At Compassion Crossing Academy, we offer short, self-directed classes that help you learn with confidence. Each unit is designed for quick, meaningful progress in 30 to 120 minutes. We turn complicated topics into clear guidance you can understand and apply.

A family calls. Someone's dying.

They're scared. You want to help. But the questions flood in: What do they really need? Can I work safely in their home? What if I say yes and it's wrong?

You're three months in. Or three years. Doesn't matter. That moment when you pick up the phone? Still feels like walking into darkness without a flashlight.​

You didn't become an end-of-life doula to fumble through first conversations.

You stepped into this sacred work because you care deeply. Because you want to support families during their most vulnerable moments. Because you believe everyone deserves a compassionate witness at the end of life.​

But here's the truth nobody talks about: caring isn't enough. You need a system.

Four Problems Quietly Sabotaging Your Doula Practice

You freeze during the first calls

The family's pouring out their story. Dad has cancer. Mom's confused about hospice. They're asking if you can help, and you're silently panicking.​

What questions should I ask? How long should this call be? Am I supposed to take notes? Should I bring up money now or later?

You end the call feeling like you missed something important. Because you probably did.​

You walk into homes that aren't safe

Severe pet allergies. Aggressive animals. Hoarding that makes hallways impassable. Mold. Smoke. Situations that trigger your asthma or put your physical safety at risk.​

But you didn't assess safety before you invested two hours in intake paperwork. Now you're stuck declining after they've opened their hearts to you.​

That feels terrible. For everyone.

Families can't tell you what they actually need

They say, "We just need someone to sit with Dad," but what you're hearing between the words is unresolved advance care planning, anticipatory grief, and family conflict about medical decisions.​

You're not a mind reader. But you're supposed to figure out whether they need companionship, legacy work, grief coaching, vigil planning, or something else entirely.​

Without a framework for listening, you're guessing.

You can't say no, even when you should

Your schedule's packed. The family needs specialized dementia support, which you're not trained for. The home environment is genuinely unsafe.​

But saying no feels like abandoning someone in crisis. So you say yes. Then you resent it. Then you burn out.​

Saying yes to everything doesn't make you compassionate. It makes you unavailable for the families you can serve well.

What If Your Intake Process Actually Worked?

Imagine answering the phone with confidence. Not because you have all the answers, but because you have a clear roadmap.​

You know exactly what to say in those first 60 seconds. You've practiced your opening script until it sounds natural, warm, and professional.​

You ask the right questions, not every question. You listen for clues that tell you what this family truly needs, even when they can't name it.​

Before you ever sit down for formal intake, you've walked through their home. You've assessed trip hazards, lighting, allergens, and aggressive pets. You know whether you can work there safely.​

You have professional forms that establish clear boundaries, protect both you and the family, and model the integrity this profession deserves.​

And when it's not a good fit? You decline with clarity and kindness. No guilt. No second-guessing. Just honest professionalism that protects everyone involved.​

Introducing: Intake for End-of-Life Doulas

Starting Well, Deciding Clearly is the practical framework you've been missing.​

Created by Peter M. Abraham, BSN, RN, EOLD—a hospice nurse, certified end-of-life doula, and Health and Life Navigation Specialist with background in cardiology, medical-surgical, long-term care, rehab, rural hospice, and palliative care—this course walks you through every step of intake, from the moment the phone rings to the moment you sign a contract or compassionately decline.​

Here's what you'll learn:

• The two-step intake framework that separates exploratory conversations from formal assessments, so nobody feels pressured and both parties stay clear about what's happening.

• Opening scripts that work for phone calls, video meetings, and in-person conversations, so you stop freezing when someone asks, "Can you help us?"​

• Deep listening techniques that help you hear service requests between the lines, even when families say, "I don't really know what we need."​

• Complete the safety assessment process with room-by-room walkthroughs, so you identify deal-breakers before you invest hours in paperwork.

• The five-phase formal intake structure that moves systematically from greeting to safety check to documentation to business decision.

• How to make the yes-or-no decision with confidence, clarity, and compassion, including exactly what to say when you need to decline.

Plus, you'll receive five essential forms:

1. Assessment-Safety: Home safety checklist covering driveway to bedroom, with diagnosis-specific risk assessments for ALS, Alzheimer's, cancer, diabetes, stroke, and more​

2. Death Doula Intake Form: Documentation template for patient details, medical history, medications, advance directives, hospice information, and vigil planning​

3. Doula Liaison Form: Legal permission to function as liaison with healthcare providers, hospitals, and hospice teams​

4. Death Doula Care Plan: Template for identifying concerns, interventions, and goals​

5. Patient Bill of Rights: Client-facing document that establishes respect, dignity, privacy, and professional boundaries​

Why This Training Exists

You deserve tools that match the sacredness of your work.​

Families deserve doulas who know how to assess needs, establish safety, and make clear decisions without waffling or overcommitting.​

The profession deserves practitioners who maintain boundaries, model professionalism, and protect the integrity of end-of-life care.​

Clear intake isn't just good business; it's essential. It's an act of love. Love for yourself, so you don't burn out. Love for families, so they find the right support. Love for this work, so it remains sustainable.​

Enroll Now

Stop winging your intake process.

Start every relationship with clarity, safety, and confidence.

Enroll in Intake for End-of-Life Doulas: Starting Well, Deciding Clearly

Your next call doesn't have to feel like stepping into darkness. Give yourself the framework you need to serve families well without sacrificing your own well-being.

Because the families who need you deserve a doula who knows exactly what they're doing.