Facing the End with Clarity and Compassion

This informative and empowering workshop helps individuals and their families understand and navigate end-of-life care options. Grounded in the principles of thanatology and guided by Ligia M. Houben, MA, FT, CPC—a Certified Grief Counselor and Fellow in Thanatology and former professor at Florida International University on a course on Death and Dying, this session offers clarity and guidance around some of the most important decisions we may face.

Participants will learn the distinctions between hospice and palliative care, when and how to seek them, and what they can offer in terms of comfort, dignity, and support. We’ll also touch on ethical and legal aspects, including advance directives, end-of-life rights, and complex choices such as euthanasia and physician-assisted death.

This is a non-clinical yet highly practical educational experience designed to reduce fear, empower informed decision-making, and encourage compassionate conversations around dying and caregiving.

Topics Include:

• What is hospice? What is palliative care? Key differences and shared values
• Myths and truths about comfort care and end-of-life options
• Medical Interventions: When Do They Help? When do they harm?
• Communicating wishes: Understanding advance directives and living wills
• Ethical dimensions of end-of-life choices (euthanasia, physician-assisted death)
• The emotional landscape for caregivers and loved ones

Whether you're navigating these choices for yourself or supporting someone you love, this workshop will provide valuable knowledge, practical tools, and emotional grounding.

Join us for a morning of clarity, compassion, and empowered preparation.

This workshop explores the practical, emotional, and ethical aspects of facing the end of life within the healthcare system. Participants will gain clarity about what hospice and palliative care truly mean, how they differ, and how to make informed decisions about medical interventions. We will also touch on ethical and legal considerations such as advance directives, euthanasia, and physician-assisted suicide. This workshop empowers individuals and families to approach end-of-life care with knowledge, dignity, and agency.

FREE PARKING

Printed material

Host or Publisher Ligia M. Houben