Kristabeth Atwood, M. Div.

A Pastor for People Who Don’t Do Church

Founder of Rites of Passage, LLC

Sometimes we choose change and sometimes change chooses us.

I’m Kristabeth Atwood and I walk with people through life transitions. From the joys of births and weddings, to the sorrows of death, illness, and divorce, to grappling with relocation, family struggles, identity issues, job changes, and loss, we all face change throughout our lives. I believe these life transitions provide rich opportunities for growth, healing, and transformation.

Through my business, Rites of Passage, I accompany my clients through life’s transitions big and small by offering:

• Care for Those Facing Life’s Changes
• Education on the Transformative Power of Change
• Support for Exploring Life’s Big Questions
• Personalized Ceremonies to Mark Life’s Transitions

For over 20 years, I’ve been honored to companion people through the transitions of their lives. During my 18 years as a church pastor, I walked with individuals and families through the spiritual and emotional aspects of life’s changes from birth to death.

Today, I bring my pastor’s heart to my work with people of all identities and spiritual and secular worldviews. I officiate weddings, funerals, naming ceremonies, and other unique life transition ceremonies and work one-on-one with people for spiritual companionship and grief support.

In addition to my professional experience, my personal journey through the joys and challenges of marriage, divorce, re-marriage, becoming a stepparent, relocation, career changes, the trauma of violence, and loss of loved ones informs my work. I bring my expertise, experience, and gifts to help my clients pause, reflect, acknowledge, and embrace the transformative power of change so they can move into the next season of life with hope.

E-mail me or schedule a free 30-minute exploratory call. I look forward to talking with you about how you can grow, heal, and transform through the transitions in your life.

~ Kristabeth

Kristabeth lives in Burlington, Vermont with her husband and two dogs. In her free time, you might find her walking in the woods, reading novels, cooking, or trying to brew the perfect cup of tea. She loves the music of Queen and her favorite novelist is Anne Tyler. Kristabeth’s perfect day would include a woods walk with her dogs followed by a cozy rest on the couch with tea and a good book (and the dogs, of course)!

Credentials: Master of Divinity from Bangor Theological Seminary, Bachelor of Arts in Social and Behavioral Sciences from the University of Southern Maine, Clinical Pastoral Education at The Chaplaincy Center in Rhode Island, Mediation Skills Training from the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center, Tending the Fire Leadership Training in Systems Theory

Ongoing Continuing Education in Ritual, Celebrancy, Spiritual Companionship, Grief, End-of-Life, Life Transitions, and Facilitating.

Memberships: Spiritual Directors International, International Association of Professional Wedding Officiants, Vermont Association of Wedding Professionals, Open Path Healing Arts Collective, Women Business Owner’s Network, American Marriage Ministries

Instructor at Celebrant Academy

“When I rise up/let me rise up joyful/like a bird. When I fall/let me fall without regret/like a leaf.”

~ Wendell Berry

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