ACE End-of-Life Doula Services

ACE End-of-Life Doula Services, founded by Joan Bretthauer, MS, provides non-medical, holistic support to individuals and families navigating the end-of-life journey in the St. Louis and Creve Coeur areas. The practice follows the Advocacy, Choice, and Education (ACE) framework, offering physical, emotional, spiritual, and practical support that complements traditional hospice and palliative care. Joan's services are designed to bridge the gap between medical treatment and the personal needs of the dying, helping to foster a peaceful and dignified transition. Specialties of the practice include advance care planning, legacy work—such as the creation of ethical wills and legacy letters—and vigil support. Joan works with clients from the time of a terminal diagnosis through the final active dying phase and offers post-death bereavement support for family members. She is a certified end-of-life doula with multiple credentials from institutions like the Doulagivers Institute and the Sacred Art of Living Center, and she actively contributes to the field as the founder of the Midwest End-of-Life Doula Collective and president emeritus of the Gateway End-of-Life Coalition.

Creve Coeur, MO