Candace Ohanessian
Principal
Candace is an end-of-life doula, funeral celebrant, and registered funeral provider (reg. no. F0000562U) who believes that one of the most life-affirming things a person can do is prepare for one's death. She has worked for over 20 years with people in transition, from recovery from addiction through family turmoil to end-of-life care and families in grief. She sees her role as helping individuals plan for and have their preferred death, and helping families embrace and support not only the dying person but each other to the greatest extent possible.
Candace is on the Board of Directors for Holistic End of Life & Death care Australia (HELD). Other memberships include the Australian Home Funeral Alliance (AHFA), Natural Death Advocacy Network (NDAN), and Palliative Care Victoria (PCV). She holds a BA in Human Development and an M.Sc. in Transpersonal Psychology. In addition to doula training with Preparing the Way and celebrancy training with Sally Cant, she also has trained in addiction counselling, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy, and ASIST suicide prevention.
Malia Dewse
Planning Specialist
Malia is a holistic end-of-life planner who works with individuals and families to plan for the inevitable before it’s really needed. She supports people to understand nine distinct areas of activity, prioritising according to current and future needs. She provides information, resources and research to enable clients make informed decisions that are consistent with their wishes and values.
Her compassionate and professional methodology is tailored for each client. There is time for planning slowly, raising concerns and discussing issues with loved ones, as well as digesting the information provided. Plans are completed when the individual is confident their needs are met.
Malia is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a member of the Natural Death Advocacy Network and was a board member of Tender Funerals, GEM and several family violence services. Whilst in the public service she held a number of management and executive roles and received several awards, including the Victorian IPAA award for Leadership in the Public Sector in Evidence-Based Policy.
Barb Ferguson
End-of-Life Doula
Barb is a dedicated and highly experienced End-of-Life Doula, funeral guide, and celebrant who has spent years supporting individuals and families through some of life’s most profound transitions. With a focus on preparing families to grieve in healthy and meaningful ways, Barb provides invaluable guidance and practical support throughout the end-of-life process. She specialises in crafting personalised ceremonies and rituals that honour the uniqueness of each individual and their legacy, helping loved ones find solace and connection during times of loss. She is also a dedicated advocate and guide for Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD), helping individuals navigate these deeply personal decisions with dignity and care.
Barb also offers compassionate, hands-on assistance with after-death care in the home, ensuring that families can care for their loved ones in ways that feel authentic, healing, and aligned with their values. Her work emphasizes the importance of creating spaces for reflection, love, and community during life’s final moments and beyond.
With extensive experience in the death care industry, Barb brings deep empathy, practical knowledge, and a steadfast commitment to her work. Her guiding philosophy is rooted in the belief that by embracing the natural cycles of life and death, people can live more fully and authentically.
Iain McKinnon
End-of-Life Coach
Iain is a qualified end-of-life coach, funeral arranger, celebrant, and palliative and aged care aromatherapist with post-graduate qualifications in coaching. His work as a registered nurse leading palliative and HIV/AIDS units has given him a unique and deep respect for the dying process. In his work he has supported hundreds of individuals who were dying and did his utmost to ensure their end-of-life journey unfolded, as much as was possible, in the way that mattered to them.
As an end-of-life coach, Iain encourages people to develop their own ability to embrace change and deal with adversity, to make their own choices and decisions whilst being supported, informed, listened to, and valued. As a funeral arranger and celebrant, Iain can not only support planning for end-of-life and after death, but also arrange the funeral/memorial and conduct the service. This ensures continuity of care and a consistent presence throughout the journey.
As an end-of-life aromatherapist, Iain crafts blends to support specific disease processes and symptoms, and also common side-effects of medications and treatments, both physical and psychological. These may be in the form of diffuser oils, massage oils, spritzers, bath oils or dream pillows.
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