Why Should I Consider Celebrant Coaching with Peter Billingham?

It’s a good question. One that I would ask if I was considering growing my celebrant business. The answer is experience and credibility.

Crafting eulogies that speak to the heart is both a skilled and creative endeavour. The skills come from understanding the craft of speech writing. The creativity comes from asking the best questions to uncover the true story of a life and not just the facts.

I have been writing and leading funeral services for over twenty years. I’ve been public speaking for decades. These give me the experience and credibility to take your ability to write eulogies that speak to the heart to a higher level.

My ‘Story-Centred’ eulogy writing approach will guide you how to:

Ask the Right Questions: Discover powerful prompts to gather meaningful stories and personal characteristics during family visits.

Write with Emotional Authenticity: Learn how to avoid generic language and instead craft individual tributes that feel deeply personal.

Structure with Purpose: Master the art of engaging openings and endings, weaving in personality traits, life themes, and impactful moments.

My Commitment to You

I believe every celebrant deserves a coaching experience as unique as they are. My coaching adapts to your style, needs, and pace, ensuring you gain both confidence and skill as we work together.

• Tailored Guidance – Each session is crafted to reflect your personal style and goals, helping you create eulogies that feel authentic and uniquely yours.

• Prepared and Engaged – I review your work beforehand, so our time is spent on clear, actionable feedback that propels you forward.

• Support at Your Speed – Whether you’re advancing quickly or taking time to refine, our sessions will move at a pace that feels right for you.

• Compassionate Accountability – You’ll gain not only techniques but also encouragement to build consistency and confidence, knowing I’m here to guide and support you at each step.

What Will Your Coaching and Mentoring Package Include?

We’ll start by reviewing three eulogies written and delivered from your previous funerals. Specifically, I’ll analyse your writing style, the content and the speech structure.

We’ll create a plan to help you improve your writing and delivery. To help us with this process, we will also review recent eulogies delivered by myself, Pete Billingham.

We will talk through an introduction to story-centred eulogy writing.

• What is story-centred eulogy writing?

• Why is this the structure that resonates most with families?

You’ll Learn:

• How you collect the most effective information from family visits.

• How to look for personality traits/life themes to style and shape a memorable eulogy. Tips on writing engaging openings and introductions.

• How to use secondary sources for impact and effective eulogy writing.

• Basic speech writing skills.

What’s The Format:

• 1 x 90-minute session in person in either Worcestershire or Derbyshire

• Feedback on three examples of your recent written eulogies

• We will schedule 1 x 15-minute accountability call for 3 weeks after our session.

• Email support for three weeks after our session.

You’ll Come Away With:

• A list of effective prompt questions to send to families in advance of your visit.

• An understanding of how to unpack the conversation when you are with families to learn the key essence of a loved one.

• Worksheets and template to guide you structure in writing a eulogy.

• A paperback copy of, ‘I Want to Say a Few Words: How To Craft a Heartfelt Eulogy for a Loved One's Funeral: A Simple Step-by-Step Process, Packed with Eulogy Writing Ideas, Help & Advice from a Professional Eulogy Writer.’