Peer Support is Professional Support

Join the Virtual Funeral Professionals Peer Support Meeting in November

WHEELING, IL—Funeral service is more than a career—it’s a calling. But even the most dedicated professionals need support. That’s where monthly gatherings hosted by Funeral Professionals Peer Support comes in. These meetings offer a space for funeral professionals to connect, reflect, and grow—together.

On Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at 8pm ET / 7pm CT / 5pm PT, join a virtual peer support meeting designed specifically for those working in funeral service. This isn’t therapy, and it’s not a casual chat, because it’s professional peer support rooted in shared experience. While the nature of this work often blurs the line between personal and professional life, peer support is about navigating the challenges of the job with others who understand it firsthand.

Peer support is not counseling. It’s not supervision. It’s not about fixing anyone. It’s about showing up for each other as professionals who’ve walked similar paths. These monthly meetings from Funeral Professional Peer Support are confidential, nonjudgmental, and focused on the realities of funeral service work: from burnout and compassion fatigue to resilience and renewal.

Facilitated by Kim Zavrotny, funeral director and longtime director of Funeral Professionals Peer Support, this meeting will explore how peer support has evolved and why it matters now more than ever. “The only people that can truly understand what we funeral professionals do and deal with on a daily basis, are others in the industry. This is why Funeral Professionals Peer Support is such a wonderful and welcome addition to our world. It’s for peers, by peers. We are there to educate, to guide, to provide feedback and sometimes just to listen. It’s a safe place for funeral professionals to come if they need someone who understands.,” says Zavrotny.

Whether you’re seeking support, curious about peer resources, or ready to invest in your well-being, this meeting is for you. Join the conversation on Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at 8pm ET / 7pm CT / 5pm PT via Zoom link at cremationassociation.org/peersupport. No registration is required, simply follow the link to join. (Please note that this meeting is hosted in an area that observes the time change at the end of Daylight Saving and “fell back” to Standard Time. Double-check your time zone before attending.)

About Funeral Professionals Peer Support

Funeral Professionals Peer Support Group is committed to providing support, healing, education and knowledge to funeral professionals. They promote wholeness and wellness by uniting funeral sector professionals through a Canada-wide network of regional organizations offering support, information and resources within their community.

About CANA

Founded in 1913, the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) is an international organization of over 3,700 members, composed of funeral homes, cemeteries, crematories, industry suppliers, and consultants. CANA members believe that cremation is preparation for memorialization.

Inside the Power of Community: Why Funeral Home Leaders Are Leaning Into Peer Groups

Barbara Welch didn’t hesitate when I asked her about the value of being part of Selected Independent Funeral Homes.

“I wish I had found Selected earlier,” she said. “There isn’t a problem I have that someone else can’t solve.”

That sentence hit like a hammer. In an industry where owners and directors often operate in their own silos—head down, phones glued to their ears, living in the grind—that kind of support is rare. And powerful.

This Is More Than a Networking Group

If you think associations are just about annual conventions, chicken dinners, and shaking hands in the hotel lobby, you’re missing the point.

What Barbara described isn’t networking. It’s masterminding. Real problem-solving in real time with people who actually get it.

Through Selected’s forums, study groups, and roundtables, she can drop a question into a thread and get a dozen answers from top operators across the country in minutes. Not weeks. Not buried in email chains. Minutes.

“I can ask a question that might feel dumb to me, but to them, it’s easy. And they give me answers I can use tomorrow.”

That’s operational gold.

Collective Brains. Individual Businesses.

Here’s the truth: No one funeral home has all the answers anymore.

• Cremation rates are climbing.
• Staffing expectations are shifting.
• Consumers want speed, options, and experience.
• Tech isn’t optional anymore.

Trying to figure it all out on your own is how good operators get left behind.

Study groups flip the script. One owner might have a killer approach to creative benefits packages. Another has solved night-call burnout. Someone else cracked the code on cremation service upsells. You walk away with playbooks you didn’t have to write yourself.

This is collective intelligence at work.

Vulnerability Is the Cheat Code

Barbara didn’t sugarcoat it. She said these groups only work when people show up ready to be real.

“I’ve heard the word ‘vulnerable’ a lot today. We talk about financials. We lay out problems. It’s real-world problem solving.”

That level of openness doesn’t happen in a trade show booth. It happens in tight-knit circles of owners who know they’re not competing with each other—they’re fighting the same fight.

And here’s the kicker: it’s not just for the big players. Whether you’ve got 10 rooftops or one, a team of 100 or just you and a handful of staff, the power of collective thinking levels the playing field.

When one person in the group figures something out, everyone wins.

The Pace of Change Isn’t Slowing Down

The profession’s slow pace is over. Cremation isn’t “the future”—it’s the now. Consumers aren’t waiting for us to catch up.

That’s why what Barbara shared matters. Access to a trusted group of problem solvers can be the difference between growing and just surviving.

• You can’t outwork this wave.
• You have to outthink it.
• And the fastest way to do that is to plug into people who’ve already solved what you’re struggling with.

This is what the next era of independent funeral service looks like: shared intelligence, not isolated hustle.

A Network That Actually Works

Barbara joined Selected in 2016. She’s still talking about how it changed the game for her business. That says something.

“It’s where I want to be with my family-owned independent mortuary.”

This isn’t about selling memberships. It’s about recognizing the shift happening right under our feet. The most successful operators in death care are no longer the loudest—they’re the best connected.

The Takeaway

If you’re running an independent funeral home and trying to figure it all out alone, you don’t have to.

Plug into a mastermind. Join a study group. Get in rooms where problems are being solved at the speed of text messages. Because the next decade of funeral service will belong to the people who collaborate faster than everyone else.

Learn more about Selected Independent Funeral Homes: https://www.selectedfuneralhomes.org/

The Cremation Association of North America (CANA) uses their advocacy and numbers to help those who work in Death Care gather in a Peer Support Network.

Here’s what CANA says about tonight’s Peer Support online meeting in a recent press release, “We didn’t choose this profession because it was easy—we chose it because we care. But caring for others starts with caring for ourselves. Too many funeral professionals have faced burnout, isolation, and loss without the support they deserve. That’s why Funeral Professionals Peer Support exists: to change the way we show up for each other.”

And, tonight’s Peer Support meeting welcomes Michael Dixon who was the founder of Funeral Professionals Peer Support.  According to the CANA press release tonight’s episode will allow Michael to tell us “what inspired him to found Funeral Professionals Peer Support and describe how it’s evolved.”

According to a quote from Mr. Dixon, “Peer Support helps you meet with people that speak your language, learn from people who have been where you are, and support each other.  We provide tools that are applicable to the job, make no judgement, ensure confidentiality and offer the opportunity to give back.”

Tonight’s online meeting via Zoom begins at 8 pm Eastern Time, 7 pm Central Time, and 5 pm Pacific Time.  To learn more and find out how to register click here.

Enter your e-mail below to join the 3,201 others who receive Funeral Director Daily articles daily

“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

Support Starts Here: Peer Support Resources for Funeral Professionals

Join the Virtual Funeral Professionals Peer Support Meeting in October 

WHEELING, IL— We didn’t choose this profession because it was easy—we chose it because we care. But caring for others starts with caring for ourselves. Too many funeral professionals have faced burnout, isolation, and loss without the support they deserve. That’s why Funeral Professionals Peer Support exists: to change the way we show up for each other.  

On Tuesday, October 21, at 8pm ET / 7pm CT / 5pm PT, we’re inviting you to take action—join the conversation, explore the resources available to you, and connect with peers who understand your journey. This isn’t just another meeting. It’s a chance to invest in your well-being, share what’s working, and help shape the future of support in our profession. 

Michael Dixon facilitates this special peer support meeting to share what inspired him to found Funeral Professionals Peer Support and describe how it’s evolved. “Peer Support helps you meet with people that speak your language, learn from people who have been where you are, and support each other,” emphasized Michael. “We provide tools that are applicable to the job, make no judgement, ensure confidentiality and offer the opportunity to give back.” 

A growing number of funeral professionals are opening up about their own challenges and connecting with others in support. Michael will spotlight the resources available through FPPS and create space for shared experiences, emotional support, and professional growth. 

All funeral professionals are welcome. Whether you’re seeking support, looking to connect with peers, or simply curious about what assistance is available for you, this meeting is designed with you in mind. Join the conversation on Tuesday, October 21, 2025 at 8pm ET / 7pm CT / 5pm PT via Zoom link at cremationassociation.org/peersupport. No registration is required, simply follow the link to join. 

About Funeral Professionals Peer Support 

Funeral Professionals Peer Support Group is committed to providing support, healing, education and knowledge to funeral professionals. They promote wholeness and wellness by uniting funeral sector professionals through a Canada-wide network of regional organizations offering support, information and resources within their community.  

About CANA 

Founded in 1913, the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) is an international organization of over 3,700 members, composed of funeral homes, cemeteries, crematories, industry suppliers, and consultants. CANA members believe that cremation is preparation for memorialization. 

Dwight Thompson, a seasoned social worker, psychotherapist, and former funeral director with more than 20 years of experience in mental health and grief care will highlight the monthly interactive Peer Support meeting for September.  The online peer support meeting for funeral service workers sponsored by the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) will take place tomorrow night, Tuesday, September 16.

To learn more about the Peer Support meetings and learn how to participate click here.

According to a press release sent out by CANA, “Stress impacts your brain’s ability to file and refine all the important details from your busy day in realtime.  When you finally get the chance to decompress after work, your brain attempts to sort the information it couldn’t properly process earlier.  This can lead to mistakes:   a mental reminder to have the conversation with the receptionist accidentally transforms thought into action—as if you’ve already had the conversation.”

The press release continues with this information, According to Dwight (Thompson), many funeral directors are experiencing the painful consequences of minor, stress-induced errors.  “I have seen colleagues reprimanded for mistakes that could have been prevented if we recognized the overwhelming pressure and workload they carry.  In these situations, the issue of stress is completely ignored, and the employee is blamed for something the brain simply can’t handle under such conditions,” explains Thompson.  “Funeral professionals need support with relevant checks and balances to ensure that they can cope with the intense realities of stress and its impact on their mental and emotional well-being.”

Enter your e-mail below to join the 3,201 others who receive Funeral Director Daily articles daily

“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

We are already coming up on the third Tuesday of the month and that means it is time for another Cremation Association of North America (CANA) sponsored funeral professionals peer support online meeting.

This month CANA brings us Tony Russo who asks the question “How far is too far” in dealing with families?

Here’s what CANA says about tomorrow night’s (Tuesday, July 15) interactive online support meeting,  “As funeral professionals, we pride ourselves on going the extra mile for the families we serve–but where are the boundaries if we always go the extra mile? Tony Russo facilitates the July Funeral Professionals Peer Support meeting to discuss the extra mile that takes us too far, and the moral quandary and compassion fatigue that might ensue.”

The CANA press release on this topic continues, “This peer support meeting provides a space to share experiences, explore internal conflicts, and gain insight from your peers on how they handle these deeply human dilemmas. Together, we’ll unpack questions like: When is it fair–or even ethical–to exceed expectations for one family but not another?”

To learn more about Peer Support or to learn how to sign up for Tuesday’s meeting click here.

Tuesday’s meeting begins at 8 pm Eastern Time, 7 pm Central Time, and 5 pm Pacific Time.  It is expected to last one hour.

Enter your e-mail below to join the 3,191 others who receive Funeral Director Daily articles daily:

“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

Tomorrow night is June 17th and it is the 3rd Tuesday of the month so that brings us the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) sponsored online Peer Support meeting.

The monthly Peer Support meetings are for all funeral home, cemetery, crematory, and other Death Care workers.

According to information from CANA, tomorrow night’s Peer Support meeting will be led by Glenda Stansbury who will facilitate “a discussion for funeral professionals on managing through chaos”.

Again, according to the CANA information Ms. Stansbury is “. .  a professional educator,Marketing & Development Director of InSight Books,and Co-Founder and Dean of InSight Institute Certified Celebrant Program.  Glenda Stansbury is uniquely skilled in facilitating this peer support meeting on navigating uncertainty and finding resilience.”

The meeting is live and online through a Zoom link.  It will take place on Tuesday, June 17, at 8 pm Eastern Time, 7 pm Central Time, and 5 pm Pacific Time.

For more information and to learn how to participate please click here.

Enter your e-mail below to join the 3,164 others who receive Funeral Director Daily articles daily:

“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

Caring for the caregiver.  That’s something I learned a long time ago — if the caretaker is not cared for how can they expect to care for others?

That’s what I was reminded of when I looked at the topic for tomorrow night’s CANA (Cremation Association of North America) supported participatory “Peer Support Group” for Death Care professionals.

Here’s what the press release says about tomorrow night’s session:

“We live in a world where people want immediate results and‘quick fixes,’ andwe frequently deny ourselves the time and space to process our emotions fully.  A lot of people like the DIY approach, particularly individuals who help other people through the grief process. But when we’re dealing with our own deep loss, sometimes we’re the worst people to be able to care for ourselves.

 

Karen Kramer,intuitive facilitator & energy healer, author, speaker,and CEO of the Villa Vision Wellness & Retreat Center, facilitates the April Funeral Professionals Peer Support meeting to talk about the times we attempt to work too quickly through feelings of grief  to fully process them, and to provide some ideasa bout what to do instead. Join the conversation at 8pm EDT/7pm CDT/5pm PDT on April 15, 2025, to share your own experience with grief and find relief.”

To learn more and register you can click here.

It’s already the 3rd Tuesday of the month and with that date comes another Cremation Association of North America (CANA) supported Peer Support meeting for those involved in the Death Care profession/industry.

Here’s what CANA says about this month’s meeting that takes place tonight:

By acknowledging your challenges, you honor your own well-being and enhance your ability to care for others with authenticity and strength. Life for the funeral professional is a delicate balancing act. While taking on the responsibility for supporting your families and community, it’s too easy to push your own emotions aside. However, denying yourself the space to express grief and emotions can bring emotional burnout, compassion fatigue, and even physical exhaustion. On Tuesday, March 18, 2025, Jennifer Muldowney facilitates a virtual Funeral Professionals Peer Support Meeting to provide a space that grants permission to share these feelings.

 

Jennifer Muldowney is an acclaimed speaker on grief, host of The Glam Reaper podcast, founder of Muldowney Memorials, and a celebrant who has witnessed many expressions of grief. Throughout her career, she has reassured hundreds of families that their feelings are normal and given them permission to feel without judgment. The March Funeral Professionals Peer Support meeting is an opportunity for funeral professionals to do the same for themselves and each other.

You can connect with Jennifer and others in our profession tonight on the online platform for this meeting.  Learn how to do so by clicking here.

Tonight’s event begins at 7 pm Central Time.

Enter your e-mail below to join the 3,120 others who receive Funeral Director Daily articles daily:

“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

I have to admit the subject kind of crept up on me faster than I thought because I had wanted to do a full-blown article on the value of the Mentor/Mentee relationship prior to this notice. . . .But, like a lot of things in my life – it didn’t get done in time!!  —  Maybe I need a mentor in “time management”!!!!

I wanted the article done because of how much the mentors in my life have meant to me.  As you may know, my father died when I was a teenager and many people in my small hometown wanted to make sure that my life had the appropriate life examples in it to make a difference to me as I grew older.

Yes, I had a local funeral director mentor and a funeral director mentor from my internship. . . .but I also had teacher mentors, church and faith mentors, a banker mentor.. . . .and over time even mentors who gave me confidence to do other things.  In a nutshell, I’ve learned that mentors are incredibly valuable in one’s life.

That brings me to the real subject of this afternoon’s Funeral Director Daily edition.  The Cremation Association of America’s (CANA) Peer Support meeting for tomorrow night is about Mentors and how they can help you. . . .Don’t miss it.

You can participate via Zoom and to learn how to access the meeting you can click here.  The event is scheduled for tomorrow, February 18, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time, 7:00 pm Central Time.

According to CANA’s information on tomorrow night’s meeting it will showcase how  “Mentors provide guidance and support to help the growth and development of their fellow professionals. Jeff Holcomb will bring his decades of commitment to the profession to talk about the power of peer support and mentorship. At Tuesday’s meeting, he’ll focus on the key role of a mentor in providing patience, compassion, and understanding in support of a mentee’s future.”

Related CANA News — CANA’s Cremation Symposium is just around the corner. . . Learn more about it here.

Enter your e-mail below to join the 3,120 others who receive Funeral Director Daily articles daily:

“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”