Éy swáyel, Ha7lh skwile, Bonjour, Dia Duit, Hello!
The first two good days are from the Coast Salish lands (Halkomelem and Squamish) where I have lived for the majority of my life. The next two good days are in the languages of my ancestors (French and Irish), and the last one is in the only language I speak (English).
Eco Me
I grew up in Northern Ontario, where my French family put down roots over 12 generations ago. During high school I started the Green Warriors, an environmental group that was adopting whales and acres of the Amazon. Since then I’ve joined countless protests, hosted Hug the Mountain, camped out in the urban forest, and carried ceremonial water along the route of the TransMountain Pipeline, all in an effort to bring awareness to the climate crisis. My sustainability beliefs are still a priority for me but the concept of centering all life only came when I discovered Joanna Macy and the Work That Reconnects in 2018. That truly was the start of my healing path.
Spiritual Me
My people started off Celtic but in the long long ago they embraced the Catholic Church (although my Dad’s family switched to a Protestant church in an effort to assimilate). My young self fought being confirmed in the tradition but my parents doubted that a pre-teen person could have such strong beliefs. In fact, my spirituality carries on to this day. I continue to embrace wiccan and shamanic practices, yoga has been a constant in my life for over 25 years, and recently I have been exploring Bon (the Indigenous spirituality of Tibet) and Lakota ceremony and spirituality. Altars decorate most surfaces of my home, meditation, incense, and oracle cards are part of my daily ritual, and sensory deprivation pods are my office.
Work Me
I attended the University of Toronto where I studied English, and environmental and women’s studies. My skill is as a writer, but my love of beauty brought me to the world of fashion. The frivolousness of clothing needed to be reconciled with my eco-stance so I began promoting local fashion. I have been working to strengthen our Vancouver fashion industry for over 20 years now. Currently this looks like supporting the next generation of designers as the Fashion Program Coordinator at Vancouver Community College. And as host of Vancouver Fashion Week I have a platform to share all I’m learning on the path to Truth & Reconciliation.
Facilitating openings and workshops inspired by the Work That Reconnects and the Presencing Institute is one of my favourite ways to spend my time. I see this work as a way to move us towards collective liberation and a life sustaining society.
Personal Me
My most important role is as mother to my original and only daughter. It is for her, and the next seven generations, that I try to ground into the good work of centering all life. I feel called to the work of bringing presence to community, of healing our ancestral wounds, and of ensuring that, as settlers, we raise up the people and spirits of these lands. I believe that systemic change and personal transformation are deeply connected. I believe in the more-than-human world. I believe that love is the way.
All of these elements, and more, contribute to my vision of this world.
Web of Connections
My blog is a place for me to share my latest wonderings and enthusiasms about everything from trauma to music to gardening.
My Training
I am constantly signing up for webinars and courses. This is the place to see what influences my practices of mindfulness and healing.
My Inspiration
I find inspiration everyday, simply being alive is amazing. There are also books, teachers, and facilitation methods that resonate with my approach to living and that I use regularly in all my offerings.
Events Archive
Since 2021, I have been focused on bringing my spirit to work. This has resulted in me hosting sessions for my fashion, activist, and educator communities.
Flash & Soul 