Apprenticeship With Death

Become an End of Life Guide

A trauma-informed death doula training certificate program

join the march cohort

Holding space for death & Grief

Are you ready to learn the art of being with and tending to death and grief?

This apprenticeship is a practice of learning and embodying a state of deep reverence for the sacred cycles of life and death.

This 6-month program is an opportunity to:
꩜ Awaken the sacred within your work
꩜ Open a portal to unlock your inner wisdom
꩜ Cultivate the clarity and resilience required to guide others
꩜ Step into your role as a guide, mystic, and steward
꩜ Embrace co-creation and leadership in the realm of end-of-life care
꩜ Embody a legacy of healing and transformation that ripples through generations

We are activists of the deathcare revolution, devotional mystics, and stewards of the sacred.

2025 Training information

Enrollment closes March 7 at 5 PM CT
Training Sessions
2 to 5 PM CT
Saturday, March 22 & Sunday, March 23
Saturday, April 26 & Sunday, April 27
Saturday, May 31 & Sunday, June 1
Saturday, June 28 & Sunday, June 29

Open Q&A Office Hours
3-5 PM CT
Thursday, April 10
Thursday, May 15
Thursday, June 12
Thursday, July 10

Volunteer Debrief & Support
3 to 5 PM CT
Thursday, July 31
Thursday, August 14
Thursday, August 28

Our world needs

꩜ Grief and deathcare leaders to rise with compassion
꩜ Visionaries to reimagine how we tend to dying, death, and grief in modern societies
꩜ Guides to hold our communities in preparation, education, and bedside care

We are devoted to

꩜ Honoring death as a sacred part of the natural life cycle
꩜ Learning skills to hold space for grief, loss, and healing
꩜ Rebuilding community centered grief and death practices
꩜ Enfolding ritual and ceremony in the end of life rite of passage

You don’t need a medical background to provide end-of-life care as a death doula, midwife, or practitioner.

End-of-life professionals come from various backgrounds, such as nursing, yoga, hospice, palliative care, social work, spiritual care, chaplaincy, funeral industry, patient advocacy, life coaching, counseling, bereavement coordination, child life specialist, speech-language pathologist, physical therapy, occupational therapy, energy healing, Reiki, acupuncture, and many, many others.

Apprenticeship With Death Participant Photo

C. Espinosa

I found the Apprenticeship with Death training program very thorough and beautifully delivered. My experience was all that I had hoped for and more, and now I feel very prepared to take my new skills out into my community as a new doula. Rhea is an excellent guide and offers her wisdom and beauty all throughout the process. I gained intimate connections, new friendships, confidence and the inspiration to call on my own unique talents and gifts as I venture forward in supporting individuals and their families in end-of-life care.

Apprenticeship With Death Participant Photo

Josephine Spilka, M.S., L.Ac

Apprenticeship with Death was a beautiful way to dive into both the personal and professional aspects of end-of-life care. The pace of learning was energizing with all kinds of great links and information while there was also space for integration, questions and contributions from all participants making it a unique and potent learning environment for everyone. A really great place to start on the journey of deathwork.

Essence Presence

The Journey

During the apprenticeship, you’ll step into a sacred space where the art and practice of deathcare are not just taught but embodied. You’ll learn to approach death with reverence and clarity through immersive practices, intimate discussions, and guided rituals. Together, we explore the wisdom of ceremony, the art of holding space, and the skills needed to support others through grief and loss. This is a profoundly communal experience in which shared stories and collective learning rebuild our connection to community-centered death practices.

Focus of the Certificate Training

Deep listening and compassionate communication skills
Non-judgmental support and guidance
Various cultural practices and perspectives in deathcare
Explore your ancestral lineage
Belief, religion, and spirituality
Mystical aspects, including visions, dreams, and visitations
Grief from a diagnostic lens and as a natural part of the universal human experience
Holding space for challenging death scenarios
End of life planning and advance care directives
Signs of the dying process, pain, suffering, and disease trajectories
Voluntary Stopping Eating and Drinking (VSED) & Medical Aid in Dying (MAID)
Advocacy and leadership in holistic deathcare
Rituals and rites of passage in the dying process
Collaborative care model
Boundaries, ethics, and legal responsibilities

Lisa Ciosek

My experience with the apprenticeship with death course was beyond my expectations. Rhea provided invaluable resources for both personal and professional growth. She has developed a thoughtful, well organized curriculum that provides both structure and flexibility in the learning process. I feel like anyone would benefit from the information and experiences provided in this course. It is far more than a “death doula” certificate program. The insights and experiences you will gain during this course will nurture your soul.

Deborah Hale

Now I feel much more comfortable and confident in my role as hospice volunteer. And I have a clearer sense of the Death Doula role(s), including which parts I’m most drawn to. Also clearer about my preferences regarding my own death transition and the preparation that will be helpful and needed.

Program Structure

  • A soulful 4-month learning journey with immersive weekend retreats
  • On-demand course platform with access to an abundance of resources
  • Interactive community discussion forum for ongoing peer support and learning
  • 15 customizable service hours in dying, death, and grief work aligned with your interests
  • 3 structured Zoom sessions dedicated to volunteer experience reflection and debriefing

Please note, there is not a 3-day in-person retreat as part of the 2025 program.

Earning a Certificate of Completion

  • 90% live attendance (Must watch the replay if the class is missed)
  • Personal growth assessment through initial and final self-evaluation
  • Completion of each module (3-5 hours per week)
  • Final written assessment showcasing the integration of course material
  • Completion of 15 hours of volunteer service within your chosen area of deathcare

Please Note:

Although you can receive a certificate upon completion, this is a training program, not a certification or licensing program. Currently, there is no governing body that regulates end-of-life practitioners, doulas, or midwives. This course will prepare you for the National End of Life Doula Association‘s micro proficiency assessment if you should choose to seek the proficiency badge. This course will provide you with the required contact hours/CEUs for the certified (CT) or fellow (FT) in thanatology credentials earned through the Association for Death Education and Counseling

If you are self-reporting CEUs, we are happy to support you with any information that will be helpful.

Investment

$2500 1 time payment
or
$625.00 in 4 monthly payments

Enrollment closes March 7 at 5 PM CT

Please see the question and answer section below.

Before enrolling please read our community values and reciprocity and transparency pages. Take a moment to reflect on this learning and financial commitment. Enrollment represents your agreement to the full program investment or payment plan. A $250 administration fee applies to pre-program cancelations; no refunds once begun.

rituals and practices for tending to grief, dying, and death

a collage of photographs from the Apprenticeship With Death retreat
a collage of photographs from the Apprenticeship With Death retreat

Facilitator

Rhea Mader (she/her)

Walking alongside death as both teacher and companion has been my sacred journey. Through the profound losses of my baby and grandmother, and years of serving in residential and medical facilities, I’ve learned that our relationship with death holds the power to transform how we live and hold space for one another.

As a Thanatologist, Interspiritual Chaplain Associate, and meditation teacher, I weave together spiritual wisdom and deep reverence for the human experience. It’s the honor of my lifetime to guide others in awakening to this calling, helping them discover their own unique medicine as threshold guardians and stewards of the sacred.

Questions & Answers

Are there prerequisites?

There aren’t any “technical” prerequisites, but we ask that you have a:
꩜ daily prioritization and devotion to nurture your wellbeing
꩜ openness to different cultural, spiritual, and psychological perspectives
꩜ willingness to research parts of your ancestral and cultural legacy
꩜ practice self-awareness, healthy boundaries, critical thinking, and autonomy as an adult learner
꩜ responsibility for resourcing someone to process with you if you need additional support
꩜ acknowledgment of historic and current systems of oppression and commitment to transformation

Are there additional expenses for this program?

There has been an intentional awareness placed on not incurring additional costs. In a couple of rare instances, you may be asked to rent a film or documentary. An abundance of resources are provided for you.

Can I participate if i don't intend on pursuing this professionally?

Absolutely. Please join for your knowledge and wisdom experience even if you don’t intend on working as an end of life practitioner.

What are some of the ways I can work as an end of life practitioner?

This depends on your experience, education, training, community connections, and your desire to create opportunities for yourself. End of Life Practitioners come from all walks of life and aren’t limited to medical fields. An end of life practitioner offers nonmedical support and guidance and may have backgrounds in areas such as yoga, nursing, hospice, palliative care, social work, spiritual care, medical care, chaplaincy, funerals, life coaching, counseling, bereavement, holistic healing, Reiki, acupuncture, and more. Even if none of those are you, I encourage you to count yourself in.

Where can I find the course content?

The course content will be available to you through a private online portal accessed with a personal login.

what are the logistical & Time requirements?

The online training requires a reliable internet connection, a quiet environment, the ability to use online tools like Zoom, and a willingness to participate in the virtual space. The estimated time required for the course is about 3-5 hours per week, depending on the week.  The course is created so that most people will maintain their full-time work or full-time student schedules. In addition, you get out of it what you put into it.  

How long will I have access to the program content?

You will have access to the full program content for one year from the start date. After that, you will be moved to an alumni space within our course portal, where you will retain access to everything except the video recordings. 

What if I can't make the live sessions?

You will have access to the recordings in our program portal. However, we want you to know that we desire to create a container of community, which means it’s essential that you show up. If you plan to apply for the certificate, you will need to make it to 90% of the live sessions.

Have you read these resource articles from the blog?
Become an End of Life Doula
What Does an End of Life Guide Do?
Is Working in End of Life Right for Me?

Still have questions? Email hello@consciouslivingconsciousdying.com to schedule an appointment.