Illustration of cartoon pirate swinging on a rope, holding a sword, wearing a hat and eyepatch.

Meet

Parker!

The Explorer of the Universe Within

Illustration of a cheerful clown with a red nose, wearing a fluffy hat, polka-dot shirt, green shorts, suspenders, and tan boots, surrounded by confetti.

"Parker was an explorer. Plain and simple. Some explorers loved treasure maps and nautical charts. But Parker wasn’t that sort of an explorer. Maps and charts had letters and numbers that jumbled around like alphabet soup. Parker loved space. Parker loved to imagine things as they could be."

Canadian Family Health Counselling provides individual, couple and family counselling services across Canada, and beyond. We have developed our Parker Series to expand our reach and address challenging subjects, while building emotional intelligence in both children and adults alike.

The Essence of Parker

Take a Peek Inside

Illustration with text about Parker's emotions, described as seas to explore, with a hand-drawn red map path leading to an X mark.

Written by Kim Sargent and Jackie Orsetto, illustrated by Paige Fairley and designed by Gerri Callahan, Parker the Explorer follows Parker, the Explorer of the Universe Within, on a brightly colourful and beautiful journey of their transition into the great beyond.

Illustration of a person in a small wooden sailboat surrounded by yellow lemon jello cubes against a yellow background. Text reads, "Sometimes Parker felt fear that shook the seas like yellow lemon jello."

Illustration of a night sky with stars and an abstract figure in a boat, accompanied by the quote: "I didn't know I dreamed so many dreams. There are ever so many ways to paint the night sky."

Text against a starry night background with colorful planets and galaxies. Text reads: 'It is in understanding others that we learn and grow. And as we grow, the universe grows too. We are what makes up the universe. We are what makes up me.'

and that’s just the beginning!…

Illustration of a child using a telescope while hanging on a pole, accompanied by two seagulls.

In loving memory of Grace Ellen Parker.

Parker the Explorer of the Universe Within was written in honour of my mother, Grace Parker, a forerunner in the field of mental health whose career was devoted to the dignity of every human being. She was sailing around the globe when her retirement was cut short by Alzheimer's disease. In this story, Parker explores their transition into the great beyond. In clinical practice, we provide an education in self-regulation, creative problem-solving and conflict resolution. Parker will explore these and more in our playful adventures together.

- Kim Sargent