Vision Statement
By creating numerous opportunities for conversation, Death Matters hopes to open up an area which has traditionally been in the closet….. that of dying and death…. an area of normal, healthy human experience which has been denied coverage by our death-phobic culture for far too long.
In exploring our fears about this great adventure, we encourage the possibility of approaching it with grace and perhaps joy. In fact, recognizing the mortal nature of our brief existence, may bring grace, joy and gratitude to every moment of our daily life.
At Death Matters, we acknowledge with deep respect that we live and work on the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people. This land, known as Mi’kma’ki, has been home to the Mi’kmaq since time immemorial and remains sacred to this day.
In our work with death, dying, and remembrance—including burial practices and sacred spaces—we honour the spiritual, cultural, and historical connections that the Mi’kmaq have with these lands. We recognize the ancestors who rest here and their continuing presence among us.
We commit to approaching our work with reverence, listening deeply, and engaging in respectful relationships with Indigenous communities. As we support people in their final journeys, we also support the living legacy of Mi’kmaq traditions, values, and sovereignty.
This acknowledgment is both a statement of truth and a call to action—for reconciliation, for justice, and for the shared care of this sacred land. We honour the Mi’kmaq people, past, present, and future.
Who We Are
Deborah Luscomb, although primarily known for her decades of ritual textile production, has a passion for bringing people together around difficult, but necessary conversations. In addition to hosting the Halifax Death Café and Final Curtain Films, she leads Advance Planning workshops, acts as a Thanadoula and Funeral Guide, assisting during the transition and postmortem experience, and is a Founder, and Past Chair of Green Burial Nova Scotia. She brings extensive training in meditation, contemplation, deep listening and midwifery… and a fine sense of humour… to this inevitable adventure.
Dawn Carson is a dedicated Death Doula, Community Deathcaring Educator, Funeral Coordinator, and Founding Member of the Green Burial Society of Nova Scotia. With a background as a successful business owner, and credentials as a meditation and certified yoga instructor, Dawn brings a grounded, heart-centered approach to end-of-life planning.
Through her work with Death Matters, and as host of both the Death Café and Green Burial Café, Dawn creates welcoming spaces for honest conversations about dying, death, and disposition. She blends practical tools with compassionate guidance to help individuals and families make informed, values-based choices about their end-of-life care.
Whether you’re just beginning to think about your legacy or already deep in the planning process, Dawn invites you to consider:
“What must I do to be at peace with myself so that I may live presently and die peacefully?”
Kelsey Ermers
is currently apprenticing with Death Matters, guided by a deep calling to be of service during one of life’s most often overlooked stages, yet arguably what also gives life its meaning. She is particularly drawn to the cultural and spiritual dimensions of death and dying and has undertaken various trainings to explore how we experience death in today’s world. Her practice is grounded in the belief that intentional conversation and meaningful ritual can reconnect us to what is deeply human.
Utilizing her learnings through yoga and meditation training, Kelsey is passionate about helping people return to their spiritual roots in a grounded, practical way. She aims to support families in navigating the many gaps at the end of life—whether through advance care planning, logistical support in the transitions that will arise, creating legacy projects, and facilitating access to resources. Her goal is to help reimagine this profound life transition with compassion, ensuring that clients and families can focus on what’s important and feel empowered to move through challenging times with deep self and interpersonal connection, understanding and acceptance.
Katherine Gyles, has spent her career helping people to navigate change, growth, complex relationships and, shifting priorities.
As an End of Life Doula and Integral Coach with over 30 years in executive leadership and organizational life, she brings curiosity, heart, pragmatism, and a calm presence to what can feel like overwhelming territory. She connects over rich conversations about life’s most important decisions facing those looking ahead to the end of life.
We can’t always control how things end, but we can choose how we meet the moment – and how we support one another in crossing life’s most profound thresholds.
ABOUT THE LOGO
These intertwined triple, purple hearts represent the inseparability, richness and mystery of birth, life & death.