WHAT WE DO

Tonglen volunteers, through a specific training course, have developed a quality of presence and listening that they make available free of charge to people who suffer.

• for having received an unfortunate diagnosis,

• to have to communicate it to others,

• because they feel deprived of adequate means when they find themselves accompanying someone who has reached the end of his life,

• because I am dealing with a grief that is difficult to process.

Tonglen volunteers work in teams, because only in a group can they guarantee a constant presence alongside the people they accompany.

While placing the patient at the centre, the support is always addressed to his entire family and often also to his therapists.

The training of volunteers in empathic accompaniment of suffering takes place within the Organization and is guaranteed by Tonglen.

PERSONAL SERVICES

TONGLEN TELEPHONE ESCORT

If you are struggling with the pain of receiving a dire diagnosis, not knowing how to help a loved one whose life is ending, or are finding it difficult to grieve, call us for a telephone appointment where we can discuss with you how we can help.

HOME OR OUR OFFICE ASSISTANCE

If the conditions of the person to be accompanied do not allow an accompaniment to the office, we will travel. We will follow the accompanied person and his family at home and in the hospital, within the limits of the availability of the team. This service is carried out mainly in Turin and its province.

PHOWA AND TONGLEN AT A DISTANCE

Thousands of people have used this service, carried out by about sixty volunteer members who know the traditional practices well and carry them out at the time of request.

Knowing that someone is meditating for you when you are in great difficulty is often a source of joy and relief.

EMPATHETIC ACCOMPANIMENT OF ANIMALS AT THE END OF LIFE

Twenty-four million Italians share their lives with an animal companion, a close and enriching emotional relationship.

But what happens when the life of an animal friend comes to an end?

How can we help him and ourselves in that painful moment that often reactivates other griefs from the past in us?

Part of our team has specialized in this particular type of accompaniment. Go to the page.

TRAINING

Tonglen promotes the culture of end-of-life support, as a right of all citizens, through awareness evenings and in-depth discussions on the topic. Go to events.

The Association is a training center for multiple Counseling schools. Go to training.

EXTERNAL CONTRIBUTIONS

The empathic accompaniment of suffering, promoted by the Tonglen Association, came through the teaching of Dr. Daniela Muggia, thanatologist and President of Tonglen:

• in the continuing medical training of hospital staff (AOU of Parma, 2005-2010) and nursing staff (Piedmont Region, 2013);

• in the training of Hospice staff (ASL CN2, 2010);

• in the information and training of not only the staff but also the relatives of patients in intensive care (AOU of Parma, Intensive Cardiac Surgery Unit, 2010. The method became a pilot project in the Hospital and then a Regional pilot project);

• in high-level university training (the Master's Degree of the University of Rome Tre on Pedagogy and Thanatology, 2013): Empathic accompaniment of the person at the end of life with an internship at the Association in 2013;

• as a professional diploma for operators in ECEL (Empathic Care of the End of Life – Empathic support for suffering related to the end of life) through a non-formal, informal and continuous education training path provided by the In Corde Scientia Popular University.