End of Life Guide, Funeral Celebrant
and Death Doula
Lisa Potter
Qualified, compassionate & personalised care
~End of life mastery~
DipCouns
BATheatre
GradCertPalliativeCare
Funeral Celebrant - Member of Funeral
Celebrants Association Australia
Former Funeral Director
Quite frankly, I just think we can do dying and death better.
Doing what we've always done, relying on the traditional death care models, not questioning costs and preferences - I think its time we empowered ourselves to do death our way.
And by better, I mean more connectedly, more meaningfully, with more personalised, individual choices and options available, more transparency and education; less emphasis on cost; and far more emphasis on family involvement.
The services that I provide as and end of life guide and companion are not merely a vocation, they are the culmination of a lifetime of experience, training, study, research and hands-on interaction with others. My primary intent is to provide my community with education, transparency, valid information, support and OPTIONS around all things related to end of life, dying and death. I am actively a part of the change, the death positive movement that is currently unfolding in our death care practices, farewells and rituals.
To ask for help around end of life processes? I understand that it can be a tough decision to reach out to others and ask for advice and support at this challenging time in life. This can be due to financial reasons, because you feel reluctant to share your personal 'stuff' with a virtual stranger, or because you simply don't understand what an End of Life Guide or Celebrant can support you to overcome, achieve or navigate.
I am here to alleviate all of those fears, concerns or questions for you. It simply starts with reaching out and having a real conversation.
In the past I have actively worked as a Life Coach and a counsellor, but my true purpose and passion is fully integrated as an End of Life Guide and companion. In this service role, I act as your guide, a coach of sorts, a companion, even a friend, collaborating with you, evaluating each stage together and working on focused outcomes related to specific end of life challenges and options that you or your caregivers require support with. There are various names for this role currently circulating in the end of life community, however I identify with being your guide and companion, working together to navigate your individual path.
A Celebrant is someone who takes part in or facilitates ceremonies, celebrations or rituals, for purposes of revelry or reverence. As a Funeral and Memorial Celebrant my approach is to work co-operatively with families to create personalised, reverent and meaningful farewells; or design individualised and unique rituals to acknowledge significant life markers. Any transitional event with deep emotional connection can be personalised, honoured, and memorialised. Today, the lack of ritual and connection evident in our lives makes these conscious ceremonies even more powerful and meaningful.
So - who am I as an End of Life Guide and Celebrant? What is my personal style and approach?
Every single person is an unique combination of individual traits, characteristics and skills which influence how we relate to the people that cross our path and the people we choose to serve. And I truly understand and value the importance of finding 'the right 'fit'. Particularly at this emotional and challenging time, there needs to be genuine rapport, relatability and connection.
Those I have supported feed back to me that my presence and approach is warm, relatable, and engaging, thus creating a sense of ease and openness in the relationship. Whilst at times, the conversations and content may be emotive, I hold the space with sensitivity, compassion and warm humour.
I personally do not rely upon a set toolkit of questionnaires, templates, activities and forms. I utilise a wealth of life experience, coupled with strong intuitive guidance, to work alongside you in determining authentic priorities and realistic, achievable outcomes. My knowledge and guidance does not rely upon theory alone, it is a skill set created from real, hands-on and lived experiences.
In a nutshell, what I am really good at, is being genuinely on your team.
Let’s face it, when we find ourselves in a place where we actively seek support, guidance and direction, usually there is a deficit in our current fulfillment, there are fears or challenges or an urgent and persistent issue that is causing us discomfort. My role is to be literally and figuratively on your team, in your corner and there to support your current and ever evolving needs.
I will take the time and space to work through questioning - 'where are you' - where are you truly, right now in the current moment? The shared process of navigating your path starts with evaluation. This is largely your evaluation of where you are at. Not what I think. Not where you 'should' be; not where you are ‘expected’ to be, not where others want or need you to be. Where are you honestly and where do you want/desire to be?
You are entitled to want, desire and strive for a different outcome or experience to the one you are currently immersed in - whether it be in regards to the impact on your significant relationships, finding or integrating purpose, focusing on 'quality' in the remaining time, assimilating the diagnosis of a life limiting illness and all that entails, navigating through your grief and loss, completing 'finishing up tasks' and relationship healing, or the myriad of other end of life challenges.
My 'toolkit' draws upon a diverse blend of formal qualifications, applied life skills and diverse life experiences. This includes being hands on in the role as a care-giver to a loved one with a terminal illness; facilitating personal development workshops; working creatively as a drama teacher and dramatherapist; specialising in grief and loss support and companioning; working in early childhood, primary school and university education; working alongside diverse cultural and religious communities; working as a Life Coach; volunteering with Hospice and chronic illness support; and the skills obtained as a former Funeral Director in a family business and a branded franchise.
Please feel free to reach out to me at any time, or ask for further information about my services, my methods, my approach or my service fees. It costs nothing to chat. I am always open to shared conversations and questions.
I pose the question – how is it that I can be of service to you?