HI,We’re Oliver & YAZ…
And after years of professional experience as Funeral Celebrants, Funeral Directors, and business founders, we created The Funeral Fix to reimagine how professionals are trained in the funeral industry. Our mission is simple: to prepare the next generation of Funeral Celebrants and Funeral Directors to serve families with compassion, confidence, and modern thinking.
Between us, we’ve written and delivered hundreds of ceremonies, planned and directed hundreds of funerals, and guided thousands of people through one of life’s most profound moments; helping them laugh, cry, and leave feeling uplifted and hopeful.
When we launched The Funeral Fix Online Celebrant Training in April 2021, it was in response to a clear gap in funeral celebrancy education. Since then, our offerings have expanded to include our first-of-its-kind Funeral Director Training, in-person intensives, two-to-one mentoring, and a growing directory of our graduates.
Today, The Funeral Fix is more than just courses. It’s a complete learning hub for death care professionals; a place where people come to learn, connect, and grow into roles that are not only practical and professional, but deeply human.
We are a community of empowered, passionate, and highly skilled funeral professionals, committed to shaping a more compassionate, modern, and inclusive future of death care. And we’d love for you to be part of it.
Meet your MENTORs!
Want to know a little bit more about us? Read on…
Hi, I’m yaz…
Full name: Yasemin Trollope (she/her). I’m a former Digital Website Editor turned Funeral Celebrant, Funeral Director & Owner of Rite of Passage Funerals on the Gold Coast.
Stuff you should know: Since starting Rite of Passage Funerals in 2018 with zero industry experience, I’ve had the privilege of helping dozens of families farewell their loved ones in ways that are modern, meaningful, and deeply personal. Coming in without ‘traditional’ funeral training meant I wasn’t bound by outdated norms or rigid expectations; I was free to shape a new approach to honouring life. And the results spoke for themselves.
This fresh perspective has been recognised nationally, with features in Harper’s Bazaar, Mamamia, The Melissa Ambrosini Show, 10 Daily, Body + Soul, Women’s Health, the Gold Coast Bulletin and more.
But here’s the thing: I also realised that if I wanted to make real change in the industry, it couldn’t stop with me. Families everywhere deserve Funeral professionals who are not just logistically capable, but also compassionate leaders, confident communicators, and emotionally intelligent professionals. That’s where The Funeral Fix comes in.
Three things you (definitely) don’t already know about me…
#1
No ‘I do’s’, only final goodbyes.
Most people assume that because I’m a Funeral Celebrant, I’m also a Marriage Celebrant, but the fact is I focus solely on end-of-life events. Trust me, I’ve been asked many times to venture into the world of weddings (which I love, by the way) but for now I’m happy honouring this rite of passage, one epic life at a time.
#2
I love working in death care
I truly love working in death care. It’s an incredible privilege to help families plan modern, heartfelt farewells that reflect the life of the person they’ve lost. No two funerals are ever the same, and being trusted to guide those moments is the most meaningful work I could imagine.
#3
i’m a DIGITAL MARKETING nerd
I’ve worked in digital marketing and content creation for over 15 years, and when starting Rite of Passage Funerals I knew this would give me an edge. Having an understanding of how to market yourself online, expand your offerings, nurture your audience (and so much more) is crucial, which is why we included it in this course.
Hi, I’m oliver…
Full name: Oliver Thomson (he/him). Funeral Celebrant, Funeral Director and Marriage Celebrant with a background in marketing and performing arts.
Stuff you should know: With years of experience in the funeral industry, I am passionate about bringing my warmth, humour and intuition to provide people with the comfort and relief needed at times of losing their loved ones.
Three things you (definitely) don’t already know about me…
#1
i was fearful of death
Not something you’d expect to hear from someone who’s so heavily involved in the fields of death and dying, but I realised over the years that my fear was unsubstantiated and derived from a place of ignorance. Now I realise that death is nothing to be afraid of and more importantly it comes with lives that need to be celebrated!
#2
I think funerals need to change
Yep, one of the main reasons I decided to get involved in funerals, almost the same way that brought me to doing weddings, was because I saw an opportunity to bring life to the ceremony. That may sound odd, but when I thought about my own funeral, I sure as hell didn’t want the typical, run-of-the-mill type of farewell. I’m all about sending people off in the most relevant way!
#3
i WANTED TO BE AN OPERA SINGER
Upon hearing of Luciano Pavarotti’s death in 2007, I figured the classical music scene needed a suitable replacement. Not really, but after 6 years of classical training, naturally I wanted to be a professional opera singer. Now most of my singing is reserved for the shower, the car or some dark karaoke bar in the city.
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