I’M EMILEE.

I’m a full-spectrum birth + death doula based in South Jersey. My passion is helping people and their families feel seen and empowered on their journey.

WHAT IS A DOULA?

The best modern interpretation I’ve heard for the word is “usher.” A person who ushers from one point in life to another; one who walks alongside and helps deliver a traveler to the next stop in their journey.

A birth doula helps usher a pregnant person into parenthood. An abortion doula ushers a pregnant person out of pregnancy. A gender transition doula ushers a person into the true expression of their identity. A death doula (or end-of-life doula) ushers a life out of the world and onto its next journey.

We do this work by providing education as well as physical, mental, and emotional support. A doula walks alongside you on your journey, and helps you on your way.

“As a doula, I have a mandate to increase the dignity of your experience the moment we enter into relationship.”
— Raven Freeborn

WHAT DOES “FULL SPECTRUM BIRTH DOULA” MEAN?

“Full-spectrum” means encompassing every reality and outcome of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum - I provide support to families at every stage in their journey. This means I offer prenatal, birth, and postpartum support, as well as abortion support, chestfeeding and birth education, and pregnancy and infant loss support.

WHY WOULD I NEED AN END-OF-LIFE DOULA?

As an end-of-life doula (or death doula), I provide support and education on the dying process. I help families navigate end-of-life planning, and offer presence and insight. I also sit vigil with dying persons and their families, help facilitate a gentler transition, and provide after-death care. Learn more.

I chose the name "Alongside Doula" for my business because it encapsulates what I do. My goal, my purpose as a doula, is to walk alongside those going through the transition moments of life. If you're at a transitional moment, I'd love the
Something I've been thinking about in my work as a death doula is how I can bring the lessons I learn from the dying, and incorporate them into my life and my mindfulness practice, and how I can sort of take what I learn and offer it to others. ⁣ ⁣ A
I spent a couple hours at the beach this week (came away with a wicked sunburn), and was reminded that there's nothing like the ocean to make you feel that sense of belonging to something bigger than yourself. ⁣ ⁣ I believe in the interconnectedness
Another gratitude post? Yep! It's been on my mind. ⁣ ⁣ Gratitude is a way we can stay present and mindful in the moment. Stepping back and taking a look at the sheer scale of life - no matter how small you think yours may be - the fact that we're her
How has becoming a doula changed the way I parent?⁣ ⁣ I like to think it's made me more patient. As a doula I've learned that waiting often makes up most of the journey. And I am often working with folks who are going through uncharted waters, whose
I've been thinking a lot about gratitude lately--how do we find it in the midst of sorrow, in the midst of anxiety, in the midst of things simply not going according to plan? ⁣ ⁣ I find I get irritated sometimes by the idea that we are supposed to fi