A Bit About The Sanctuary
The Sanctuary is a heart-led, soul-centered space in St. Albert, Alberta, offering gentle and holistic end-of-life support for beloved pets and the people who love them. Founded by Nan Marshall...end-of-life doula, meditation teacher, and holistic interior designer...The Sanctuary is a place where grief, transition, love, and legacy are held with tenderness, presence, and deep reverence.
Whether you are caring for a cherished animal companion through their final days, walking alongside a pet in hospice or palliative care, or navigating your own questions and fears around loss and dying, The Sanctuary is here to guide, support, and hold space for you and your beloved companions.
The Sanctuary offers a wide range of compassionate services that honor the uniqueness of each journey. For those supporting a beloved pet through their final days, The Sanctuary provides in-home comfort visits, emotional support, legacy and memorial planning, and gentle guidance for the moments leading up to and following their transition.
Nan understands that our animal companions hold a special place in our hearts, and she brings empathy, a calm presence, and deep respect to every encounter.
For those supporting a beloved animal companion through the final chapter of their life, The Sanctuary offers non-medical pet doula services, including advance care guidance, vigil preparation, emotional and spiritual support, guided rituals, and grief integration. As a meditation teacher and Usui Reiki practitioner, Nan weaves in breathwork, presence practices, and contemplative tools to help you stay grounded, connected, and fully supported during these tender, uncertain moments with your companion.
One of the unique aspects of The Sanctuary is Nan's ability to create sacred spaces. Drawing from her background in holistic interior design, she supports clients in transforming rooms into healing environments—whether it’s preparing a peaceful space for a vigil with a beloved pet, creating a corner for grief rituals, or designing a memory altar for a cherished companion who has passed. These spaces become containers for comfort, connection, and remembrance, and can be a powerful part of the healing journey.
In addition to one-on-one support, The Sanctuary also offers custom ceremonies and rituals to honor milestones, losses, and transitions. These may include pet memorials, celebration of life meditations, seasonal grief circles, or intimate gatherings designed to bring comfort and meaning to the grieving process.
Above all, The Sanctuary exists to hold space—for sorrow, for love, for story, for healing. Nan believes that death is not something to be fixed or rushed through, but something to be witnessed and met with grace. Every offering is rooted in compassion, respect for individual beliefs, and a deep understanding of how sacred the end-of-life journey truly is.
If you're searching for heartfelt, soulful end-of-life support - whether for yourself, a loved one, or a cherished animal companion—The Sanctuary is here for you. You are not alone.
This is a place where love lives on...