I grew up playing with crayfish barefoot in creeks and running through grassy fields on my family’s organic farm. I am privileged to be able to live in-tune with nature once again on the EcoWisdom Forest Preserve after decades of urban dwelling.
I bring a robust set of professional trainings along with unique personal experiences to my contemplative forest bathing programming which I have offered in places such as urban greenspaces, forest preserves, retreat centres and online. My programming, offered in collaboration with co-facilitators, weaves together a foundational knowledge in neuroscience, psychology and mindfulness with a commitment to inclusion, compassion, community building and sustainability.
I am fascinated by the research in the field of forest medicine and have had personal experiences of deep healing and symptom management using mindfulness, meditation and forest bathing/ shinrin-yoku. I am deeply appreciative of all the opportunities I have had to connect with others who are interested in exploring nature’s profound gifts and fostering our commitments to caring for the earth and all her beings.
Life Highlights:
- Receiving the Royal Society of Canada Alice Wilson Award for Academic Excellence (female emergent scholar)
- Representing Canada at WHO Disability Policy Development Congress
- Forming a biracial family and adopting our wonderful daughter
- Taking my first steps with my physiotherapist after three years in a wheelchair
- Experiencing nature’s healing properties with measured neurological improvements
- Going on a silent retreat in nature for five years & then created EcoWisdom with my partner Dave
- Living off-grid on the EcoWisdom Forest Preserve (since March 2020)
Professional Training/Positions
- Senior Research Fellow with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research
- University Professor in Critical Disability Studies
- Post-Doctoral Fellowship with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
- Doctoral Internship, Neurology, Hospital for Sick Children
- Community Development & Qualitative Research Consultant
- PhD Human Development and Applied Psychology
- MA Instruction and Special Education
- BSc Environmental Studies
Supplementary Certifications
- Nature and Forest Therapy Guide (6 months)
- Interfaith Spiritual Accompaniment, Ontario Jubilee (2 years)
- Mindfulness Meditation Teacher, MMTCP Brach/Kornfield (2 years – in process)