I offer numerous non-medical support options for people who wish to plan their end of life effectively and well, see creative and personal wishes fulfilled, understand options for body disposal and after-death ceremony, and what grief support for loved ones can look like.
Clients also benefit from education, advocacy, cold plate rental, therapy and creative services.
Gentle Death Education and Planning (GDEP) is kink-friendly, an LBGTIQA+ ally, and safe space offering inclusive and diversity-friendly end of life and after-death services and support.
Gift Certificates AvailableAdvance Planning
Advance planning can be undertaken pre-need, or when a terminal or life-limiting diagnosis is in place. Planning services range from the essential basic five documents to bespoke and specialist aspects of planning for lifestyle, collections, discreet cleaning, and personal relationship dynamics.
Available in person or via video call. Packages available, see pricing options.
End of Life Doula
An end of life doula offers non-medical support, advocacy, education and presence to those at end of life – although friends and family may also be part of a network I work with when supporting clients. Options here include listening presence, vigilling, compassionate community facilitation for home care and dying at home (using the Mallon model), and advocacy.
I offer services for people investigating and undertaking Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD).
Available in person or via video call. Packages available, see pricing options.
Note: GDEP end of life doula services do not include live birth doula or pregancy doula services.
After-death Body Care & Ritual
Caring for your person in meaningful ways after a death can facilitate healthy grief, increase death literacy, and foster resilience in grief and mourning. I specialise in the creation of respectful, appropriate rituals and approaches to caring for the physical body of your person when death has occured. Private homes, hospitals, and aged-care homes are all places where body care and ritual can take place.
Available in person or via video call. Packages available, see pricing options.
Funerals
Funerals can have many forms, and there are many options available for everyone – even if you don’t realise you have choices. I am available to be a funeral celebrant, a home funeral support and guide, an educator for DIY funerals, and an advocate for family-led funerals.
Fabulous Going-Away Parties – the funeral you attend while you are still alive, a great option for VAD – are a GDEP specialty service. Find out more today.
Available in person or via video call. Packages available, see pricing options.
Note: GDEP does not offer private body transportation services.
Legacy & Memorial Projects
Creative outcomes can take many forms, and with my fine art and writing background I am an expert in creating and facilitating bespoke projects that ensure your love and life continue to bring joy to those you love. Individual and group projects are catered for, just bring your ideas and wishes to me and we will bring them to life together.
Available in person or via video call. Packages available, see pricing options.
Death Literacy & Compassionate Communities
Death literacy is the reclaiming of our knowledge of death, dying, rights, options and choices in law when someone is dying or has died. Good death literacy means we are responsive in the face of bureaucracy and health care systems alike, as well as in the practical matters for supporting a person at end of life and interacting respectfully with a body after someone dies.
Compassionate communities are the circles and networks of people around us who support both a dying person, and those close to a dying person.
Brought together, these two act in a positive spiral of support and knowledge sharing. I facilitate and advocate for both, helping clients gain skills, information and knowledge for themselves and their communities in general.
Available in person or via video call. Packages available, see pricing options.
Cold Plate Rental
A cold plate is a flat, portable air conditioning unit designed to fit on a massage table or under a body on a bed. Quiet and easy to install, a cold plate is a discreet, simple solution to cooling a body with minimal intervention for home viewings, body care and funerals.
Cold plate available in northern Tasmania. Massage table included at no extra charge.
Discreet Personal Clearing Service
sometimes our private life is exactly that – private. With a discreet decluttering and cleaning service you can choose if you want your whole house cleared up, or just that parts of your lifestyle that you want kept private. Confidential and discreet.
Available in person , travel and per diem may apply, email for details.
Plan Your End of Life and Live Better
End of life and after-death advocacy and support is increasingly important as the baby boomer generation ages. End of life consultants support dying at home and good death literacy.
I am an education, end of life consultant services, and advocacy specialist
Why engage an end of life consultant?
Can you help with advice about dying at home? I really want to do that and my family are living with me.
Yes, absolutely. I often support clients and their close networks to die at home.
Dying at home is something the majority (74%) of the Australian population want, but only a fraction manage to do so (15%). With good planning in place, you can die at home without carer burnout in your family members. We can also fill any gaps in your overall quality of life or final wishes list.
Can't a funeral home or palliative care team do everything?
No. Palliative care ends when someone dies, and funeral homes are businesses that have particular priorities when it comes to funerals and body disposal. End of life consultants – like myself – however are impartial. I work the entire end of life services spectrum (from pre-need/diagnosis through to well after death), and provide complete, up to date information about ALL your choices for final wishes, body disposal, funerals, and creative outcomes.
Do you only work with the dying?
No, quite the opposite in fact.
I do a good deal of ‘pre-need’ work helping clients have the important conversations with close family and friends, as well as offering a range of after-death services. Ideally, I begin working with people long before imminent dying has begun because then we have the best possible chance of seeing final wishes come to fruition. I work with people and pets, and you do not have to be dying to talk to me or engage me to work with you.
I also work in after-death spaces, offering a range of services including ritual, memorial projects, creative responses, and support.
Some of the most common questions I get asked – along with answers – to help you better understand what an end of life consultant can offer.
I do a lot of my end of life work online via video call, so even if you live outside of my local area in Tasmania Australia you can still work with me if you choose to.
I have received a termianl diagnosis, but my prognosis is good - I am expected to live for several years. Should I begin working with you now?
Yes, beginning to work together now would be ideal.
We can have planning discussions, begin to talk about intimacy needs changing over time, what some of your final wishes and goals are, and provide you with enough information that you feel confident moving forward with your life in your new reality.
Working with me now does not mean that you need to check in regularly, or ever again if you do not need to – but good, comprehensive planning as early as possible makes for better end of life outcomes when your situation changes.
My parents don't know I am in the lifestyle, and I need a discreet clean up of my home when I die. Can you help me?
Yes, I offer a partial or full home cleaning service to clients.
We will need to have a discussion about what you would like removed, and when, and I will take care of the rest.
I am queer, live with a disability, and just found out I have a terminal diagnosis - my family does not support me and I don't know what to do. Can you help me?
Yes, you are most welcome here. Respecful, appropriate support for everyone at end of life is the central ethos of GDEP, so you are safe with me.
Depending upon your own wishes and needs we can plan and arrange what you would like for your own preferred quality of life at end of life. Your close network of chosen family and close friends are very welcome to join our sessions if that is helpful for you, and I am happy to answer all your questions regarding your rights, options and choices for respectful and appropriate body disposal and funeral options.
Thank you for trusting me to support you.
My pet is dying and I don't know what my options are. Will you help me?
Of course I will – I love animals, and I do work with both human and pet end of life and death. I have a dog, and understand how important it is that your pet’s death and dying be treated with both dignity and respect.
Allow me to reassure you that many vets will come to your home for your pet’s end of life, and I will help you organise this if you would like me to. We can also discuss a variety of memorial and support options for you to help you feel as prepared as possible at this time.
I am here to support you and your pet as you prepare for the best possible quality of life at end of life for your pet. You and your pet are in good hands with me.
You are an atheist, so will you work with me? I have strong religious beliefs, but I like your approach and your sense of humour.
Yes, I am happy to work with you if you find me a good fit for your needs; I often work with people who are either religious or spiritual in their worldview. Thank you for trusting me.
A client of faith is not a conflict for me because I don’t expect everyone to be like me, and I offer a non-judgemental place for religious and philosophical discussions for my clients if that is what they would like to explore.
In fact, many clients of faith prefer to work with someone like me because I do not have an agenda about what they themselves believe or don’t believe. It is quite common for questions to be raised in a person’s mind when they are at end of life or in grief, and I am a safe space for believers and non-believers alike to ask and consider questions of this kind.
If you change your mind at any time, or if you think I am not a good fit for your needs, I am an excellent networker and will help you find an end of life consultant with beliefs that align more closely with yours.
About My Approach
I centre clients in my approach to grief work and psychotherapy, and am quite flexible in adapting the aims of the therapy journey as well as session focus as a client’s needs change over time. My philosophy is also to try and put myself out of business with clients – you should never feel as though you have to see me forever, or even for a long time for our work to be effective. I do prefer to help clients gain tools for their personal toolbelts, and to gain confidence in maintaining their own mental health and wellbeing overall. Therapy for me is something that I return to regularly in life as and when I need support – and I like to bring this approach to my clients as well.
I have a background in allied health, Traditional Chinese Medicine (nutrition and accupressure), counselling and art therapy, somatic psychotherapy and trauma recovery. My areas of specialty grief work include childhood sexual assault (CSA), exposure to violent death and PTSD from military service, domestic violence/abuse, and emergency service work. Evidence-based EFT is a relatively new skillset I bring to my grief work, but as a technique it is so effective that I almost always include EFT in sessions. Once learned EFT can be done by clients on their own, making this a powerful and useful tool for removing emotional attachment to circumstances and building resilience with regular practice.
Grief counselling and EFT may be purchased individually or as part of a bundle – see below – and you can make arrangements for individual or group sessions with close friends and family, as needed and appropriate.
How to Book Annetta’s Services
Read about Annetta
Your end of life consultant should have similar values to you, and a set of skills and services that seems like a good fit. Your end of life should be good quality, so don’t waste your precious time with someone who doesn’t ‘get’ you.
You can learn about Annetta, her background and her services and prices here on the website . If you would like to chat before entering into an agreement you can book a free 10 minute phone call.
Email Annetta with any Questions
While we will speak extensively about your end of life needs, it is sensible to have your questions clarified.
The more clear you are about your own wishes, boundaries, ideas and advance planning needs, the more effectively I can help you. This means you are free to enjoy your life and those you love.
Purchase your Bundle or Package, or Request an Invoice
When you are ready to begin working with Annetta either purchase a bundle or package online or request an invoice for services and set up your first appointment.
It really is that simple – because ensuring everyone has dignity and respect at end of life should never be difficult.