Frequently Asked Questions

What does this actually cost?

• One-on-one work is $100 per hour. If you're interested in package pricing for longer term or complex support, reach out and we'll figure out something that fits the shape of what you need.

• A small number of sliding scale spots are available for people experiencing financial hardship. If cost is a real barrier, mention it when you get in touch. I'd rather work with you than not.

Are you covered by insurance or extended benefits?

• Not currently. I'm not a regulated health professional in the context of this work, so extended benefits don't apply. If this is a barrier, see the note above about sliding scale.

Do you work in person, virtually, or both?

• I work both in person and virtually (or a combination of the two).

Where are you located and how far will you travel?

• In person, I'm based in Nakusp and travel throughout the West Kootenays, Kootenay Boundary, and into the Okanagan.

• There is no travel fee within 30 km of Nakusp. Beyond that, travel is billed at $50 per hour and $0.75 per kilometer. I'll give you an estimate before we confirm anything.

• For destinations that involve a significant drive, we can discuss a half or full day rate that makes sense for both of us.

• Virtually, I can meet you anywhere.

What's the difference between what you do and what a therapist or counsellor does?

• A therapist works within a regulated clinical framework to assess, diagnose, and treat. I don't do any of that. What I do is accompany you. I help you carry what you're carrying, get clear on what you need, and figure out what comes next. It's relational and practical rather than clinical. Many people work with a therapist and me at the same time, and I'm happy to coordinate with your existing care team if that's useful.

What's the difference between what you do and what hospice provides?

• Hospice provides extraordinary medical and palliative care. I have enormous respect for hospice work. What I offer lives around it. Hospice teams are often managing complex care for multiple patients and cannot always provide the kind of sustained, unhurried presence that a family needs. I'm not attached to any institution. I'm available across the whole arc of end-of-life - before hospice is involved, alongside it, and after. I can be wherever that arc takes place (in hospice and out), and I bring continuity that a rotating care team can't always provide. It's not an either/or, but rather that I can act as a complement to hospice care if that's what's needed.

What's the difference between your death doula work and your coaching/wellness work?

• The modality is different but the foundation is the same - honest company, practical support, no performing your healing. Death doula work is specifically oriented around dying, end-of-life, and the grief that surrounds it. Coaching and wellness work is broader: grief integration, life transitions, meaning making, getting unstuck. In practice the two often overlap, and that's fine. If you're not sure which door to knock on, knock on either one and we'll figure it out.

Do I have to be religious or spiritual to work with you?

• No. I consider myself a spiritual person but follow no specific tradition, and I don't bring one into the room unless you invite it. I'm equally comfortable with people who are devoutly religious, loosely spiritual, or firmly secular. If faith and meaning are important to your process, we'll work with that. If they're not, we won't. You take the lead.

Can you work with my family, not just me?

• Yes. Death and grief are rarely solo experiences, and sometimes the most useful thing I can do is be in the room with more than one person. Family sessions are available, and I can work with different family members in different capacities if that's what's needed.

Do you support people navigating MAiD?

• Yes. If you or someone you love is exploring or has chosen Medical Assistance in Dying, I can offer support across the process - emotional, practical, and relational. This includes support for family members before, during, and after.

What if my loved one is in hospital or a care facility - can you still help?

• Yes. I can visit in hospitals, hospices, and care facilities, and I'm experienced in those environments in a way that might actually be useful - I know how they work, how to move through them, and how to support you in navigating a system that wasn't designed for the kind of conversations you need to have. If in-person visits aren't possible or practical, I can also support you and your family virtually while your loved one is in care. The institution handles the medical side. I'm there to support you and your family in navigating it, and to provide the sustained, unhurried presence that a busy care team can't always offer.

Is this only for people who are actively dying, or can I reach out earlier?

• Earlier is almost always better. Advanced care planning, legacy work, and honest conversations go better when there's no immediate crisis driving them. 

• I also work with people who aren't facing death at all - grief, life transitions, and getting unstuck are their own territory. If you're wondering whether what you're dealing with fits, just reach out. We'll figure it out on the call.

What happens after I fill out the contact form?

• I will respond within 48 hours, usually sooner. If you're in an acute situation and need a faster response, say so in your message.

How long do people typically work with you?

• It depends entirely on what you're navigating. If someone is close to end-of-life, the work is often focused and brief - days to weeks. If you're planning ahead or supporting a loved one through a longer illness, it might be weeks to months. Grief coaching and life transition work tends to run longer - a few months to a year or more is common. There's no minimum commitment. We figure out the shape of it together and adjust as we go.

What if I reach out and I'm not sure what I need?

• That's the most common way people arrive. You don't need to have it sorted out before you hit send. Tell me what's going on as best you can, and we'll figure out the shape of it together on our first call.