**Le texte en français est présenté à la suite de celui en anglais.

When my second son Julien died 6 months into my pregnancy with him, I was thrust into a world of deep grief and loss. My life was devastated and I felt completely shattered – yet, the world continued on without me.

Experiencing a pregnancy loss is one of the most difficult and isolating journeys anyone will ever walk through. It’s for this reason that I’m so passionate about supporting you through this challenging time. While nothing will ever take the place of your baby, it’s possible to find hope, joy, and peace again. I can relate to the pain you are feeling, and I’m here to hold space for you as you pick up the pieces of your life with warmth, understanding, and compassion that only someone who has also walked this same path can express.

Wherever you are on the journey and regardless of how or when you have experienced Pregnancy or Infant loss, I am here to support you. I further specialize in supporting families through Parenting after loss and TFMR as well as offering sessions in both English and French.

My services cater to all parents, birthing people, and 2SLGBTQIA+ people. I am a Franco-Albertan living in Mohkinstsis, Treaty 7 Territory, also known as Calgary, Alberta. My pronouns are she/her/hers.

My life’s work was revealed to me with the passing of Julien. As my coaching expertise and my own experiences in the Grief & Loss world collided, I understand now more than ever how vital Pregnancy and Infant Loss Coaching is to recover from trauma and tragedy.

In my loss journey, I’ve also seen a tremendous need for the non-grievers & support system of the bereaved to have resources that allow them to feel useful, purposeful, and supportive when their loved ones are living out the worst days of their lives. If you love someone who has lost a child and feel confused, worried and paralyzed by it, I am here for you too.

Mon deuxième fils, Julien, est décédé six mois après le début de ma grossesse. J’ai été plongée dans un monde de deuil et de perte profonde. Ma vie était en ruine et je me suis sentie complètement détruite – et pourtant, le monde continuait autour de moi, sans moi.

Joëlle Croteau-Willard,
Accompagnante certifiée en deuil périnatal

Vivre une perte de grossesse est un parcours le plus difficile et le plus isolant qui existe. C’est pour cette raison que je peux compatir pour vous accompagner dans cette période difficile et compliquée. Je sais très bien que rien ne remplacera votre bébé. Par contre, il est possible de retrouver l’espoir, la joie et la paix. Je suis passionnée de vous accompagner et de vous offrir la chaleur humaine, la compréhension et la compassion que seule une personne qui a vécu une telle expérience de vie peut offrir.

Ma famille se compose de mon partenaire Calvin, de mon fils vivant Axel Lucien et de notre fils décédé Julien Wayne. Je peux vivre l’héritage de Julien en me tournant vers la communauté et en soutenant d’autres familles touchées par la perte périnatale pendant les moments où elles en ont un grand besoin.

Où que vous en soyez dans votre cheminement et quelque soit le moment ou la manière dont vous avez vécu la perte périnatale, je suis là pour vous soutenir. Je me spécialise également dans le soutien aux familles dans le cadre ” Parenting after loss ” et ” TFMR” (perte de grossesse et interruption de grossesse pour raisons médicales), et j’offre des sessions en anglais ainsi qu’en français.

Mes services s’adressent également à tous les parents, aux personnes qui accouchent et aux personnes 2SLGBTQIA+. Je suis une franco-albertaine vivant à Mohkinstsis, Territoire du Traité 7, aussi connu sous le nom de Calgary, Alberta. Mes pronoms sont “elle” et “elle.”

Please note that Joëlle is a certified pregnancy and infant loss coach through Aditi & Danyelle’s ICF accredited coach certification program, Seeds of Growth. To learn more about the certification program visit www.sogacademy.com.  

Kate is a multicultural, trauma-informed counselor working with culturally different, immigrant or individual, couples and families looking to experience counseling that honors and incorporates their faith, spiritual, cultural beliefs, and values. In private practice, she works in the areas of grief and loss, trauma and PTSD, culturally different couples, difficult relationship patterns, and domestic abuse including survivors of narcissistic abuse.

Kate holds a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University and is a Certified Canadian Counsellor, Grief & Loss Educator, and Group & Workshop Facilitator helping individuals, understand and work through challenges that diminish their wellbeing.

She is excited to join PILSC as a counselor. From her own experience with grief, she recognizes that it is deeply personal and many times lonely. Her hope is that your journey together will be honoring you and your family. Your loss matters!

Kate Koei MA, MACP, CCC She/Her
Counselling Therapist, Renewed Self Counselling Services
www.renewedself.ca

Tamara (she/her) is a Registered Midwife who believes that each person has the right to loving, respectful, evidence based care.

She understands the value in deeply supporting people who are experiencing, or have experienced pregnancy and infant loss, towards healing and wholeness. Her educational focus included primary research on the particular needs of those going through loss, and how healthcare practitioners can best support them.

She believes wholeheartedly in informed choice and values partnering with clients for physical and emotional health and safety.

Services Tamara can offer in the centre include:

• Post loss recovery assessment
• Pre-conception counselling
• Yearly physical follow-up ie: breast/chest exam, PAP
• Pregnancy-after-loss prenatal care
• Breastfeeding/chestfeeding check-in and referral
• Healthcare referral when necessary

Erin is a psychic medium who works with spirit to provide loving guidance, meaningful messages, clarity, & gentle reassurance to her clients.

Erin has been an integral part of the Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support Centre from the beginning. She is very grateful to be offering her energetic channelings to this community.

Annie Hussain holds a Master’s degree in Creative Arts Therapies from Concordia University and has over 10 years of experience working as an Art Therapist with a variety of populations: children, teens, seniors, persons with disabilities, addictions, domestic violence survivors, and pregnancy and infant loss. Currently, Annie works in private practice with the Blackbird Healing Arts Collective seeing individual clients as well as facilitates community art therapy groups with various organizations in Calgary. Annie designed and implemented the Adult Art Therapy program at the Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support Center in 2021 and is honoured to continually offer the healing power of art-making to their clientele.

As a Pregnancy and Infant Loss Coach with PILSC I am here to provide unwavering support to individuals and couples navigating the often challenging journey of pregnancy, loss, and parenthood.

My heart is devoted to supporting people who have experienced the profound pain of trying to conceive, miscarriage at any stage, stillbirth, termination for medical reasons, or the journey towards becoming involuntarily childless. It’s becoming more widely aknowledged that the path to parenthood isn’t always straightforward, and I specialize in helping you find a way with self-compassion. Through my own experiences, I’ve also been led to specialize in grief that is layered with chronic health challenges and challenges to physical mobility.

In our coaching sessions, I offer a warm and neutral approach to create space for you to share emotions, fears, and hopes without judgment. Your grief and all of the stories that are being written on your heart will be held as a sacred aspect of your journey. Using reflective questions, we will gently dig into how you might connect with your pain and navigate this grief with a renewed sense of purpose.

Coaching extends beyond personal growth; it ripples throughout our lives, enhancing relationships and fostering a supportive community that stands by your side. In our time spent together, it is my intention to support you to create the capacity to open up meaningful conversations with those around you, making it a truly transformative experience for both you and your loved ones.

For the people who surround bereaved parents (friends, family, community lifelines) coaching can be vital for you, too. There might be confusion or fear in how you can best show up for your loved one who is grieving, and I am here to explore that with you.

I’m available to support you virtually or in person at the PILSC office located in Mohkinstis on Treaty 7 Land, Calgary, Alberta.

Please note that Frances is a certified pregnancy and infant loss coach through Aditi & Danyelle’s ICF accredited coach certification program, Seeds of Growth. To learn more about the certification program visit www.sogacademy.com.

Moneka (she/her) holds a Masters of Counselling psychology degree from Yorkville University and is registered with the  Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association as a Canadian Certified Counsellor.  Additionally, Moneka intends to become Registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists. Moneka has been a teacher for 15 years and has primarily worked with students with complex needs and youth at risk. Moneka currently teaches junior high and high school social studies and is the Inclusive Education coordinator for her rural school just east of Calgary.

Moneka’s journey to support others began from personal tragedy and birth trauma, embarking on these journeys Moneka realized the need for support and the loneliness, and stigma associated. As such, Moneka has a desire to walk with others as they share their own stories and support them through challenging times. Moneka provides person centered counselling through a trauma informed lens, utilizing interventions like emotional focused, mindfulness as well as acceptance and commitment therapy.