, provide grief education, and help facilitate meaningful family conversations. We support advance care planning and funeral planning, work alongside your medical team, and remain a close, steady companion as you reflect on where, how, and with whom you want to spend your final days.

Yes! I am a registered social worker and trained end-of-life doula, I have professional qualifications and memberships which require me to adhere to The Privacy Act 2020, legal requirements of the social work registration board, codes of ethics and standards of practice.

Liz offers grief coaching and an end-of-life service.

Grief coaching can be accessed during a period of profound grief at any stage of life, whether your loss was recent or more distant, support is available for you, families and communities.

End-of-life service can include:

  • Supporting meaningful conversations about grief and mortality and facilitating whānau conversations, including discussions with children.
  • Complementing clinical care and connecting to and coordinating professional and social support.
  • Walking alongside you to explore present and future healthcare options, helping you articulate your wishes and face mortality.
  • Offering to be your advocate and companion, supporting your decisions aligned with your values and wishes.
  • Grief coaching across the whole journey for everyone affected.
  • Paperwork: The Advanced Care Plan / Powers of Attorney: ensuring these documents are understood and completed.
  • Holding you gently in your final days.
  • Care with costs: discussing your cremation, funeral, wake, burial options.
  • Legacy and life memories, gently supporting reflection on your legacy and life memories.

End-of-life doulas offer holistic and non-medical support, this means we do not diagnose nor treat medical conditions, nor offer medical advice nor administer medication.

I can provide compassionate support, guidance, education and information:

  • at any stage of life, you don’t have to be ill or dying to work with a doula; support is available to help you consider your future health and death care.
  • intermittently: you can access my support when you need it and step back when you don’t.
  • to support you early in your health care journey—early, informed planning can help avert crises, emergencies, sudden decisions, or unplanned hospital admissions.
  • to equip you with grief education and resilience, strengthening communication, easing caregiver stress, and supporting peace of mind.
  • to offer care and support to your family, whānau, and community, so they are nurtured and heard.
  • in all areas of your life, I work in ways guided by your values and what matters most to you. This includes practical support and planning, emotional care, spiritual reflection, cultural respect, and attention to the relationships that shape and sustain you.
  • a continuum of care: extending into bereavement, doulas offer consistent, relational support that nurtures trust, affirms dignity, and supports individuals and whānau across the full end-of-life pathway.

MSD: Liz is accredited with MSD – you may be eligible for the Disability Allowance which can be used towards the costs of sessions with Liz. You don't need to be on a benefit to qualify for a Disability Allowance, please discuss with your GP.

www.workandincome.govt.nz/eligibility/health-and-disability/counselling.html

Cancer Society North Canterbury: Limited funding may be available, please discuss with your Cancer Society Navigator.

End-of-Life Doula Alliance Aotearoa (ELDAA) is a membership organization supporting the growth and professional standards of doulas in New Zealand. Professional members meet strict eligibility criteria including a commitment to a code of ethics, training and annual professional development. eldaa.org.nz

Palliative care in Aotearoa is facing real pressure from rising demand, stretched workforce resources, and unequal access, so the need for compassionate, holistic support has never been greater. With deaths expected to rise in the coming decades, end-of-life care doulas provide a caring, flexible way to ensure New Zealanders can experience dignified, person-centred support at the end of life.

Please email or call Liz for an initial free chat, this will allow you to ask your personal questions about your specific circumstances and give you an idea of how Liz works.