Neda Member
National End of Life Doula Alliance
Wild & Precious · Marin County
My Story
Jessica Stielau · End-of-life doula, Marin County
A different kind of guiding.
I assist individuals and families in navigating death and the dying process in a way that best fits them. I approach life with the belief that getting ready for death helps lessen the upheaval brought on by loss and grief. I try to support people in making end-of-life plans through initiatives, planning, and a grounded presence.
When I'm not working- I am at home in Marin California where I am a partner, a parent, an avid gardener and a lover of nature.
Learning
to guide.
I started my career as a wilderness guide. I took people up mountains and down rivers. I worked in dangerous places and my job was to keep people safe while helping them reach their goals. As a part of being a guide, I also became a Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and I enjoyed having medical knowledge and supporting people in that capacity.
I was drawn to education and instruction and wanted to take the next step in my career. I became an instructor at the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) where I would learn not only to be a better guide myself but also to become a teacher. NOLS is an incredible non-profit organization that works to teach both wilderness skills and leadership with branches around the world.
Guiding professionally was a semi-nomadic lifestyle and as I grew older I decided I wanted to stay in one place for longer and have a career that wasn't as physically demanding and have a family. I had always been passionate about the environment and I applied to get my Master's Degree in Science at the University of Washington focusing on fisheries and climate science. I wanted to better understand our world and our environment.
A new direction.
After graduate school, I built and grew a recruiting business that helped startup companies build teams and people find meaningful work. Today, I am fully dedicated to my work as an end-of-life doula, another kind of guiding and service. Here, the dying are the guides, and my role is to support them, their caregivers, and their loved ones.
I became interested in this work after becoming a mother and contracting the alpha variant of COVID-19 while pregnant during the pandemic. Our family was fortunate to survive the virus but it prompted me to evaluate what I wanted to contribute to the world in the time I have left. I felt a lot of fear and feelings of helplessness around death. I leaned into that fear and discovered a deep desire to learn more and to help others going through their own passages. I found a wealth of knowledge, traditions, and rituals around dying. I discovered deep elder knowledge, and modern tools, techniques, and information to help people navigate what is one of the largest milestones in their lives.
I want to help people live well and die well, I want to increase their wellbeing and the well-being of their families as they navigate death. This is the work. This is sacred work, spiritual work but it's also logistic and executive work.
Training & affiliations
Inspired Endings
Certificate of Training Completion - End of Life Doula and Psycedelic Training Program
University of Vermont
End of Life Doula - Certificate of Completion
Home Care Aide
Training Completed, Registered, Background Checked, Fingerprinted
I often bring Laura in as a partner in my work with individuals and families.
Laura brings more than 30 years of experience supporting individuals and families through illness and end-of-life decisions. Her background spans education, hospice social work, and 25 years of acute-care nursing. That breadth of experience brings a valuable perspective to our work together, with an understanding of both healthcare and the ways families navigate difficult times.
Our backgrounds and experience are different, and that is part of what makes our partnership valuable. Together, we bring more perspectives to the questions, decisions, and challenges that arise. We draw on each other’s strengths, share care, and provide coverage for one another, offering continuity for the people we support.
Laura’s nursing and social work experience informs her approach, but her role as a doula is non-medical. Like me, she works alongside hospice teams, physicians, and caregivers.
Let’s talk“A friend suggested we hire Jessica and Laura for emotional support, but what they provided went far beyond our expectations.”
Molly
A wider circle
of support.
For families seeking extra layers of support, I also work through Marin Home Care, a trusted local agency providing in-home care and companionship. Together, we help ensure comfort and continuity for those navigating the end-of-life journey.
