Marni Blank, Esq.
Trained death doula, lawyer, mediator, and female founded small business owner.
There’s nothing I love more than skipping the small talk and connecting with people on a deeper level. As soon as someone hears what I do and that I’m comfortable talking about death, dying and grief, I can noticeably see the relief on their faces and most share something deeply personal with me. It sparks in them a feeling of being seen and heard. Most people walk around trying to hide these stories. I want to hear them.
How It Began….
I have always been curious about death and dying. My relationship to it changed, however, when my mother suffered injuries due to a car accident in 2018 (she’s ok now!). I went from procrastinating on getting her advanced directives notarized (they’d been collecting dust on my desk for months) to scrambling. It forced me to understand the importance of these papers and also the vast logistics I didn’t realize went into caregiving or after someone dies. It was overwhelming, frustrating and lonely. I was so caught up in all of the “to do’s” that I wasn’t able to just be a worried daughter. I was unable to process or experience the feelings that naturally come up when someone you love is hurt or dying because I was too busy trying to deal with all of the very real and pressing logistics. I knew there must be a better way to get and feel support in order to free up mental space to be present for oneself and loved ones.
I am a trained death doula, mediator, after loss consultant and recovering lawyer. I bring deep compassion, active listening, practical resources and a healthy dose of humor to my work. Through my trainings, I have learned to have more open and thoughtful conversations with family and friends around this nuanced and often taboo topic. Death and grief affect us all. The more we connect with our families, communities and ourselves, the less fear plays into these important discussions and decisions.
I received my BA from the University of Rochester and my JD from Brooklyn Law School. After a few years practicing law for both federal and city government, I took the leap to entrepreneurship. Partnering with my sister, we opened Blank Studio NYC in 2016 and the Blank Farmhouse in 2021. I completed my death doula training through Going with Grace, adult family mediation training through Elder Decisions, grief training through Living Through Loss Counselling Society, NEDA proficient and continue to take various courses offered through NEDA, RoundGlass EOL, Deathwives, et al.
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Testimonials
Ellen Z., NYC
“End of life planning is both incredibly important and incredibly terrifying. Marni Blank provided excellent services to help me understand the steps and see them through to completion. She explained the power of attorney, health proxy and last will and testament documents and processes. She has wonderful advice for talking to family members, considering whom to assign for the different roles, and pros and cons for different decisions. I am grateful for her help and we got everything done efficiently. Her pricing is very reasonable and her subject matter expertise invaluable. Highly recommended! Thanks Marni!”
Tammy S., Greenwich CT
“Getting a living will and healthcare proxy executed has been looming on my list of things to do for years. When I started working with Marni, I realized I held feelings of avoidance and fear that I had not expected. Marni helped me tackle this process with patience, compassion, specialized knowledge, and flexibility—empowering me to customize both documents according to my specific wants and concerns. Now I don’t have to think about it anymore. I know its done and my loved ones will have clear guidance as to my wishes. Thank you Marni!”