"We are all just walking each other home.”
- Baba Ram Dass
We all know about birth doulas.
But do you know about end-of-life doulas?
Serena Soffer
End-of-Life Doula & Yogi
My name is Serena, and I am a trained, certified and experienced end-of-life doula, as well as a yogi.
In my work, I provide holistic, end-of-life care to seriously-ill and dying people and their loved ones, wherever they are in their journey.
This can include:
Help with peace and comfort during illness and dying
Practical comfort care teaching
Comfort care provision and awareness
Advance care planning
Caregiver support
Assistance with varied tasks
Legacy review and projects
Vigil planning and coordination
Sitting vigil in the last weeks, days and hours
Rituals & ceremonies
Celebrations of Life
Memorial planning (advance)
Facilitated family meetings
Advocacy
Grief Support
Much more…
My life experiences and studies have taught me to look for what is most needed, then work to help meet those needs.
A yogi and companion, I educate and inform on the natural dying process, helping to ease anxiety and equip everyone in the circle of care for this sacred work.
I meet people where they are, with unconditional love and acceptance. I bring peace and comfort into confusing or chaotic situations, addressing practical, emotional and spiritual concerns.
I help people communicate and connect with their loved one and each other – even across differences or conflicts - so they can make the most of this precious time.
Contact me now to discuss how I might be able to help you during this precious time.
Certified: International Doula Life Movement
Asbury Park, New Jersey & Surrounding Areas
Virtual (Online & By Phone)
"Lord, make me an instrument of Thy Peace.”
- St. Francis of Assisi
More about me and my journey…
I am an end-of-life doula, called to provide whole-person care to dying people and their loved ones from the last months through the last minutes of life.
The first seeds for this soul work were planted in me at age 15, when I experienced my father’s difficult and traumatic death. They grew in my twenties, as I cared for my mother during her complex end-of-life journey, while I began a long and successful Broadway career.
In the 1990’s, my heart’s call to work with the dying could not be ignored. Between performances, I spent hundreds of hours providing hands-on care (including therapeutic touch and massage) for people dying of AIDs. At that time, AIDS hysteria was at its height and many people would not risk being in the same room with someone known to have AIDS, much less touch them or provide physical care. Over time I became the informal, “go-to” death doula in my circle and community, supporting many friends and relatives through the end of their lives.
Eventually I left my career as a performer, and focused on teaching yoga and dance, as my doula calling grew. In early 2025, I realized my dream of becoming a professional death doula. I am a certified End Of Life Doula and Grief Specialist through the International Doula Life Movement.
I meet people where they are, with unconditional acceptance, love and a gift for seeing what is most needed.
As a yogi and companion, I bring peace and comfort into confusing or chaotic times, creating calmness and order. I organize legacy projects, possessions, paperwork, schedules, and more. I provide comfort care, create sacred spaces, orchestrate vigils, conduct rituals, accompany families through grief and cater to each individual families needs. I liaise or advocate with agencies (including hospice and/or funeral services) when appropriate. I help people communicate and connect with their dying loved one and each other – even across differences, conflicts and boundaries. With the understanding that there are no “do overs” in the end of life, my goal is to support the dying person and their loved ones in making the most of this precious, sacred time.
Contact me (below) to discuss how I might be able to help you during this precious time.
Death has nothing to do with going away…
"On the day I die, when I'm being carried toward the grave, don't weep.
Don't say, ‘He's gone. He's gone.’
Death has nothing to do with going away.
The sun sets and the moon sets, but they're not gone.
Death is a coming together.”
- Rumi
