“Ask a Death Doula” A Community-Centered Approach to End-of-Life Support

An intro to the work of death doulas, who provide non-clinical, emotional, and logistical support before, during, and after death.
About this Event

The "Ask a..." Series is a 12-part community education offering designed to demystify grief and end-of-life support by bringing together professionals from across caregiving, deathcare, and healing disciplines.

This session introduces participants to the work of death doulas, who provide non-clinical, emotional, and logistical support before, during, and after death. Learn how doulas work alongside caregivers and what it means to be held by someone outside the medical system.

Each 90-minute session features guest speakers (including nurses, doulas, social workers, funeral directors, and more) who share their expertise, personal insights, and practical tools in a supportive, approachable environment.

These sessions are not therapy, but are deeply informative and community-oriented, offering participants the chance to ask questions, connect with others navigating similar experiences, and leave with one actionable step they can take that week. Whether you're a caregiver, someone grieving, or simply curious, this series invites you to learn, reflect, and feel less alone.

Each in-person session is 90 minutes and follows this structure:

● Landing / grounding together

● Introduction to the guest speaker(s)

● Q&A with audience and guest speaker(s)

● Closing

● Follow-up from PAUSE staff via email

The in-person sessions will be in-person and will NOT be recorded. You do not have to attend all sessions ~ join as you are able to and based on whatever topics you are interested in exploring!

If you have any questions about this gathering, please email [email protected].

Monica Moreno is an interdisciplinary artist, teaching artist, end-of-life doula, and legacy project facilitator based in Los Angeles. Her artistic practice explores working across metalsmithing, sculpture, installation, poetry, sound, performance, and dance. She creates work that investigates the relationship between our inner world and the physical body, exploring the interplay between materials, emotions, and the human experience.

Marcella Bottero, MA, RCST®, Death Doula, is a body and movement educator. She incorporates different somatic approaches to bring forth the most optimal and unique potential of each client. Marcella has a diverse palette of skills including Fitness Trainer, Yoga teacher, Continuum teacher authorized by Emilie Conrad, Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist, and Death Doula trained by INELDA.
Marcella’s passion is to explore the capacity of the human spirit to move freely in life and through the dying process.

Alica Forneret (she/her) is an educator, speaker, and consultant dedicated to creating new spaces for people to explore grief and grieving. She is the Founder and Executive Director of PAUSE, a nonprofit focused on supporting Communities of Color through grief and end of life. Alica's writing and work about grief, work, and race have been featured in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Psychology Today, Huffington Post, GQ, and more.

is a nonprofit dedicated to supporting people of color through grief and end of life with safe, culturally-sensitive, and expert-informed resources. We offer digital and in-person resources and programming serving individuals, companies, and deathcare professionals.