“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

While I cannot help with your taxes, I offer you my expertise and support in

• end-of-life planning,
• facing a palliative diagnosis—yours or a loved one’s,
• end-of-life emotional distress and despair,
• psychedelic-assisted therapy through Health Canada’s Special Access Program,
• MAiD (Medical Assistance in Dying) exploration and planning,
• death education,
• psychosocial palliative counselling,
• having difficult conversations around the topic of death, and
• advance care planning.

Wherever you are—home, hospital, hospice—I can support you and your family from initial diagnosis. I supplement current supports, such as your palliative care medical team or death doula. I work with family members of all ages, including young children, teens, and adults to support anticipatory and bereavement grief.

While death is a reality of life, dying is a physical process that only takes place during the very last chapter of your life. Until the moment of your physical death, you are alive and living. I can support you to live the life you desire until you die.

The journey through life when you are just contemplating death or facing imminent death can be painful, overwhelming, and lonely. You do not have to be alone in your journey.

Loving and caring for someone who is facing palliative illness or death has its own challenges and gifts. Learning to navigate the challenges and appreciate the blessings often facilitates a less complicated grief process before and after the death. Working with thousands of individuals and families facing similar experiences has given me the compassion, expertise, and ability to offer these to my clients in private practice.

I invite you to call me at 250-616-9317 to discuss life and death.

What is Palliative Care?

Many of my clients express having felt complete shock and overwhelming fear the first time they were referred to as ‘palliative’. The terms ‘palliative’ and ‘hospice’ are often incorrectly equated with ‘terminal’, ‘dying’, or ‘untreatable’. While these comparisons can sometimes be accurate, many people live full lives for months or years after a palliative diagnosis.

‘Palliative’ Definition: Minimizing the progression of a disease and relieving undesirable symptoms for as long as possible, rather than attempting to cure the (usually incurable) disease. ~ Wiktionary

The videos below, courtesy of Canadian Virtual Hospice, beautifully portray Katie’s experience of palliative care. Each person’s experience is unique. My goal is to provide each of my clients the opportunity to explore their needs, goals, and dreams while living their own palliative journey.  

Learning about the true meaning of “palliative care” from Canadian Virtual Hospice on Vimeo.

Needing honest conversations about palliative care from Canadian Virtual Hospice on Vimeo.