CO-FOUNDERS
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I was born in the USA and attained a B.A. in Liberal Arts. Then after travelling through Europe and Africa, I married a New Zealander and we traveled through Asia to NZ in 1973. We have two adult sons. I became a Mahayana Buddhist in Nepal in 1973. With my husband and two other people we started the first Tibetan Buddhist Centre in NZ, Dorje Chang Institute, in 1976. In 1995, I founded and am the Managing Director of Amitabha Hospice Service Trust. I am the current Vice-Chairperson of the New Zealand Buddhist Council. In 1992 I became a Registered Nurse. My nursing experience has led me to specialise in Palliative care. I was critically injured in a car accident in 2008, which gave me a lot of experience of being on the other side of the caring equation. In my work as a nurse with dying patients in their own homes, I felt my usefulness was more as a spiritual companion supporting their transition than as a medical practitioner. |
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I was born and raised in Switzerland I had a keen interest in everything 'spiritual' from a very early age. It was after completing an apprenticeship in book selling and emigrating to New Zealand that I discovered in Buddhism the fitting expression of my personal spirituality. Questions about life, death and the universe and the connection between them have always been part of my journey. By studying counselling (I finished my diploma in 2006 and gained full membership of NZAC in 2008) I found a way of turning my dream of wanting to help people help themselves into reality. Having been involved with Amitabha Hospice for many years, initially as volunteer, later on as volunteers coordinator and counsellor I have witnessed countless times how the prospect of an imminent death is causing people to go through a deep spiritual crisis. Therefore I jumped at the opportunity to be able to help develop a service to support the dying through this often very difficult and painful process. To maintain highest standard in my work I am dedicated to ongoing professional development and supervision. I'm currently in the process of starting a two-year certificate in process oriented palliative care. |
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Through my life’s journey I have personally experienced chronic illness resulting in subsequent physical challenges. This has given me empathy and insight when supporting people. This mixed with my own spiritual journey gives me the strength and desire to assist others in their life’s journey. I have a Bachelor in Counselling and am a full member of the New Zealand Association of Counsellors. During and since qualifying I have worked for with general clients in practice covering a variety of issues. I have been working until just recently supporting people with chronic illness for the MS Society, Auckland. I have also been the founder of a Woman’s Empowering Workshop in New Zealand and have facilitated workshops and groups. Many years ago I experienced the death of a young woman dying of cancer who was part of a Buddhist community. While supporting this woman we studied the dying process in depth. This experience changed my life’s journey and it now seems most appropriate to offer spiritual support to people as they complete their lives. This was the point at where I feel my life journey was changing and has brought me to this place of wishing to offer support to people as they go through their dying process. |
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Kala was born in Venezuela, grew up in Argentina, her mother is from Hungary, her father is from Poland and she arrived in NZ in 2004. She has a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration and is the current Operations Manager of Amitabha Hospice. Since 2004, Kala has been studying Buddhist philosophy and has accomplishing several solitary and group retreats in India, Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia, Australia and NZ. She is a student of H.H Dalai Lama, Lama Zopa Rinpoche and is the National Facilitator for workshops of the 16 Guidelines for Life - http://www.16guidelines.org/ For some years, she has been studying the death and dying process and feels deeply drawn to support and enhance the spiritual path of people at the end of their life. |
