Sally, I cannot thank you enough for your thoroughness and attention to detail in presenting the content, as well as answering the barrage of questions fired at you. Your ability, knowledge and professionalisim is something that I can only aspire to. You are a pretty amazing woman Sally, and without doubt an absolute inspiration!
Pia - Nov 2011 - Cert IV in Celebrancy course
Dear Sally, I cannot thank you enough for your invaluable knowledge & clear guidance that you so willingly shared with myself and the others students at your most recent ‘funeral celebrancy course’.
I am an authorised marriage celebrant and it was mentioned to me by nameless sources within the industry that I could just ‘wing’ the funeral celebrancy and give it a go without doing any courses!? ‘After all’, they said, ‘you don’t need a ‘formal qualification’ to be a funeral celebrant!’ ‘If you can do a wedding, you can do a funeral’ right? WRONG!!! J This didn’t sit right with me and my intuition told me to do a funeral celebrancy course regardless of anyone suggesting otherwise. Thank goodness I listened to my intuition! It was recommended that I do your course and after finding you, I was able to confirm for myself that the funeral celebrancy is certainly not something anyone could just ‘wing’ if they plan on delivering a wonderful standard & high level of service. Your experience & knowledge is second to none in my opinion and the advice & understanding I gained from you was priceless.
I now head into funeral celebrancy with not only a new found confidence and positive understanding of how to deliver the best funeral, but also, the understanding that I will be handling people’s grief in the right way & most importantly, handling myself in the right way- within their grief! - Which was such an important part of the overall course. I also want to say thank you for going above & beyond to help me do a course during the week, this was so beneficial as most of my weekends are tied up with weddings- I really appreciated that. A big & sincere thanks to you Sally, I am so lucky to have found you & so grateful to you for openly sharing your knowledge & guiding us so beautifully through your lessons.
Rebecca Brady - Melbourne - October 2011 course
I just wanted to say thanks again for the course – it was so valuable. I realise just how different the one funeral I have done would have been had I done your course first! We all keep growing and honing our techniques – or we die! We all agreed we were lucky to be doing your course. I had experienced your teaching before, so I wasn’t surprised at the quality of the course, even so I was impressed. The others were blown away by it – and very quickly said that they were impressed by you and the course. Thanks again
Cheryl Calwell - Melbourne Funeral Course - October 2011
Thankyou so much for an inspiring, thoughtful, informative and useful two days. I have taken away much to think about get started with and move forward. I am looking forward to a long and fruitful association with you and others who work in this rewarding industry
Margo Knox - QLD - October 2011 course
Your workshop at the CANZ conference was a consumate look at professionalsim in celebrancy. I learned a great deal and am inspired by your enthusiasm, your flair and your generosity. Thank you for every moment.
Lois B - CANZ (NZ) Conference August 2011
Prior to attending your weekend workshop I was a newly trained Celebrant but felt I needed that “little something extra”. Thank goodness I decided to “follow my instincts” because after completing your two day Funeral Course, it gave me the inspiration to take my work to the next level of professionalism, with confidence and ease. Sally, with Heart & Soul your ability to generously convey your knowledge very openly and liberally, is unprecedented and you display the highest standard of excellence and integrity in all that you do. I was extremely privileged to witness each student receive the maximum level of “nurturing encouragement and support”, to attain their goal for the weekend, which was a little challenging but well worth the personal growth. Your commitment and dedication to the Funeral Industry is profound and we are very Blessed to have you.
Lesley M. - 2011
I just wanted to thank you for the Funeral celebrants course that I did last weekend. I was looking forward to it even before it started but it exceeded my expectations. The course was well developed, practical, interesting and most importantly, inspiring. Thank you again,
Nicky Solomon - 2011
I wanted to say thanks for the fantastic Funerals course in Sydney. Every word of the presentation over both days was very valuable. You are generous and sensible with your own stories and experiences, which I find invaluable. You were also very clever to find such a great venue. Really comfortable classroom, easy transport access and scrummy food! I already have your terrific book. Best regards,
Helen Nourse - 2011
My relationship with Sally has spanned nine years. I met Sally through the business of Celebrancy. Sally was a leader in networking within the college that we both trained at, as well a mentor for many students. In her role she always made herself available to all who dealt with her on a professional level. I have watched her conduct her business with dignity, carrying out many duties that could have been detrimental at times. Her personal skills always made her a colleague of choice. Sally value’s the institution of marriage and I know she sees it as an important stability of strength and a constant in today’s society. She also respects that marriage offers individuals the opportunity to publicly express the love, commitment, honour and trust they feel in another person. Her training, as well as her own drive to constantly upgrade her own skills sees that she meets the emotional, physical and social well being of individuals that undertake her courses, as I have done over the years. Her courses cover not only the recommended content, be it marriage or funeral. But also insight into the logistical minefield of building a business from your learning’s with here. She is faithful to the institution of marriage and recognises the distinction between 'marriage' and a 'wedding', having been associated with so many weddings throughout professional life to date; therefore her teachings cover many years of practice and all the knowledge that goes with it. Through the assessments at the Celebrants Training College P/L course of study she has made it an important goal to research the major support services and agencies available to individuals whilst studying. Integrity represents the guiding principles Sally has built her life around. She is a person who demonstrates personal integrity daily; she is trusted by the people she encounters in her daily dealings. It is truly an example where actions speak louder than the words There is a consistency in her actions. There are traits that individuals will measure your integrity by. If these traits are things that you practice, people will be more likely to trust and count on her for that sheer honesty, which she possess just as I have done. She continually conducted herself with clients in an honest, non-exploitative and respectful manner. She is committed to training, supervision and professional development with her clients as well as colleagues. Sally has warmth about her manner that far out ways many of our generation. Her people skills are excellent, and I am sure clients would find her a welcome and comfortable person to work with. Her personal characteristics include moral courage, dependability, commonsense, diligence, and sensitivity to the difficulties and needs of other people. As well her reputation for honesty and integrity in both professional work and personal life is an attribute that needs no scrutinizing.
Di Kleinert – Authorised Celebrant
I have been involved with the training provided by the Celebrants Training College - Sally Cant over many years. At all times I have found Sally Cant to be professional and readily available for assistance and help in all things related to the role of Marriage Celebrant. This covers a mentoring program that I participated in several years ago, professional development programs over the last few years. I have had a vast experience in Distance Ed as a lecturer at the University of Sydney and I can say with no doubts whatsoever that the training provided by Sally Cant is of an exceptionally high standard, the work is thoroughly prepared and also stimulating and challenging. For any further development in the field I would not participate in anything other than the Celebrants Training College.
A/Professor Barbara Adamson - Authorised Celebrant
Wendy Kirke, CMC - Authorised Celebrant
I have completed numerous courses with you, including marriage celebrant OPD’s and a weekend funeral course. Even though the funeral course was wonderful, it was, at the time, quite daunting and until now, two years later, I thought it was something I could never actually perform. When my son’s best friend died a couple of weeks ago, his family asked if I could take the service and initially I said “no”….but after calling and talking to you and hearing your inspiring words, I decided that I go ahead, not just for the family, but for myself as well.Thank you so much for your time and support, which certainly helped me overcome my fears and also encouraged me out of my “comfort zone”. I know I would not have gone ahead without speaking with you. You are always so helpful and give so freely of your time. Your courses are always fun and informative and have helped me gain the confidence necessary to carry out wedding ceremonies and now, funeral services as well.
Chris H - June 2010
Dear Sally, My very sincere thanks and congratulations. Today's OPD was superb. Your presentation was, as usual, just superb. ....and you shared your knowledge and experiences so freely. Thank you.
Tony R - July 2009
Then you arrived in my life at the Belmont 16s, you turned on the sun with your passion and your experience blew me away.
Irene C - June OPD 2009
Thank you for the training today. It was awesome. Learned a few things I did not know. But it was also good to have a refresher of things I did know. Our rehearsals are done a little differently but one can often get stuck in a vein of some kind. The ideas I gained from your rehearsals today has given me new food for thought.
Pastor Alan - June 2008
Thank you very much for a wonderful workshop last Tuesday. I had heard how dry the legal stuff can be and I was delighted to find that I enjoyed it and it kept my full intention the entire 3 hours!! Your OPD came very hightly recommended and you certainly lived up to your reputation...I was disappointed when it finished!Good luck with all your endeavours, you deserve to do very well. I will see you at my next OPD. Take care,
Jenny K - Aug 2008
I would like to say that I found your presentation engaging, disciplined and worthwhile. The thought of 5 hours of PD at the end of a busy day did not exactly excite me but the time went extremely quickly. I appreciated you sharing so many of your experiences. All of the attendees would have a lot to reflect upon and utilise after your session – I certainly have. With thanks,
Lyn R - June 2008
Thank you so much for your tremendous training and support. I really enjoy your style and your lovely presence. You are an excellent mentor and a wonderful role model for celebrants who aspire to a high level of professionalism and excellence. Thanks again for a terrific day, I took a great deal out of it and I look forward to continued training with you. Warm regards,
Wendy - Melb May 2008
Thank you for a great day of insightful and relevant and inspiring training. I have found it such a wonderful experience to be trained by you.
Roz - Geelong April 2008
Today was so well done and inspiring. Thank You.
Barbara - Geelong April 2008
Just wanted to say thank you for a great seminar on Monday. I have only been a Celebrant for two years and have done most of my training by correspondence so it was a great experience for me I really hope these training sessions do not stop because I found it educational and inspirational. I am looking forward to attending your next seminar in Brisbane! Kind regards,
Fiona L
I simply want to acknowledge the value of attending your training yesterday. The presentation was professional and the content accurate and informative and relevant. I found the group warm and relaxed and this was reflective of your skills. Again thank you and congratulations on your training skills. I will certainly take advantage of future training you offer.
Sally-Ann D
Just a quick note to say how much I appreciated your OPD yesterday at Tweed, thank you very much! Thank you for everything Sally, it was very useful and insightful to attend an OPD with you, a defend instructor for a change, and a different and new point of view, I am thankful to have been given the opportunity to spend this time with you,
Nicole B - June 2008
Thank for your good work today. It was direct and nourishing and I am grateful and I remain; Yours sincerely,
Frank L
Compliments on your very good presentation last night.
Vic - Ashburton July 2007 (Celebrant for over 30 yrs)
Thank you for making the OPD today such a worthwhile and enjoyable time.
Rosemary - Sydney June 2007
How can I thank you enough for your incredible support, drive, enthusiasm and lovable nature. We are the results of your tuition. Credible people become teachers but not all have the gift of teaching and you have it.
Bobbie - Funeral Celebrant Course Sept 2007
Sally, just to say thank you for an excellent training. Your presentation style was clear, direct, related to the reality of celebrants' experience. You made a potentially boring session of legality such that I doubt anyone felt 'eye glaze'. Your group facilitation skills were also very good - on many levels.
What was very obvious was that you, as a practising celebrant had first had experience of applying the legislation. Something that has always been seriously lacking in the previous presentations I have attended.I think the three hours for the legals is good as it allows some detail and depth.So, thank you for an excellent presentation. I hope we meet again when OPD time comes around again.
Barbara - Brisbane OPD Dec 2007
Thank you so much for a very stimulating and enjoyable OPD evening last night at Ashburton. I gained so much from your expertise and obvious wide and varied experience as a Celebrant. I feel sure I will be able to incorporate much of what you taught and showed us into my own practice as a Marriage Celebrant. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and insights so generously.I wish you all the best with your future as a trainer.
Margaret - Ashburton July 2007
Thank you for a great day at OPD last Sunday week. It was a terrific day, very informative and inspirational. The best OPD I have been to! Thanks.
Alison - Sydney June 2007
Was going to thank you personally for the training yesterday however you were swamped by so many people - I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed the training - once again I came away form one of your sessions with more tips than when I went in. Thoroughly enjoyed the session. You handled the whole day so professionally. Many thanks
Andrew - Sydney June 2007
Thank you for yesterday. I found the session very inspiring and helpful. I am very impressed by your professionalism and handling of the group situation.
Barbara - Sydney June 2007
Thank for a fantastic training day - i really really enjoyed it and learnt a great deal - so I am very grateful and feel much more greatly skilled than before i stepped into the room. ( ps and as a presenter? you were perfect!!)
Chris K - Sydney June 2007
I have been to your wonderful training courses, and take on board almost everything you say and do. Thank you. My own background was in training, so I can recognise the quality of your own training. Well done and thank you for what I have learnt from you.
Di - Nov 2006
Thank you for the wonderful experience I was able to participate in yesterday in Geelong. Your leadership and facilitation were both excellent. The size of the group and the people involved made it a most worthwhile and satisfying learning experience. I came way with some new ideas and fresh approaches to add to my repertoire. I believe that it is important that we be prepared to grow and open ourselves up to taking on new ideas. I have to say that some of those writings that group members shared were absolutely inspirational. This was the first time I had actually done "live" OPD ( except for the compulsory units in previous years. Please put my name down for 2008.
Terry - Geelong June 2007
What a happy accident it was to have come across your name and then found that you were holding a seminar this Sunday... It was by far the best I have been to...
Thanks so much for everything including the lovely lunch...time keeping....interactive element etc. etc. Put me down for next year!
Gordon - Geelong June 2007
The day was absolutey worth it and great value for money. Loads of excellent tips and ideas that I can use immediately.The day went by really fast, so it wasn’t boring or stuffy. The interactive stuff was effective and we could see what Sally was talking about.
Tamara - Perth May 2007
I want to thank you for a great course you gave us here. I have been utilising the infomation you gave us and it is paying off. I have never felt so energised, after a course for a long time. I will be looking forward to what you have to offer for next years course. Thank you immensley.
June - Brisbane March 2007
Sally, what a great day we had last Wednesday. Thankyou so much for raising the bar on training. My last OPD was extremely depressing on many levels, not withstanding the drab room. It was a refreshing and inspiring day.
Deborah - Sydney March 2007
Firstly thankyou so much for the delivery and facilitation of the opd sessions. Your ease, the venue and the group all contributed to, not only a learning environment but an enjoyable one. I have attended two conferences and am convinced a smaller local group is the way to go with opds especially if there is an excellent facilitator.
Nancy - Melb Feb 2007
First and foremost THANK YOU for a wonderful day, I found it inspiring, and extremely helpful, my best OPD so far, and will be certainly a pupil in any or all of the next OPD sessions you may be involved in.
Please let me know when you are holding any other session. Once again it was a pleasure to meet you, and thank you.
Judy - Tasmania Feb 2007
Thanks for a great day. I just can't get enough info at the moment feeling very inspired after listening to you. Thanks once again.
Lisa - Tasmania Feb 2007
Thank you also for the great day, it's amazing how much you can learn in just those few hours, I especially liked the creative writing.
Diane - Tasmania Feb 2007
I really enjoyed meeting you on the weekend. Thank you so much for an informative and enjoyable day. I came home feeling enthused and confident, ready for my first ceremony.. I look forward to continued training and mentoring with you. I really loved learning from your vast experience.
Wendy - Wangaratta OPD Jan 2007
I just wanted to thank you for what was a truly beneficial training session last night. My head is overflowing with new ideas and I am feeling empowered to write my February ceremony. Your knowledge of the industry together with your positive personality is something I can only aspire to.
I am so glad that you have started Celebrants Training and I look forward to many years of OPD with you.
Monique - Ashburton OPD Oct 2006
I came home and spent some time going over all I had learned in that 6 hours, and I am thrilled to say I feel regenerated and very enthusiastic about going ahead with this as my profession.
I loved the intimacy of the small group, and the number of different perspectives which that allowed. I felt very supported by your opening remarks about asking questions, which let me ask what I didn’t understand.
Even though there were members of the group who were obviously from your own previous training, there was no feeling of exclusivity, and I felt the group supported each other under your guidance.
Thank you so much - I am definitely coming on your weekend in February and will be looking forward to a whole weekend just like last night.
Jen - Ashburton OPD Oct 2006
I had the best weekend, and suffered withdrawl this morning when I had to go to work. I must say, you are an excellent teacher. I was never bored, the time went so swiftly, and I believe that the weekend was truly great value for money. Congratulations!
Lydia - Ceremonies of Life Weekend Retreat - June 2006
Sally, your knowledge of ceremony is fantastic. You are an inspiration and a very positive influence for me. You are so generous with your experiences and knowledge of this area and I admire you for the exceptional way in which you share this with your students. You empower people to feel they can achieve and you give them the tools to do so. Thank you.
Debbie - Ceremonies of Life 2006
I feel privileged to have participated in your course under your tuition and with such high calibre people.
The last 2 nights have been so impressive with the creativity in the ceremonies, the professional standard of presentation and most inspiring to me is the bravery and trust of particular people in the group to present such personal and moving ceremonies.
Both in your marriage celebration course at Swinburne and the Celebrations of Life at Camberwell, I feel I have grown so much that influences many other aspects of my life.
The way in which you share your experiences and commit to ensuring that each participant is equipped with the ability to research the background and gather the tools to prepare a presentation, your skill in building each persons confidence and supporting their individual growth is very impressive.
The level of presentation reached by the students and the competence in preparing those presentations only comes with the very best of teaching, tutoring, experience and warmth of the teacher.
I am most appreciative to have been part of your class. Thank you.
Lynette - Ceremonies of Life 2006 course
You are indeed a wonderful teacher - generous with your time, enthusiastic, knowedgeable, thorough and well -prepared in your teaching. You are so willing to share your knowledge and support others in their quest to learn. I feel very fortunate that I have you as a teacher. Thankyou!
Lynne - Funeral Module IV 2006
Brenda Joyce - OPD June 2005 Melbourne
Sally Cant is such a dynamic person, with such a wealth of knowledge and experience to impart; never ceasing to be of assistance, in person, by phone or internet. Thanks for all your help Sally.
Anne Overton - Swinburne Uni Graduate, Semester 1, 2005
Sally, You should take credit for this transformation. We would not have got to this stage without your instruction, support and advice. Thank you. Yes, I felt very encouraged today and proud to be part of this talented group.
Karen Leahy - Swinburne Uni Student, Semester 2, 2005
It was such a pleasure to meet you on Friday at the Seminar in Albury. You inspired me! and I thoroughly enjoyed the Music in Marriage Ceremony.
Isabel Dunstan OAM, Albury 1st April 2005
It was an absolute pleasure to have met you on Friday. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing your wonderful knowledge and expertise with me.
You have inspired me immensely! I have gone through my CD collection and have 70 songs to start off my collection and guess what????? I have just added 4 songs to my first naming ceremony - I get goose bumps listening to them! I can't wait! I really have taken on your advice of taking my PA system to every ceremony, so thank you, as you have done all the research, and I think the PA will be an invaluable tool. I am so happy that I can provide my clients quality music sound in ceremonies!!!!
I appreciate you sharing your resources with me. I look forward to the July seminar. Have a wonderful day and thanks once again.
Jane Harvey - Albury 1st April 2005
... what a great tutor you are. Over the years I've endured many tutors and you sure rank up there with the best of them. Thanks for your inspiration and wisdom.
Ginny Bydder - Albury 1st April 2005
I want to say thank you for a great day last Thursday here in Tassie. I found your presentation of the music OPD inspiring. The other important benefit for me was the networking and the confirmation that I was pretty much on the right track.
I did enjoy the day -It was just what I wanted and now I want more and more!
I have spoken to my colleagues, and told them of the day. I think we will make some moves to forming a group (probably informally at this stage) and involving you where possible. Hopefully! Thank you again Sally.
Jill Harper - Hobart 28th Jan 2005
I think we have established the nucleus of a great, like minded celebrant group here in Hobart with your help. So really, your January OPD was indeed very timely, particularly for those of us who were newer celebrants.
Of course the word will spread and the next OPD you will need to plan for a bigger room I think because of numbers.
Thanks Sally, for being so friendly and natural and for being so generous with your advice and assistance during our few hours together on Thursday. I am sure that my comments reflect the thoughts of all who attended. I found our OPD mightily beneficial and look forward to attending many more. Very best wishes,
Elizabeth Gray - Hobart Jan 2005