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End of Life Guide · Hamilton & Burlington

You don't have to
walk this road
alone.

Heibrie Barron

I walk alongside families through the most sacred passage of life — offering presence, planning, and a steady hand when it matters most.

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Heibrie Barron, End of Life Guide, seated in a garden
"Death is not just an ending — it's a transition. And our job, as the ones who are still here, is to make that transition as peaceful and as complete as possible."
— Heibrie Barron
How I Can Help

Care rooted in presence
and love

Every family's journey is different. I meet you exactly where you are — with compassion, experience, and no judgement.

End-of-Life Planning

Thoughtful, unhurried conversations that help your loved one's wishes become reality — before the urgent moments arrive.

Bedside & Vigil Support

A calm, experienced presence at the bedside — so no one has to sit alone in the hardest hours, and families can rest knowing someone is there.

Family Guidance

Helping the whole family — not just the patient — navigate this time with clarity, communication, and a sense of shared purpose.

Grief Support

Grief doesn't end at the funeral. I offer compassionate support for the winding road that follows — because you deserve care too.

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Heibrie Barron — End of Life Guide
About Heibrie

A guide you can
trust completely

I became a death doula because I believe that the end of life deserves the same care, intention, and love that we bring to the beginning of it. I've sat with families in living rooms, hospital hallways, and quiet bedrooms, and I've seen what a difference it makes to have someone there who isn't afraid.

My approach is warm, practical, and deeply personal. I don't believe in one-size-fits-all. I believe in showing up fully for each unique family and each unique person.

Based in Hamilton and Burlington, I serve families across the surrounding area — and virtually when needed.

My Full Story
How It Works

Simple steps toward
being cared for

01

A Free Conversation

We start with a no-pressure call or meeting. You share what's happening, I listen, and we explore whether working together feels right.

02

A Tailored Plan

Together we create a plan that reflects your loved one's wishes, your family's needs, and the kind of support that will serve you best.

03

Steady Presence

I show up. For the planning, the bedside hours, the hard conversations, and the quiet ones — for as long as you need me.

Families I've Walked With

Words from those
who've been there

Heibrie brought a calm to our home that none of us could have created on our own. She knew what to do when we didn't, and she never once made us feel like we were doing it wrong.

Sarah M. — Burlington

I didn't know death doulas existed until a friend told me about Heibrie. I wish we had found her sooner. She helped our whole family, not just our mother.

David K. — Hamilton

Having someone there who wasn't afraid, who had done this before, who could just hold space — it was the greatest gift we gave our dad in his last weeks.

Linda & Thomas R. — Oakville
By the Bedside book cover
By the Bedside
Heibrie Barron
The Book

By the Bedside

A compassionate guide for families navigating end-of-life care at home — from the first hard conversation to carrying your loved one's legacy forward.

Learn More at FinalChapterofLife.com
Ready to Talk?

The first step is just
a conversation.

There's no pressure, no commitment, and no wrong way to reach out. I'm here whenever you're ready.

Book Your Free Consultation
About Heibrie

A presence you can
lean into.

Heibrie Barron
Service Area
Hamilton · Burlington · Oakville
Grimsby · Ancaster
Virtual support available province-wide

Why I Do This Work

I didn't arrive at death doula work by accident. Like most people who are drawn to it, I arrived through loss — through standing in rooms where I desperately wished someone had been there to guide us. Through watching families navigate one of the hardest experiences of human life without a map, without a hand to hold, without someone who simply wasn't afraid.

I became that person. And it changed everything.

What I Believe

I believe that dying is a natural process, and that it belongs to families — not institutions. I believe that the end of a life, when approached with intention and love, can be one of the most profound and beautiful experiences a family shares. I believe that presence is the most powerful medicine there is. And I believe that you deserve support: not just for your loved one, but for yourself.

I bring warmth, steadiness, and years of experience to every family I work with. I'm not here to take over — I'm here to walk beside you.

My Approach

  • Every plan is built around the person, not a template
  • I show up fully — emotionally, practically, and spiritually
  • I support the whole family, not just the patient
  • I don't believe in rushing any part of this process
  • I hold space without judgement, always
  • I remain a calm, steady presence in the most uncertain moments

Also an Author

I wrote By the Bedside because I wanted every family — not just the ones I could personally reach — to have a guide for this journey. The book is a companion for caregivers: honest, practical, and written from the heart of someone who has sat in those rooms many times.

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Services

Care for every part
of the journey.

01

End-of-Life Planning

Most families are unprepared — not because they don't love their person, but because no one told them how to prepare, or even that preparation was possible. End-of-life planning takes the fear out of the unknown by turning wishes into a real plan.

We sit together — you, your loved one, and whoever else you'd like present — and we have the conversations that matter. What does a good death look like for this person? Where do they want to be? Who do they want around them? What unfinished things need tending?

These conversations are not morbid. In my experience, they are some of the most meaningful conversations families ever have.

This may include

  • Advance care planning
  • Wishes documentation
  • Coordination with palliative care
  • Home care setup guidance
  • Legacy project support
02

Bedside & Vigil Support

The vigil — the hours and days at the bedside as someone approaches death — is one of the most sacred experiences a family can share. It is also one of the most exhausting and frightening. Caregivers often sit through the night not knowing what they're seeing, terrified of doing something wrong, afraid to leave and afraid to stay.

I am there so you don't have to do that alone. I bring calm, experience, and practical knowledge of what the body does as it approaches death. I can explain what you're witnessing, help you know when to gather people, and simply hold the space so you can be fully present as a daughter, a son, a partner — not a medical attendant.

This may include

  • Active dying support
  • Overnight or extended vigil sitting
  • Comfort care guidance
  • Family respite relief
  • Guidance on physical signs
03

Family Guidance & Coaching

When someone is dying, the whole family is affected. Siblings disagree. Old wounds resurface. People who love each other deeply say things they don't mean. Communication breaks down at the very moment it matters most.

I work with families as a whole — not just the primary caregiver — to help everyone find their footing, understand their role, and stay connected to what actually matters: the person at the centre of it all.

This may include

  • Family meetings & facilitation
  • Communication coaching
  • Caregiver burnout prevention
  • Role clarification
  • Emotional support for siblings & children
04

Grief Support

Grief doesn't end when the funeral does. For most people, the hardest stretch begins in the weeks and months that follow, when the casseroles stop arriving and the world expects you to be "back to normal."

I offer ongoing grief support for individuals and families — not as therapy, but as a grounded, compassionate presence that helps you navigate the winding road. We talk about what you're feeling. We talk about the person you lost. We find ways to carry their memory forward in ways that feel alive, not just mournful.

This may include

  • One-on-one grief sessions
  • Legacy and memory work
  • Ritual creation
  • Support for complicated grief
  • Referrals to therapeutic support

Not sure which service
you need?

That's completely okay. Most families aren't sure at first. Let's just talk — and figure it out together.

Book a Free Consultation
Resources

Guidance for the
road ahead.

Honest, practical writing about death, dying, grief, and caregiving — from someone who has sat with families through all of it.

End-of-Life Planning

The Five Conversations Every Family Needs to Have

Most families avoid these conversations until it's too late. Here's why having them now is one of the most loving things you can do.

8 min read
Home Dying

Bringing Your Loved One Home: What Families Need to Know

Dying at home is possible for more families than you might think. Here's what to expect, and how to prepare.

10 min read
Grief

Grief Doesn't Move in Stages. Here's What It Actually Looks Like.

The five-stage model has done a lot of quiet damage. Here's a more honest, more useful way to understand your grief.

7 min read
Caregiving

You Can't Pour from an Empty Cup: Caregiver Burnout and How to Prevent It

Caring for a dying person is one of the most demanding things a human can do. Your wellbeing matters too.

6 min read
Legacy

Creating a Legacy Project With Your Loved One

A legacy project isn't about grand gestures. Sometimes it's a recipe book, a recorded story, or a blanket knitted with trembling hands.

5 min read
What is a Death Doula?

What Does a Death Doula Actually Do?

Most people have never heard of a death doula. Here's what I do, what I don't do, and why more families are seeking this kind of support.

6 min read
Get in Touch

Let's start with
a conversation.

You don't need to have it all figured out.

Most people who reach out aren't sure exactly what they need — and that's completely okay. We can figure it out together. The first conversation is always free, always unhurried, and always without pressure.

Whether you're just beginning to think about what's ahead, or you're in the middle of something urgent right now — please reach out. You don't have to walk this road alone.

Location
Hamilton & Burlington, Ontario
Virtual support available province-wide
Email
info@bythebedside.com
Phone
Available upon request
Response time
Within 24 hours
Frequently Asked Questions

Questions families
often ask.

Understanding End-of-Life Support

A Death Doula (also called an End-of-Life Doula) provides non-medical emotional, practical, and relational support to individuals and families during serious illness and end-of-life. In Hamilton and across Ontario, doulas work alongside hospice and palliative care teams to support the human side of dying.

Hospice and palliative care teams provide medical and clinical care. As a Hamilton-based End-of-Life Doula, I do not provide medical services. My role focuses on emotional support, advance care planning conversations, caregiver guidance, and bedside presence. We work together — not in place of one another.

You can reach out at any stage — at diagnosis of a serious illness, during palliative care, when caregiving feels overwhelming, when death feels near, or immediately after a death. Early support often reduces fear and confusion later.

No. I do not provide medical care, administer medication, or give medical advice. I complement your existing care team by supporting communication, emotional processing, and preparation.

Because end-of-life is not just medical. It is emotional, relational, and deeply human. A Hamilton-based End-of-Life Doula provides local, personalized support grounded in dignity, presence, and compassionate guidance — ensuring that no caregiver or family walks this journey alone.

Practical & Logistical

I provide in-person support in Hamilton, Ancaster, Burlington, Oakville, and Mississauga. Virtual support is available across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and province-wide.

Support packages vary depending on needs — single sessions, ongoing caregiver support, or vigil presence. I offer a free consultation so we can discuss what feels appropriate and aligned.

Yes. Virtual sessions are available across Ontario and are especially helpful for caregivers needing emotional support, families living in different cities, and advance care planning discussions.

You do not need certainty to reach out. Many families contact a death doula simply because things feel uncertain or heavy. Early support can bring clarity and peace of mind.

Emotional & Family Support

Caregiver support may include processing anticipatory grief, decision clarity conversations, boundary support, emotional decompression, and practical next-step guidance. Caregivers often feel invisible. My role is to support you as much as the person who is ill.

Anticipatory grief is the grief that begins before a death occurs. Families may experience sadness, anger, fear, guilt, or numbness while their loved one is still alive. This is normal and deserves support.

Yes. My approach is inclusive and respectful of all beliefs — religious, spiritual, secular, or unsure. End-of-life support is deeply personal, and I honour your values and traditions.

End-of-life often brings unresolved emotions to the surface. Through my understanding of family systems, I help create safe conversations, reduce tension where possible, and support respectful communication.

Yes. Children experience grief differently than adults. I can offer guidance to parents on how to speak to children about illness, dying, and death in age-appropriate ways.

Yes. Relief can coexist with grief — especially after prolonged illness or caregiving. All emotional responses are valid. There is no "correct" way to grieve.

No. Research and lived experience show that open, compassionate conversations about death often reduce anxiety — not increase it. Avoidance tends to increase fear; gentle discussion reduces it.

Vigil, Grief & After

Vigil support refers to presence during the final hours or days of life. I provide calm, grounded companionship, help guide family members, support emotional processing, and hold space during this sacred transition.

The hours after a death can feel disorienting. I can help guide families through who to call, what steps to take, emotional grounding, and supporting children and other family members. Having steady guidance can reduce panic and overwhelm.

Yes. I support individuals and families in Hamilton and the GTA with clarifying wishes, exploring values, discussing treatment preferences, and preparing loved ones for decision-making. Advance conversations reduce family conflict and confusion.

I provide grief support and compassionate presence. I am not a licensed therapist. If deeper clinical grief counselling is needed, I can refer families to appropriate professionals in Hamilton or the GTA.

Still have questions?

Every family's situation is different. Reach out and we'll talk through whatever is on your mind.

Book a Free Consultation