Frequently Asked Questions

Honesty & Integrity – I am committed to being real with each other. My word is my bond.

Co-operation – I love working with people as peers, and making decisions together.

Whole person – I value uniqueness and difference. All emotions are OK. We are perfect as we are.

Fun – Life is too short to be too serious. I enjoy humour and ‘lightly’ to balance the ‘deeply’.

Learning – It’s great to be curious. We are all learning – no one has all the answers, but together we have more.

Ceremony – I am a validated (VCANZ) member of Celebrants Aotearoa NZ (CANZ) and hold a Diploma in Celebrant Studies. A validated member of CANZ is a formal recognition of celebrant training, experience and ongoing professional development. I have provided a broad range of ceremonies since 2005, and in early 2023, joined The Celebrant School as a tutor.

Death/End-of-life – I am an experienced funeral celebrant, have worked for a natural funeral director, am a Death Cafe host, and have qualifications in End-of-life Doula work. I am an associate member of Eldaa (End-of-life Doula Alliance Aotearoa).

Business/HR – I worked predominantly in the corporate technology and consulting sectors for most of my working life; in New Zealand, UK, Europe and Asia. Firstly as an IT analyst programmer and project manager,  and then in the People/HR area.

Coaching/Facilitation – I hold a Diploma in Facilitation & Coaching from Zenergy Global and co-lead facilitation workshops with other Zenergy practitioners, and am a graduate of Heather Plett’s Holding Space Leader program.

Other – I have NVC (Non-violent/Compassionate communication), Mindfulness & Meditation, Enneagram and He Papa Tikanga (Maori Culture) qualifications, that I am able to bring to my work. I even hold a Certificate in Astrological Studies from the Faculty of Astrological Studies in London 🙂

Marriage Ceremonies:

“… Your attitude and calm vibes were exactly what we needed on the day! Everyone loved your ceremony and it was perfectly us 😀 We really appreciated you sending a special mention out to our grandparents and family watching in Australia.” Jess & Thom

“Thank you so much for being part of our special day and for all that you did for us – your help and support. We think you are a star.” Nigel & Elizabeth 

“Thank you for all your love and care in organizing M and J’s wedding. It was a beautiful day for all of us.” Jacqui, sister of the bride (who was suffering from a terminal illness).

Funerals & Memorials:

“We can’t thank you enough for creating such a beautiful space for Dad’s memorial last week. It was a safe place to mourn and show our feelings, as well as a joyous time where we could laugh, remembre fun times and perform a cricket-themed energiser!!! You looked after us all, and we won’t forget that.” Lisa, daughter 

“I’ll give you 9 out of 10 and I can’t say what the 1 is for, but nobody’s perfect!” Dale, stepdaughter

“Thank you – that was a real gift.” Christopher, nephew 

Naming ceremony:

“I want to thank you very much for being such an important part of Nicholas’ Naming Day. The ceremony definitely filled all my expectations and more. I thought you did a wonderful job of presenting the ceremony in exactly the way we had discussed. I have even read over the ceremony many times since that weekend and am filled with emotion every time. My Dad also commented on how pleased he was with it. I thank you also for donating 10% to Plunket as they have been very helpful to me and I guess many other mothers around New Zealand” Julie, Mum.

Facilitation/Grief Support/Holding Space

“We haven’t had a chance to hear feedback from our colleagues yet, but judging from how engaged and participative everyone was it was a big success. Thank you again for all the patience you have had with us in the past 2 years and your guidance and suggestions during the preparation phase. The book has provided so many insights and useful techniques for facilitation. The breathing/relaxing voice practice by Kãren on the day  was a surprise but very effective excise. It has been a pleasure working with you two, thank you for your hard work! – NZ Society Board member”

“I would definitely recommend this course. Kelly holds the space beautifully, is present and vulnerable, with clear boundaries. She got us to trust the process, which unfolds and is action-based, helping me to stay with my feelings and move through to recovery. I would love to do this again with another group, and hope to do more on my own as well.”

“This program is helpful for many types of loss, not only grief caused by death. Loss is inevitable and this program provides a tool that can be used time and time again. Because I couldn’t see any other way, I began trying to force myself into accepting this intense pain would always be with me. But it no longer feels as intense, and I have gained a deeper understanding of my loss and my grief on an emotional level – thanks to this program. There was so much value in being heard without judgement and without having to sensor my thoughts and feelings.”
 
“A useful tool for dealing with life’s many losses and disappointments. A lovely space to undertake this work. So nice to step outside daily life for connection and reflection.”
 
“A helpful, useful process with a clear structure to it. Allowed me to be reflective and look more deeply into the loss and associated pain, and provided strategies to work with it. I felt it was very powerful being in a group and being heard with no comments or judgements. Great facilitation from Kelly. Thank you.”
 
“The program has definitely helped. I feel freer and more positive about moving forward.”
 
“I have known Kelly for 15+ years as her mentor and colleague. She is a walking demonstration of integrity and courage, coupled with a great sense of humour. After many years in business, she brings both idealism and practicality to her work and truly lives her mantra of “Freedom through Connection”. She is a passionate and skillful learner, teacher and facilitator, and I have seen her Celebrant skills in action too when she held the space beautifully for my stepmother’s funeral.”
Dale Hunter, author, The Art of Facilitation
 

“The empathy shot process was really helpful. It helped me put words to things I just didn’t know how to articulate, because I was so anxious about lifting the lid on it.”

HR Consulting
 
“I worked with Kelly at Tenzing. She is an excellent HR professional. As HR / Talent & Engagement Manager, Kelly hired more than 300 skilled consultants from 14 different countries around the world, and facilitated their relocation. Kelly’s efforts greatly contributed towards making Tenzing a multi-cultural and productive organisation filled with a diverse range of expertise, competencies, and experience. Kelly has a great mix of integrity, humour and courtesy. She can be sincere, witty and humorous at the same time.  She is, no doubt, the most efficient HR manager I have ever worked with.”
Nitesh Gautam, Senior Manager

Firstly, I need to understand what outcomes you are hoping for and how will you know you’ve achieved them? I can then suggest an approach, and what the costs will be.

I am based north of Auckland on the Hibiscus Coast, and am flexible about how we connect; either in person at a location that works or via technology or phone. My preference is to work with clients between Auckland and Whangarei but I am happy to travel if required.

MARRIAGE CEREMONIES

I am accredited to do Registry  Ceremonies. These have criteria attached and cost $90. No meeting is required.

An elopement/registry-style/intimate ceremony is like a registry ceremony with some personalisation, personal vows and a choice of readings/poems added. This costs $350. This includes one meeting and is perfect for a small gathering.

For a fully personalised ceremony designed to meet your unique requirements, prices start at $550. This includes one-two meetings and a rehearsal/visit to the venue and is the preferred option for larger gatherings.

FUNERALS

A funeral or memorial can range from $400 – $550 depending on your individual requirements and location.

OTHER INFORMATION

Travel expenses may be charged if outside the local area.
10% of my income from ceremonies is donated to our local charity, Youth in Transition which supports at risk youth in our community.

FOR OTHER WORK

My hourly rate is between $50-$90. It will  depend on the length of time and the skills required in the role. Individual jobs/projects will be quoted in conjunction with my client and their needs.

Have you noticed that it’s difficult to discuss your story with other people, without them projecting their own story, bias, pain or judgement on to your situation? When I hold space for you, it provides a space to hear yourself speak without interruption. Only you have the answers that are right for you, but I can support you by offering you a mirror to look into, asking good questions, helping you understand the change you’re going through, suggesting other tools for exploration and supporting you in your bravery.

This is a 15-30 minute process (based on NVC – non-violent communication principles) that can be used when you are triggered by an event and are having trouble centering yourself. It requires powerful listening and involves the structure below:
 
1. You speak about your situation while I listen silently with presence and empathy. (3 minutes)

2. I then reflect back the general gist of what you said. (1 minute). 

3. You listen and then add in anything more that may have been missing. (1 minute) 

4. We explore what some of your unmet needs might be (3 minutes) 

5. I support you to explore next steps. 

“The empathy shot process was really helpful. It helped me put words to things I just didn’t know how to articulate, because I was so anxious about lifting the lid on it.”

As well as being a funeral celebrant, I am a Death Cafe host and have trained as an end-of-life doula, had experience working for a natural funeral company, and completed training in Advance Care planning and Introductory Palliative Care. I am also a Hospice Volunteer.

I am passionate about living life fully – conscious living and dying, so I believe in keeping an eye on the end goal so we know where we’re heading.

I can sit with you to take you (and your family) through your end of life planning, so when the time comes you can focus on what is really important – spending time with those you love.