Bereavement & Supportive Care – The Carpenter Hospice

“You don’t need to move on from grief. You need someone to see your grief, to acknowledge it. Some things cannot be fixed. They can only be carried.” – Megan Devine

(excerpt from the book titled: It’s Ok That You’re Not Ok: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn’t Understand)

We offer compassionate, non-judgmental support to individuals and families experiencing loss. Our goal is to provide a safe, caring, and compassionate environment to allow individuals to express their feelings and move towards healing.

Our grief support model is based on Dr. Alan Wolfelt’s philosophy of grief work and grief companioning: being present, bearing witness, honouring, compassionate listening, sacred silence, stillness, learning, unlearning and walking alongside the bereaved into the wilderness of grief with another human being while exploring with humble curiosity.

Assistance is accessible to caregivers, families, and friends following a death of a loved one. Support is also offered to those who are anticipating a loss. The program is provided at no cost to participants and is available to individuals with family members at the Hospice and individuals living in the Burlington community.

Goals of Carpenter Hospice Bereavement Program:

To provide support and space to hold your grief in a welcoming, unassuming environment.
Be a safe place for you to explore your grief with compassion and solace.
To increase awareness of grief literacy and grief education.
To reduce feelings of isolation in grief and provide opportunities for connection between bereaved individuals in the community.

Program offerings include:

One-on-one support for our residents and their family members
One-on-one grief companioning and support
One-on-one support for individuals living with a life-limiting diagnosis, and/or their caregiver
8-week spousal loss support groups *
Monthly drop-in bereavement support groups *
Celebration of Life services in May and December *
Ongoing support through information mailings and access to our library *
Educational workshops *
Yoga for Grieving Hearts *
Bereavement Walking Group *

* Programs impacted by current COVID restrictions.

What We Understand About Grief:

Grief is a natural human experience and response to the profound loss in your life.
Grief is not an illness, and therefore, there is no need to “fix”, “cure,” or “get over” your grief.
There are no predictable, orderly stages as you navigate your grief journey.
Grief is an extension of love; there is no timeline.
There is no “right” or “wrong” way to grieve, your grief is your own, and your grief experience is as unique to you and your relationship with your loved one.
Grief allows for deep reflection and asks to be held, expressed and explored.
There are many ways grief is experienced and expressed; this may look different even among family members.
Grief will show up in many different expected and unexpected ways.

Grief is a process and a journey; whether your grief journey has just begun or you are years into your grief journey, we are here to hold space and meet you where you are.

To learn more about how Carpenter Hospice can support you on your grief journey, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Danni Kozela, Bereavement Care Coordinator, at 905-631-9994 ext. 135 or by email at

Services at the Hospice are not intended to replace professional counselling services.