Death is the only guarantee in life, yet we talk about and plan for it the least.Â
Death is a Rite of Passage. It's time we treat it like one. Death doula services can help.
Death Doula and End of Life Planning Services
Hi, I'm Karla. Death Care Professional serving Victoria BC and surrounding areas.
As a licensed Funeral Director, I’ve witnessed both the heartbreak of uncertainty and the power of informed choices. As a Death Doula I help individuals and their families navigate end-of-life planning with clarity, courage, and grace.
This work is my calling. I'm so glad you're here.
Karla
Prepare
If you're ready to face death with intention, I’m here for you. Together we can create a plan that ensures that your people are supported and your values are honoured. Services include:
- Practical planning: get your ducks in a row with an organized, comprehensive and accurate system.
- Cremation or green burial pre-planning with Earth's Option
- Support for meaningful family conversations
- Emotional readiness and intention setting.
Say Goodbye
There’s no one right way to say goodbye: an intentional farewell before you go, a solemn gathering after death, and/or a celebration with music and laughter. We’ll co-create something meaningful, and most importantly, authentic.
Services include:
- Living Farewell
- MAiD day Rite of Passage
- Post-death goodbye, a space to express and witness grief
- Re-do, is there a loss that wasn’t marked or wasn’t marked well? You can redo it.
Soul Work
Whether you have a desire to face your own mortality with more courage, or feel called to walk with others through death and dying, you don’t need to know exactly what you’re looking for, let’s just have a conversation.
For the curious:
- Anticipatory grief conversations
- Life-clarifying and legacy reflection
- Facing mortality with intention
- Death as a rite of passage
For Aspiring Death Doulas
Exploratory sessions for people drawn to death work.
- Real talk about what it means to serve in this space: emotional labour, boundaries, and burnout
- Support for figuring out your path and where to begin
- Network of other death-caring folks
Frequently Asked Questions
Just as birth doulas support new life labouring into the world, death doulas provide support for those labouring out of the world. We offer practical, emotional, and experienced support not only for the dying person but also for their family.
I facilitate meaningful, inclusive conversations about end-of-life planning, helping individuals and families make informed choices. Education empowers loved ones to honour wishes with confidence, rather than guess.
Our meeting begins with a consultation call to identify your needs. I tailor my services meet the individual, couple or group where they are at currently. Sometimes there has been a health concern or diagnosis and families want to gather information and plan for the future. Some groups are friends simply wanting to get the conversation started in a comfortable way, then learn how to broach the subject with their own families. For an expected death at home I provide information on what to expect to ensure everyone feels safe and comfortable, and facilitate the care of the body after. Every meeting is uniquely designed to meet your needs.
Holistic Advance Care Planning is tailored to your needs: estate organizing, preparation for MAiD, funeral planning, and legacy work for individuals, couples, and families.
$125/hrÂ
The Empowered Estate is a comprehensive, Canadian end-of-life planner available for $59.95 +tx, click here.
With a Certified Executor Advisor I offer ongoing monthly Accountability Parties: a virtual space to ask questions and have a dedicated hour to work through whatever planning system you use. $10 click here for a list of topics.
First time? Please contact me for a complimentary link to try it out!
Death is a part of life. Often kids intrinsically understand this with more ease than adults. I believe that the fear of death is learned through growing up in our death denying culture. Children are welcome and encouraged to be present with their families and I have age appropriate materials for engagement and comfort.
No, I hope you’ll meet with me sooner! Discussions surrounding end of life wishes can be ongoing because wishes and feelings change. My mission is to empower families to have these conversations together. I have witnessed the heartaches of families left to navigating the death of a loved one based on guessing and instinct alone. I think families can be more present in life, illness and death when they have given some forward thought together.
It is not uncommon to prefer someone other than family to step in to protect your wishes. In the event that a person cannot make health decisions for themselves, there is a standard, government dictated list of who has the right to make decisions on your behalf. That person is called your Temporary Substitute Decision Maker and you can find the list here in order of authority. If you are not comfortable with that designated person making decisions on your behalf, you can fill out a Representation Agreement to name the person of your choosing (with their consent). This can be useful if you do not wish your spouse to have to make decisions on your behalf and prefer a trusted friend. Or if you are closer with your chosen family rather than your family of origin.
Talking about end of life with loved ones is often awkward and uncomfortable. It is my passion to help facilitate these discussions with levity and a feeling of calm and security. When I tailor a family meeting, I start with some individual engagement to get everyone on the same page, so when we meet the ball is already rolling, whether the meeting is in person or virtually.
Doing Death Different
Marketplace
We are challenging the status quo around death and grief. This is a gathering of death-caring folks who are doing things a little differently. We are engaging with death in ways that feel authentic, courageous and connected. This event showcases the wonderful and alternative deathcare supports available on Vancouver Island.