the insider’s guide to becoming an outstanding funeral celebrant
“You turned a day I was dreading into something remarkably beautiful.”
Of all the feedback I’ve had from families over the years, I believe this simple, heart-felt ‘thank you’ encapsulates what every good Funeral Celebrant aims for, and every grieving family hopes for – to turn the darkest of days into a moving, memorable celebration of life. But how do you make it happen? What combination of knowledge, skills and experience goes into creating such a ceremony? And what sort of person do you have to be to deliver it?
These are questions I’ve regularly been asked – not just by people I meet who are intrigued by the work I do – but also by many aspiring celebrants looking for advice on getting started in the funeral world. And, with more and more new celebrants coming into the business, they also want to know how to make a positive impression – not just with families, but also funeral directors who are being approached by eager, hopeful celebrants every day of the week.
That was me once. I was an eager new celebrant. But 15 years later, having created almost 2,000 funeral ceremonies, I know exactly what it takes to get from ‘new and hopeful’, to established, respected and experienced. And now, as I take a well-earned break in my career as a working Celebrant, I’ve decided to share an honest account of everything I’ve learnt during those 15 years, providing a realistic insight into what the job entails and the qualities you need to become a celebrant that families – and funeral directors – turn to when it comes to quality ceremonies.
Delivering unique, meaningful, and memorable funeral ceremonies that go beyond the expectations of bereaved families has always been at the very heart of my work. And I hope to pass all those skills, knowledge and experiences on to aspiring celebrants, together with anyone who works within the ‘end of life’ sector, or are simply curious to learn more about the meaningful, positive difference celebrants make to the lives of bereaved families, and the terminally ill.
What will you learn?
I’ll share my knowledge, skills, advice and experience on…
* The funeral ‘system’
* What makes an exceptional celebrant
* Why image and ‘branding’ matters and how to establish your own
* Effective ways to run your celebrancy business
* Becoming indispensable to funeral directors and arrangers
* Compassion, trust and gratitude; how to give families exactly what they need
* What makes a meaningful funeral ceremony and how to create one
* Finding the right words and how best to use them
* Delivering a meaningful ceremony that’s memorable for all the right reasons
* Difficult circumstances - how to cope and what they teach you
* Managing expectations and how to look after yourself
I’ll reveal all the lessons I’ve learnt from being a funeral celebrant – from getting started to staying sane! I’ll invite you into my world of funeral ceremonies – show you how I ran my business, how I communicated with funeral directors and what happened when I visited families. I’ll open up my files and explain my writing process, how I created ceremonies and delivered them on the day. And I’ll give a completely honest, no-holds-barred perspective on the realities of being a funeral celebrant, dealing with the unexpected, and how to cope with difficult circumstances.
how does it work?
This Insider’s Guide is a moveable feast that can be tailor-made to suit your needs, experience and interest levels.
Workshops
These can be for small groups who live in the Dumfries and Galloway region, where I live in the town of Kirkcudbright. Or anyone prepared to travel to this area.
Remote Learning
The Insider’s Guide can be made available as an e-course if you prefer to work from home in your own time and at your own pace.
One-to-One
I can offer The Insider’s Guide – together with mentoring – on a one-to-one basis.
If you’re interested in finding out more, then please don’t hesitate to contact me via the link below. Please provide a brief description of your interest level, experience and background, together with your preferred method of learning, ie. workshops, remote learning, one-to-one. Or if you have more questions please ask.
I very much look forward to hearing from you!