Compass Doula Academy - Live Online Cohort
Chart Your Course to a Meaningful Career as a Certificated Death Doula
Get the training, mentorship, and community to confidently step into this sacred work.
Live sessions offered twice a week at two different times. Join the one that fits your life.
You Already Know
You don't need to be told whether you're called to this work. You already know.
Maybe you've sat beside someone in their final hours and felt something shift in you that hasn't shifted back. Maybe you've watched a family fumble through the most important week of their lives because nobody told them what to do, and you thought, somebody should be there for this. Maybe you've been the person friends call when there's grief in the room, and you're tired of doing it on instinct alone.
That's why this exists.
The Compass Doula Academy live online cohort is a 10-week, fully-online training that gives you the skills, the language, the practical tools, and the community to walk into the hardest rooms and be useful.
It's heart-centered without being precious. It's practical without being clinical. It honors the sacredness of this work and it also teaches you how to bill for it.
You'll learn how to hold space at the bedside. How to talk to a family in conflict. How to plan a vigil. How to recognize what the body is doing in its final days. How to support a person's legacy and a family's grief - and how to build a sustainable practice doing it.
You won't do it alone. You'll do it with a cohort of people who heard the same call you did, taught by someone who has sat in those rooms again and again.
If you've been waiting for a sign, this is one.
WHAT CHANGES
By the End of Your Training
This training is built around what you'll be able to do, not just what you'll cover. When the cohort ends, you will be able to:
- Sit at a bedside and recognize what the body is doing in its final days, and what brings comfort
- Lead a family through end-of-life planning, advance directives, and the conversations most people avoid
- Plan a vigil and design rituals that fit the person, not a template
- Hold space when a family is in conflict, and stay steady when the moment turns hard
- Support grief, including the anticipatory grief that starts long before the death
- Set up your own practice: scope, pricing, intake, and how to talk about money without flinching
And here's the part that's harder to put on a syllabus. You'll walk out steady. Prepared.
Held by a group of people doing the same work.
The Curriculum
What You'll Learn
A comprehensive, 10-week journey through the practical, emotional, and spiritual layers of end-of-life care.
Introduction to Death Doula Work
- The philosophy of the movement
- Roles, boundaries, and ethics
- Understanding professional scope
Understanding the Dying Process
- Physiological changes at the end of life
- Recognizing signs of approaching death
- Pain management and comfort measures
Communication & Space Holding
- Active listening and empathetic presence
- Facilitating difficult conversations
- Holding nonjudgment in hard rooms
End-of-Life Planning
- Building end-of-life care plans
- Legal and financial considerations
- Funeral and vigil planning
Rituals, Legacy & Grief
- Creating meaningful end-of-life rituals
- Grief processes and anticipatory grief
- Self-care for death doulas
Practical Aspects of Practice
- Collaborating with hospice & funeral homes
- Building a sustainable doula practice
- Guest speakers & industry insights
THE COHORT DELIVERABLES
Everything Included
- 10 Weeks of Live Teaching: Over 40 hours of immersive training with Christy.
- Flexible Live Sessions: Offered twice weekly at two different times so you can pick the one that fits your life.
- Group Office Hours: Dedicated space for case work, role play, Q&A, and 'what would you do?' conversations.
- Electronic Course Guide: The 120-page Compass Doula workbook, your quick-reference text for the bedside.
- The Collective (1 Year): Private community, referral network, and continuing education ($97 value, included).
- Certificate of Completion: Internal certification and a full year in the referral network at no additional cost.
WHO THIS IS FOR
You Are Needed
You feel drawn to support people at the end of life. Whether you want to build a career as a death doula or simply deepen your capacity to be present for the people you already love, this training gives you the tools to be of service in a grounded, intentional way.
You're already in a related field. Caregiver, hospice volunteer, nurse, chaplain, therapist, healer. This training adds depth to what you already know and gives you a framework for the emotional, spiritual, and practical layers of the work.
- You believe death can be approached with peace, dignity, and even beauty. You don't have to be fearless. You just have to be willing.
You want to provide guidance and comfort without fear of saying the wrong thing. You'll learn how to navigate these conversations with compassion and ease.
You want to be fully prepared for your own loved ones' transitions. Even if you never charge a dollar for this work, the knowledge and confidence you'll gain are invaluable when supporting the people you love.
If you see yourself in these words, you're exactly where you're meant to be.
Words from our Graduates
"I would recommend Christy's Training to anyone with the intention of becoming a Death Doula. Christy has a wealth of knowledge which she delivers in an upbeat and organized manner. I'm glad to be part of the Compass Doula Collective and inspired to set out on my journey with Christy as a trusted guide."
Andrea M.
"I highly recommend this class. Christy packed this class with valuable information and made it fun. It was wonderful to get to know others with a similar interest and I feel like I have a network of people to work with and/or get advice or feedback from."
Paula D.
"I feel more grounded in holding space and maintaining healthy boundaries. Clear, compassionate, and well-structured training that builds a strong foundation in end-of-life doula care. The emphasis on presence, active listening, boundaries, and reflective practice was especially valuable. It felt supportive, grounding, and thoughtfully designed."
Parita s.
"I leave with a stronger foundation for holding compassionate, non-judgmental space. The material was presented in a way that was both informative and accessible, making complex topics around death and dying easy to understand and absorb. I'd highly recommend this program to anyone called to this sacred work."
Corrina k.
ABOUT CHRISTY BRAUN
Meet Your Guide
Christy's training and experience:
Certified End-of-Life Doula, Doulagivers Institute
Certified Advanced Care Consultant
Certified Reiki Practitioner
Master of Science, Education & Training Design
Founder of Compass Doula Academy and the Compass Doula Collective
Host of the Dying to Ask with ChristyB podcast
Has sat with families through active dying at the bedside, including medical aid in dying
Featured on Women's Moon Wisdom, Kicking the Bucket, and other end-of-life podcasts
Provides death doula support across Northern California and, virtually, nationwide
Why I Became a Death Doula — and Why This Work Matters
Christy Braun is a death doula, educator, and the founder of Compass Doula Academy and the Compass Doula Collective. She teaches the way she works: grounded, honest, occasionally irreverent, and unwilling to dress death up in language that distances people from it.
I never set out to become a death doula. Like so many people, I was afraid of death. Afraid of saying the wrong thing. Afraid of not knowing how to help. Afraid of feeling powerless in the face of loss.
Everything changed the day I sat beside someone in their final moments and understood that presence, not perfection, is what matters most. In that quiet space between life and death, I found something I didn't expect: peace, connection, and the possibility of a meaningful goodbye. This work was never about death. It's about life. About dignity. About love.
I built Compass Doula Academy because no one should have to navigate the end of life alone. Not the dying. Not the people who love them. And not the doulas called to this work.
I teach the way I work: grounded, honest, occasionally irreverent, and unwilling to dress death up in language that keeps people at arm's length from it.
If you feel drawn to be a steady presence in the storm, to hold space for peace and healing, you are needed. Are you ready to answer the call?
A YEAR IN THE COMPASS DOULA COLLECTIVE
Your People Are Here
Training ends. The work doesn't. That's why every cohort student gets a full year inside the Compass Doula Collective, the private community of working death doulas Christy convenes.
- A referral network that sends real clients to working doulas
- Continuing education and discounted workshops
- Field trips and in-person gatherings for local doulas
- The invitation-only annual doula retreat
- A room full of people who won't flinch when you talk about your week
Membership normally runs $97 a year. For cohort students, the first year is included, because the community is the part that changes everything.
YOUR ENROLLMENT
Everything You Get When You Join The Cohort
EARLY ENROLLMENT BONUS
Two Special Bonuses, Yours Free
Reserve your seat within the next 24 hours and we include, at no extra cost:
The Compass Doula Academy 120-page Workbook - Printed & Shipped to you → a $97 value
A 1-hour, private 1:1 mentorship session with Christy → a $124 value
Prefer to spread out your payments?
A payment plan is available at checkout.
7-Day Guarantee
If you decide this isn't for you within 7 days, get a full refund. No questions asked.
YOUR QUESTIONS, ANSWERED
Answers & Details
When does the cohort start and how long is it?
The next live online cohort begins June 15, 2026, and runs for 10 weeks.
What's the live session schedule?
Live teaching happens twice a week, offered at two different times so you can pick the slot that fits your week. Group office hours with Christy are also available for case work, role play, and Q&A.
What if I can't make a live session one week?
Every live session is recorded and posted in your student portal within 24 hours. You can also attend the other weekly session. A missed week is never a lost week.
How is this different from the self-paced online course?
Same curriculum. The live cohort adds live teaching with Christy twice a week, group office hours, role play, case work, a real cohort of fellow doulas moving through it with you, and a full year in the Compass Doula Collective. Most students who can join the live cohort choose it, because the community is the thing that changes everything.
Do I need prior experience?
No. Whether you're brand new to this work or already in a related field, the training meets you where you are.
How much does it cost?
Tuition is $1,297 if you enroll up to 7 days before the cohort starts. Enroll in the first 24 hours and the printed workbook plus a 1:1 mentorship session with Christy are included free. In the final 7 days before the cohort starts, tuition is $1,497. Payment plans are available on standard tuition.
Do you offer payment plans?
Yes. Payment plans are available on standard tuition.
How is this different from a self-paced online course?
Same curriculum. The live cohort adds live teaching with Christy twice a week, group office hours, role play, a real cohort of fellow doulas moving through it with you, and a full year in the Compass Doula Collective. Most students who can join the live cohort choose it, because the community is the thing that changes everything.
Will I receive a certification?
Yes. On completion you'll receive a Certificate of Completion from Compass Doula Collective indicating internal certification. The course materials also prepare you to test for proficiency badges and other external certifications available within the industry.
What's the Compass Doula Collective?
The Collective is the private community of working death doulas Christy convenes: a referral network, continuing education, field trips, discounted workshops, and the invitation-only annual retreat. It normally runs $97 a year, and your first year is included with the cohort.
Is there a refund policy?
You have 7 days from purchase to request a full refund, no questions asked. After that, contact us and we'll work it out with you on a case-by-case basis.
YOUR NEXT STEP
Answer the Call
If you're ready for a deeply immersive, supportive, and genuinely practical training, this cohort will give you the skills, the confidence, and the heart-centered approach to step into end-of-life work fully prepared.
The cohort is kept small on purpose, so the teaching stays interactive and everyone gets attention.
Enrollment is capped at 20 participants.
Cohort Starts June 15, 2026 • 7-day no-questions-asked refund
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