Your Wishes. Your Voice. Your Advance Directive. Done.
A guided 2-hour process from conversation to completed legal document.
$180, flat rate.
What's Included
Your $180 session covers everything from start to finish:
Hour 1 — The Conversation
A guided exploration of your wishes, values, priorities, healthcare agent and what quality of life means to youHour 2 — The Directive
Together, we'll work through your California Advance Health Care Directive so that you leave with a completed document ready to properly executeGuided completion of a California Advance Health Care Directive, filled in together and prepared for you to properly sign and execute
A completed directive, plus clear next steps for signing, witnessing/notarizing, and sharing copies with your healthcare agent, family and medical team
No forms to figure out on your own. No guessing. Just a clear, compassionate process from start to finish.
Certified End-of-Life Doula (INELDA) · Certified Grief Educator · Los Angeles
Not sure if this is right for you?
Book a free 15-minute call — let's talk through it.
5 Questions to Ask Before Your Advance Directive Conversation
If you're reading this, some part of you already knows this matters. Maybe you've been putting it off because it feels too big, too heavy, or like something to deal with “someday.” That’s understandable. These are not questions most of us are used to talking about.
You don't need to have any of this figured out before we meet.
But if you'd like a place to begin, these five questions can help you start thinking about what matters most to you. Sitting with them for even a few minutes can make our conversation together that much more meaningful.
1. What does “quality of life” actually mean to me?
Not in the abstract—in your own life.
Is it being able to recognize and communicate with the people you love? Being able to make your own decisions? Living without uncontrolled pain? Being able to remain at home rather than in a hospital or care facility?
There is no right answer. There is only your answer.
Many people have never been asked to put this into words before. Yet understanding what makes life meaningful to you can become an important guide for the people caring for you.
2. Who do I trust to speak for me if I can't speak for myself—and have I actually asked them?
Your healthcare agent is the person you choose to speak for you about medical decisions if you are unable to speak for yourself.
We often assume this should automatically be a spouse, partner, or eldest child. But the better question may be: Who knows me well enough to understand my wishes, and who could carry them out even during a difficult or emotional moment?
And just as importantly: Have you talked with that person about what you would want?
3. If I had a serious illness with little or no chance of recovery, what would I want?
This is one of the central conversations behind an Advance Health Care Directive.
You don't have to predict every possible medical scenario. Instead, we begin with your values.
What would you want your care to prioritize? What would make continued treatment feel worthwhile to you? And under what circumstances might comfort, dignity, or relief from suffering become more important than extending life?
Thinking about these questions gives the people who love you something invaluable: guidance, so they aren't left trying to guess what you would have wanted during an already difficult time.
4. Are there particular medical treatments I feel strongly about?
CPR. Mechanical ventilation. Artificial nutrition or hydration. Long-term life-sustaining treatment.
You don't need to be a medical expert to begin thinking about these things.
And your answer doesn't necessarily have to be simply “yes” or “no.” You might feel differently depending on whether a treatment is being used temporarily to help you recover or is unlikely to restore you to a quality of life you would find acceptable.
Part of our conversation is helping you explore those distinctions and put your wishes into clear language.
5. Who needs to know my wishes—and have I actually told them?
Completing your Advance Health Care Directive is only part of the process.
The people who may need to act on your wishes should know that the document exists and understand what's important to you. That may include your healthcare agent, family or other loved ones, and your healthcare providers.
We'll talk about who should receive a copy and how to have those conversations, so your wishes aren't simply written down—they're understood.
You don't have to have the answers yet.
That's exactly what our conversation is for.
During our two hours together, we'll explore these questions—and often some you hadn't thought to ask—then translate what matters to you into your California Advance Health Care Directive.
You'll leave with a completed document ready for proper signing or witnessing, along with a clear plan for sharing it with the people who need to have it.
Who This Is For
You or someone you love has received a serious or terminal diagnosis
You are supporting someone through hospice or end-of-life
You simply want to stop putting this off and protect the people you love
You don't need to have all the answers before we begin. That's exactly what the conversation is for.
This session is for you if:
At the end of our session, you'll leave with:
✓ Clarity about the care you would — and wouldn't — want
✓ A healthcare agent you've thoughtfully chosen
✓ Your California Advance Health Care Directive completed
✓ Clear instructions for properly executing it
✓ A plan for sharing your wishes with the people who need to know
About Gabriela
In 2023, I was diagnosed with stage IV melanoma. In the space of a single conversation, my life divided into before and after.
What I longed for most in those early, terrifying weeks was not more information. It was presence. Someone willing to sit with me in the fear — to ask the hard questions about dying, but also about joy, meaning, and what mattered most. Those conversations changed me. They helped me see my own life from a greater altitude, and they are the reason I do this work.
I became an end-of-life doula and grief educator because I know, from the inside, what it feels like to face your own mortality. And I know what it means to have someone steady beside you when you do.
Certified End-of-Life Doula (INELDA) | Los Angeles, CA & Beyond
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an Advance Health Care Directive legally valid in California?
California recognizes properly completed and executed Advance Health Care Directives. During our session, I guide you through completing your directive and explain the steps for properly signing and witnessing or notarizing it. I am an end-of-life doula, not an attorney, and this service does not provide legal advice.
What if I don't know what I want yet?
That's exactly why we start with a conversation. You don't need to arrive with answers — just an openness to think through what matters most to you.
What do I need to bring?
Just yourself. I provide everything we need to complete the session.
How do I schedule after I pay?
After completing your purchase, you'll receive a link to schedule your session at a time that works for you.
What if I need to move quickly?
I work with people at all stages. If timing is urgent, reach out directly at gabriela@tendingthesoul.life
What if I live outside of California?
Advance Health Care Directive requirements vary by state. If you're located outside of California, please reach out before booking so we can verify that this process meets your state's requirements. Contact me at gabriela@tendingthesoul.life or 310-487-6460.
Your family deserves to know your wishes.
Don't leave this for later. Two hours. One document. Peace of mind.