What can you expect from this book?
Find practical and emotional support for your death wellness journey with this immersive workbook.
If you’re ready to explore mortality and end-of-life care planning—or you’re looking to bring more meaning to the present moment—The Death Doula’s Guide to Living Fully and Dying Prepared offers valuable insight and reassuring guidance. Who is this book for? Anyone seeking a more intentional approach to living and dying as well as:
- People ready to begin or revisit stated wishes for their eventual death
- Those with a serious or terminal condition looking to prepare for their final phase of life
- Honorary or biological parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles, as well as godparents, guideparents, mentors, or guardians who want to leave behind remembrance gifts
- People hoping to lessen their fear of life’s end
- End-of-life care providers
Completing this workbook is a brave act of healthy preparedness, as it breaks down a complex and often overwhelming topic into manageable tasks. You will tap into deep truths and poignant memories as you work through the exercises, often feeling lighter and unburdened after finishing. Most importantly, you’ll find your best way to live fully and die prepared by clarifying the vital priorities, values, and wishes you want honored.
What inspired the book?
The format of this interactive workbook was largely inspired by my own “Death Journal,” what I call the remembrance project I’ve been working on for many years. It’s a gift for my beloveds for my end of life—whenever that occurs. They know of its purpose and where it lives. Inside its pages, my Death Journal contains mementos, messages, song lyrics, poetry, quotes, and more. I have included my preferences for end-of-life care as well as my hopes for disposition (with contingency plans). There are also lists, like my “Happiness Is…” and “Comfort Is…” as well as one about gratitude and beliefs. Basically, it’s me on a page. It’s what I’ve loved and why. It’s my words and wishes. When they open it, they’ll find me. They’ll hear my voice. And hopefully they’ll feel my love. –Francesca
Editorial Reviews
“As I was savoring every word, I kept thinking how I wish I had this when I was a young adult, and I wonder, if someone had helped me dig deep into my own curiosities back then, would I have lived my life more fully? This is a brilliant guide, and a lovely opportunity to explore what matters most—allowing you to choreograph a life, and a death, on your terms.”
—Gabrielle Elise Jimenez, hospice nurse; end-of-life doula; conscious dying educator; and author of four books: Soft Landing, The Hospice Heart, At the Bedside, and What Would Gabby Say?
“This compassionate preparation guide is a valuable resource for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of how to prepare and plan for the end of their life. Francesca provides a wealth of information on the practical and emotional aspects of end-of-life planning—including exercises that prompt self-reflection and wishes for the future—that guides readers on a journey of self-discovery.”
—Jennifer Mallmes, BGS, facilitator and developer of the End-of-Life Doula Program at Douglas College in Canada, and cofounder of the End-of-Life Doula Association of Canada
“The Death Doula’s Guide to Living Fully and Dying Prepared by Francesca Arnoldy provides readers with the tools to incorporate a healthy awareness of death as they navigate life. The practical reflections and exercises included in the book can calm fears of death and catalyze growth in consciousness and joy. This workbook should be on every kitchen table to bring essential conversations about mortality back into day-to-day life.”
—Karen Wyatt, MD, retired hospice physician, host of End-of-Life University Podcast, and author of 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying
“A thoughtful, kind, compassionate, forgiving, loving, and infinitely practical lesson in living well and dying your way. No surprise it comes from the desk of an end-of-life doula.”
—Jessica Zitter, MD, MPH, FAAHPM, FCCP, author of Extreme Measures, and founder of Reel Medicine Media
“Whether facing your own death or caring for someone at the end of theirs, this remarkable book can become a true friend and guide on the journey. With care and wisdom, Francesca has crafted a comprehensive workbook that tackles the practical and spiritual dimension of dying. In it we explore our fear, make meaning of our life, heal the past, and sort out end-of-life wishes. A tall order beautifully executed.”
—Johanna J. Lunn, founder of the When You Die Project, and award-winning filmmaker whose work includes Saying Goodbye and Architecture of Death
“A beautiful portrait of the human capacity for love, acceptance, and meaning as we face life’s end. Rich in deep experience and thoughtful reflection, The Death Doula’s Guide to Living Fully and Dying Prepared is an emotionally wise book that provides the framework for people in any life stage to engage in death journaling and death wellness. Francesca gently and compassionately guides us on a journey that will inspire you to reflect on your own life and help you to be meaningfully present for those nearing the end of their lives.”
—Christopher Kerr, MD, PhD, hospice physician, researcher, and author of Death is But a Dream
“The Death Doula’s Guide to Living Fully and Dying Prepared blends insights, tools, and resources from Arnoldy’s years of experience as an end-of-life doula into a workbook for building a healthy relationship with life and death. It is a gift for all readers: inspiring us to contemplate how we want to live today and the positive impact we hope to leave behind, and helps people facing death find clarity and closure in their final days, weeks, or months.”
—Kim Callinan, president and CEO of Compassion & Choices, the largest end-of-life care consumer advocacy organization in the US; and certified death doula
“This is a well-organized, generous encouragement toward death wellness, grounded in compassionate action. Accessible exercises and practical resources for doulas, care partners, and curious people exploring their relationship with mortality.”
—Dina Stander, end-of-life navigator, burial shroud maker, and founder of the Northeast Death Care Collaborative
Francesca Lynn Arnoldy 