The Loss Art

11/04/2025

Is the Take Care of Your Grieving Self with Creativity and Hypnosis workshop for you? If you welcome more love, hope and joy into your life as you grieve, join us.

There are just 2 spots left for the inaugural workshop on Tuesday, Nov. 18, offered with a special introductory fee!

Sign up now at thelossart.com.

10/31/2025

It might feel like Canadians collectively have more to be concerned about and more to grieve today than ever before. And, all the hype about baseball might make you feel that these concerns are being minimized. Here are my thoughts...

10/30/2025

The Loss Art and New Leaf Hypnosis are coming together to bring you a new, one-of-a-kind workshop on Nov. 18 to help you and/or someone you care about who’s grieving.
Get more details and register at thelossart.com.
Space is limited so don’t delay!

10/24/2025

Here are a few photos and a short video of the active weather at the lake in recent days. I believe my Dad sent the lightning on Oct. 21, the anniversary of his death. We both love storms and sat outside under cover to watch many of them together. I think everyone loves the blazing colours of fall. Note: I don't overedit my photos - you see what I saw. Let Mother Nature be your muse. Make today a masterpiece!

10/22/2025

Are you living with a serious illness or caring for someone who is? If you're in the Hamilton area, consider attending the event sponsored by Compassionate Hamilton on Thursday, Nov. 13. It's free!

10/21/2025

Today is bittersweet. I'm celebrating our parrot's 26th birthday! And I'm remembering my Dad on the 11th anniversary of his death.

I was already thinking a lot about my Dad (shown in the article below) in light of the Blue Jays' win last night. Baseball was big in our family. Dad played on his work team. My sister Laurie and I played all through high school. Mom chauffeured us to our games and took us for ice cream afterwards. So, it was a fabulous surprise when he took our family to the first ever game in Toronto in April 1977! The Jays played at Exhibition Stadium. It was cold and snowy so we were all bundled up but the cold didn't dampen our spirits.

Any event can be fun. And it's rarely just an event. The memories created with people you love last much longer than the memory of the outcome. (I had to look up who won and I was pleased to see that the Jays beat the White Sox.) As I watch their triumphant return to the World Series, I know my Dad, Mom and Sister, who have all since died, will be cheering with me.

10/20/2025

Find out what distinguishes The Loss Art among other providers of grief support.

10/17/2025

Today, Hilary Weston is being remembered in a memorial ceremony. She died at age 83 in August. I met Ms. Weston in 1999, when she was the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. I worked as a development officer at the YWCA of Kitchener-Waterloo at the time. It was my responsibility to organize the annual fundraising luncheon for our donor club, including securing a speaker. As Lieutenant Governor, Ms. Weston was deeply committed to helping women who'd suffered domestic abuse. The YWCA housed women and children who fled abusive relationships. Ms. Weston would be a fabulous draw to our event.

She didn't attend the first event offered on a particular date; she chose the event that best matched her mandate and personal causes. I faxed letters to her team every week for 2 months with new information to inspire her to come to our event. My colleagues and volunteers thought we'd never get her. Then we did, with just 3 weeks to plan and promote the event! Ms. Weston agreed to speak at the luncheon and then to spend the afternoon with the women and children staying at Mary's Place. Hosting a royal representative comes with extensive protocol that must be followed. It was totally worth it. Her presence at our event and our shelter garnered unprecedented media coverage of our organization.

I'm sharing this story with you because this experience is an example of how someone can enter your life for a fleeting moment and leave an indelible mark. It’s been more than 25 years and I still remember how her presence touched the women at the shelter. And I’m grateful for everything I learned from that professional experience. Recruiting Ms. Weston and managing her visit taught me the value of tenacity, the importance of attention to detail and the impact one person can have through words and actions. I'm grateful to be a tiny part of her legacy of compassion and commitment. And I’m grateful for that special memory of a remarkable woman.

10/09/2025

In grief. In gratitude. In hopes that palliative care will become accessible to more Canadians.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1384288380367271&id=100063583673903

The Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) joins the world in mourning the loss of a true pioneer and the "father of palliative care," Dr. Balfour Mount (1939-2025).

Dr. Mount’s legacy is monumental. In 1975, he launched the world’s first Palliative Care Unit in Montreal, a groundbreaking initiative that set the global standard for care. He is credited with coining the term ‘Palliative Care’ to define a novel approach blending hospice, thanatology, and academic medicine, which revolutionized the management of life-limiting illness.

We honour his vision of "whole person care," which emphasizes addressing the physical, psychosocial, existential, and spiritual needs of patients and families. This philosophy continues to shape and inspire every aspect of hospice palliative care across our nation and beyond.

Dr. Mount's commitment to dignity has been recognized by the Order of Canada and continues to guide our community.

We extend our deepest condolences to his wife, family, colleagues, friends, and all those grieving this immense loss.
. . . .

L'Association canadienne de soins palliatifs (ACSP) se joint au monde pour pleurer la perte d'un véritable pionnier et du « père des soins palliatifs », le Dr. Balfour Mount (1939-2025).

L'héritage du Dr. Mount est monumental. En 1975, il a inauguré à Montréal la toute première Unité de soins palliatifs au monde, une initiative novatrice qui a établi la norme mondiale en matière de soins. On lui doit d'avoir inventé le terme « Soins palliatifs » pour définir une approche inédite alliant l'hospice, la thanatologie et la médecine universitaire, et qui a révolutionné la prise en charge des maladies limitant l'espérance de vie.

Nous saluons sa vision des « soins de la personne globale », qui met l'accent sur la satisfaction des besoins physiques, psychosociaux, existentiels et spirituels des patients et de leurs familles. Cette philosophie continue de façonner et d'inspirer chaque aspect des soins palliatifs et de l'hospice à travers notre pays.

L'engagement du Dr. Mount envers la dignité a été salué par l'Ordre du Canada et continue de guider notre communauté.

Nous offrons nos plus sincères condoléances à son épouse, sa famille, ses collègues, ses amis et toutes les personnes touchées par cette perte immense.

10/08/2025

Please join me in signing this petition to insist our government acts on our plea to save the beluga whales at Marineland. https://www.change.org/p/save-marineland-s-belugas-no-to-euthanasia-yes-to-sanctuary?signed=true

10/06/2025

For centuries, people have participated in rituals of release during full moons. Have you tried a ritual to release grief that’s keeping you stuck? Tonight, we’ll experience the majesty of the Harvest Moon. Here are some tips for incorporating the full moon into a grief release ritual:

• Create a sacred space. Find a quiet and serene location where you feel safe and comfortable. You may want to turn on relaxing music. Consider creating a circle or altar using candles, crystals or other objects that hold special meaning for you.

• Consider burning incense. Along with candles, incense can enhance the atmosphere of your sacred space and connect with your senses.

• Burn sage if you have it on hand to help to clear unwelcome low or negative energies within your sacred, safe space.

• Write down your intentions. Take some time to sit and reflect on emotions and thoughts you wish to release from your grief.
Acknowledge and give voice to them. You may wish to ceremoniously burn the paper during the full moon, symbolizing the release of these emotions and thoughts.

• Incorporate prayers or blessings of gratitude to complete your full moon ritual. This can be a beautiful way to end the ceremony and celebrate the abundance in your life, even in the face of grief. Choose a prayer or blessing that resonates with your beliefs and intentions.

• Harness the full moon’s intensity. Use this energy to help you confront and let go of any grief or negative emotions that may be weighing you down. Note: Grief is a natural human response to loss. It’s not bad and not all emotions are bad, even those labelled as “negative,” like anger or sadness. Focus on releasing those emotions that don’t serve you.

10/05/2025

Find and celebrate your glimmers!