Kelly Townsend

posted in: Graduate Profiles

As Kelly Townsend’s kete of skills has grown and woven itself together, an end-to-end offering encompassing conscious living and dying has emerged. Imagine preparing for death in a way that supports intentional living!

Kelly has been a practicing celebrant north of Auckland for over 15 years, offering a full range of ceremonies. Experience in training, facilitation, family history and grief recovery, makes ceremony and ritual a natural fit for her. She completed her Certificate in Celebrant Studies in 2008 with a view to specializing in funerals after the death of her grandmother. In 2018 she returned to The Celebrant School to complete her Diploma.

“I think it is so important to know ourselves, so we can bring our voices to the rich tapestry of diversity in the world. How do we want to live our lives? Ritual is a core part of this. As we prepare for our death, we become more committed to living every day. This is how I can assist people.”

Kelly has high standards. “Ceremony is so sacred. I’m disappointed that professional training is not compulsory for celebrants. The experience of the facilitators and the quality of the content at The Celebrant School is second to none. I highly recommend it.”