Spring Equinox and grief
March 20, 2023, here in Nova Scotia officially marks the arrival of the Spring season with the Spring Equinox. An equinox is a time when...
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A life well-lived and a death well-planned.
Distant Light
Janet Clattenburg
Death Doula
janetgoncalves
- Mar 12
- 3 min
Flowers and death
The concept of flowers placed with and around the deceased is a form of mourning that has some long roots. As a death doula, I am always...
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janetgoncalves
- Mar 5
- 3 min
The problems of platitudes
I recently found myself with some unexpected time on my hands due to a cancelled work shift and decided to rewatch the movie Collateral...
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janetgoncalves
- Feb 26
- 1 min
The role of epitaphs as a summary of our lives
Epitaphs provide those who have passed with a poetic or memorable inscription for those who visit the deceased to remember them by. For...
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janetgoncalves
- Feb 19
- 3 min
SHOE TREES
When driving, one naturally takes in the scenery. Occasionally, I must stop and pull over because of something I see. My friends all know...
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janetgoncalves
- Feb 12
- 2 min
The serious business of mourning during the Victorian era is not so different than modern times
In the Victorian era, it was Queen Victoria’s choice to wear black after the loss of her husband in 1861. She was so heartbroken after...
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janetgoncalves
- Feb 5
- 3 min
The Colours of Mourning
Here in Nova Scotia, if we are attending a funeral, the mourners tend to wear black or dark colours. But does this tradition hold true...
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janetgoncalves
- Jan 29
- 3 min
The “Second Talk” is so important to create your Personal Directive
At some point when you had children reaching the puberty age, you had “the talk”. It was perhaps uncomfortable, but it was the right...
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janetgoncalves
- Jan 23
- 3 min
Grief lives in the body
On Netflix’s The Crown, Episode 2, Season 5, “The System”, there is a scene that caught my eye as a death doula. The actor portraying...
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janetgoncalves
- Jan 16
- 3 min
Unique products made from cremated ashes of loved ones (pets and humans)
When I taught Grade 5 Science in Ontario, one of the units focused on the 3 R’s and the impact of waste items on the environment. The...
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janetgoncalves
- Jan 9
- 4 min
Eco-friendly post-death options
When I taught Grade 5 Science in Ontario, one of the units focused on the 3 R’s and the impact of waste items on the environment. The...
1 view0 comments
janetgoncalves
- Jan 3
- 3 min
“Everyone eventually walks this path; no one need walk it alone.”
I recently had to update my bio for the End of Life Doula Association of Canada, of which I am a member. There are 5 of us serving the...
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janetgoncalves
- Dec 27, 2022
- 1 min
Reframing "Happy New Year"
It seems like when December 1st hits, the well wishes start and continue throughout the month. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy...
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janetgoncalves
- Dec 18, 2022
- 1 min
Sometimes it’s the little things that we remember most at this time of year
I had to make a quick run into a grocery store to pick up some whole raw cranberries which were an essential ingredient in a new recipe I...
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janetgoncalves
- Dec 14, 2022
- 4 min
A 6-year old’s answer to a riddle was so much deeper
I came across a recent article that caught my eye, both as a former teacher and as a death doula. A teacher started the school day with a...
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janetgoncalves
- Dec 11, 2022
- 2 min
Death pyramids vs cemeteries as a final resting place
According to the article published on November 14, 2022, by www.labible.com, “London had plans for a 'death pyramid' that would have been...
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janetgoncalves
- Dec 7, 2022
- 2 min
To Vigoda is not a good thing
While it seems like it should go without saying, when posting about a death on social media, it’s especially crucial to make sure your...
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janetgoncalves
- Dec 4, 2022
- 3 min
“We share a bond even without ever meeting one another, because we share in having lost a parent.”
“We share a bond even without ever meeting one another, because we share in having lost a parent.”- Prince Harry, 2022 I recently read...
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janetgoncalves
- Nov 30, 2022
- 1 min
There’s a (death) app for that
Nowadays, there seems to be an app for almost anything. If we look back in history it all began with Apple in 2009, who started using the...
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janetgoncalves
- Nov 27, 2022
- 3 min
How can children expect to learn that death is a normal part of life if it kept hidden from them?
There have been several news articles posted recently online regarding popular television host Jonnie Irwin. One article, published on...
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