When searching for a celebrant-training course, it is vital that you’re aware of a distinct difference between outcomes. Some organisations give anyone who attends their course a certificate which declares them to be a ‘professional celebrant’.
As a celebrant trainer, there are deep concerns that I have with this approach. It means that people enter into what is already an unregulated profession with a lot of ‘cowboy’ celebrants. There’s no quality control over who ends up working with people during their rites of passage. Without assessing someone’s suitability for this profession, it leaves vulnerable people wide open to poor standards and no accountability!
Even amongst training organisations which require some work, the levels of assessment vary hugely from one training business to another.
At Heart-led Ceremonies Celebrant Training, we make no apology for our rigorous assessments. This guarantees that our graduates become working celebrants of the highest professional standard in the industry. To be clear, not everyone who trains with us receives a certificate. It may be because they realise they aren’t suited to the profession, and don’t have the work ethic to generate bespoke scripts, for example. Mostly, it is because they just haven’t put in the required effort and have not demonstrated their willingness to learn.
As a tutor, I work diligently with each new celebrant in training to help them achieve their goal. The work required, however, has to come from them. I can’t do it for them.
We expect a high level of professionalism from all our graduates. This begins with the commitment they bring to their training and by abiding to our code of conduct.
There is a minimum of twelve weeks training (a mix of face-to-face via Zoom, written modules, vocal and presentation performance, and independent learning), followed by our monthly group CPD sessions, and life-long learning.
If you are a person who is committed to developing awareness of yourself and others, willing to train to an excellent level, and are creative, independent, inspirational, authentic and courageous, and wish to consciously create beautiful ceremonies in your community, then Heart-led Ceremonies Celebrant Training welcomes your application. You will be required to submit all written modules and do your vocal and presentation work within twelve weeks. We don’t have an open-ended approach to submissions because in the real world, as a professional celebrant, you will always be working to deadlines. As your tutors, we need to have a good idea of your ability to be disciplined, focussed and level of responsibility. The care, attention, enthusiasm, respect, communication skills, imagination and dedication you bring to your training are the foundation for an amazing life as a celebrant. It is our deepest desire to see this happen for you.
We take a holistic approach to celebrancy, encouraging ongoing personal development, and recognise the importance and value of ongoing skill building.
At the heart of our training, is that the life and work of a heart-led celebrant is based on integrity, self-awareness, acceptance and creativity.
If choosing to do one of our training courses, please ensure that you have the time and availability to dedicate to your training.
https://veronikarobinson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/IMG_20190608_182220_950-scaled.jpg24802560Veronika Sophia Robinsonhttps://veronikarobinson.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/logo-1.pngVeronika Sophia Robinson2022-02-15 18:12:312022-02-15 18:14:17Celebrant Training: do you know the difference between certificates based on aptitude and those on attendance?
Even though our Celebrant Training is based in Cumbria, we attract students from America, Canada, and across Europe and the UK.
Heart-led Ceremonies is tutored by Veronika Sophia Robinson, a celebrant with almost 25 years of experience creating, writing and officiating all manner of ceremonies. The vocal coaching is given by Paul Robinson, an experienced celebrant and voice coach. The tutoring is specific to celebrant voice work.
Heart-led Ceremonies Celebrant Training is intense, creative, practical, inspiring and thought-provoking (and for some students, completely life changing), but it also involves a huge level of commitment from the student not only during the face-to-face training but afterwards with ongoing Skype sessions between the student and the tutors.
Unlike some training organisations, our certificates are issued on aptitude not attendance. This guarantees that all of our working celebrants are of the highest professional standard in the industry.
We make no apologies for these high standards as we take the role of celebrancy seriously, and we honour the fact that grieving families are vulnerable. Regardless of the type of ceremony you wish to create and officiate, we expect a high-level of professionalism from all our graduates. This begins with the commitment they bring to their training
Private Celebrant Training with Industry Experts
The training offered is done on a one-to-one basis; though two students who know each other are welcome to train at the same time.
The two-day course runs from 10am to 5pm. On the first evening you will have FOUR hours of independent learning time which includes written assignments to be completed in full by the next day.
The five-day course runs from 10-5pm, with TWO hours of independent learning time (for each of the first four days) which includes written assignments to be completed by the next day.
We’re often asked the difference between the 2 and 5 day training.
The 2 day will give you the nuts and bolts of what you need to become a professional celebrant.
The 5 day gives you the time and space to allow everything to embed, and to go deeper into the heart of celebrancy.
This training is person-centred, and offered in a relaxed and nurturing environment. Lunch and refreshments included.
TWO-DAY TRAINING | £580
FIVE-DAY TRAINING | £1450
Please note that this fee is tax deductible once you start working as a celebrant.
Please Note: All options include at least ten hours follow up by Skype or Facetime, as well as being included on the closed Facebook group for successful graduates where they’ll receive ongoing hints, tips, guidance, as well as other support.
Post-course support is ongoing, and there are opportunities to shadow experienced celebrants.
All formats include the study and practical experience of:
♥ Understanding ceremony structure. If you know how to create one type of ceremony you can create any ceremony (hence the reason this course encompasses funerals, namings, weddings, and other rites of passage).
♥ Recognising the skills and qualities necessary for personalised and professional, heart-led, celebrancy.
♥ Funerals, Memorials, Interment of Ashes (Understanding grief, family disputes, working with funeral directors, creating meaningful farewells, cremations, burials, eco-burials). In the five-day training, you may be able to include a visit to the crematorium or a funeral director. Both private training options may also include shadowing Veronika or other Heart-led Celebrants at a funeral or family visit.
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♥ Weddings, Handfastings, Elopements and Vow Renewals
♥ Naming Ceremonies (for babies, children, adults, and transgender people who wish to have their new identity formally honoured)
♥ Other rites of passage, such as menarche, blessingways, sagesse (wise crone), new business, divorce healing, and more.
♥ Understanding the legalities around death, funerals and marriage (e.g. the difference between a registrar and a celebrant)
♥ The difference between a heart-led celebrant and other types of celebrants
♥ The difference between an independent celebrant and a humanist
♥ Indoor and Outdoor Ceremonies
♥ Creating Sacred Space
♥ Setting Intention
♥ Creative Writing
♥ Script Writing
♥ Word Medicine
♥ Storytelling
♥ Performance
♥ Archetypes in Storytelling
♥ Symbols, Rituals and Altars
Altar at an outdoor wedding ceremony officiated by www.veronikarobinson.com
♥ Ceremonial Herbs
♥ Working with the Four Elements
♥ Body Awareness
♥ Celebrant Well-being
♥ Understanding the role of the Community Celebrant
♥ Voice development and coaching (this is required as an ongoing commitment by students via Skype after the initial training)
Sophie
♥ Being of Service
♥ The Responsibility of being a Celebrant
♥ Developing a higher-vibrational heart frequency
♥ Enhancing Intuition
♥ Sacred Connections with Clients
♥ Mainstream and Metaphysical Marketing
♥ Being Self-Employed
♥ Establishing Your Celebrant Business
♥ The Four Sacred Archetypes of Building Your Celebrancy Brand
Applicants
Applications are invited from people who are committed to developing awareness of self and others, willing to train to an excellent level, are creative, independent, inspirational, authentic and courageous, and wish to consciously create beautiful ceremonies in their community.
Unlike any other training course in England, this focuses on the importance of ongoing personal development, and takes a mind, body and soul approach to celebrancy and ceremonies, as well as recognising the importance of ongoing skill building.
The foundation of this celebrant training is based on integrity and self-awareness.
Dear Veronika,
There are not enough words to thank you for the truly life-changing two days spent with you in your lovely home in the beautiful Cumbrian countryside. You are an inspiration, a mentor and an advocate. You helped me to value myself and the gifts I can bring to this new chosen career.
You challenged me, but in a gentle and empathetic way that made me feel that it was going to be ok to try to get my words onto the page and then “off the page”. By the time I started writing with you (and it was very early on the first day), I felt that no matter what the result was to be, I had a soft place to land, and that you would support my efforts, no matter what the end product. And, as a result, I could take risks with my emotions and my words; not easy for anyone, especially an introvert like me.
I learned more about being a celebrant from you in two days than I did in the entire nine months of my previous program. I now feel that I can, with grace, humility and hard work, develop and deliver celebrations that will honour and support events in anyone’s life journey.
Thank you, thank you, Veronika for giving me the gift of “you”. You are a true, beautiful and rare gem. I shall never forget our time together.
As the rise of celebrant-led ceremonies grows in the UK, more people are coming across a celebrant at work, and if the celebrant is good at what they do, then the observer may be inspired to pursue that career path.
Fortunately, there are many training organisations available. However, it is important that you choose one that matches your ethos, and don’t make a decision purely based on price or location. There are many, many factors to take into account with your training, and that also includes after-course support. An expensive course does not necessarily mean an excellent training programme. Too many would-be celebrants are left flailing and seeking out a second training course because their ‘expensive’ one was inadequate, and didn’t do what it said on the tin. It’s easy to be lured by words like ‘government diploma’, ‘professional’, ‘institute’, etc. It could be that you’re paying for modules on how to write an email or use a Word document, or writing essays on the history of funerals. A good course should teach you to BE A CELEBRANT. It should inspire your creativity, empathy, imagination, and excellence in forging client relationships.
Also, consider why so many organisations offer separate courses for wedding/naming celebrancy and funeral celebrancy. My view, as a celebrant of 23 years, is that they don’t need to be offered separately, and that it is merely a way for organisations to ‘earn more money’.
When looking at different training courses, ask questions. Lots of questions!
For example:
. how many face-to-face contact hours are there? (minus the time for meals/refreshments)
. what is the experience of the tutors? (do they pride themselves on quality services over quantity?)
. is there voice training by a qualified voice coach? What does that involve? Is there ongoing voice training as part of your fee?
. how is your work assessed to see if you are suitable to be a celebrant?
. does the course give certificates to anyone who attends, or only to those whose written and practical work is outstanding?
. what practical experience does the course offer you?
. will you have the opportunity to write ceremonies?
. what experience does the tutor have in creative writing?
. does the course teach you how to create and choreograph rituals?
. what experience do you have on the course of officiating a ceremony?
. does the training take a holistic approach?
. does the tutor have experience in a wide variety of settings?
. what written material is available as part of your training?
. what post-course support is available?
These are important questions to ask. Don’t throw your money away on the first course you see. Research your options well.
If you’re looking for a mind, body, soul approach to celebrancy, I invite you to consider my training course. Ask me any questions you like. My course isn’t for everyone, but for those who intuitively feel that celebrancy is a heart-led vocation rather than an administrative job. ~ Veronika x
Heart-led Ceremonies Celebrant Training
Recommended by the Association of Independent Celebrants (AOIC)
Comprehensive and in-depth practical training course in creative, heart-led, authentic celebrancy.
♥
Learn to create, write and officiate all types of ceremonies with confidence, care, commitment and grace.
Founder and Facilitator: Veronika Sophia Robinson
Veronika Robinson is an experienced, working celebrant. She trained in New Zealand in 1995, where she was registered to officiate legal wedding ceremonies, and has been officiating ever since. Veronika has had the privilege of officiating in New Zealand, Australia and England where she has written and led all manner of ceremonies, including weddings, handfastings, blessingways, namings, divorce healing, miscarriage memorial, conscious conception, funerals, memorials, wise crone, menarche, and house warmings.
She’s also an author (fiction and non-fiction), journalist, public speaker, workshop leader, and metaphysician.
Veronika is delighted to be a celebrant for Gift of a Wedding, a charity which provides weddings for couples where one of them is terminally ill.
She is also President of The Association of Independent Celebrants, and is the founder and facilitator of Penrith’s first Death Café which seeks to open up honest discussion around death and dying.
Training Options:
Certificate in Celebrancy
Certificate in Advanced Celebrancy & Ritual
Post-course support is ongoing, and there are opportunities to shadow experienced celebrants.
Include the study and practical experience of:
♥Understanding ceremony structure. If you know how to create one type of ceremony you can create any ceremony (hence the reason this course encompasses funerals, namings, weddings, and other rites of passage).
♥Recognising the skills and qualities necessary for personalised and professional, heart-led, celebrancy.
♥Funerals and Memorials (Understanding grief, family disputes, working with funeral directors, creating meaningful farewells, cremations, burials, eco-burials). In the five-day training, you may be able to include a visit to the crematorium or a funeral director. Both private training options may also include shadowing Veronika at a funeral or family visit.
♥Weddings, Handfastings and Vow Renewals
♥Naming Ceremonies (for babies, children, adults, and transgender people who wish to have their new identity formally honoured)
♥Other rites of passage, such as menarche, blessingways, sagesse (wise crone), new business, divorce healing, and more.
♥Understanding the legalities around death, funerals and marriage (e.g. the difference between a registrar and a celebrant)
♥The difference between a heart-led celebrant and other types of celebrants
♥Indoor and Outdoor Ceremonies
♥Creating Sacred Space
♥Setting Intention
♥Creative Writing
♥Script Writing
♥Word Medicine
♥Storytelling
♥Performance
♥Archetypes in Storytelling
♥Symbols, Rituals and Altars
♥Ceremonial Herbs
♥Working with the Four Elements
♥Body Awareness
♥Celebrant Well-being
♥Understanding the role of the Community Celebrant
♥Voice development and coaching by Paul Robinson (this is required as an ongoing commitment by students via Skype after the initial training)
♥The Four Sacred Archetypes of Building Your Celebrancy Brand
Applicants
Applications are invited from people who are committed to developing awareness of self and others, willing to train to an excellent level, are creative, independent, inspirational, authentic and courageous, and wish to consciously create beautiful ceremonies in their community.
Unlike any other training course in England, this focuses on the importance of ongoing personal development, and takes a mind, body and soul approach to celebrancy and ceremonies, as well as recognising the importance of ongoing skill building.
The foundation of this celebrant training is based on integrity and self-awareness.
Please email for a booking form: veronikarobinson AT hotmail DOT com
https://veronikarobinson.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/vr9.jpg768768Veronika Sophia Robinsonhttps://veronikarobinson.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/logo-1.pngVeronika Sophia Robinson2018-10-27 17:47:082019-05-01 13:57:56Celebrant Training: Essential questions to ask when choosing a training organisation
Being an intimate part of any couple’s wedding ceremony is a beautiful experience. I’ve had the pleasure of being a wedding celebrant for 23 years now, and I am still just as excited each time I head off to officiate a ceremony.
It is my joy to teach other people this wonderful vocation, and I do so by offering training either in a group setting or one-to-one.
As part of the Certificate in Celebrancy you’ll learn how to officiate all types of ceremonies: weddings, handfastings, vow renewals, namings, funerals and memorials, blessingways, divorce healing, menarche, wise crone, and other rites of passage.
This year marks the 22nd anniversary of me being a celebrant. I’ve had the joy of officiating a wide variety of ceremonies across three countries.
In a few short weeks, September 16th and 17th, my husband Paul and I will be hosting our celebrant-training programme here in Cumbria. You can find more information here. www.veronikarobinson.com/celebrant-training
I am delighted to say that, due to popular demand, we will be running the course again on April 21st and 22nd 2018.
If you feel drawn to the vocation of heart-led celebrancy, do consider joining us. ~ Veronika & Paul
https://veronikarobinson.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Pearson_-200.jpg28014208Veronika Sophia Robinsonhttps://veronikarobinson.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/logo-1.pngVeronika Sophia Robinson2017-08-31 16:06:352017-09-07 18:21:58Could you be a Community Celebrant?
In a few weeks from now, it will be the 22nd anniversary since I trained as a celebrant in beautiful New Zealand. I was in the early stages of pregnancy with my daughter, Beth, as I officiated my first wedding in a public garden in Auckland. I remember ceremonies from back then as clearly as I remember the wedding I officiated yesterday here in Cumbria.
Being a celebrant is a deeply rewarding vocation, and I would like to share that with others. This September shall see the first intake of students at Heart-led Ceremonies Celebrant Training.
This is a comprehensive and in-depth practical training course in creative, heart-led, authentic celebrancy. You will learn to create, write and officiate all types of ceremonies with confidence.
If you’d love to learn more, keep reading! Love, Veronika xx
16th and 17th September, 2017 Glassonby, near Penrith, Cumbria
7.30am to 8.30pm both days
Places strictly limited.
Applicants
Applications are invited from people who are committed to developing awareness of self and others, willing to train to an excellent level, are creative, independent, inspirational, authentic and courageous, and wish to consciously create beautiful ceremonies in their community.
Unlike any other training course in England, this focuses on the importance of personal development, and takes a mind, body and soul approach to celebrancy and ceremonies, as well as recognising the importance of ongoing skill building.
The foundation of this celebrant training is based on integrity and self-awareness.
Facilitators
Veronika Robinson is a professionally trained and experienced full-time celebrant. She trained in New Zealand in 1995, where she was registered to officiate legal wedding ceremonies, and has been officiating ceremonies ever since. Veronika has had the privilege of officiating in New Zealand, Australia and England.
Veronika has officiated all manner of ceremonies, including weddings, handfastings, blessingways, namings, divorce healing, miscarriage memorial, conscious conception, funerals, memorials, Wise Crone, menarche, and house warmings.
She’s also an author (fiction and non-fiction), journalist, public speaker, workshop leader, psychological astrologer, and metaphysician. Veronika is delighted to be a celebrant for Gift of a Wedding, a charity which provides weddings for couples where one of them is terminally ill.
She is the founder and facilitator of Penrith’s first Death Café, A Meaningful Farewell, which seeks to open up honest discussion around death and dying.
Veronika is also a committee member for the Association of Independent Celebrants.
Paul Robinson has enjoyed a rich career as an actor, broadcaster, compere, voice over, ventriloquist, voice coach, singer and celebrant. He’s deeply passionate about self-development, and utilises the Enneagram of Personality Types as a path of personal growth. http://paulrobinsonproductions.co.uk/
Together, they combine skills to offer a one-of-a-kind training in heart-led, authentic celebrancy.
Celebrant Training fee
£650 (20% [£130] non-refundable deposit required upon booking). Balance due no later than August 16th. (You will easily recoup the cost of your course after officiating two or three ceremonies.)
This fee includes:
[] Two-day intensive and practical tuition on all aspects of celebrancy: 7.30am to 8.30pm both days
[] A copy of the book Heart-led Ceremonies (the art and soulful practice of creating, writing and officiating ceremonies) by Veronika and Paul Robinson. This complete guide to celebrancy is available exclusively through this training course.
[] Nourishing wholefood plant-based meals and refreshments (breakfast through to dinner, both days)
[] Two follow-up Skype sessions (or face to face in Cumbria)
[] Certificate (upon written completion of three ceremonies and presentations, and active participation in the training course)
[] Upon satisfactory completion of the course, participants are eligible to join the Association Of Independent Celebrants, and immediately receive professional and indemnity insurance for celebrancy work worldwide.
[] Extensive list of readings for all types of ceremonies
[] Extensive list of music for all types of ceremonies
This comprehensive course is set over a two-day weekend, and includes: Learning to create and define space, both indoors and outdoors What it means to ‘hold the space’ Setting intention Understanding symbols and rituals Crafting personalised ceremonies Ceremonies: Blessingways, namings, weddings, funerals, memorials, housewarmings, etc. Word Medicine Voice work Presentation Body awareness Skills of a celebrant Qualities of a celebrant Emotional quotient The metaphysics of marketing yourself as a celebrant Sacred connections: your ideal client Care of the celebrant The creative celebrant The intuitive celebrant
Please note this is an interactive weekend, and all participants will be required to take part in role play, voice development, presentation, and video work.
Training Venue
We are pleased to host Heart-led Ceremonies Celebrant Training at Glassonby Old Hall, Glassonby, near Penrith, Cumbria CA10 1DU
This five-star luxury venue is a Grade II listed traditional Cumbrian long house. It has original features including old ship-timber oak beams, oak-mullion windows, flagged stone floors, open fires and stone staircases.
Glassonby Old Hall is on one of the higher hills in the Eden Valley with amazing views towards the Pennines.
Glassonby Hall has a galleried dining room with a massive stone fireplace, a sitting room with wood-burning cast-iron stove and a large breakfasting kitchen with four-oven Aga.
Local accommodation options:
Bed & Breakfast
www.scalehousefarm.com (3 miles from Glassonby)
Caravans, tents, camping, bunk barns
(1 mile from Glassonby) http://www.edenvalleycaravansite.co.uk
[] a four poster Master Bedroom suite
[] a twin bedroom
[] third double bedroom with a 5′ bed.
If you’re happy to share a bedroom, or share a bed with a partner or friend to share the cost, this can be arranged. Contact Veronika directly for prices, and to book (a 20% deposit required, and balance due no later than July 20th)
Celebrant Training Booking Form
If you wish to receive a booking form for the Heart-led Ceremonies Celebrant Training, please email:
veronikarobinson AT Hotmail DOT com (make sure you spell veronika with a k and not a c)
https://veronikarobinson.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/marianswedding.jpg960960Veronika Sophia Robinsonhttps://veronikarobinson.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/logo-1.pngVeronika Sophia Robinson2017-05-22 08:29:552017-09-07 17:56:22Celebrant Training: Creating Beautiful Ceremonies in your Community
