As a counsellor and end-of-life educator, I provide holistic and compassionate support, fostering peace and serenity during life's mysterious and inevitable transition. While I do not replace hospice care, I offer holistic counselling and support privately at your home. Whether you or a loved one wishes to discuss end-of-life matters or has received a terminal diagnosis, I am here to help. I assist with individualized care planning and facilitate meaningful conversations about your life, legacy and what matters most. Together, we reflect on your wishes and values, preparing thoughtfully for how you wish to live the rest of your days until your end-of-life.
My personal reasons:
I found my calling and a profound sense of purpose as I accompanied my dear 95-year-old mother through her final days. When I closed her eyes, I felt ready to support others during their most vulnerable time—when preparing to cross the threshold into eternity. My mother’s death taught me the importance of preparation to find peace and acceptance. By then, I had already supported others in their journey to death and had immersed myself in both Christian and Buddhist traditions of death and dying. However, because of how prepared she was and how we children -with different beliefs and ideas- knew her wishes, her last breath was soft and gentle.
If you have any questions
My Mission and Reasons are Personal
Malia C. Ronderos
Something About Me
I founded A Place to Grieve Counselling and End of Life Education after my journey with cancer. Upon my recovery, I felt a profound calling to support those who are grieving and who are looking for meaning, connection and healing. Drawing on my personal experience and a rewarding earlier career in counselling children and youth in Vancouver, I step forward to do what I love to do most.
CCC, CT, MCATD,RMT
My holistic approach to my practice is unique. In addition to my years of counselling experience and personal journey, I integrate various counselling styles and a number of recognized complementary healing modalities. I am unwavering in my commitment to creating a safe and welcoming space for each client, regardless of their background, beliefs, or family constellations, ensuring they feel secure and comfortable.
Since 2015, I have been volunteering with Wellspring, and later, I expanded my role to become a Chronic and Transition Cancer Coach. Wellspring offers programs and services at no charge to anyone with any type of cancer at any stage in their journey.
It is an honour and a privilege to listen and provide you with a place to feel safe, understood, and supported through your unique grief journey. I deeply believe that everyone grieves differently and at different times; for this reason, I start each session wherever my client is and feels at that moment, respecting and valuing their individual journey.
My formal education includes a BA in psychology, sociology, and counselling from Simon Fraser University and Vancouver Community College; Multicultural Studies at the Cultural Intelligence Center, Bingham Farms, Michigan; ExecEd’s Masters Certificate Adult Training and Development at York University Toronto; Studies on Death, Dying and Bereavement at Wilfred Laurie University, Guelph; I studied Person-centered Counselling at Holbeck College in Leeds, UK and conducted studies in Narrative Therapy. I am studying Grief Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, Toronto, and I am also a Neuro Linguistic Programming Practitioner from NLP Canada.
There is nothing like integrating
my love for dogs and nature into
a Walk and Talk Session
Registered Holistic Practitioner, City of Toronto