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Beyond Birth: Why ALL Doulas Must Be Trained to Support Families Through Loss
- Doula Synergy
- Apr 2
- 3 min read
Bereavement Training for Doulas is Essential
Loss is an inevitable reality in birth work, yet many doulas find themselves unprepared when faced with supporting families through pregnancy and infant loss. Whether it’s holding space for emotions, understanding what to expect during different types of loss—such as miscarriage, stillbirth, infant loss, or termination for medical reasons—providing hands-on support during the experience, offering postpartum care, or connecting families with grief resources, doulas must be equipped with the right tools and knowledge. Effective communication is also crucial, ensuring doulas feel confident and compassionate when discussing loss with families.
Bereavement training is not just an added skill—it is an essential component of comprehensive doula care. Families navigating loss deserve doulas who are trained, prepared, and capable of holding space for them in their grief. At Doula Synergy, we recognize that doula support is the critical missing piece in loss care, and our mission is to bridge that gap by ensuring every loss family has access to compassionate, qualified support.
Supporting a client through loss is not a matter of if but when. Pregnancy loss is not only an emotional experience but also a profound physical and medical event. Even after loss, clients are still postpartum and face additional layers of grief, including loss of identity, changes in body image, and shattered expectations for their future. Doulas must be prepared to provide not only emotional presence but also practical guidance and access to essential resources to help families navigate this complex transition.
To help prepare doulas for supporting clients through loss, here are two bereavement training options for doulas, equipping them with the knowledge and confidence to support grieving families with care and expertise. These trainings ensure that doulas are not only compassionate companions but also informed advocates, ready to stand beside families through one of life’s most difficult moments.
Compassionate Support Through Loss for Doulas
This foundational training is specifically designed to equip doulas with the essential knowledge and skills necessary to support families experiencing pregnancy and infant loss. Understanding the emotional complexities of grief is crucial for doulas, enabling them to offer informed, compassionate care during these profound moments.
This training equips doulas with practical communication strategies, loss definitions, and tools for holding space for families during their grief process, ensuring they can offer meaningful, informed support when it matters most.
Training Overview and Structure
Course Duration: 1-hour video + additional handouts and activities
Format: Online, self-paced
Cost: $79
CEUs: 2 CEU Credits, (pending THW & ICEA approval)
Doula Training for Critical Reproductive Support for Bereavement, Loss, and Termination (Full Spectrum)
I am honored to be participating in this in-depth training, speaking about how doulas can support families through loss. This two-day immersive training is designed for doulas supporting individuals and families through abortion, pregnancy loss, and bereavement. It provides a strong foundation in reproductive justice, the history of abortion care, and current legal considerations.
Participants will learn best practices for emotional and physical support, including compassionate communication, grief rituals, and sensory considerations. The training features specialized Bereavement/Loss Doulas and a panel discussion with bereaved parents and doulas.
Training Overview and Structure
Course Dates: April 25-26
Format: Live, via Zoom
Cost: $600
CEUs: | 17 CEU Credits (THW)
Gratitude to all the doulas!
Investing in bereavement training is a powerful commitment to ensuring that no family navigates loss alone, and I am grateful for your dedication to this work. Your role as a doula is deeply impactful, offering dedicated support and comfort to families during some of their most vulnerable moments.
As you hold space for others, please remember to care for yourself as well. Witnessing loss can be profoundly emotional, and it’s essential to have spaces where you can process, receive support, and nurture your own well-being. I am here to offer that space—whether you have questions, need guidance, or simply need someone to hold space for you as you navigate this journey. Please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Ashley Rose Salvitti
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