'HavenHeart' End of Life Services – Death Doula Support in Timaru, South Canterbury & Mackenzie District

welcome 

Hello, I'm Jade, a death doula based in Timaru.
I walk alongside people and their loved ones as they navigate the end of life -offering non-medical, holistic care, emotional, spiritual, and practical support - tailored to what you need, when you need it.

Hi, I am Jade Whaley, Death Doula and founder of HavenHeart end-of-life services.| Photo Credit Agnes Grace

​What Is a Death Doula?

A death doula (also called an end-of-life doula) offers support at the end of life, for the person dying and the people who love them.

I'm not a nurse or doctor. I work alongside your medical team, offering presence, calm, clarity, and care.

I believe death isn't just a medical event.
It's a deeply human experience.

When we're supported with knowledge, dignity, honesty, and compassion, the end of life can be a time of connection, healing, and peace.

what matters most

 “At the heart of everything I do is care, education, advocacy, and service. I’m here to empower families ~not take over, so they feel supported, informed, and never alone.”

​I collaborate with communities, healthcare teams, and deathcare professionals to create safe and meaningful spaces and conversations.

end-of-life support: What I offer

My role is flexible and always shaped around your needs. Whether you're planning ahead, newly diagnosed, actively dying, or supporting someone through this process -I'm here to help.

Support may include:

• Emotional care – being present, listening deeply, and holding space
• Advance care planning – identifying your values and documenting your wishes
• Legacy work – letters, life reflections, memory projects
• Family guidance – easing difficult conversations and reducing overwhelm
• Practical help – coordinating,  sourcing local services, giving you a break
• Vigil preparation – creating a calm, sacred space at the bedside
• Before and during - assisting when asked
• After-death care – washing, dressing, supporting natural body care at home if desired

Some people want one conversation.
​Others need support across weeks or months. There's no template - only your path

Whether you're dying, caring, or grieving - I'm here to walk alongside you

why i do this work

Because it can be very hard ... watching someone you love fade

Your animals can bring comfort

Unsure what to do next. What will today bring?
Feeling lost in a system that moves too fast—or not at all.
Awake at 3am, wondering: Am I doing this right?
​Or maybe you're the one dying- carrying fear, sadness, guilt.
​
That's why I'm here.
​As a death doula, I walk beside you through the fog, offering calm, clarity, and real support.

​I'm someone you can ring, text, or message, someone who listens without judgement, a shoulder to cry on, another set of hands, and who helps you feel less alone in the middle of it all. 

One step at a time. Together.

my path to becoming a death doula

Has been many years in the making

Supporting you: however you need me to. | Dunstan hospital

This work is deeply personal to me. Like many adults in their 50s, I've experienced loss in my own life.

​ I know how much it matters to have someone walk beside you through a challenging and vulnerable time in our life.

In the 1990s and 2000's, I was a hairdresser; I heard about clients diagnosis, worries and concerns, shaving their hair for them during treatment. For some I also cared for after death, doing their hair in the funeral home.

 In 2006, I became a teacher, and numerous times, I held space for young people as their family members or school friend died.

Since 2011, I' have worked as a life coach, helping people navigate change, loss, and transition.  I  trained   in life coaching, Reiki, meditation, personal and spiritual development, and facilitated workshops and retreats across the South Island.

In 2017, I became a trained funeral celebrant through  The Celebrant School. I've led funeral  and memorial ceremonies, public events  throughout South Canterbury, Mid Canterbury, and the Mackenzie District.

Over time, families began reaching out before a death occurred - seeking help to prepare, talk, and plan their death or have a Pre-Written Funeral Ceremony

That's when I realised: this support is needed earlier.

So in 2021, I completed formal End-of-Life Doula Training online and continued ongoing development through:

• Natural Death Care Centre : Deathwalker in-person training with Zenith Virago 
• Death care workshop with Claire Turnham, founder of Only With Love ​ Foundation
• Assisted Dying training with Te Whatu Ora ( Health NZ) 
• Trainings through The Grief Centre​
• Six months working as a funeral director and assistant in Timaru, which gave me valuable insight and knowledge of the funeral industry
• Encouraging conversations about death and dying launching South Canterbury Death Cafe
• Ongoing community work including co-hosting Death Without Debt  workshops
• Public talks on role of the death doula for Aged Concern South Canterbury and Hospice South Canterbury 
• Upcoming talks and workshops on Preparing for Funerals, ACP and Death and Dying. 
• Advanced Care Planning and Trainings through Hospice New Zealand
• I'm currently in the process of becoming a professional member of the End-of-Life Doula Alliance

All of this shapes the way I show up today:
With empathy.
With experience.
And with a deep belief in the power of preparation, presence, and care.

pricing

I volunteer in our community, providing many death and dying services.
My death doula work is a paid service, and the family pays me directly. 

I give public and private talks to the commmunity and organisations about death and dying or my role as a death doula.

Private doula support is a paid service.
Everyone's needs are different, and my support is designed to be flexible and fair.

• Intro chat (30 mins) – Free
• Hourly rate – $75
• 3 hours Package – $210
• 6 hours Package  – $420
• Custom care packages – Available on request

Travel fees may apply for locations outside Timaru. Let's have a conversation about what feels right for you. We can do this in person or over Zoom

Frequently Asked Questions

• What's the difference between a death doula and hospice or palliative care?  Hospice and palliative teams provide medical support I complement their work by offering emotional, spiritual, and practical care.
• Can my loved die at home, in a marae or their rest home?  Your loved one can be where you and they feel comfortable. We are guided by your medical team for what is practical
• Can I work with you if I'm not dying?  Yes. Many people want to explore end-of-life planning, talk through fears, or create legacy projects well before anything urgent.
• Do you support families too? Absolutely  I work with whānau and carers-before, during, and after death.
• Where do you work? I'm based in Timaru and available across South Canterbury and the Mackenzie District, including Lake Tekapo, Fairlie, Geraldine, and surrounding areas.

Have a question? Please Reach out.  Contact Form  👇

everyone is welcome

​I offer respectful, inclusive care to everyone. People of all cultures, religions, backgrounds, and identities, regardless of their life stories and experiences. 
​
I'm proud to support the LGBTTQIAP+ (rainbow) community and anyone who needs kind, non-judgmental support in their life.

ready to talk?

You don't need to have all the answers, or even know what questions to ask
​
You just need a starting point. That is now. 
​
Let's connect for a free, no-obligation chat and see what support might feel right for you.

It begins with a conversation.
​Warmly,
​Jade Whaley

Contact 👇