What I have learned from leading Ceremony about human connection
What I’ve Learned from Leading Ceremonies About Human Connection
By Tina, The Devon Coach
One of the unexpected gifts of being both a nurse and a celebrant is that I get to see people at their most honest and sometimes vulnerable. Weddings, vow renewals, baby namings, funerals, celebrations of life — these moments strip away the noise and leave us with something simple and true: connection.
And every ceremony, no matter the setting, the weather, or the people involved, teaches me something new about what it means to be human.
🌱 People Want to Be Seen
In every ceremony I lead, there’s a moment — sometimes tiny, sometimes unmistakable — where someone softens. A breath release or a face opens and you can see a truth lands.
It’s the moment they feel seen.
Not for what they do or for how strong they’ve been or the roles they carry. But for who they are.
And the more I coach nurses, students, and healthcare teams, the more I realise this is what we all crave. To be witnessed or seen to be understood and to be met with kindness rather than judgement.
🌿 Stories Are How We Make Sense of Ourselves
Ceremonies are full of stories — the funny ones, the tender ones, the messy ones, the ones that make you swallow hard. People don’t remember the perfect details but they remember the feeling of being connected through shared experience.
In coaching, it’s the same. When someone tells their story out loud, something shifts, they hear themselves differently and they may understand themselves more deeply. They find meaning in places they hadn’t noticed before.
Stories heal and anchor us, stories remind us we’re not alone.
🌊 Grief and Joy Are Closer Than We Think
Leading funerals and celebrations of life has taught me that grief and joy often sit side by side. One doesn’t cancel out the other instead they weave together, shaping us in ways we don’t always expect.
And in healthcare, we see this too — the laughter in the break room after a hard shift, the quiet pride in doing something well, the small moments of connection that carry us through the heavy days.
Human connection isn’t about choosing joy over grief. It’s about allowing both to exist.
🌸 Ritual Matters More Than We Realise
Ritual isn’t about candles or poetry (though I love both). It’s about pausing long enough to mark a moment.
A breath before a big decision or a cup of tea after a difficult conversation. A walk by the sea to clear your head maybe a hand on someone’s shoulder when words aren’t enough.
These tiny rituals help us feel grounded, held, and human.
🌾 What Ceremonies Have Taught Me About Coaching
The biggest lesson is this: People don’t need fixing. They need space.
Space to reflect and to feel. Space to speak honestly and to reconnect with themselves.
That’s what I try to create in every coaching session — the same sense of safety, presence, and gentle curiosity that I bring to ceremonies. A place where someone can breathe out and be fully themselves for a moment.
💛 A Gentle Invitation
If you’re craving more connection — with yourself, your work, or the people around you — you’re not alone. And you don’t have to navigate it by yourself. If you ever feel curious about exploring this through coaching, you’re always welcome to wander over to my website or reach out. No pressure, just an open door.
🌟 For This Week
Notice one moment of connection. A smile or a shared laugh, maybe a quiet understanding. Let it land. Let it remind you that you’re part of something bigger.