What Is A Death Doula? Riley Keough Completes End Of Life Midwife Training

Actress Riley Keough announced she is in the process of becoming a certified death doula. The 31-year-old took to Instagram Sunday night to share a lengthy post thanking the people who helped throughout her training process.

Keough, who shared a photo of a quote from the poet Rumi, noted that people are often well prepared for birth but neglect to brace themselves for the heartbreaking process of death.

“I finished my Death Doula training, on The Art of Death Midwifery training course by @sacred_crossings so I guess I’m an almost certified death doula now hehe. And I just felt like writing such a deep thank you to this community who are teaching and training people in conscious dying and death work,” she wrote.

Keough went on to add, “I think it’s so important to be educated on conscious dying and death the way we educate ourselves on birth and conscious birthing. We prepare ourselves so rigorously for the entrance and have no preparation for our exit. So I’m so grateful for this community and to be able to contribute what I can.”

Similar to birth doulas, which assist the arrival of a new life through childbirth, death doulas help patients, who are nearing the end of their life, with dying, USA Today reports.

The popularity of the occupation began to rise over the last few years as family members or patients hire death doulas after a terminal illness diagnosis.

Along with sitting with patients as they are reaching the end of their lives, death doulas also help the dying get their affairs in order, such as helping them with their will and other legacy projects.

Although certification isn’t mandatory to become a death doula because it is an unregulated industry, it is recommended. The process requires 36 hours of work as a doula.

Keough’s death doula announcement comes eight months after the death of her brother Benjamin.

The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner confirmed the 27-year-old died by suicide.