Death, Dying & Funerals
Life is full of light & dark moments. And every shade in between.
You know those moments that are uncomfortable, the ones you'd rather run from but that follow you anyway. We all have them. But after some time has passed, you can usually look back and find the gold sitting inside it too, the lessons, the perspective, the reminder that we're only here for a short while.
For a lot of people, that's what grief looks like. Moving through the fear of losing them first, the deep pain of grief and loss, and hopefully being able to find some meaning amongst it all.
People think this work is sad. It's actually life affirming.
It can be deeply heartbreaking and energetically big work, yes.
But it reminds me of what matters in life daily. And that is a lucky perspective to sit with. Death reminds us about life.
And I have the deepest respect for how hard it is to face. How uncomfortable grief is and how painful losing your person is.
And I also hold the truth that 'death is the only inevitability in life' close enough that it reminds me how to live.
A person's death gives the rest of us the chance to learn from how they lived. Being invited into that, whether by the person themselves before they go or by their family afterwards, is one of the biggest honours there is. My job is to help you create a ceremony that feels as much like your person as possible, so we can create the best cermeony for them we possibly can.
If this sounds right for you, I look forward to connecting with you. x
Wherever you are in this
Death looks different for everyone, there's no single right way to approach it.
Sometimes it starts with a phone call right after someone has died, and I help with the first steps: understanding what happens next, spending time with your person at home if that's what you want, working out what funeral or end-of-life services are available to you.
Sometimes it starts earlier than that, sitting with someone before they go, hearing how they want to be remembered, helping them reflect on the life they've lived.
And sometimes I'm brought in after the fact, helping a family understand their options and gently work out what a funeral or celebration of life could look like. A lot of the time we just sit and talk and remember together, and even in early grief there's room for laughter, for stories, for the small things that come back to you about a person once you start talking about them.
Whenever you reach out, my role stays the same: to give you information, lay out your options honestly, and keep the process as calm and steady as it can be while we find the most meaningful way to mark this person's life.
Ways to say goodbye
I am an independent funeral celebrant with experience in arranging and directing funerals. I have good working relationships with multiple Geelong Funeral Businesses and can happily recommend the right fit for you.
But I also value being independent in this industry. It enables me to have open, honest and transparent conversations with people.
About costs, what happens next, processes and offering families a space to ask questions to make their own decisions from.
The funeral industry is a notoriously weird space to navigate during a really hard time. When your brain is probably barely functioning...
There's no one way to do this. A few of the shapes it can take:
- A traditional funeral, with all the structure and ritual that comes with it
- A ceremony out in nature, after a cremation, somewhere that meant something to them
- A big, colourful gathering with live music, drinks, and all their favourite things
- A small, private ritual with just the people closest to them
Your way is the right way, whatever that ends up looking like. I'll carry a sound system pretty much anywhere if that's what the day needs.
How it works:
We talk
A conversation, by phone or in person, about your person and what's needed right now. No forms to fill in first, just space to tell me what's going on. You're guided every step of the way, cos that's what's needed at this time.
Gathering the story
I ask questions, listen to what you and the closest loved ones want to say, and we start to shape the ceremony so it feels as much like them as it can.
Writing it up
I put together a ceremony that reflects what was most important to them and how your person actually lived. I will share a copy with you for your edits and changes. It's your words that matter. I am just helping you find them and shape it with ease.
Being there on the day
I lead the ceremony with care and steadiness, so you and the family can be present and confident that all the logistics are managed and the day will be the best celebration and goodbye it can possibly be.
My hope for everyone is that we can make a really hard time a little bit easier by creating a goodbye that feels as much like your person as possible.
Why you're in safe hands
- Independent funeral celebrant and funeral arranger, trusted to lead some of life's most important and emotional moments with care, across Victoria since 2017.
- Trained with Zenith Virago and the Natural Death Care Centre
- I am also realistic that I bring my own experience of death and grief into this work, as well. I don't centre it. I am comfortable with it. But I do share pieces of it along the way for shared connection and humanity. It does undeniably shape how I work in this space.
Driving our dad home, to be buried, in the back of a campervan...
Most often, we come to planning the details of one's end of liife ceremony after they have died.
Often, simplicity is key. It's a tough time, and there is only so much planning people can manage in the early stages of grief.
Conversations and sharing our wishes with our loved ones can make that hard time a little bit easier and the goodbyes a little more special.
Here is my family's experience of this.