Monica Lau (she/her) RP, Death Doula Canadidate

Loss shows up in many forms — a death, a crumbling relationship, the long goodbye of watching someone you love or a pet fade. 

One thing I say to all my clients: you will experience loss in your life. We don’t soften that truth in therapy — but we do face it together.

Whether it’s anticipatory or has already happened, grief tends to shake everything loose: who you are, how you see the world, what you believe. I work with people to name what’s happening, make space for what matters, and figure out what life ahead may look like.

Areas I Support

• Grief after death, separation, or relational change
• Anticipatory grief, existential distress, and uncertainty
• Caregivers supporting loved ones with serious illness
• Couples adjusting to loss or navigating terminal diagnosis
• Clients drawn to spiritual connection, ritual, or meaning after death

My Approach

• Rooted in relational and psychodynamic therapy
• I draw from various approaches (Somatic, Existential, iFS, CBT, Narrative) depending on what’s useful
• Sessions are collaborative, open, and grounded — no jargon, no tiptoeing
• I support conversations that explore:
  • Death and dying
  • Caregiving boundaries and role clarity
  • Grief and spiritual connection (dreams, signs, rituals)
  • Identity shifts and meaning-making after loss

Therapy with a Death Doula Lens

As a therapist informed by death doula work, I bring added comfort and experience with end-of-life topics — even when we’re not explicitly planning or preparing.

This includes:

• Knowledge of the dying process and what loved ones often face
• Guidance around advanced care planning, vigils, and legacy conversations
• Support for clients seeking a spiritual or values-based approach to death

About Me

• Second-generation Chinese Canadian therapist
• Registered Psychotherapist (RP)
• Background in hospice, palliative care, and plant medicine work
• Based in Toronto, supporting clients in-person and virtually across the GTA

Let's see how we can work together with all that you bring to therapy with a free 20 minute consult.