Support for whatever is happening now

Serious illness, caring for someone, planning ahead or facing the end of life can bring questions you never expected to have.

BOOK A CALL

You’re in the right place if…

Someone you love is seriously ill, becoming frailer or approaching the end of their life.

You're trying to make decisions about care and don't know what the right questions are.

You're supporting an ageing parent and things are becoming more complicated.

You've left an appointment with more questions than answers.

Your family needs to talk about what happens next, but nobody quite knows how to begin.

You're trying to understand what someone wants before decisions have to be made.

Or you simply have the feeling that something has changed and you need to work out what comes next

what support can look like

o1

MAKING SENSE

Understanding what has changed, what matters now and what might need to happen next.

04

CHANGING NEEDS

Thinking through what has changed, what may need organising and where to find the right support.

o2

QUESTIONS
& DECISIONS

Working out what you need to know, what to ask and what decisions may lie ahead.

05

PLANNING AHEAD

Talking about wishes, priorities and practical things while there is time to think them through.

o3

FAMILY TALKS

Talking through what matters, what needs to be said and how to make decisions together.

o6

APPROACHING DEATH

Preparing for what may be ahead and what matters to the person and the people around them.

WAYS TO WORK WITH ME

A black and white image of a dried, wilted flower, possibly a butterfly orchid, against a plain background.

Choose the support that fits where you are now

You might need one conversation to get your bearings, some help bringing a more complicated situation together, or someone who can stay alongside you as things change.

Every situation is different. You may be dealing with a new diagnosis, changes in an ageing parent's health, questions about care, difficult decisions within the family, or preparing for the end of someone's life.

The support can be shaped around what is happening for you now, whether that's one focused conversation, a period of more structured support, or ongoing help as circumstances change.

You don't need to know exactly what you need before you begin.

A beige mug filled with coffee on a weathered wooden surface, surrounded by an arrangement of small and large seashells, with a shadow cast from the mug.

ONE SESSION

A focused conversation to work out what comes next.

Bring whatever is happening, a diagnosis, a change in someone's health, an upcoming appointment, questions about care, a difficult family conversation or simply not knowing where to begin.

We'll talk it through, work out what matters now and identify the questions and next steps.

75 minutes · £85
Online across the UK · In person in Somerset

BOOK A SESSION

A bird flying above a field of tall grass and flowers with a flock of smaller birds in the background.

THE HELD SPACE PLAN

When there's more to understand, decide and organise.

For situations where several things are happening at once — perhaps changing health or care needs, different family members involved, appointments, decisions or uncertainty about what someone wants.

We'll bring the different pieces together and work through them over several sessions. You'll also receive a personalised written Held Space Plan bringing together what matters, what still needs answering and what happens next.

For individuals and families
Online across the UK · In person in Somerset

FIND OUT MORE

ALONGSIDE

For when things keep changing.

Sometimes you need more than a plan. You need someone who already knows what's happening and can keep working with you as circumstances change.

We can meet regularly to prepare for appointments, talk through new decisions, work through family conversations and decide what needs attention next.

Ongoing support
Online across the UK · In person in Somerset

ENQUIRE ABOUT ALONGSIDE

END-OF-LIFE DOULA SUPPORT

For when someone is approaching the end of their life.

More personal, ongoing support for the person who is dying and the people around them.

This might include talking about wishes and priorities, preparing for what may be ahead, family conversations, practical preparation, companionship and support as things change.

Tailored to you and your family
In person · Somerset and surrounding areas

TALK TO ME ABOUT DOULA SUPPORT

The shadow of a person with their arm raised, seen through a sheer curtain, with a window in the background.

Kind Words

“One of the things that stood out most about Rebecca was how natural she made difficult conversations feel. Nothing felt rushed or overly formal. She brought warmth, steadiness and a kind of quiet reassurance that helped all of us feel more able to cope with what was happening. I do not think we realised how much we needed that until she was there.”


AB— Family Member

THINGS PEOPLE OFTEN SAY

  • "I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT."

    When someone is seriously ill or their health begins to change, it can be difficult to know what happens next, or even what questions to ask.

    We can look at what you know, what you still need to find out and what might help you feel more prepared.

  • “I FEEL LIKE I’M HOLDING EVERYTHING TOGETHER.”

    Supporting someone you love can mean managing appointments, decisions, family conversations and everyday life all at once.

    We can work out what needs your attention now, what can wait and where other people or services might be able to help.

  • “I DON’T WANT TO DO THIS ON MY OWN.”

    When things keep changing, it can help to have someone who already understands what’s happening and doesn’t need you to explain everything again.

    I can stay alongside you and your family as questions, decisions and needs change over time.

FAQs

  • No. You can get in touch much earlier.

    People often come to me after a diagnosis or hospital stay, when an ageing parent is becoming more frail, when someone’s health or care needs are changing, or simply when the family can sense that things are becoming more complicated.

    You don’t need to wait for a crisis or know exactly what is happening before asking for support.

    We can talk through what has changed, what you’re concerned about, what questions need answering and what might need thinking about or organising next.

    Sometimes getting support earlier means there is more time to understand your options, have important conversations and make decisions without everything happening at once.

  • Not at all.

    Many people reach out during illness, ageing, changing health, or periods of uncertainty long before the final stages of life.

    Sometimes after a diagnosis.
    Sometimes after a hospital stay.
    Sometimes because somebody they love is becoming more frail, and life suddenly feels unfamiliar in ways it did not before.

    Often families can sense things shifting, even if nobody quite knows what that means yet.

    People often think it is “too early” to ask for support, or feel they should already know how to cope with what is happening.

    But this work is not only about dying.

    It is also about supporting people through illness, change, uncertainty, anticipatory grief, and the emotional reality of watching somebody they love become more unwell.

    Sometimes people simply need somebody beside them whilst they make sense of what is happening.

    Space to talk honestly.
    Time to think clearly.
    Support through difficult conversations, decisions, fear and change.

    Sometimes support begins with somebody saying:

    “I don’t really know what’s happening, but I know this feels like a lot.”

    And that is enough.

  • No. I work alongside doctors, nurses, hospice teams, carers and other professionals, rather than replacing them.

    They provide medical treatment, clinical advice and hands-on care. My role is different.

    I can give you more time to talk through what is happening, prepare questions for appointments, think through decisions, discuss wishes and priorities, and work out what may need organising or asking about next.

    I can also help families talk together when people have different concerns, questions or ideas about what should happen.

    I don’t provide medical advice or tell you what decision to make. I help you understand the situation more clearly, work out what matters to you and prepare for the conversations and decisions ahead.

  • That’s completely okay. Most people get in touch before they know exactly what kind of support would be helpful.

    You don’t need to prepare anything or work out which service is right for you beforehand.

    We’ll start with what is happening now, what has changed, what you’re worried about and what you’re trying to work out. From there, we can decide what would be most useful.

    That might be one focused conversation, some more structured help with a complicated situation, or ongoing support as things change.

    You only need to know that you’d like some help working out what comes next.

  • Very much so.

    Serious illness and the end of life affect whole families, not just one person.

    Often the people trying to stay strong are quietly carrying an enormous amount themselves.

    Trying to keep working.
    Replying to messages.
    Sorting appointments.
    Making decisions.
    Holding everybody else together whilst carrying their own fear and exhaustion underneath it all.

    People cope differently.
    Tension can build quietly.
    Roles begin to change.

    Often, the people holding everything together are receiving the least support themselves.

    Family members need support too.

  • Yes. Much of the work we might do together doesn't depend on us being in the same room.

    We can use online sessions to make sense of changing circumstances, prepare for appointments, work through questions and decisions, talk about wishes, plan ahead or bring family members together when everyone lives in different places.

    It can be particularly useful if you're supporting an ageing or unwell parent from a distance, or if leaving home for another appointment is the last thing you need.

    You can come on your own or invite other family members to join us from wherever they are.

    When someone is approaching the end of their life and more physical, local support would be helpful, we can talk about that too. I offer in-person doula support in Somerset and the surrounding area.

    That is the version I'd put on the website.

A smartphone screen displaying a beach scene with two people walking along the water, overlaid with text promoting a free guide for families supporting loved ones through illness or end-of-life care.