Meet the collective
Each death doula brings their own wisdom, education, and lived experiences to their work. If you would like to speak with a particular doula, please reach out to them individually at their contact information below.
To have your death doula practice listed, please complete this form.
Death Doulas:
Sandi Bianchi (she/her)
Shepherd You Home
sandibianchi@gmail.com
(858) 692-6060
Location: Chicago and area suburbs
I’m a Death Doula with seven years of experience providing bedside presence, emotional support, and non-medical comfort measures to patients in ALL settings. I have become very skilled in facilitating communication among family members, caregivers, social workers, chaplains, and clinical teams to increase clarity around patient wishes. With a strong focus on dignity and autonomy, my goal is to provide “a good and peaceful death” and welcome the opportunity to assist in home funeral requests, which is very common in Mexico. I’m fluent in Spanish, and I also enjoy educating others through presentations and community events around end-of-life care and providing guidance to my fellow death doulas. I'm also a Near Death Experience Consultant and provide Energy based comfort & healing.
Nicole Daigle (she/her)
Winding Path Doula Services
windingpathdoula@gmail.com
Location: Chicago & North/Northwest suburbs
I specialize in assisting clients with holistic, person-centered end of life plans that help clients reflect on what “A Good Death” means to them. I also offer a wide range of services aimed at providing clients with practical and emotional support. In addition, I am available for speaking engagements and event facilitation regarding general death and grief topics; death doulas; end of life planning; and medical aid in dying, which was recently legalized in IL.
Patrice Horton (she/her)
High Priestess Lady P. 3rd EyE LLC
ladyp@ladyp3rdeye.com
(708) 616-7142
Location: Chicago
My name is Patrice Horton, and my goal is to educate my community on death doulas, disposition options, home funerals, and promote healing through the dying, death, and grief process.
Lindsay Lenhart (she/her)
Walking Home Doulas
lindsay@walkinghomedoulas.com
Location: South Chicago Suburbs and NW Indiana
Walking Home Doulas was birthed by Kim Ladd and Lindsay Lenhart from a shared belief that conversations about death can be meaningful, healing, and even life-giving. As certified death doulas and longtime nurses, we help individuals and families approach the end of life with greater openness, confidence, and connection. Through education, planning, and compassionate support, we create space for people to explore what matters most, prepare for what lies ahead, and live more authentically.
Kirby Page (she/her)
Whole Life Death Doula
kirby@wholelifedeathdoula.com
(708) 695-8422
Location: Chicago
At Whole Life Death Doula, we operate on a fundamental belief: that true wellness encompasses the entire human experience, including its end. Whole Life specializes in After Loss Support, Legacy Planning, and Accompaniment.
Erica Reid Gerdes (she/her)
Waxwing Journeys
ericareid@gmail.com
(773) 562-1744
Location: Chicago and nearby suburbs
Erica Reid Gerdes is a NEDA Proficient death and transition doula working in the Chicagoland area. Her specialties include cancer support, legacy work, memorials and rituals, active end of life guidance, pre-planning and post-death support. She loves facilitating & having conversations about all things end of life, mentoring newer death doulas, and educating the public about death care options.
Krys Springer (she/her)
Bitterroot Grief Support
krys.l.springer@gmail.com
(503) 730-8733
Krys provides support at end of life for children, teens, and adults and is a bereavement specialist. She specializes in supporting children, teens, and adults as they navigate grief following the death of a child. She brings a trauma-informed and compassionate approach that creates safe and supportive spaces where grief can be honored.
John Kohlhepp (he/him)
A Secure Plan, LLC
jkohlhepp@asecureplan.com
(773) 680-6110
Location: Chicago and suburbs
I assist people with the non-legal End-of-Life paperwork after a loved one dies. I close financial accounts, transfer funds, handle social media and manage other services which families may need to close out a life. I also work with individuals and families as they put their End-of-Life paperwork together before a death.
Hannah Miro (any pronouns)
hannah.miro@protonmail.com
(262) 455-0444
Location: Chicago
Hannah is a NEDA proficient death worker who specializes in facilitating values-grounded family conversations, co-designing and assisting with legacy projects, supporting families through the vigil period, and working with people to plan for the death and funeral that feels the most fulfilling to them. In other spaces, they are a community herbalist and trained circle keeper, both of which are woven into their relationship with death. They currently are providing volunteer vigil support at several hospices in Chicago.
Brianna Pizarek (she/her)
Tell The Bees LLC
Tellthebeesdoula@gmail.com
(317) 696-0920
Location: North Suburbs, some travel flexibility
I can help run errands, meal planning and prep, take notes at medical appointments, be a point of contact for friends and family, essentially handling some of the nitty gritty so folks can focus on what's important. I also offer companionship, compassion, patient advocacy, and I am honored to amplify your celebrations and help carry the weight of grief.
Emmanuel Reymond
Ereymond@ugn.com
Location: Kane County (St. Charles)
Emmanuel has been in the field of end-of-life companioning for over 30 years, first in France then in the US. Currently acting as a hospice visitor (volunteer) and singing at the bedside with the Threshold Singers of Wheaton, they are a certified Death Doula through Doorway Into Light and trained on Home Funerals with Final Passages.
Jordan Rose (she/her)
Rose End of Life
roseendoflife@gmail.com
(615) 556-3474
Location: Chicago
I've dedicated my life and career to serving the queer and trans community, as well as educating clients on their rights surrounding end of life care. I believe compassionate end-of-life care should be accessible to everyone, regardless of one's ability to pay. Radical community care remains my top priority.
Isabelle Rizo (she/her)
https://www.isabellerizo.com/
hello@isabellerizo.com
Location: Chicago
Isabelle Rizo is a medical art psychotherapist and death doula that bridges folk practice, ritual, and medical experience for complex grief. Isabelle works at Lurie Children’s Hospital with families and patients, and in the community hosting death cafes and education on grief. Isabelle’s practice utilizes medical syncretism, art ritual, and a person-centered approach to honoring end of life.
Tommy (she/her)
This Final Chapter
tommy@thisfinalchapter.com
(312) 371-0900
Location: Chicago
As a psychotherapist and a death doula, I walk alongside individuals and families as they navigate illness, dying, grief, and the conversations that often come with them. I believe that when we approach end-of-life experiences with curiosity rather than fear—and allow ourselves to consider information, choices, and even the unknown with openness—we create more space for connection, meaning, and peace. My role is to offer compassionate support, education, and presence so people feel less alone and more empowered during one of life’s most tender transitions.
Tanya C Williams (she/her)
Death Doula Circle
tanyacharita@gmail.com
(708) 682-5657
Location: South Chicago suburbs
I am a mother of 2 adult children. I have been doing part time night death work since 2021. I enjoy being able to help families through the process of transition of their loved ones. I have experience with those who have transitioned from various types of cancer and dementia/Alzheimer's.
Lori Hatton (she/her)
Nightingale Crossings
nightingalecrossings@gmail.com
(847) 990-0435
Location: Evanston and other suburbs North of Chicago
Lori Hatton is an End-of-Life Doula, Elder Care Consultant, and Advance Care Planner who provides compassionate care to disarm the fear surrounding death, honor the process, and work towards a “good” death for her end-of-life clients. She serves those residing in Evanston, Illinois, and nearby communities.
Additional Deathworkers:
iliana espinosa-ravi (she/her/ella)
La Cigarra Counseling LLC
Psychotherapist & Grief Tender
iliana@lacigarra.net
(773) 514-8006
Location: My office is on the near South Side of the city for in-person visits but I can meet virtually with anyone in IL
I’m a biracial, Spanglish-speaking, flora and fauna-loving, Midwesterner from the working class, therapist, social worker, grief tender, fellow human trying to heal in a hurting world, and owner of La Cigarra Counseling LLC. I provide liberation-focused, relational, person-centered therapy to adults of all identities and backgrounds. My role is to serve as a supportive collaborator as people work to integrate their experience into something meaningful and manageable.
Ghausia Ludwig (she/her)
Death Care Anthropologist
ghausialudwig@gmail.com
Location: Northwest and Western Chicago suburbs
Ghausia is an INELDA trained Death and Transition Consultant, moderating grief circles and now expanding to death cafes. She is also a trained applied medical anthropologist and researcher, who helps clients map their death journeys / legacy and integrate cultural, spiritual, and ritualistic practices with death and dying. As a South Asian daughter, who witnessed both of her parents die and not be given respect for their cultural and spiritual needs, Ghausia advocates for autonomy, integrity, and dignity in end-of-life.
Joy Sobczak
Journey with Joy
End of Life Educator/ Grief Support Specialist
jsobczak424@gmail.com
(630) 370-2476
Location: Naperville/DuPage County
I have experienced death both personally and professional which led me to trainings via Susan O’Brien, Going with Grace/Alua Arthur, IDLM to become a Death Doula, EOL Educator and Grief Support Specialist. I attended Death Cafes with Allison Mitch and hosted a few Death Over Drafts. I love sharing fun and also practical planning tools, books, resources, wanting to normalize talking about -spoiler alert- we all die!
Richard Fuhr
Authentic1, LLC
Daily Money Manager
richard@richardfuhr.com
Location: Chicago City and Suburbs
As a Daily Money Manager, I help clients bring order and peace of mind to their personal finances. From organizing bills and budgets to tracking expenses and ensuring timely payments, I provide practical, trustworthy support that empowers individuals - especially seniors, busy professionals, and those in transition - to feel confident and in control of their financial life. My approach blends attention to detail with empathy, creating a judgment-free partnership that restores clarity and balance where it’s needed most.
Deanna Rondero (she/her)
Nourished Transitions PLLC
Registered Dietitian and Grief Care
deanna@nourishedtransitions.com
Location: Chicago
I support people through health challenges, grief, and life's major transitions with nutrition counseling, meditation, and death care. My approach is compassionate, weight-inclusive, and centered on helping people feel more nourished, connected, and supported through change. In addition to one-on-one services, I offer community events and grief circles that create space for connection, reflection, and collective healing.