Services
As a Funeral Celebrant my mission is to create a ceremony that reflects the wishes, beliefs, cultural background and values – religious or non-religious – of your loved one and your family. You have complete choice of and final approval over the ceremony. Nothing is imposed on you. Above all, as a Celebrant the funeral reflects the wishes of the family and the deceased.
As a Celebrant, I spend hours creating the ceremony and learning about your loved one in unhurried meetings with designated family and friends. In collaboration with you, I will carefully craft a eulogy and create a ceremony with music, quotes, readings, unique symbols and rituals. With compassion, sincerity and great care, I will perform the ceremony at the funeral home, crematorium, cemetery or memorial location of your choice.
As a Funeral Director and Celebrant I’m a ceremony specialists who has a sound background in the history of ritual, ceremony and funeral traditions in many cultures and religions. I’ve been drawn to this work by a strong realization that every life has meaning and deserves to be celebrated and celebrated well. Many have experienced grief themselves. All are convinced that funerals can be a valuable source of healing. Nothing can take away the grief, but a genuine, well prepared tribute may ease the pain.
“Whether your family is secular, religious, spiritual or interfaith, or if you simply wish to express yourself in a manner of your own choosing, a Celebrant can help to create a meaningful, memorable, fitting end of life tribute.
Fees: $400.00 plus mileage
Most people would readily recognize the importance of ceremonies in their personal lives, to mark births, marriages, deaths, and other life events.
Ceremonies can be equally important in marking transitions at work. Rites of passage help people adjust to change, and organizations go through many changes.
A professional Celebrant can work with your managers and employees to create and officiate at ceremonies for your organization. The Celebrant will meet with them to develop a ceremony that is meaningful to the work environment.
Some of the many ceremony-worthy occasions that occur in today’s workplace include:
- Marking a new partnership
- Opening a new office
- Launching a new business, product or service
- Rewarding valued employees
- Retirements
- Military Retirement Services
- Promotions
Fees: $375.00
I’m a certified Grief Recovery Specialist and can provide a Program for Moving Beyond Death, Divorce and Other Losses. Including Health, Career and Faith.
It may seem that in many ways, our culture has made death a taboo subject.
Often those who are in the presence of bereaved people have no idea how to express their sympathy; they feel at a loss, uncertain about whether to say anything, not sure that their sympathy would be welcome.
Those grieving may feel completely isolated by their sorrow; sometimes the state of shock keeps them at a distance for some time. The stages of grief may cause them to behave in highly unusual ways, and sometimes the reaction of others only seems to make that grief feel worse.
It’s important for people around the bereaved to realize that no special words are needed. There is no timetable for grief, and the bereaved person should never feel pushed into ‘getting over it’. Letting the person grieve as they need to is of pivotal importance. Being there for the person who’s suffered a loss is also incredibly important.
For the bereaved – bear in mind that there are support groups and resources to help you cope.
As Better Health says, “Grief is our response to loss. It is often thought that people progress through grief in similar ways, but this isn’t the case. Everyone experiences grief differently because our reaction depends on a range of individual factors, such as our personality, age, relationship with the deceased, cultural practices, the level of social support and our spiritual beliefs.There is no ‘right way’ way to grieve. Misconceptions about the grieving process can make the bereaved person question their feelings and sanity. Understanding what grief can be like, finding ways to safely express strong emotions and coming up with coping strategies can help you endure the pain of your loss.”
Fees: $850.00 for 7 week session
This ceremony, also known as a life-affirmation of Vows, is for married couples wishing to reaffirm the vows of love and commitment they said to one another on their wedding day, whether it was 5 years or 50 years ago.
Such a ceremony provides the couple with an opportunity for their family and community of friends to participate, witness, and affirm their love and support. This ceremony can also provide an opportunity to renew commitment, love and support for no other reason than the couple wishes to do so.
Often the date of a significant anniversary is chosen for the ceremony. Similarly, the original venue is sometimes reflected in the venue chosen for the ceremony and celebration. Original bridal party members or family often participate. It can be a time when favourite old songs and music are heard and much laugher and reminiscing takes place.
Intimate ceremonies with just a few guests conducted before a candlelit dinner can be just as special as a big celebration with family and friends.
You may wish to include as much as your original ceremony, especially your vows, as possible. Alternatively, I can assist you to put together a completely new and very personalized ceremony that incorporates the journey the two of you have shared.
Note: Vow renewal ceremonies do not have any legal implications.
Fees: $385.00
A child entering your life as a new member of your family is truly a sacred time. Whether by birth or adoption, this is a time to honour and celebrate such a gift. A baby naming and dedication ceremony is a way to welcome and introduce your child into a community of family and friends. It is also a time to explain the meaning behind your child’s name, and to give thanks and dedicate your precious gift of life.
A baby naming ceremony is very important ritual and should not be taken lightly. Our name is a badge of honour that is worn proudly. It is a significant part of our personality and a spiritual link to who we are going to be.
Today’s families are composed of many religious backgrounds or none at all. Many interfaith couples are seeking rituals that will honour the religious philosophies of both parents. Therefore, a customized baby celebration appeals to the multi-faith families.
It would be a privilege to help create and officiate at the celebration which would honour your child’s entrance into your family.
Fees: $350.00
Preserving Family Memories “Life Story Interview”
My Mom and Dad are now in their mid 70’s and with each day that goes by I feel more keenly the need to capture their history and insights about life for myself, my children, and beyond. I am no family history expert, but I do know that I could sit for hours and listen to my parents tell stories about the “good ol’ days.” Lately I’ve been thinking its time to actually do something about preserving these memories and life lessons. I’ve been doing some research into it and realized that in this digital day and age it’s never been easier to accomplish this.
Just think how happy it would make your mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, etc. to have someone really listen to them while they take a trip down memory lane. The best gift you can give someone, especially the elderly, is to listen to them. When you take the time to listen, you are telling that person that what they’ve done, and the things they care about are important.
Anyone can create a life story for themselves or a loved one. It’s as simple as setting aside some time and really listening and that’s what I love to do.
If you’re interested in telling your own story, please feel free to reach out to me.
For many people, the attachments they form to the animals in their lives become just as important as those they have to people. These bonds can grow very deep as years of loving companionship between human and animal go by.
A pet ceremony can be helpful when a new pet joins the household, or when a beloved pet has died. I am available to consult with you about such ceremonies to whatever degree you might choose. Perhaps you just want to talk with me about ideas; perhaps to write a ceremony that you will conduct yourself; or perhaps, you want me to both write the ceremony and conduct it at your home. All of these options are possible.
Adopting a new pet, and falling in love with that new pet, are joyful experiences. A small gathering of family members and close friends to name and welcome the new pet can be very meaningful. The choosing of a name for the new pet probably has great significance; either because the name itself does, or because of the process the family might have used to allow the children to participate in the meaning.
If children are a part of the family, highlighting their new responsibilities toward the new addition can add significance to the promises they might have made to their parents. Children can step forward and state publicly what they are committing to contribute to the care of the animal.
The loss of a beloved pet triggers real grief. And real grief needs to be recognized, expressed, and supported. This is what a pet funeral or memorial can provide for the grieving owner. Honouring the importance of that animal to the owner and/or family, sharing stories about good times with the pet, and participating in the saying “good-bye” with the support of family and friends can be very helpful.
For children, important lessons about how to handle loss and sadness can be taught without the need for any “lectures”. The experience in participating in planning the ceremony and being active in the entire process not only honors their feelings but teaches important points about how to cope with future losses. Some pet burial facilities have memorial ceremonies once a year to bring together people whose pets have been buried at that location. These, too, can be powerful and helpful in incorporating loss into ongoing life and celebrating what the pet contributed to the life of the owner.