Our culture has shielded and protected us from an inescapable reality of life – the fact that we are mortal. All of us will face and deal with the dying and death of parents, friends, family members and ultimately the finiteness of our lifespan. Many of us are not prepared for the intensity of emotions that flow from this experience. Gentle, compassionate and supportive grief and bereavement counselling allows individuals and families to better understand what is happening and to deal with the often conflicting and almost always intense emotionality of this inevitable stage of life.