I’ve experienced loss in a variety of ways. I was fortunate to know and love all four of my grandparents, and lost all of them slowly and sadly during my teen and young adult years. I was diagnosed with a life threatening illness as a young adult and spent several years pursuing treatment dealing with its aftereffects. Many of my friends have lost their parents, some very suddenly and traumatically. I have met them in the ER at 3am after that’s happened. I’ve lost members of my community to suicide, addiction and cancer. I’ve supported close friends through miscarriages and the termination of much wanted pregnancies. I’ve said goodbye to beloved pets, and grieved many different kinds of relationships and identities.

Loss is part of being human, but that doesn’t make it any easier. Although I’m not a therapist, I’m here because I want people to know they’re not alone, and because hearing your loved one’s life story and the impact they’ve had on other people is healing and powerful. I want to be part of that healing for you.

Grief can feel overwhelming, especially when it comes to memorializing the ones we’ve lost. It doesn’t have to be that way. As a professional storyteller, I specialize in telling people’s life stories. I know from personal experience how difficult it can be to do someone justice on the day of their memorial. That’s why I created Remembered by Miller, a funeral celebrancy dedicated to telling the stories of those we’ve lost while supporting healing for those still living.

If you think you might want to work together or just want to know more about the process, please send me a message. I’m always open to meaningful conversations.

To create a memorial, we have a conversation where you and other loved ones tell me about the person who is gone. This can include sharing important stories, readings, photos or music. I take copious notes, then use what’s been shared to draft a ceremony memorializing your loved one. I can also share my library of readings selected to help make sense of loss. Then on the day of the memorial itself, I share what’s been written and if needed create space for others to share their memories.

The opportunity to learn and share someone’s story is a privilege. I discovered this when I became a wedding officiant; all my ceremonies are designed to tell the story of how the couple met and fell in love. I realized how few opportunities we have for this kind of story telling in daily life and how powerful it is. I bring poise, intentionality, emotional care and intelligence that’s invaluable in highly emotional settings. Having seen how helpful this is on wedding days, I realized I could offer the same assistance in life’s more challenging chapters. Having survived and supported my own community through traumatic loss, I know how difficult it can be to keep moving forward, especially when funeral planning.

Just like many marrying couples have complicated family relationships and connections with religion, many grieving communities are in the same boat. I want to simplify complications while ensuring proper respect is paid on the day itself.

I also recognize that death doesn’t have to be exclusively a heavy thing - many dying individuals express a preference for more joyful celebrations of life, and I’m honored not only to be part of those, but to work with those in their last chapter to plan an event that they themselves would have wanted to attend. There are many ways to memorialize someone who is gone, and all of them are valid. Let me help you navigate those choices to create an event that feels perfect and specific to the memory of those you want to honor.

Yes, I am happy to work with you to create a custom ceremony that is authentic to you and your beliefs, whatever they may be. Let’s have a conversation so I can identify any additional fees or props that may be involved.

In a word, yes. Grief is rarely simple and it’s not limited to humans. If you feel there’s a story to be told or a ritual to be created, I’m here to help. Transitions and new chapters can be sad and sometimes go unrecognized; my goal is to ensure that proper attention is paid.

Pets are increasingly important parts of our lives and families. Losing pets can be just as painful as losing human loved ones. Let me help you celebrate your pet with dignity and love, commemorate their legacy, and help you start the next chapter they would want for you.

Similarly, when a wanted pregnancy ends, whether intentionally or otherwise, it can be devastating. I’m here to sit with you in your grief and find a way that feels right to commemorate.

And last, when a child dies, it can be hard to keep going, let alone articulate the light they brought to the world. I want to listen to your stories of their impact and share them with your community.

All grief is valid. In today’s world, there is a lot to mourn as well as celebrate. Let me walk that line with you to help you reach the next step in your journey.

I ask $1,000 per ceremony. This covers a lengthy conversation about the person or being we are commemorating, access to my digital library of readings, a collaboratively created draft, and the sharing of that ceremony on the day. There is an additional travel fee for venues more than 100 miles from my home in Maryland.