About My Work as a Death Doula
What does it mean to be prepared for the last part of our lives?
Aerlyn Pfeil is a Portland-based Death Doula, ceremonialist, and midwife who has supported individuals and families through life’s profound transitions for more than two decades. Her work centers on helping people approach the end of life with clarity, dignity, and connection.
End-of-life doulas play a unique role in our communities—supporting thoughtful preparation, easing fear, and helping individuals and families feel more present and connected during the dying process.
What does it mean to be prepared for the final chapter of our lives? Intentional planning can ease physical and emotional suffering and reduce uncertainty for those we love. Death does not need to be hidden, isolating, or clinical. With support, it can become a time of meaning, expression, reconciliation, and even sacred memory.
How do you want your final days to look and feel? What music would you play? What stories remain untold? What would bring comfort, familiarity, or peace?
Hospice teams provide essential medical and emotional care, yet their time is often limited. A death doula offers complementary presence—someone who can sit longer, respond more flexibly, and support families through moments that feel uncertain or overwhelming. This steady presence helps ensure that no one faces death feeling unprepared or alone.​
As both a midwife and a end-of-life doula, Aerlyn believes that the thresholds of life—birth and death—deserve to be honored as profound human experiences, not solely medical events. Just as the body knows how to give birth, it also knows how to die. Much of our society, however, lacks the confidence or guidance to navigate this process together. Her role is to help individuals and families move through dying with intention, support, and care—so that even in grief, the experience can feel meaningful and grounded.
Community well-being has guided Aerlyn’s work for more than two decades. She practiced and taught midwifery internationally, including leadership and field roles with Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières, where she later served on the Board of Directors. Supporting families across cultures, languages, and circumstances continues to shape her commitment to compassionate, dignified, and culturally responsive end-of-life care.
​
She holds degrees in Sociology and Midwifery, as well as a Master’s in Global Public Health. Aerlyn is a member of the National End-of-Life Doula Alliance and the National Home Funeral Alliance.​
​
Outside of her work, she can often be found tending her garden or exploring the outdoors with her dog. Aerlyn offers both in-person and virtual consultations. If you are considering support for yourself or a loved one, you are welcome to reach out. Initial inquiries are complimentary.