What our clients have to say about us…
“Shylene’s compassionate and sensible approach made her help invaluable to me.”
“I had the good fortune to be helped by Shylene Schlackl of RestSure after my husband passed[…] Through common friends, Shylene approached me and offered to assist me in organizing a memorial and with anything else that I might need help with.”
“We met weekly at my place in the month before the memorial to discuss all the details. Shylene always started by lighting a candle and setting an intention. Shylene offered many creative suggestions to make the event memorable and was also very helpful in devising ways to keep things simple. The memorial was a beautiful event, for which I received numerous compliments.”
“A few weeks later, I went to the memorial garden where my husband’s ashes are buried and was unable to find his interment place This was a very difficult and sad experience for me, so I called Shylene and asked her to go with me the next time. We went together a few weeks later and she immediately took matters in her own hands, asking the staff to direct us to the right place. She also brought a beautiful plate filled with plant material and pretty baubles (see picture above), which we left at the foot of the interment place, and which I “refresh” with new material when I go visit.”
“Finally, the time came to empty my husband’s office, which had become a bit of a ‘black hole’ as well as a very messy storage area over the course of his illness. Again, I felt emotionally overwhelmed by the prospective task and asked Shylene to help me. With Shylene’s moral support and her very practical suggestions, we were done in two hours.”
“I highly recommend her services.”
S.Moore
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“Susan and Shylene guided us through the steps…”
“As someone known by my family and friends to be rarely left speechless, my first experience of a Despacho certainly brought me to that.
On a visit to my family in Victoria, after the passing of my beautiful mother, Susan and Shylene were able to host something that I can only describe as perfect, and probably the most soothing experience I have had since her passing. Upon making the journey to bring part of her her ashes home with me, I had not yet experienced any sort of ceremony, funeral or service to mark her passing and begin the mourning process, so I was a little nervous as to what my reaction would be, and how the ceremony would go.
I had never heard of, or experienced a Despacho before, and I can honestly say I would do it again in a heartbeat. It was the perfect, intimate experience with those closest to my mom there to be together and remember her, and honour her life. The use of all things nature, all things around us, to build something out of what was literally nothing on the table before me to represent her, and her life, being made by her family and friends, was something that I could never have imagined to be more fitting and emotional. This included Susan and Shylene using different additions for this beautiful creation, chocolate, leaves, Melissa’s jewelry, and part of her ashes to name but a few. Every single part was meaningful and true to our family and to her. The fact that this took place in her own home, where her children felt comfortable and where she would have been happy to be, was the perfect place to be.
Upon finishing the wreath, we gathered around the waterfront, (sunshine coming out of what felt like no-where, making it a more beautiful day) and my two brothers, my sister and I, were able to release the wreath into the water together, while Susan and Shylene guided us through the steps. It was a completely natural and breath-taking experience, and I will absolutely never forget it. It didn’t feel forced, or formal or rigidly planned, but it still felt structured, in the perfect way. In fact, months later it crosses my mind most days, and brings me a little sense of peace when I think of her. It fit her character, personality and her love of all things nature perfectly, and was a beautiful and perfect step on a difficult and challenging journey”
Maeve, Ireland
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“Susan…there is no one I would rather have guide me and bring light into the darker parts of our earth walk.”
“I have known Susan for over twenty years, having first met her in a Healing Touch Workshop. Over the several years of training within that energetic healing setting, I came to acknowledge and value the depth and compassion that she embodies within all the different skills and modalities she has studied.
Witnessing how she navigated months of immobility and years of chronic pain following her back injuries left me with huge respect for her commitment to find and inhabit a place simultaneously within and beyond pain.
There is no one I would rather have to guide me when faced with a life changing illness or death. She has walked the walk.
Entering a healing space with Susan as a guide is for me, to truly experience someone ‘holding space’ for you. A field of unconditional love opens up and your most authentic self can come forth. Like all great counselors and healers, her ability to listen non-judgmentally, without any need to control, is crucial for the work she does. I see this even when she talks to my 95 year old mother. There is a delight of two souls meeting without any agenda on her part.
When my father died after years of dwindling following several mini strokes, she helped me (and still does) in navigating my confusing feelings of grief. I have come to accept and honor my own way of grieving as being unique to me. She offered many suggestions for a tree planting ceremony I wanted to create for my father. He had not wanted a funeral, so this was an opportunity for his immediate beloved family to come together in remembrance.
And most recently I witnessed her journey as she guided, accompanied, witnessed, and held space for someone through cancer, and finally death.
Once again; there is no one I would rather have guide me and bring light into the darker parts of our earth walk.”
JMS, Vancouver Island
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“Thank you Shylene for your love and honesty surrounding death.”
“Shylene worked with me after the suicide of my brother. Within the session, I cried and laughed and had moments of peace. She created such a loving and calming atmosphere and gave me tools to show me the way of not only accepting my brother’s death but also to celebrate him by practicing deep self-love.”
The work you do is profound and very much needed in our western society today.”
D. Dawn
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“Susan & Shylene…engage them and be prepared.”
“Some time ago Susan told me that she and Shylene were going to be assisting people in preparing themselves, their families and their paperwork so that they could relax, knowing that their end of life was taken care of. I had heard that there were different options but I wasn’t sure where to look for what was available and what the legal requirement were. I was immediately excited to know that someone I could trust had done the research.
I attended the first workshop series Susan and Shylene presented and learned a lot. Over the next while I compiled the information I needed to proceed. And then the paperwork sat there. I had a folder of options and wasn’t quite sure how to proceed.
I called Susan for a one-on-one consultation and within an hour my paperwork was complete.
I can now RestSure, knowing that the paperwork is done and my daughter knows my wishes.
I can’t thank Susan and Shylene enough for all the work they have done on my behalf and I encourage anyone—at any age—to engage them and be prepared.
EH Victoria
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“Shylene, your words….make your presence always one of relaxed understanding.”
“Shylene, your words, and not in an inspirational way, but rather in a disarming, gentle, casual way like the way you address and start a sentence with a “dude” … Makes your presence always one of relaxed understanding. In times of emotional lows, where there is no emotional quotient left to put up pretenses, having that sort of person around, who is grounded and casual, is a great thing. You do this in spades, always, but particularly at that time.”
“It’s probably also worth mentioning that your spirit and attitude was positive. Empathetic but positive. I know that was our mentality to have about the situation as well, but most of our family was not or is not capable of keeping that attitude in emotionally trying times. I seem to recall we even talked about this at the time, but this was huge for my wife and I. Even to this day, people still try and bring sympathy instead of empathy into the situation regarding the loss of the girls… and we are not interested in having that around us. Empathy, however, is so very important, and you excelled at this Shy.”
T. Griffen
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“Susan & RestSure were able to help me deal with my grief.”
“My Mother, in 2016 after her 90th birthday, was diagnosed with a terminal illness. She chose to end her life the following year. Living in Oregon, her choice was met with a good deal of help and support. At this time Susan became great support and consul to me. She guided me through the experience and in the weeks and days leading up to my Mother’s passing helped me become complete with my Mother. And even after her passing, Susan was able to help me deal with my grief, to create a small shrine at the place she chose to die and a prayer to assist her passing.
It’s been a year since she’s passed, and I do think of her daily. Susan has helped me to acknowledge my grief and to carry it lightly and apologetically.”
CS Lantzville
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“[Shylene’s] ability is to speak about death in meaningful ways.”
“Shylene helped me live through and get by the grieving of my husband. Of course, my profound grief prevented me from reaching out, but she was constant with her support and guidance because she knew how and what to do. It provided me with the strength to carry on the daily routines of living and to share with others the knowledge that she passed on to me.
“Thank you, Shylene, for encouraging me to seek grief counseling, which I did do, and it was very helpful in my grieving process.”
M. Calla
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“When tragedy and trauma come into our lives it is so important to have a person and circle of support to hold you and your family.”
“Shylene came forward at a time of such uncertainty and yet she offered no answers, no suggestion of ‘fixing’ ….yet rather a companioning of spirit – a kinship of heart to walk with me on the edges of my life.
As the outcomes of my diagnosis have taken me through many difficult hills and valleys….and ultimately so much learning – the journey has been all the richer having shared it with this beautiful soul.
From bridging the love of so many who have passed this way before, to allowing for the unspoken to become manifest…Shylene is like no other who you could and should choose if you need someone to trust, to lean into for logistics, and to feel secure with that the deep holding of the tenderness of your life will be honoured in all the ways which are needed as you walk through whatever stage of your end of journey planning you are ready to take on (even if you are not!).”
B. Gallagher