[UK] An interview with Clinical Psychologist (retired) Johanne de Montigny, M.A.Ps.

[UK] An interview with Clinical Psychologist (retired) Johanne de Montigny, M.A.Ps. 
ehospice; interview between Dr. Stefanie Gingras and Johnne de Montigny; 2/14/25 
Ahead of her February 19, 2025 lecture entitled “What I’ve learned about accompaniment, death and bereavement: 29 years of psychological services at the heart of an MUHC care team (1986-2015)”, part of the McGill National Grand Rounds programme, Johanne de Montigny shared her thoughts with Program Director and palliative care physician Dr. Stéfanie Gingras.
Dr. Stéfanie Gingras (SG): How did you first become interested in the field of palliative care?
Johanne de Montigny (JdM): It was a very profound and sudden experience where I almost died that guided me in this choice. I survived a plane crash, in which 17 people (out of 24) died. After this event, I asked myself what I was going to do with my life. For me, that meant choosing a profession that would be meaningful. After returning to school to study psychology, I chose to become a palliative care psychologist. After being confronted with sudden death, I wanted to understand how people reacted when they learned that they were going to die, that they still had time, and how to live with it. ... In those moments, I remembered that before I died – because I thought I was going to die – the young flight attendant who, in the space of a minute before the crash, had managed to help us contain the shock and give us some hope. She told us, “Whatever happens, we’re together and we’re going to get through this together.” That one relational minute made all the difference. It enabled us, I believe, to survive psychically before dying physically. She was my first carer just before she died. ... As for the family, what was most striking for me was the realization that the end of life is a time of unparalleled intimacy. 
Editor's note: This rich life-reflection provides powerful insights in light of many recent plane tragedies.