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A good transition is where there is a little less fear and a whole lot more love!
Sam Hester is the founder of Houston End-Of-Life Doula Coach.
Sam's journey is a powerful example of how a profound personal trial—like a Near-Death Experience (NDE)—can be transmuted into a calling to help others.
What is a Doula?
A doula is a trained non‑medical support professional who provides emotional, informational, physical, and practical support to individuals and their families during significant life transitions, such as birth, illness, or end- of-life.
Doulas do not perform clinical tasks or give medical advice; instead, they focus on presence, guidance, advocacy, comfort, and empowerment, working alongside medical and caregiving teams while honoring the individual’s values and choices.
End‑of‑Life Doula
An End-of-Life Doula (EOLD), is a specialized professional who provides dedicated support to individuals and families before, during, and after the transition of death.
By offering non-medical, holistic guidance, EOLD coaches focus on the emotional, spiritual, practical, and relational aspects of the journey. Their goal is to ensure that every stage of the process is met with dignity, presence, and peace.
Sam’s profile highlights a unique blend of clinical expertise and spiritual insight:
Professional & Educational Background
- Experience: A 40-year career as a counselor, social worker, and life & wellness coach.
- Education: Auburn University. Multiple professional licenses and certifcations in counseling, social work, wellness and life coaching.
- MIlitary: U.S. Navy Veteran
- Volunteer: MD Anderson Cancer Center and The Center for Attitudinal Healing
- Leadership: He started and directed the first onsite wellness program in 2005 at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston managing health initiatives for over 10,000 individuals. This was only the second wellness program in The Texas Medical Center at the time.
- Credentials: Doula trained through the International Association of Professional Death Doulas (IAPO). Membership with the National End-of-Life Doula Alliance (NEDA).
- Author: Sam has written two books on the critical intersections of stress and wellness: Soar to Success Minus the Stress and Executive Wellness.
The "Why" Behind His Work
Sam’s work in end-of-life care is deeply shaped by a life-changing experience in 2021, when he was hospitalized with a severe lung infection that progressed to sepsis. During this critical illness, he had a Near-Death Experience (NDE) that became a cornerstone of his approach to supporting others.
In that experience, Sam encountered a profound sense of white light and met angelic beings and family members. He experienced the other side’s unconditional love and acceptance, returning with a greatly diminished fear of death. This transformation allows him to bring an uncommon level of calm, presence, and compassion to those facing the end of life.
The depth of this perspective was tested soon afterward when Sam accompanied his own son-in-law through a terminal cancer diagnosis and the final stage of life. Walking that path alongside his family reinforced Sam’s commitment to providing grounded, compassionate support to others navigating the dying process.
A lifelong spiritual seeker, Sam has studied and participated in a wide variety of religions and practices. He brings this wealth of knowledge and deep-seated empathy to the end-of-life journey, offering a supportive presence for any path a family may follow.
Services Include:
ü Companion to the dying person and their loved ones, specializing in emotional support at end-of-life
ü Creating a safe and sacred space
ü Vigil planning/sitting
ü Facilitator for unresolved issues or family dynamics and grief
ü Life review/finding meaning
ü Legacy work/goodbye or regrets
ü Meditation and breath awareness
ü Rituals and ceremonies
ü Respite support
ü Living funerals/wakes
ü Pet Deaths
I am committed to supporting all individuals and their loved ones at the end of life. I honor all identities, relationships, cultures, and lived experiences, and I strive to ensure that every person in my care feels respected, seen, and fully affirmed.
An initial 30-minute phone consultation is provided at no cost. Following this conversation, if we choose to work together a customized service package and fee will be determined based on your individual circumstances, and a Service Agreement will be completed prior to beginning our work together. All personal, family, and medical information is held in strict confidence.
End-of-Life Service Packages
Level I
4 hrs of services monthly $300
Level II
8 hrs.of services monthly $600
Level III
12 hrs.of services monthly $900
Hourly rate is $95 per hour.
All plans are monthly subscriptions for the Houston metro area and can be cancelled at any time. Monthly hours can be used in any combination of services with clients and/or family members, and if not used will not roll over to the next month. Please try to schedule services with 48 hrs. notice.
Please feel free to contact Sam call/text to answer any question or to schedule a no-cost consultation. Phone: (713) 301-8322. email: samrhester@gmail.com
“Death Doula(s) puts the silent and unacknowledged parts of the dying process into words. Opening the door for someone to gain a deeper understanding of the dying process. Giving knowledge to help the dying leave this earth with respect and grace. Taking you through the stages of death with a reverence for life and adding a bridge from the dying to the living.”—Ashley McKenna, LPCC, Grief and Loss Therapist”
