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Best Life Best Death

Best Life Best Death

#248 A Day in the Life of a Death Doula – Vanessa Johnston, End-of-Life Doula

Jun 3, 2026 · 35 min · 14 segments

Have you ever wondered what a “death doula” does? Doulas offer compassion, guidance, and information to help people better understand their options around the end of life. This week, I talk with…

Have you ever wondered what a “death doula” does? Doulas offer compassion, guidance, and information to help people better understand their options around the end of life. This week, I talk with Vanessa Johnston, an active doula in Colorado, as she shares “a day in the life of a doula.” How do people find her? At what point do they typically reach out? Why do supportive colleagues matter so much? How does she structure her work and fees? And how does she — as a compassionate companion — recharge and care for herself while working so closely with death and dying? For more information on Best Life Best Death please visit our website at ⁠⁠www.bestlifebestdeath.com⁠⁠ Follow us on our social channels to receive pertinent and helpful resources on death, grieving, and more at: Facebook: ⁠⁠www.facebook.com/bestlifebestdeath⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠www.instagram.com/bestlifebestdeath⁠⁠

Have you ever wondered what a “death doula” does? Doulas offer compassion, guidance, and information to help people better understand their options around the end of life. This week, I talk with…

Speakers: Vanessa JohnstonGuestDiane HullettHost

Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube Amazon Music Website

Top entities: Colorado×18 Assisted suicide×8 Compassion×2 Doula English×3

Show signals: SuitabilityLimitedBiasNot politicalAudience≈6k followers

Vanessa’s Journey into Doula Work0:35 – 2:56

Diane HullettHost

0:35

So, you know, tell us a little about you, Vanessa.

Diane HullettHost

0:38

How did you get into this work? You and I are both teachers in the background.

Diane HullettHost

0:41

So that's a piece of it.

Diane HullettHost

0:42

But how did you get into the end

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

0:44

of life

Diane HullettHost

0:45

field?

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

0:46

Sure.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

0:46

Well, thank you for having me.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

0:47

I appreciate that.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

0:48

Big fan of yours, Diane.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

0:50

So, yeah, I used to be a high school English teacher, so kind of unrelated to this career.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

0:56

Of course, it's always been about stories for me.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

0:59

It's just now nonfiction, people's life stories that that I surround myself with.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

1:06

But I was looking for a new career in 2015 and really wanted something that was compassionate, would be a service that people needed, that used my skills in the world.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

1:18

I've always been comfortable with the uncomfortable.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

1:20

It's taken me a long time to learn how to use that skill in the world.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

1:24

But I had a friend who said, you know, I have a friend who was recently diagnosed with ALS and he is looking for an assistant.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

1:33

They called it at the time.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

1:35

And I said, well, I don't have any medical background at all, but if they just want like a companion to keep them company, I can do that.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

1:42

And so I was with him for two and a half years.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

1:45

And during that time, I heard about end of life doulas are compassionate companions for people at the end of life.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

1:50

And I thought, oh, That's what I'm doing.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

1:52

There's a name.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

1:53

There's a name for it.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

1:55

So I did training.

ColoradoAdministrative AreaUS state
98%18 mentions
Assisted suicideEntity
93%8 mentions
CompassionEntity
89%2 mentions
DoulaEntity
85%1 mention
EnglishEntitySpoken language
80%3 mentions
National Eating Disorders AssociationCompanyNon-profit organization
76%2 mentions
OregonAdministrative AreaUS state
72%3 mentions
DenverCityCity in Colorado
67%3 mentions
Greek languageEntityHuman language
63%2 mentions
CanadaCountryCountry in North America
59%1 mention
amyotrophic lateral sclerosisEntityDisease
54%1 mention
FacebookSoftware ApplicationSocial networking service
48%3 mentions
InstagramSoftware ApplicationSocial networking service
48%3 mentions
United StatesCountryCountry in North America
41%4 mentions
CalendlyCompanySoftware company
35%1 mention
Google CalendarSoftware Application
35%1 mention
Compassion & ChoicesCompanyNonprofit organization
28%1 mention
WashingtonCityCapital of the United States of America
24%1 mention
SwitzerlandCountryCountry in Europe
20%1 mention
VermontAdministrative AreaUS state
15%1 mention
CaliforniaAdministrative AreaUS state
11%1 mention
New OrleansCityCity in Louisiana
7%1 mention
ChristianityEntityReligion
2%1 mention

Society
HealthcareHealth
CultureSociety
Support ServicesHealth > Healthcare > Palliative Care
Death and DyingSociety > Culture
CommunitySociety
TrainingEducation > Professional Development
Palliative CareHealth > Healthcare
Professional DevelopmentEducation
Health
Education
DoulasHealth > Healthcare > End of Life Care
End of Life DoulasHealth > Healthcare > End of Life Care > Doulas
Medical Aid in DyingSociety > Culture > Death and Dying
End of Life OptionsSociety > Culture > Death and Dying > Medical Aid in Dying
End of Life Doula TrainingEducation > Professional Development > Training
Compassionate Care TrainingEducation > Professional Development > Training > End of Life Doula Training
Compassionate CompanionshipHealth > Healthcare > Palliative Care > Support Services
Collaborative PracticesSociety > Community
NetworkingSociety > Community > Collaborative Practices
End of Life CollaborativeSociety > Community > Collaborative Practices > Networking
End of Life CareHealth > Healthcare

Vanessa’s Journey into Doula Work0:35 – 2:56

Diane HullettHost

0:35

So, you know, tell us a little about you, Vanessa.

Diane HullettHost

0:38

How did you get into this work? You and I are both teachers in the background.

Diane HullettHost

0:41

So that's a piece of it.

Diane HullettHost

0:42

But how did you get into the end

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

0:44

of life

Diane HullettHost

0:45

field?

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

0:46

Sure.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

0:46

Well, thank you for having me.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

0:47

I appreciate that.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

0:48

Big fan of yours, Diane.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

0:50

So, yeah, I used to be a high school English teacher, so kind of unrelated to this career.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

0:56

Of course, it's always been about stories for me.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

0:59

It's just now nonfiction, people's life stories that that I surround myself with.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

1:06

But I was looking for a new career in 2015 and really wanted something that was compassionate, would be a service that people needed, that used my skills in the world.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

1:18

I've always been comfortable with the uncomfortable.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

1:20

It's taken me a long time to learn how to use that skill in the world.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

1:24

But I had a friend who said, you know, I have a friend who was recently diagnosed with ALS and he is looking for an assistant.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

1:33

They called it at the time.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

1:35

And I said, well, I don't have any medical background at all, but if they just want like a companion to keep them company, I can do that.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

1:42

And so I was with him for two and a half years.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

1:45

And during that time, I heard about end of life doulas are compassionate companions for people at the end of life.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

1:50

And I thought, oh, That's what I'm doing.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

1:52

There's a name.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

1:53

There's a name for it.

Vanessa JohnstonGuest

1:55

So I did training.

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