Hi, I'm Gwynn

I am a bodyworker who works with therapeutic massage, a Spiritual Wellness, and Emotional Wellness, and a Life Coach and I am an End-of-Life Doula, but I prefer the term Thanadoula. I also have 2 adult children with complex mental health issues. I have been working as an advocate, an educator as well as supporting other parents for a very long time. I do realize that that's a lot of titles. It's also a lot of information that I have picked up and used along my path. As a mom and a woman, I have had many chapters to my story. Some of those chapters came with a reinvention of myself, mostly out of necessity.
I have been a dental assistant, a stay-at-home mom, an Educational Assistant, a motel manager, an entrepreneur, a Technical Service Representative for a telecom company, I have worked in retail, in customer service positions and even a collections representative.

Let my experience work for you and get you where you want to be, instead of where you have to be.

Body Worker

 I have been a bodyworker for almost 20 years. I have an intuitive approach to working on the human body. I don't chase the pain, I destroy it. I use a mixture of all the techniques I have learned, as well as my intuition to provide a completely customized approach to helping you alleviate your pain and discomfort. I have techniques that obliterate shoulder pain, relieve migraines, calm the discomfort of knee and joint pain as well as whiplash, even trouble breathing. So, whatever your challenge, whatever your pain, book an appointment today and let me help you feel better, live better, move better and improve your life in ways you had no idea you were even missing out on.
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Let me help you keep doing what you need to do and what you LOVE to do!

Spiritual Wellness Coach

I am a recovering Catholic. The Catholic faith never really resonated with me. I was a Catholic at birth and still remember most of the songs and prayers that were taught to me at a very young age, but Catholicism could not answer all of the questions I had, nor even the ones I currently carry. I spent a very long time looking for my spirituality. To say that I have found it would be misleading, but I have definitely found a Spiritual path that speaks to me. There are so many different cultural beliefs, religious beliefs, and so many different Spiritual Paths out there. I would love to be your Guide and I would be honoured to explore together. Let's have those deep conversations, stress free, judgement free, in a space where you can be completely you and we can discover what truly resounds in your head, heart, soul and body. Call today to talk about where you are and where you want to go with your Spirituality.
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Let's dive into your belief systems!

Emotional Wellness Coach

Emotional Wellness, Emotional Intelligence, and emotional well-being. These are all big concepts, and they all mean different things to different people. I became aware when I started my own journey through counselling that I had never been taught how to regulate or manage my emotions, or even what it would take to do so. Emotional Intelligence really accentuated that need to be emotionally available, but without the dysregulation that sometimes comes with emotional availability. Let me help you to learn to recognize your emotions, let them have room to grow, but not take over. Let them run, but not run wild. Learn what an emotion needs when it comes up, most of the time, an emotion just wants to be seen, heard and recognized. It took me almost 60 years, let me help you so you can live the rest of your life with your emotions instead of ruled by them.

Grief Coach

Grief Coaching helps! It helps a lot! Coaching someone through grief and grieving is an amazing experience. Seeing grief through someone else's eyes is an honour, helping them acknowledge that grief, work through it and learn how to walk with the grief is one of the most wonderful experiences. All grief is not the same! All grieving is not the same. Talking about how you're feeling, what needs to be done, separating what you CAN do, what you need to do and what you want to do. Everything seems so abnormal after a death, especially a significant death.
Let me help you find your normal again!
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Let me help you find your life's meaning, your purpose!

End-of-Life Doula

A Death Doula, an End-0f-Life Doula, what do they do exactly? The short answer; Everything! My definition of an End of Life Doula is that I can assist you with anything that is overwhelming, overtaxing or out of your realm of understanding or focus. After someone we love dies, our brain becomes clouded. It's hard to see tasks, it's hard to remember tasks, it's difficult remembering conversations. It's hard to contemplate the world without your person, and wondering why the world is still spinning and how everyone can just go back to their lives after the passing of your loved one.
I CAN HELP!!

I can take notes at meetings at banks, at funeral homes, with celebrants, with family if needed. I can help organize, I can help with chores that seem overwhelming. I can help with driving if that's what you need! The best thing about Death Doula services is that they are 100% customizable!! From needing someone to talk to about your loved one, to deciding how to move forward. 
Call me!
I CAN HELP!

  • For the dying individual: Whether in the family's home, hospice, hospital or some other setting, a Thanadoula often provides the profound gift of companionship. Among many things, this might comprise simply holding the dying person's hand; actively listening to his or her comments; conversing and attempting to offer answers/comfort to the individual's questions/concerns/needs; watching television or reading a book aloud; discussing end-of-life wishes; helping the dying individual resolve/find peace about real or imagined wrongs, addressing challenges within the family, addressing challenges with communication with doctors, nursing staff or care staff, or any other stresses or concerns that are bringing strife to the dying person, or even explaining how dying may feel and what symptoms they may experience. Helping the dying person find meaning in their life and leave a legacy, such as by sharing memories, writing down stories, or writing letters, designing the physical space for death, including decorations, sounds, and smells, encouraging loved ones to provide touch and affection to the dying person, or by providing spiritual support or leading rituals.
  • For the family members: Wherever the family is, in whatever room, building or facility,  a Thanadoula often provides the gift of continuity across the pan-death spectrum, for example before, during and after a death occurs. Among many things, this might comprise performing various basic tasks usually conducted by a home caregiver; staying with the dying individual while family members are away; facilitating supportive communication and/or conversations between all parties; assisting in the creation of meaningful goodbyes during the remaining hours of life; helping the family bathe and dress the deceased; serving as a resource or support for funeral/interment planning and estate settlement, going to the bank, the lawyers, there are so many examples. Thanadoulas can help make sense of necessary appointments that require a level of understanding and cognition that can escape the grief stricken family members. I have forgotten words as I was saying them because of grief. Basic tasks may not seem so basic when trying to juggle the grieving process. As noted above, Thanadoulas generally bridge the gap between efforts to prevent a death from happening and after a death occurs. This continuity of care and their presence is part of the services Thanadoulas can provide during the transition between life and death. These services differ markedly from the role of funeral directors, whose responsibilities typically begin post-death (unless the deceased or his or her family prearranged and, possibly, pre-funded those post-death arrangements — a preneed situation).