Building Emotional
Well-Being for People with Intellectual Disabilities
People with intellectual disabilities often experience significant loss and life changes, yet they remain one of the most underserved populations when it comes to grief and emotional support. Changes in living situations, routines, relationships, or the loss of loved ones can deeply affect emotional well-being and may lead to feelings of sadness, isolation, or depression.
The Compassionate Grief Centre partners with local organizations dedicated to supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities to provide accessible, compassionate counselling. Individual sessions are offered on-site, once a week, in familiar and comfortable environments, reducing barriers and creating a sense of safety and trust. Participants are supported at their own pace and are free to talk about whatever matters most to them.
Our current partners include Vocational Training Centre, Catena, and L’Arche. Through these partnerships, we help foster emotional well-being, build trust, and support an improved quality of life for the individuals we are honoured to serve.
L’Arche Saint John is a welcoming community in Saint John, New Brunswick where adults with intellectual disabilities share life with assistants in supportive, home-like settings that foster belonging, friendship, and growth. The organization offers programs such as McKim House—a residential home where members live and connect daily—and Creative Connections, a vibrant arts-focused day program that encourages self-expression and community involvement. L’Arche also runs L’Arche Connects, a supported independent living program helping adults develop the skills and confidence to live more independently in their own apartments. (larche.ca)
The Vocational Training Centre (VTC) in the Saint John region is a non-profit charity supporting adults with intellectual and physical disabilities by offering tailored programs that build life skills, confidence, and independence in a respectful, community-oriented environment. Its hands-on activities include employment and life-skills classes, job coaching, thrift-store social enterprises like the Second Chance Online Thrift Store, and community participation opportunities that help participants gain real-world experience and meaningful connection. (vocationaltrainingcentre.ca)
Catena Jobs Plus is a long-standing non-profit organization in Saint John dedicated to empowering adults with intellectual and physical disabilities through employment, skills development, and community inclusion. For more than 40 years, Catena has focused on creating meaningful opportunities that build confidence, independence, and belonging. Through individualized training, job readiness programs, workplace skill development, and supported employment opportunities, Catena helps individuals discover their strengths and achieve their personal and professional goals. Their commitment to focusing on ability rather than barriers aligns closely with the Compassionate Grief Centre’s belief that everyone deserves to be supported, valued, and included within their community.
