A handrail in grief, loss and change.
Hi, my name is Sean.
I help people navigate change, especially the profound change that happens in dying and with death.
I’m an experienced grief counsellor and bereavement support, end-of-life carer, (death doula), dementia support, memorial celebrant, a member of the Soul Carer’s Network and Dignity South Africa, as well as a seasoned Death Café associate and host.
I’ve produced the How to Die and A Way to Go podcasts, interviewing people who dance on the edge of death, and their experience with medically assisted dying.
I’ve recently made a resource for people experiencing grief, a beautiful pack of cards you can find here.
Some challenges I can help with…
Grief and Loss
Think of grief like getting into a strange little boat, all on your own. The person that used to provide balance has gone.
It’s dangerously unsteady. At first, you might feel like you’ll fall out. Or even want to, and swim far away. Sitting here, the boat feels empty and quiet and alone.
It takes time to learn how to rebalance. To fix the leaks, pack your soul provisions, learn how to paddle, and set sail again.
My alliance with you is to help you learn to ride the currents of life again, and navigate the curious and beautiful tributaries in the stream of love and loss.
Mid-Life and Death
Joseph Campbell, the great Jungian teacher, said that some people in mid-life find that they have placed their ladder against the wrong wall.
It takes courage to realise that doing the same things, just better, won’t bring joy. That the script you’ve been performing for so long no longer makes any sense.
So how do you live fully now, in the face of your unknown time left here? How do you move the ladder, and change the script for the rest of your days?
I can help you map the territory of your mortality, clear the debris of the past, and learn to live with a lighter heart.
Life Celebrant
To honour the life you’ve shared with a meaningful ritual can mean holding love and loss in balance. That’s not easy.
I have extensive experience supporting people who have suffered the death of a partner, a child, a parent or a sibling.
When designing an event in their honour, the person we’ve lost is our guide. My privilege is to meet and come to know them through you. This helps me understand how they shape who we are, and live on in us.
I have extensive experience as a celebrant. Simply, you can rely on me to listen deeply, and hold things for you.
What My Clients Say
Some details have been changed to ensure confidentiality.
I didn’t really want to see Sean, to be honest, but did it to please my mom. She thought I needed some support. Well, surprise surprise, turns out she was right!
What I discovered in my time with Sean, which wasn’t that long really, was an inner strength I needed to connect with again.
Sean helped me understand myself and my reaction to losing my sister at such a young age in healthy ways. He is calm and supportive. I really benefitted from the gentle ways that he challenged me and helped me grow.
My brother died in tragic circumstances, which made no sense to me.
Sean helped me and my sister conduct a memorial for him that really shifted things for us and helped the healing process.
Sean was was rock-solid, steady and calm. He was there for us in ways I did not anticipate needing.
I’ve referred him to some other people for help in conducting a memorial and they have said the same things. He has a kindness to him which people love and relate to.
We lost our son. Every parent’s worst nightmare. Our world fell apart, and we had to put the pieces back together again.
We found Sean online, and met with him for a coffee. I suppose we took a bit of a chance. But something told us it would be ok.
The first thing he did was hug us, and from then on, we were just on the same page. We were able to rely on him to hold the space for us, and for all the other young people who attended the memorial. It was incredibly emotional. A day we’ll hold in our hearts forever.
My mum had Stage 4 cancer and not long to live. Our priest suggested Sean.
Over the month that he spent time with my mom, we saw her soften, and let go of some of the bitterness and regret she’s been holding onto in her illness – the things, I think, that stopped her from accepting her death.
Sean helped her see that her work here on earth was done, and done well.
She died in peace, in a good place, in a good way. What a blessing. It’s all we could have wished for.
Be In Touch
I see people wherever they are, as well as online.
I’m also available by appointment at my home, and live in Fish Hoek, Cape Town