The Good Death

A Guide for Supporting Your Loved One through the End of Life

By: Suzanne B. O’Brien RN RN

Narrated by: Suzanne B. O’Brien RN RN

Practical wisdom and holistic planning to ease life's most difficult transition, from an acclaimed hospice nurse, death doula, and end-of-life educator

Many of us have to show up for someone we love at the end of life. Knowing how to do that changes everything. With over twenty years of experience as a hospice nurse, palliative care professional, and founder of the Doulagivers Institute, Suzanne B. O’Brien, RN has trained more than 350,000 people in what can be done to help the dying person, caregiver and other loved ones so they may move through each stage with as much comfort and ease as possible.

In The Good Death, O’Brien provides a comprehensive plan and the empowering knowledge to make a beautiful, sacred, and profound experience for everyone involved. Through practical advice, emotional support, and expert insights, O’Brien gently holds your hand through every aspect of the process, including:

· Learning how fear of death makes end of life harder, and how we can begin to quell it
· Care instructions to ensure your loved one’s comfort
· Support system strategies to avoid burnout as a caregiver

To further empower you in facilitating a good death, the second half of the book is presented workbook-style. The Peace of Mind Planner features prompts to initiate important conversations with your loved one about their physical, mental, emotional, financial, and spiritual preferences, and space to record this important information. The planner allows you to be fully present in these last precious moments, and come away with a thorough plan for your loved one’s end-of-life wishes. With empathy and a careful approach, The Good Death is not only a comprehensive, compassionate, and in-depth resource, it is a beacon of hope and support.

Critic reviews

“As a seasoned hospice and ICU nurse, I've witnessed firsthand how planning ahead can transform end-of-life experiences. The Good Death is an essential guide for every family. This invaluable book provides a clear, step-by-step framework for caregivers, offering compassionate support, expert insights, and grace in caring for a dying loved one. Suzanne O'Brien's wealth of experience as a hospice nurse, oncology nurse, and death doula infuses every page with priceless wisdom. It’s a must-read for every family caregiver."—Hospice Nurse Julie, New York Times bestselling author of NOTHING TO FEAR

"The Good Death is an invaluable roadmap for navigating one of life's most challenging journeys with grace, compassion and empowerment. Suzanne O'Brien's wealth of experience as a hospice nurse and death doula shines through on every page, offering practical guidance alongside profound spiritual insights. This book is a must-read for anyone seeking to transform fear into peace when it matters most."—Kris Carr, New York Times bestselling author

“Suzanne B. O’Brien, RN provides those preparing for end of life the tools to approach it with grace, dignity, knowledge and compassion. This incredible resource will provide support to many.”—Steve Leder, bestselling author of THE BEAUTY OF WHAT REMAINS and FOR YOU WHEN I AM GONE

“An empowering guide to end-of-life-care that provides comfort and peace of mind, and the opportunity to make sense of death in new and profound ways.”—Katy Butler, NYT bestselling author

"Suzanne O’Brien’s expertise and empathetic approach provide readers with a holistic understanding of end-of-life care, addressing every critical aspect - from physical comfort and emotional support to financial planning and spiritual preparation. As we face the inevitability of death, The Good Death offers not only practical advice but also a framework for creating a peaceful and dignified end-of-life experience. This book is an indispensable resource for caregivers and families, guiding them through the complexities of dying with grace and confidence, and ultimately inspiring a deeper appreciation for the fullness of life."—Ken Ross, President of the Elizabeth Kubler-Ross Foundation

Suzanne O’Brien has worked tirelessly throughout her career to help others navigate “the good death,” knowing from her experience that our medical system often fails those at the end of life. A passionate leader in the death awareness movement, she shares her extensive knowledge in The Good Death on how to care for the dying along with her deep spiritual wisdom for living a life of meaning. Suzanne’s teaching undoubtedly makes the world a more humane place as she shows the way to a good life and a good death."—Dr. Karen Wyatt, author of 7 LESSONS FOR LIVING FROM THE DYING

Can’t recommend enough!

As a Death Doula, I’ve ready many books on end of life care and I’m really enjoying this. She manages to cover everything that contributes to a good death, yet explains it in a way that feels simple and understandable. It’s thorough without being overwhelming. I appreciate how it balances practicality with heart. This is a beautiful resource do anyone wanting to feel more prepared and less afraid.

Releasing Fear & Welcoming Planning

This book was incredibly helpful in justifying my own lack of fear surrounding the topic of death while surprisingly helping me to prepare for my own. I originally picked up this book because I recently learned about the existence of a Death Doula role. That said, I wasn’t quite ready to dedicate funds for beginning a certification course but I was still interested in learning more. This book was perfect for helping me walk through what that role could look like but it also took me through the journey of preparing for my own death as well. This has been quite cathartic for me as I apparently was holding anxieties that were able to be relieved as I moved through the worksheets and planning questionnaires. Having worked their this myself, I feel an even stronger desire to impart my learning with others. So many of my family & friends are incredibly fearful of this subject and this book helps provide some verbiage and phrasing that makes the subject a bit more palatable for those with strong fears. That’s been helpful. I’ve also found that in preparation, helps me be even more grateful for the moments h to at I share with my loved ones as I’m experiencing them. Overall, a great read and I’d recommend it to anyone that will listen!

Helpful

Content general and helpful. Author’s mispronunciations were tiresome after a while. Now searching for more on this topic from a Christian worldview.

Fabulous Combination of stories and facts

As a professional Certified Music Practitioner (CMP) I use live therapeutic music with patients in hospitals and hospice to create healing environments in the moment. This book is so well written and presented that it will become one of go tos and I am recommending it to my school, The Music for healing and Transitions Program. The author also offers free monthly book studies that are well run. Enjoy your journeys.

Excellent introduction for anyone seeking to cultivate comfort with the concept of death

I bought this audiobook as a supplementary resource for my death doula studies, & I found it to be an excellent introduction for anyone seeking to cultivate comfort with the concept of death, both of others and their own mortality. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️