Anna Soltwedel helps local families say goodbye with meaning

“It touched something deep within me,” Anna recalled. “I came home and signed up for her training straight away.”

Later that year, she became a qualified death doula, offering non-medical support to individuals and families in the final stages of life.

While weddings and funerals may seem worlds apart, Anna says they are both about marking life’s most profound transitions.

“They seem like opposites, but really, they’re both about connecting through ceremony and celebrating life, in its most joyful and also and most raw capacity ,” she said.

“Honouring life through ceremony is a humbling experience and a reminder of how precious our time together is.”

Through Candlenut Funerals, Anna works closely with families to create personalised ceremonies that reflect the unique spirit of the person who has passed.

She usually meets with families once or twice to understand their wishes and learn about their loved one, gently guiding them in shaping rituals that bring connection, remembrance, and peace.

This often includes gathering stories, assisting with the eulogy when needed, and planning thoughtful details for end-of-life ceremonies - whether a burial, living wake, or cremation with memorial.

“A funeral is the most important ceremony of a person’s life,” Anna said.

“It honours how they lived, who they were, and the lives they touched, while giving loved ones a chance to feel close, say goodbye, and begin to heal.”

“I consider it a privilege to help create ceremonies that reflect and celebrate a life, and offer comfort to those left behind. 

“When a funeral truly honours someone, it can be a powerful step in the healing process, and that’s what I aim to bring to every service.”

Support as needed

As a death doula, Anna offers support as needed, walking gently beside individuals and families through life’s most vulnerable chapters, providing practical guidance, compassion, and presence.

Her role can include helping a dying person plan their funeral, write final letters, appoint legal guardians, or simply talk through their fears.

It’s a blend of planning and emotional support, something often missing in today’s culture.

“In Western society, we’ve become so removed from death,” Anna said. 

"In the past it was common for people to care for their loved ones in the final stages of life at home, and then for the vigil to be held there. 

"This allowed people the time and space to gently say goodbye to their loved ones.  Many cultures still uphold these traditions, but in Australia it has become much less commonplace.

"Our end-of-life processes often happen so quickly and have left us out of touch with the options we have in this space. We have lost touch with practices which once created the space to process loss and begin healing."

Anna believes much of this discomfort stems from fear. A fear that is magnified by our lack of preparation for this important rite of passage.  

Her aim is to gently open the conversation and create space for people to face death with courage, support, and peace.

“When we prepare, emotionally and practically, it eases fear,” she said.

“It’s about sorting both external affairs, like wills and end-of-life planning, and internal ones, like finding closure with our loose ends in life, and saying the words that need to be said.”

She encourages families to reclaim presence and choice. 

In Australia, loved ones can stay at home for up to five days. Families can build the coffin, write the eulogy, or hold a vigil, acts she says can be deeply healing.