What you can do now to help your loved ones avoid probate later* Many people believe they have their affairs in order. They may have a will, or they may assume accounts will be transferred to the right people without any trouble. It seems straightforward. Then the family discovers that a few details were missed. In my work as an end-of-life doula, I see how quickly things can get complicated. Families arrive with a binder of papers. As we go through it, small gaps show up. Ma

How to Plan a Funeral That Feels Like You At 21, Ruby Love Cohen walked into a secondhand shop in Copenhagen and found a mint green silk coat with tiny yellow flowers. It was delicate and bright, with a Western cut and an antique charm. She took it back to her room, hung it under a light, and stared at it. “This coat will outlive me,” she told her friend. Then a thought came to her: What if my funeral looked like this? What if it were a fashion exhibition, not a traditional s

You open the letter, read the words, and your heart sinks: your claim has been denied. Whether it’s a procedure you expected to be...

We don’t like to talk about death.  Most people avoid the subject entirely until life forces them to face it. But here’s the truth:...

Choosing a senior living community- assisted living, memory care, or a continuing care retirement community- is a significant...

Starting Your End-of-Life Plan When my dad sat down with a yellow legal pad and his unmistakable chicken scratch to write passwords,...

When Sandy Chen Stokes visited her father in Taiwan, he was already in the ICU—hooked up to machines, unresponsive, and unable to speak...

Medicare can feel like a maze—full of choices, deadlines, and fine print that can make anyone’s head spin. Whether you’re approaching 65,...

What Does a Financial Planner Do?  When you think of financial planning, you might picture spreadsheets, investment strategies, and a lot...

Creating an advance directive is one of the most powerful steps to ensure your healthcare wishes are honored. In this post, we’ll discuss...

I'm an end-of-life doula specializing in helping people plan for the inevitable, including creating an advance directive. When working...

The Gift of Preplanning: Funeral Planning with Ryan Kolstad Planning your own funeral might seem uncomfortable at first, but it...

Facing the reality of end-of-life decisions can be overwhelming, but it's critical to ensure your wishes are honored when the time comes....

Did you know that the average funeral in the United States can cost between $15,000 and $25,000? This staggering amount often leaves...

Have you ever wondered who would make medical decisions for you if you couldn’t? It’s a hard topic to think about, but it’s incredibly...

Did you know that home funerals are a legal in the United States? Many people are unaware that they can take a more personal approach to...

Trigger Warning:  This page discusses end-of-life choices and self-deliverance, which might be sensitive or triggering for some...

In this episode of "Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula," host Traci Arieli is joined by Brian Gordon of Gordon...

Welcome to another episode of the Comforting Closure Podcast, hosted by Traci Arieli, end-of-life doula and founder of Comforting...

In this episode of "Comforting Closure - Conversations with a Death Doula," host Traci Arieli welcomes Maureen Kures, the founder of A...