I’m a graduate of the Celebrant Foundation and Institute, now known as the Natural Transitions Institute. To achieve certification as a Life Cycle Celebrant, I was required to complete 6 semesters of coursework and practical work, including creative writing, storytelling, public speaking, and the history behind many cultural and religious rituals. We learned a great deal about navigating family relationships, listening to what families want, and how to create the magic that people are anticipating.
I have a background in the non-profit sector, supporting many a mission that was important to me. This included a great deal of work with marginalized individuals and their families, as well as working within systems as an advocate and activist in an effort to get people what they need and want.
I’ve always enjoyed helping others and becoming a Celebrant felt like a natural extension for me. I had a rich religious education, and also taught Christian Education while my own children were growing up in the Congregational Church. I no longer follow a strictly faith-based practice but consider myself a very spiritual person. My inspiration is usually found in the mountains, my gardens, and in my honeybee apiary.
Celebrants officiate at ceremonies for all types of life events … for babies and adoptions, weddings, commitment ceremonies, funerals, memorials, name changes, and even divorce. There are many opportunities to use ceremony to create connections among people, whether for healing, celebration, or recognition of an event. Really, any milestone event or the smallest observance can be an occasion for a Celebrant.
A Celebrant’s mission is to create a ceremony that reflects a client’s beliefs, philosophy of life, and personality. The Celebrant has no agenda, no preconceived notion of what the ceremony should or must look like. Instead, I use a careful interviewing and thoughtful process to elicit what is most meaningful for each person. Afterwards, I write, rewrite, rehearse, and perform the ceremony.
