Funerals, Memorials, Living Funerals
Rainbow Funerals, Fur Farewells
A ceremony allows you to honour your loved one, while offering a safe space to connect, comfort and support each other, when traversing the bumpy road of grief.
In your time of loss
I’m here for you with genuine warmth, empathy, compassion, creativity, experience and professionalism. Paying tribute to your loved one with a ceremony that honours their life, is a selfless act of pure love and respect. It's an important, poignant acknowledgement of who they were and what they meant to you and all those near and dear to them. Holding a carefully crafted ceremony, also provides a safe space for you and others to grieve together. There's so many decisions to make when someone dies, and the feeling of being pulled in many different directions can be quite overwhelming. You may have a clear concept concerning the ceremony, perhaps even have people you can delegate to, yet managing the 'to do' list can still be exhausting. I'll work with your vision, and at the level of involvement you'd like from me. As your Celebrant it's my role to walk alongside you; to guide, support and hold space for you. I'll be offering choices for your consideration, for a ceremony that's tailored to your beloved, which truly represents them. I can step in, or out; doing more, or less, as required. You may wish to take a fully active part in the ceremony and I will flexibly accommodate this, while still providing experienced guidance. I’ll listen, and together we’ll discuss options and work out your preferences. I’ll lead the service (or just manage parts of it) in a way that ensures people feel it's safe to mourn, cry, perhaps even share a laugh, and say their final farewell. I have lived experience of suicide (my father, friends), terminal illness (my sister, several close friends) and accidental death (close friends). Although there's no doubt these sad deaths have profoundly affected me, they've also given me the ability to understand and empathise with those dealing with shock and raw grief. I'd be extremely privileged to be your Celebrant. Please see below for the types of services I offer.
Ceremony Options
1
Funerals, Memorials
& Living Funerals
As an empathetic professional, I'm able to draw on my experience to offer you guidance, with sensitivity and care. When we meet, I'll be learning about your beloved's life and about any express wishes they may've had (if known). We'll discuss what feels right and what style and elements will truly reflect who they were in life. I'll offer choices and provide relevant resources as needed. You may want whānau and friends taking major roles and prefer me to 'bookend' (welcome and committal) or perhaps you'd like me doing most/all of it. My level of involvement is flexible and you can decide what that is. You'll receive a specially tailored, loving ceremony.
2
Rainbow
Funerals, Memorials
& Living Funerals
As I identify as Queer, you can take comfort knowing you're in safe hands with me. It is always a special privilege for me to be involved with people from my LGBTTQIA+ communities. You may be confident with the direction your arrangements are taking or you could be feeling unsure how to go about honouring your Trans or Rainbow person appropriately... In either circumstance, I can help you navigate this. Sadly, I'm aware there are existing Funeral & Memorial companies, where LGBTTQIA+ prejudice plays out. Some of these companies are not at all malicious, in fact they openly support our Rainbow culture. However if they've taken the business of a phobic client (it happens), the pandering, appeasement and compromises made for that client, often go directly against the true honouring of the deceased, as they were in life. I pride myself on standing in my integrity and values as a wholly inclusive Celebrant. I truthfully represent any recently living RAINBOW person in accordance with their wishes (if known), and/or as they were in life. TRANS, INTERSEX & NON-BINARY RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS... If you're uncertain, I'll guide you through the 'whys' and ways to pay tribute to your Trans Person, as the identity they truly were in life. I will take no part in phobic, prejudiced behaviour and I will not be deadnaming, misgendering and/or misrepresenting any Trans person who has died.
3
Fur Farewells
Our beautiful Fur Babies and Pet Tamariki give us their unconditional adoring love, and companionship. They provide a constant source of delight and comfort. They are our whānau. For some, our pet is the only true being we’re close to. A FAREWELL ceremony gives you an opportunity to acknowledge their life and what they meant to you. I would be honoured to help you commemorate your loyal darling.
“The reality is, you will grieve forever.
You will never ‘get over’ the loss
of a loved one; you will learn to live with it.
You will heal and you will rebuild yourself
around the loss you have suffered.
You will be whole, but you will
never be the same again.
Nor should you be the same,
nor should you want to.”
Elizabeth Kubler-Ross