My Work

I work in the following  areas:

  • Individual Spiritual Companioning; including grief
  • Workshops on – Grief
    Self-care
    Spiritual support and Prayer
  • Preparing for Death including MAiD
  • Customized Weddings and Funerals

Further details:

        • Individual Spiritual Companioning & Mentoring

          “We think we are human beings having a spiritual experience, when in truth we are spiritual beings having a human experience.”                                    Teilhard de Chardin

These words of the late theologian, philosopher, and palaeontologist Teilhard de Chardin are the starting point in listening to, and supporting, the soul-work and personal individual journey.  I offer clients a safe space, encouragement in self-awareness, spiritual self-care and careful listening towards inner healing and transformation.  I am an experienced grief counsellor.

If meeting with me in Toronto is not possible, I am available by Zoom, “Facetime,” and telephone.  Contact Anne

A Sample of Workshops:

Good Grief! Befriending Loss in Ourselves and Others

Each of us, at some point in our life, will confront one of life’s major events, such as a life-threatening illness affecting a friend or family member, a parent with increasing  physical or mental limitations, or the death of someone close to us.  Often, we feel inadequate to the task.  We wonder what the correct thing is to say.  We often find ourselves unable to acknowledge the feelings arising in us, and in others.  In this workshop we will normalize the experience of loss by exploring psychological and spiritual dimensions associated with the significant changes we encounter in life.  Personal or professional caregivers, as well as those suffering a significant loss, will benefit from this exploration of the challenges and opportunities of grief.

Offered many times over last 25 years including internationally.

Holy Ground: Spiritual Care of the Dying and Bereaved

Caring for and supporting dying and grieving persons is a critical aspect of pastoral ministry for which clergy often feel ill-prepared. This workshop combines the “very personal face” and “immediacy” of caring for the dying and bereaved as well as a theoretical and theological basis for this work. This work-shop will provide participants with an opportunity for reflection on their professional and personal concerns and experiences regarding death and grief and an opportunity to enhance their ability to provide pastoral care to the dying and bereaved.

Offered many times since  1996

Supporting those who Support:
Practical Wisdom and Guidance for all Caregivers

Caring for and supporting those in our lives, personal, volunteer, or professional, who are experiencing major life transitions such as, illness, aging, family caregiving, and death, can be a challenge. We often feel inadequate to the task.

This workshop is designed for anyone who wants to increase their skill and comfort level in this area. Through focused conversations, reflection and small group sharing, participants will enhance their ability to provide supportive care to others.

This workshop has been offered many times to as variety of groups

Befriending the Body
Woman’s Wisdom: the Heart of Matter

The substance of our physical body is important!  This workshop is designed for personal healing and transformation through a gentle safe exploration, which includes guided meditation, movement, story-telling and rest.  Letting go of negative attitudes towards our body and our sexuality which have been influenced by cultural and religious traditions, will allow participants to access a powerful source of inner guidance and wisdom.  Sisters!  We will create sacred space together!  It is time to befriend our bodies, feel at home in our own skin, and know from within that our body is as sacred and miraculous as any other part of creation.  As we heal ourselves, we heal our world.

Offered many times over last 15 years including in Belize and the United States.

Formerly Adjunct Faculty, Emmanuel College (Toronto School of Theology, University of Toronto), teaching  in Masters of Divinity Programme, (since 2007), Parish Nursing Programme (since 2000) and Continuing Education (since 1997).

Build your own Wedding Ceremony
I enjoy working with couples to design the wedding ceremony that reflects who they are.  The ceremony is a public expression of the committment that couples have already ion their hearts, to each other.   When a couple takes the time to reflect together on this aspect of their wedding day, this important ritual becomes much more meaningful.  I am happy to help couples shape the liturgy so that it will be a rich life experience.

Memorials and Funerals
I have  extensive experience helping families to honour their loved one in the way that reflects who they are and respects the life they lived.  I am comfortable working with families of differing or no religious faith connection.

Contact Anne regarding questions and fee schedule for the above services:

anne@annesimmonds.ca

Facilitator, Educator, Counsellor, Artist