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Envision Counselling and the Estevan Public Library are teaming up to host a Death Café event on November 27 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The event will provide a safe and welcoming space for participants to discuss their thoughts, fears, and experiences with death and grief.
The idea to host this event emerged during Envision’s work with the Estevan Community Wellness Committee. “When we were doing the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan, one of the things identified in the community was the need for more support around grief and death,” said Laura Melle, Director of Operations for Envision Counselling.
The event is designed to respond to the community’s expressed need for more resources to tackle these difficult topics. “The community has spoken—they want more support around grief and that topic—and that was our motivation for offering it,” Melle said.
While discussions of death and grief can feel uncomfortable, Melle emphasized the supportive atmosphere of the Death Café. “This will be a safe environment for people to discuss their fears around death and dying while also enriching their lives while they are still alive.”
Unlike traditional grief counselling sessions, the Death Café is not intended as a support group but rather as a space for open conversation. “It’s about creating a safe space where people can voice their thoughts and fears in a room with others who likely share similar feelings,” Melle said. “It’s more about easing into the topic, increasing comfort, and encouraging open conversation around death and dying.”
The benefits of such conversations can be significant. “Just being able to have the connection with the facilitators and with the group participants—when we talk about anxiety and fears, if you keep those all bottled up, that definitely impacts mental health. Just being able to talk about it is really important,” Melle noted.
The goal for participants is to increase their comfort level with discussing death and dying. “Participants can talk as much or as little as they want—whatever they’re comfortable with,” Melle said. “If someone prefers to just listen to the conversation, that’s completely fine. No one will be put on the spot or pressured to share anything they don’t want to.”
For those looking to continue exploring these topics, Envision offers additional resources. “We do offer some grief support counselling through our free community-based programs,” Melle said. “If anyone’s interested in learning more, they can reach out and speak with our intake worker to be matched with a counsellor.”
The Death Café event at the Estevan Public Library is open to anyone, and pre-registration is encouraged to secure a spot.