Living Through Loss Counselling Society of BC

The Board at Living Through Loss Counselling Society of BC

Counsellors and Office Staff | The Board | Volunteers | Elsie Palmer | Judy Capes

Board members

Cheryl Bucar
Board President, Chair

Karen Redshaw
Vice President of Finance

Pat Elsom-Lewis
Board Member at Large

Susan Moore

The Board at Living Through Loss Counselling Society of BC

Letter from Board Chair

Welcome to Living Through Loss Counselling Society of BC's website. Here's a little bit about our agency.

Living Through Loss Counselling Society of BC (LTLC) began in 1972 as a support group for widows under the name LIFE (Living Is For Everyone) Resource Centre, living is for everyone. The group met once a week in a space kindly provided by the YWCA. Later the group expanded to include a separated and divorced group for women.

In 1977, the New Horizons Grant encouraged the LIFE group to establish a formal organizational structure, and offered funds for this purpose. A board of directors was formed and LIFE Resource Center became a registered non-profit society. LIFE moved into it's own premises, and along with the original groups' growth, a counselling service for individuals was established. Eventually LIFE moved into the community providing speakers and training to groups and other organizations.

Since 1978 the United Way has provided partial funding through yearly grants. The City of Vancouver provided grants from 1979 to 1995 when its focus changed and our grant was totally phased out. Over the years the agency has received grants and donations from number of Foundations, Clubs, Churches, businesses and private citizens.

In 1989, the Board of Directors made a decision to change the agency's name to Living Through Loss Counselling Society of BC in order to better reflect the work of the agency.

Over the past 5 years the agency has undergone significant changes. We have broadened our mandate strengthened the competence of our therapy team and moved to a new location. We are a not for profit organization that has been in existence for 34 years. Our beliefs and agency mission to those that work, volunteer and partner with us, know, that these are not hollow words or statements. Our core business is grief and loss and we have stayed true to this focus for our entire existence. This has been a challenging focus to maintain over the years and has tested our Board of Directors as the drive for sustainability and just plain and simple staying in the business of grief and loss has not been easy.

I am extremely proud of this agency and the work that we do and the Provincial reputation that we have earned as a leader in grief and loss. We have worked hard to become one of a handful of authorities in this Province on "traumatic loss and it's complications". For the most part we are often the first line of contact for "survivors of homicide, accidents and other sudden and traumatic death situations.". We provide awareness education and professional development to a variety of agencies and professional groups throughout the Province, and more specifically work closely with the criminal justice system, WCB, ICBC, hospitals, foster parent organizations, AIDS Vancouver and so on.

A debt of thanks goes out to the United Way of the Lower Mainland for their on-going funding for which we are eternally grateful.

Check out our web site resources to find out more about who we are and what we can offer you. Hope to hear from you all soon.

Regards,
Cheryl L. Bucar
Board Chair and President of LTLC

Elsie Palmer

Founder of LTLC, Elsie Palmer, passes away. Read more.