I’m Iain McKinnon, and I’m an end-of-life coach.
I’m also a funeral advocate, funeral celebrant, and a palliative and aged care aromatherapist.
I formerly worked as a registered nurse and led both acute and chronic HIV/AIDS units and general palliative care units. I have supported hundreds of individuals who were dying and did my utmost to ensure their end-of-life journey unfolded, as much as was possible, in the way that mattered to them. I coach people to develop their ability to embrace change, and develop the resilience needed to deal with adversity.
These skills are never more critical than when dealing with your own mortality and your end-of-life choices.
“Everything can be taken away from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
- Victor Frankl
You may be familiar with other terms such as end-of-life doula, death doula, mortality doula, death walker, amicus mortis! I like the term coach, someone who enables people to make their own choices and decisions whilst being supported, informed, listened to, and valued. All of us who have the privilege of doing this work have one goal in mind, to offer you non-medical, holistic support on your end-of-life journey.
My role as an end-of-life coach is to accompany you and those that matter to you on this journey, and to enable you and any others involved to be fully informed, emotionally supported and always listened to. I won’t be there just as a problem solver, but to share your uncertainty and support any distress you may encounter.
For people and their loved ones facing the challenges and fears that life-limiting illness holds, it is important that the way forward aligns with their wishes and preferences. It is important that the choices they make sit well with them and that they have all of the support and information they need to make informed decisions. For loved ones supporting their dying person, this can be overwhelming amidst their grief.
I am personally not scared of death or dying but know it will be important for me to shape the process, as much as I am able. I want to be able to decide how to resolve any challenges and on what terms I will live with them. If that matters to you too, I invite you to explore my range of services, and then let’s talk.
Are you or one of your loved ones going to die from a life-limiting diagnosis?
My relevant experience, training and qualifications
Experience
Former Nurse Manager of chronic HIV/AIDS and general palliative care unit
Former Associate Nurse Manager of acute HIV/AIDS unit
Former human resources leader supporting people become change ready and early adopters, adapt behaviour, develop self-awareness and insight, develop resilience and facilitate difficult conversations
Volunteer crisis line counsellor
Direct Personal Response Facilitator for survivors of institutional childhood sexual abuse
Training and Qualifications
End-of-life Doula certificate (Australian Doula College)
Funeral Celebrant (Celebrants Training College)
Specialist certificate in Aromatherapy for Palliative and Aged Care (Australian College of Aromatherapy)
Grief counselling
Resilience coaching
Undergraduate general nursing (Epworth Hospital)
Conflict coaching
Alternative dispute resolution
Intractable conflict conferencing facilitator
Graduate Certificate in Ontological Coaching (Newfield Institute)
Master of Applied Science (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology)
Certificate IV in Workplace Assessment and Training
Psychological first aid
First aid and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation