Be with a calm,
trusted presence,
when it matters most
Kerstin King | Founder & Leaving Well Specialist
My Approach
This is more than the work I do. It is the legacy I hope to leave:
I want to help change the way we understand, speak about and experience death.
I am comfortable with honest conversations, strong emotions and the realities of dying. I can sit quietly when words are not needed, speak clearly when a family needs guidance, and step forward when something important must be understood, organised or advocated for.
My lived experience and professional work supporting death at home have taught me that dying can be held as a natural and deeply meaningful part of life. It can be a time of grief and uncertainty, but also of closeness, reconciliation, tenderness, humour, peace and extraordinary love.
I consider it a profound honour to be welcomed into this space.
Leaving Well grew from my belief that every person deserves to remain fully themselves—to be heard, respected, comforted and surrounded by what matters—through the final chapter of life, at the time of death and in the way their life is remembered.
My mother
Why being heard matters so deeply to me.
My understanding of advocacy began long before Leaving Well.
My mum lived with agoraphobia and was deeply frightened of hospitals. When her health changed, I understood that supporting her meant far more than ensuring care was provided. It meant making certain that she was heard.
I needed the people around her to understand the person behind the fear, what made her feel safe, what she needed explained, what she could tolerate and what dignity meant to her.
My role was to listen for what she could not always express, advocate when she felt overwhelmed and help her retain as much comfort, choice and control as possible.
I wanted more for her than simply being cared for. I wanted joy, tenderness and love to remain present until her final moment.
That experience shaped me profoundly.
It taught me that the way a person is supported can change the entire experience of illness and dying. Being heard can restore a sense of safety. Advocacy can protect dignity. Small acts of comfort and humanity can become the moments a family remembers forever.
This is what I now bring to every person and family I support.
Birth and death
Holding life at its thresholds.
Before my work became centred around end of life, I spent time supporting and photographing birth, the extraordinary threshold at which a person enters the world.
I now recognise the same sense of reverence in being present when someone leaves it.
Birth and death ask something similar of us: to slow down, pay attention, trust what is unfolding and remain fully present to a moment that cannot be repeated.
Being invited into these intimate family spaces has shaped the way I work. I do not enter as an observer standing at the edge. I step closer, listen deeply and bring whatever steadiness, guidance or practical help is needed.
For me, this work is more than a profession.
It is the work I feel called to do.
Qualifications and trust
Human support, professional capability.
Kerstin King is a trained End-of-Life Doula, qualified Funeral Celebrant, Funeral Director and Mortuary Assistant with Lady Rose Funerals, with a professional background in photography and storytelling.
Her combined experience and professional roles allow her to remain a familiar and trusted presence through changing health, dying, after-death care, funeral direction, mortuary care, living celebrations, family-led funerals, memorials, legacy and bereavement.
Kerstin also holds:
· A National Police Check
· A NSW Working With Children Check
Personal information, family circumstances and private wishes are treated sensitively and confidentially.
How I work
Warm enough to feel like family. Steady enough to guide the way.
Clients often describe the relationship as feeling like an informed daughter or trusted friend has stepped in, someone who remembers the details, notices what is needed and cares personally about how the experience unfolds.
That warmth is supported by professional boundaries, discretion, clear communication and the confidence to coordinate complex circumstances.
I work alongside medical, palliative, allied-health, funeral, legal and other professionals, helping ensure the human being at the centre is not lost between them.
The Leaving Well team
Small by design. Personal at every point.
Leaving Well remains personally led by Kerstin. Jemma supports the thoughtful administration, communication and organisation behind the service, while Bear may join visits when his quiet companionship would be welcome. You will always know who is involved and why.
Jemma | Administration & Client Support
Jemma brings warmth, steadiness and genuine care to the practical side of Leaving Well. She supports enquiries, communication and the many important details behind each family’s care, helping everything feel clear, personal and thoughtfully held.
Jemma holds a Certificate IV in Community Services and is currently studying a Certificate III in Individual Support and a Certificate III in Health Services Assistance, further strengthening the compassionate and practical support she brings to Leaving Well.
Bear | Leaving Well Companion
Bear, Kerstin’s three-year-old Labradoodle, has a gentle way of making a room feel more ordinary. When appropriate and warmly welcomed, he may join visits to offer quiet companionship, comfort and the familiar warmth animals can bring.
Born on 27 July 2023, Bear is a proud Leo. Apart from Puppy School, he is yet to complete any formal qualifications—although he is reportedly considering further studies in Advanced Bedside Presence and Strategic Snack Acquisition.
Bear’s vaccinations are fully up to date.
