Meet 'The Kind Companion' - offering platonic relationships to those seeking connection

CapeTalk's Lester Kiewit speaks to Gee, who also goes by 'The Kind Companion'. 

Listen below: 

Gee, who also goes by 'The Kind Companion', is a woman offering a platonic friendship and companionship service — something you might’ve seen advertised on a poster at the Tableview Library.

Gee offers to join people for meals, walks, coffee, or movies in public spaces, creating moments of connection without expectation.

This means you can book Gee for an hour, two or however long you need to spend platonic time with you in a public space.

With a background in life coaching and counselling, Gee brings a calm and caring presence to anyone who wants good company or feels lonely.

"Being a life coach and doing counselling as well, I recognised the need in my clients... but in other people as well. Just observing people, there's a huge human disconnection as people are becoming more and more connected to their cellphones and to their laptops with their lives being online... there's an opportunity for me to provide this service - for a human connection but more for a kind connection. Good company is very hard to find nowadays."

- Gee, The Kind Companion

Gee says there is a difference between platonic and deeper relationships.

Her services are for people seeking the former, and for those who find it difficult to connect with others.

"Sometimes people don't necessarily want to connect with others on the level they connect with someone they don't know that well... I find that people that are in a transitional period in their life, that are isolated and don't want to connect with others - I saw the gap and provide that opportunity for those people who find it difficult to connect with people."

- Gee, The Kind Companion

For Gee it comes down to connection, which is often - in her experience - the "most challenging" part of relationships.

"People are experiencing a lot of challenges in relationships... one of those challenges which I feel is the major challenge is connection with the other, and that is where I come in. For example, someone was going through a transition in her life and I was approached to just give support to her... we went out for walks and we had chats and just by being there for her and by listening to her, I made a difference in her life. Today, I can see that woman changed, she went to do some international traveling and it's not the woman I met at the time... it's wonderful for me to see the changes in people by just being there for another."

- Gee, The Kind Companion

"It's amazing that people don't realise that just being present for another, you make so much difference in others' lives and just being you, being kind, being caring..."

- Gee, The Kind Companion

"This is the service I provide, if people can afford that... it's not for everyone, but there are people who can and who are looking for a connection and kind company."

- Gee, The Kind Companion

While the intimate service of connection is provided, there are boundaries, says Gee.

"There will be boundaries which will be discussed beforehand and the places we meet will be public places to ensure safety for both parties involved."

- Gee, The Kind Companion

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation.