“At my father’s funeral, I realized that this would probably be the last time I visited my country of origin. I knew that with both of my parents gone, many of my childhood memories would begin to fade into the distance. After returning to Toronto several months later, I found myself grieving alone, without the support of my closest relatives. I missed my father deeply, and I also began mourning my mother, who had died ten years earlier.

After several sessions with Ms. Ronderos, I came to understand that my father’s death had also awakened grief for my childhood, my mother, my siblings, and the family home I left behind when I moved to Canada. With Ms. Ronderos’s guidance and support, I began uncovering and processing these layers of sorrow. I am now making changes to actively seek support from my community and to reconnect with my family in Ecuador.”

​- Clara R.