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Communities often have the need to mark passages together.

Some of the kinds of community ceremonies I create and facilitate are:

  Community Remembrance Ceremonies for human loved ones who have died. When we gather with others who are mourning, even if we don't know them beforehand, we can experience support we didn't know existed.

These can be sponsored by a hospice, care facility, funeral home or some other organization, and can be held at practically any location.

Mother's Day, Fathers Day, Valentines Day and Grandparents Day — these can be painful beyond belief, with the media full of ads and commercials touting ways to celebrate with your loved one.

I offer ceremonies that acknowledge our losses, as well as give us an opportunity to honor the memory of the person you're missing.

  Community Remembrance Ceremonies for companion animals. These are gatherings for those wanting to pay respects to the non-human loved ones who have shared our lives. These are often sponsored by humane societies, registry-based groups at events such as shows and trials, or breed-specific groups.

  Seasonal Celebrations. These observances focus on the natural world and the life lessons to be found within the changes of season. They can be designed with time for each person present to share what is meaningful to her/him for that season. Participants usually take away with them a deeper or renewed sense of the positive side of change.

  Presentations on change, loss, and grief.

Speaking on a theoretical level, or offering support to people grieving loss, I enjoy sharing the knowledge — and wisdom — I've gathered over the years.

Presentations can include ceremony — for instance, a talk explaining and introducing the ceremony itself, or a short ceremony as an example within the talk.

I also enjoy speaking with students of all ages. One idea: showing them how they can create a ceremony for an important event in their life.

Practically any idea you have for a ceremony can be turned into a moving experience that offers benefits to an organization or to the larger community. I am happy to brainstorm with you.

Please contact me for information about planning any type of Community Ceremony.