About Devan

Hi! I'm Devan! A grief counsellor and anticipatory grief coach with over 12 years of professional grief experience, and a lifetime of personal experience.

I help people with a chronically ill, aging, or dying parent strengthen their connection, navigate the daily overwhelm, and preserve meaningful memories, so they can grieve with peace and without regret when the time comes.

If you have found your way here, I'm so grateful to have you here, and my heart goes out to you for the reasons that brought you here. I hope you find what you are looking for with me, and that the time you have left together is some of the best you've ever had.

I got into this work after a lifelong journey in grief and anticipatory grief. Starting with my first death at age 4, to attending my 20 death service at the age of 19, and now having lost count after recognizing 36 deaths at 36 years old, I think it's clear to say that I am familiar with death, and grief.

I have always been passionate about supporting folks in their grief after a death, or unexpected loss in their life as a grief counsellor.

But what added coaching to my offerings was my own personal experience with nearly losing my dad in 2022.

I'm a close mini-me to my dad and we have always shared a really special bond. And after he shared his stage 4 cancer diagnosis with us the year after my first child was born (and his first of currently six grandchildren), I went into full panic mode - knowing that his 4-year timeline meant that it was likely none of his grandchildren would have conscious memories of him floored me.

I started collecting all that I could of him based on my lifetime of personal grief experience, and from my years of professionally supporting folks with their grief and learning from the guilt, regrets, and doubts they held after losing their parents and loved ones.

i went into hyperdrive making videos, photos, and thinking about all the pieces of him I couldn't imagine not having anymore, and my children never knowing.

Then one day later that year my close girlfriend came to me, sharing that her mom was given 10 years left and asking me 'what should I do?'

I realized then and there that everything I have lived through and experienced was not common knowledge, or apparent to those who have not experienced significant loss before. And with my ethical and license limitations in counselling that restricted me from being about to help people I know, and those who are related to my clients, I knew I had to create a space where I could share this knowledge with anyone who needed access to it. And as a result, DevanCecilia Coaching was born. I already came more equipped and higher trained to support folks in the coaching world from my counselling education and trainings, but now I can extend my knowledge and share my skillsets and resources with more people. No gatekeeping here! What I have to share - anyone can access. And wow, am I ever grateful and honoured you chose to look here and work with me!

I hope you find what you are looking for here, and if you don't - please do not hesitate to reach out to me to ask for it! It's likely I have it partially ready in the background, or it's on the 'to make ' list! I'm a very creative human who has a huge passion for creating resources and options to help people with grief, death, dying, and loss.

If you would like to connect with me directly, please email me at devan@devanceciliacoaching.com

I look forward to hearing from you!