About Marla
Marla is an end-of-life doula and creative grief practitioner dedicated to supporting individuals and families within the intellectual and developmental and disability (IDD) community. Her work centers on advocacy, dignity, and practical guidance for grief that is too often overlooked.
A Good Transition was created to bring visibility, knowledge, and steady support to individuals and families navigating loss in this community.
Her Story
Marla’s commitment to this work is deeply personal.
She grew up alongside her brother Andrew, who had Down Syndrome. At a time when many individuals with disabilities were institutionalized or hidden away, her parents fought for his right to live fully and visibly in the community. She witnessed firsthand how easily people with disabilities could become invisible, and how powerful advocacy could be.
That early experience shaped the direction of her life.
Over the next two decades, Marla worked internationally in conflict zones and marginalized communities, often seeing the same pattern: the most vulnerable were the least visible. When she returned home to Alberta, she recognized similar gaps in grief and end-of-life support for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities and their families.
This work became her focus.
Andrew Zapach
Professional Background
Marla brings both lived experience and professional training to her practice.
Marla is a trained End-of-Life Doula affiliated with the Home Hospice Association and a certified Creative Grief Support Practitioner. She holds Trauma Awareness and CBT certifications through Laurier University’s Continuing Education program and a Master’s degree in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Alberta.
Her international work with the United Nations, the Canadian government, the European Union, and the UK Stabilisation Unit informs her advocacy-driven approach. She works exclusively with marginalized individuals and families, with particular focus on the IDD community.
Grief is not something to be hidden, dismissed or rushed
For individuals within the IDD community, loss is often misunderstood, minimized, or managed on their behalf. Marla believes that grief deserves recognition, space, and support, and that building agency through loss strengthens resilience.
When grief is acknowledged and supported, people can return to living with greater confidence and new meaning.
