2019 Winner
Wise 50 Over 50 Award™

Lorraine Cowan – Life-Cycle Celebrant Ceremonies

www.lorrainecowan.ca

I started working in the life insurance industry when I was fresh out of high school at 17. Over the years I worked alongside clients as they crossed life’s thresholds of getting married, having children, buying a new home, or grieving the loss of a loved one.

While I was in my early 50’s, my mother’s mind started a long and slow decent into dementia and balancing the constantly changing demands of both a corporate job and my mum’s care became overwhelming. With little support from either social services or my employer I entered the burnout experienced by many care-givers who struggle to balance both. 

A much needed walk one lunch-hour lead me to a magazine stand. The magazine I absentmindedly flipped through seemed to magically stop on a page with the words “Become a Life-Cycle Celebrant”. I immediately knew this is what I’m meant to do.

In 2014, at the age of 56, I started my studies with the Celebrant Foundation and Institute. I graduated with a certification in Funeral ceremonies in 2015, followed by 2 more certifications in 2016; Weddings and Ceremonies Across the Life-Cycle.

Now, at 61 years old I can honestly say this is the best time of my life. I’m blessed to meet and help people navigate life’s transitions and changes with the grace of custom written and professionally officiated ceremony and ritual. My company is simply called “Lorraine Cowan, Life-Cycle Celebrant Ceremonies”

In 2018 I initiated and voluntarily facilitate monthly meetings in my community for the growing social franchise called Death Café. Death Café was started to provide a safe space for people to gather and openly discuss the only threshold we are all guaranteed to cross. I now facilitate Death Cafés twice monthly on the South Shore of Montreal.