VICTORIA Point local Beth O'Brien is hoping to put a new spin on death with a support program for the terminally ill.
The program, called End of Life Planning, gives emotional, spiritual and physical guidance to a dying person, their family and friends.
Ms O'Brien has more than 20 years of experience working with people facing death, having spent time as a thanatologist, hospital pastoral care team member and grief counsellor.
She also helped establish specialist cafes in Brisbane, called Death Cafes, to provide a space for people to talk about death in a supportive setting.
"The stillbirth of a friend's baby changed the course of my career when as a marriage celebrant she asked me to conduct the funeral ceremony," Ms O'Brien said.
"At the time I didn't feel experienced enough but with the guidance of a mentor I became more interested in helping others with grief and bereavement."
Ms O'Brien said she started End of Life Planning to get people talking about death.
"A reluctance to address the elephant in the room leads only to greater anxiety for all concerned," she said.
"Death is a physiological and highly spiritual process, and whether it occurs in a hospital, hospice, or at home, our hope is people have the opportunity to plan their final journey."
People can sign-on to a one-day course if they want to learn more about end of life planning, either for themselves or to support someone else.
A three-day course to become an end of life consultant is also available.
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