When I was 15 years old
A 36-hour solo trip deep in the coast mountains brought me a life-shaping realization…
When I am with the land, everything in life gains perspective.
I vowed to dedicate my life to this feeling and carve pathways for others to experience it as well.
And so it BEGAN …
DEGREES
MASTER OF COUNSELLING PSYCHOLOGY
City University of Seattle
BACHELOR OF OUTDOOR RECREATION & LEADERSHIP
Lakehead University
BACHELOR OF EDUCATION
EXPERIENTIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL & INDIGENIZED APPROACHES
Lakehead University
PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION
REGISTERED CLINICAL COUNSELLOR
(RCC #19165) with BCACC
SPECIALIZED TRAINING
NATURE-BASED THERAPIST LEVEL 1
with Dave Segal and Katy Rose
EMOTIONALLY FOCUSED FAMILY THERAPY LEVEL 1
with Gail Palmer
TRANSFORMING TRAUMA WITH EMOTIONALLY FOCUSED INDIVIDUAL THERAPY
with Sue Johnson & Leanne Campbell
PUTING POLYVAGAL THEORY INTO PRACTICE: NERVOUS-SYSTEM BASED EXERCISES FOR ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND TRAUMA
with Deb Dana
WORKING WITH ATTACHMENT INJURY EMBEDDED IN COMPLEX TRAUMA
with Dr. Peter Levine
LIBERATION PRACTICE FIELD
with Care (Erotics of Liberation)
APPLIED SUICIDE INTERVENTION SKILLS TRAINING
THERAPEUTIC CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING
APPRENTICE HIKING GUIDE
with ACMG
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves
I am a third-generation settler raised on Treaty 7 territory (Calgary, AB), with ancestral roots of Irish, Scottish and English.
Shortly after my epiphany at 15, my family began summer pilgrimages to Ahyus (Savary Island). I could walk the perimeter of the island in a day—travelling barefoot, free, amongst ferns, cedars and tidepools.
I have been an edgewalker for most of my life, hailing from the queer community (she/her), straddling worlds and worldviews, a veteran in the pursuit of belonging. Between tromps around the island and my growing passion for vertical adventures, I came to trust how nature can emancipate us from the constraints of society, quiet our inner narratives, and return us to who we are.
From this knowing, I built a career weaving wilderness with healing.
wilderness & adventure-based therapy
For seven years, I worked for Enviros in residential treatment centers in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains (Treaty 6 & 7), supporting youth and adult men navigating substance use challenges. Wilderness and community were central to their recovery journey. Through adventure-based activities, group therapy, and individual sessions, I facilitated healing rooted in connection. Our community was guided by the wisdom of Cree and Métis Elders and Knowledge Keepers, whose teachings and ceremonies shaped our work. Engaging in reciprocal relationships of support and service with local Nations was one way we honored the spirit of reconciliation.
dirtbabe collective
Co-founding this not-for-profit has been an incredible container to bring my therapeutic visions to life. We challenge the exclusivity and privilege often found in mountain culture, creating space for diverse individuals to be mentored in technical skill development. Our programs and community are built on the foundation of nervous system knowledge and support, promoting a sense of safety in mountain terrain. Operating relationally, we create intentional opportunities to connect—with the land, with one another, and with ourselves.
human nature counselling society
I am honoured to be an Associate Counsellor of this Charity which strives to enhance the mental health and well-being of children, youth, adults, and families, through the delivery of effective, innovative and low barrier mental health counselling services and programs, through the approaches of nature-based therapy. This remarkable network of counsellors and mental health workers is actively working to normalize the natural world as both a setting and co-therapist in our clients’ therapeutic journeys, while remaining committed to decolonizing our therapeutic work.
mountain muskox
This community provides circles of support for those impacted by loss or trauma in the mountains. Having spent the last 15 years immersed in mountain culture, I’ve personally navigated the complexity of trauma within places that once gave me purpose and passion. It was deeply fulfilling to support the founding of the Sea to Sky Muskox Circle and co-facilitate its first six months.
free recorded webinar
Private
counselling
When living in this world of hyper-individualism, polarization, overstimulation, and oppression, feeling lonely and lost are sensical responses—yet ones that can be reshaped into connection, empowerment, hope & joy.
