Death Doula 101: Compassionate Support at End-of-Life

What is a Death Doula, and how do they support individuals and families through the end-of-life journey? 

Join us for an enlightening discussion with three experienced Death Doulas as they share their work, offering guidance, comfort, and practical assistance to those facing death. This program will provide a general overview of the role of a Death Doula, their services, and how they help individuals navigate this deeply personal and often challenging time. 

Whether you’re curious about this growing field or seeking insight for yourself or a loved one, this conversation will provide valuable perspectives on compassionate end-of-life care.

About the Panelists

Kate Bagnati is an End of Life Doula. Wife and mother of 3, she is the events and social media coordinator for the Connecticut Death Collective and JumpSTARs. Originally from Geneva, New York, she has been living in Connecticut since 2004. In her spare time she enjoys being in nature, creating art, gardening, birding, swimming, and dancing Bollywood. 

Having end of life conversations, providing information and education while we are still alive is her passion. There is a great need to empower fellow humans to make their own choices so they can feel safe and supported in their end of days. Time is fleeting, she’d like to spend the rest of hers making connections, growing community, and holding space for others in great times of transition.

Becca Allen is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who specializes in End-of-Life planning. Becca helps individuals and their supportive community navigate their end-of-life with thoughtful conversation, compassion, and care. Becca's focus is on Advance Care Planning and getting a person's affairs in order. These conversations are for people at all stages of life and health. Becca has more than 25 years of experience in leadership positions in the fields of behavioral health, homelessness, and philanthropy.

Sara Tinnesz brings a holistic approach to living, aging, and dying well. She’s felt a lifelong calling to share her view of death as a sacred space for growth, connection, and healing which began in childhood and continued in her work as a hospice social worker and at the bedsides of family and friends over the years. After partnering with her mom through her journey living with Alzheimer’s disease and her death, she began an in-home consulting practice where she coaches, educates, and supports elders and those with progressive illness (and their care partners) to navigate the simple and complex transitions and uncertainties that challenge joy and meaning at the end of life. She has a deep appreciation for how even small shifts in perspective can have a profound impact on well being, meaning making and hope especially at end of life and brings that awareness and compassionate presence to the families she works with. In addition to her masters degree in social work and training in palliative care, she is an INELDA trained death doula and mother of 2 fully-launched young adults who live on the other side of the country. Sara serendipitously attended the inaugural Death Collective potluck in 2022.