A whole-person approach to end-of-life care
Psychology-informed support. Skilled doula care. Social connection. Contemplative presence.
- Psychology
- Doula Care
- Connection
- Presence
Compassionate Care Pathways Specialist end-of-life programs for individuals facing a life-limiting diagnosis, and for the carers who walk alongside them.
Compassionate Care Pathways designs specialist programs that integrate four essential threads of care: psychological support, doula companionship, social connection, and contemplative presence. We partner with organisations, clinicians, and allied professionals to build end-of-life care that is coherent, coordinated, and present at every stage.
SPECIALIST END-OF-LIFE CARE
A whole person approach
to
end-of-life
care
Psychology-informed support. Skilled doula care. Social connection. Contemplative presence – for individuals facing a life-limiting diagnosis, and the carers who walk alongside them.
COMPASSIONATE CARE PATHWAYS
About CCP
About Compassionate Care Pathways
Compassionate Care Pathways was founded to raise the standard of end-of-life care in Australia — and to make it more human, more connected and more accessible to the people and professionals who need it most. Our work sits at the intersection of psychology, doula practice, community and contemplative care, recognising that the final stage of life is not only a medical event but a deeply emotional, relational and existential experience.
As a company led by a director with a background in psychology and rehabilitation counselling, contemplative practice, and shaped by lived experience of the end-of-life journey, CCP brings something the field has long needed: a model that honours the whole person — emotionally, socially, inwardly and practically.
We believe that preparing for death should not be delayed until the final days. When people are supported to explore their fears, hopes, values and meaning early, they often discover something unexpected: a greater sense of aliveness. As many have found, acknowledging “Yes, it is happening” can shift the quality of living — time expands, relationships deepen, and each moment becomes more vivid.
At its heart, Compassionate Care Pathways walks alongside individuals, families and professionals with compassion, clarity and clinical integrity — and we help shape the profession that walks alongside them.
THE FOUNDER'S STORY
The path that
led to this work
Sumit Verma
Founder, Compassionate Care Pathways
Death entered my life early. Losing someone close at a young age set me on a path I didn’t yet have words for, one that led through years of meditation, contemplative inquiry, and exploring many spiritual traditions, slowly learning to sit with mortality rather than turn away from it. My professional life grew alongside that inner work. With a background in rehabilitation counselling and psychology, I found myself drawn to people navigating some of life’s most difficult passages. Working in the life insurance industry for more than 16 years as a rehabilitation professional, I encountered many people navigating terminal illness and life-limiting diagnoses and witnessed the profound complexity of that journey and how the medical system, for all its clinical expertise, faces real limits in addressing the psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions of dying. Compassionate Care Pathways’ work is not a replacement for the health system, but a complement to it, offering the human elements of presence, meaning, and connection that sit alongside clinical care.
What We Offer
Four threads of care, woven together
Psychology-informed end-of-life care
Every aspect of our work is grounded in psychological safety and trauma-informed practice. A life-limiting diagnosis can surface complex emotions, family dynamics, existential questions and sometimes long-held mental health considerations. We are equipped to hold that complexity with care — and to shape support that reflects each person's psychological landscape, not just their practical needs.
End-of-life support through doulas
In partnership with Doula Connection, CCP delivers skilled end-of-life doula support across Australia. Our doulas provide non-medical, relationship-based care that complements clinical services — offering guidance in advance care planning, death literacy, vigil support, legacy work and family communication, all held within a strong framework of standards and clinical oversight.
Social support and connection
One of the most quietly painful aspects of a life-limiting diagnosis is isolation — for the person diagnosed, and for those around them. We see social connection not as a nice-to-have, but as essential end-of-life care. We support meaningful conversations within families, help sustain connection to community, and make sure carers have the steady presence they need to navigate their role with confidence and compassion.
Mindfulness and contemplative presence
The end of life invites reflection on meaning, presence and what comes next. Our approach integrates contemplative practices that help clients rest in the present moment, soften fear, and reconnect with a wider sense of self. Carers, too, are supported with grounding practices and emotional guidance that help them stay steady, compassionate and resilient throughout the journey.
When these four threads are woven together, end-of-life care becomes something different — not just a service people receive, but a journey they are genuinely supported through.
Our Purpose
Shifting how our society approaches the end of life
Building death literacy
Death is one of the few certainties we all share, yet it remains one of the least talked about. CCP is committed to changing that culture. We advocate for open, honest and compassionate conversations about dying, and we support individuals, families and professionals to build the language, knowledge and confidence needed to navigate end-of-life with clarity and courage.
Through education, reflective dialogue and a focus on strengthening death literacy, our program helps people develop the understanding needed to navigate this universal part of life with greater ease and connection.
The role of meditation and awareness in end-of-life planning
CCP recognises that contemplative practices have a long-held and meaningful role in preparing for the end of life. Meditation, in particular, offers a gentle way to work with the fears, attachments and questions that naturally arise as we face our own mortality — or accompany someone we love through theirs.
We draw inspiration from contemporary teachers of meditation and conscious dying, whose work has shaped a growing global understanding of how presence, awareness and inner stillness can transform the dying experience. CCP does not align with any single tradition — but we honour the wisdom that meditation and contemplative practice bring, and we make these practices available to anyone who wishes to explore them, regardless of background or belief.
Through education, reflective dialogue and a focus on strengthening death literacy, our program helps people develop the understanding needed to navigate this universal part of life with greater ease and connection.
Advancing the profession
CCP recognises the importance of a strong, well-supported end-of-life doula profession in Australia. While we are not currently delivering professional-development initiatives, we are committed to contributing to the field’s growth. We value research, shared learning and thoughtful collaboration, and we aim to partner with organisations who are advancing training, standards and public understanding of this essential work.
A stronger profession means better experiences for the individuals and families who rely on it — and CCP is dedicated to supporting that evolution.
Through education, reflective dialogue and a focus on strengthening death literacy, our program helps people develop the understanding needed to navigate this universal part of life with greater ease and connection.
Who We Support
One approach. Every pathway.
Life insurance clients
Through our joint venture, Transition Support Service, CCP delivers the end-of-life doula stream of a specialist program for life insurance clients who have received a terminal or life-limiting diagnosis.
Psychologists & allied health
We work closely with psychologists, counselors, social workers and allied health practitioners whose clients are facing a life-limiting dagnosis-offering a trusted referral pathway that integrates seamlessly into a client's broader support network
Private families & individuals
Families and individuals can engage CCP directly--whether at the point of diagnosis, during active illness, or in the final stages of life. There is no wrong time to reach out.
Aged care providers & partners
CCP partners with residential aged care providers, community care organisations and palliative services to bring specialist end-of-life doula support to the people in their care-enhancing, not replacing, the care already in place.
Contact
Get in Touch
Reaching out doesn’t commit you to anything. It’s simply the start of a conversation. We’ll take the time to understand your situation, answer your questions and help you figure out whether CCP is the right fit — and if not, we’ll do our best to point you in the right direction.