Reflections: The Gatehouse’s Transforming Trauma Festival

The title of this festival was bang on. After three days at the Transforming Trauma Together Festival, I did not just learn about ending child sexual violence. I felt the possibility of it. I felt what can happen when survivors stop carrying shame that never belonged to them and start finding community, voice, art, truth […]

Dear Lara Review: Beauty in the Pain

Dear Lara’s Canadian premiere was, in a word, SPECTACULAR! Canadian Lara St. John’s documentary uncovers a world of horror and grief for children in the classical music industry. From a young age, she toured the world, performing in the most prestigious venues for some of the most influential audiences, while also surviving child sexual violence […]

Scotland Leads the Way

Hey Canada, it’s time to learn from Scotland on how to protect our children from sexual predators. Scotland is leading the way in the fight against child sexual violence. They have enshrined children’s rights into law, recognizing that protection is not optional, it is a responsibility. Children’s Rights in Scotland Every child deserves to be […]

40 Day Celebration of Life

This is a beautiful way to honour someone you have lost and celebrate their life over the course of 40 days. When I lost my brother, my counselor shared an idea that had once been given to her after she lost someone she loved. It was called a 40 Day Celebration of Life. The idea […]

The Return of Macassa: Cootes Paradise

Glorious day at Cootes Paradise in Hamilton with my pal Marybeth. Hard to believe this area was once treated as a dumping ground and industrial sewer for the steel industry. After many of the factories moved offshore in the 1980s, the Federal and Provincial governments partnered with McMaster University and invested heavily in restoring this […]

Love My Granola

Coming up on seven weeks sugar free. The first month was not easy, but I’m proud of myself for sticking with it. Because of severe stress, I’ve dealt with brutal heartburn for a few years now. My doctor wanted me on medication for life. I decided before I signed up for that, I’d try cutting […]

Yogi Tea

Making Yogi Tea today. Thank you Sat Dharam Kaur, (SDK) Registered Naturopathic Doctor, for this delicious recipe. This is ideal for those trying to remove caffeine from their life. I drink this all day long. You’re supposed to drink 3 litres of water a day and honestly, that’s hard for me. But I can get […]

My Gratitude Corner

Do you have an altar? No, I’m not talking about religion. I’m talking about the little corner of your life that reminds you who the hell you are. The objects, photos, books, stones, letters, scars, memories, and symbols that carry your story. The things that remind you how far you’ve come after all the nights […]

Beyond Addiction

I’m pumped. Today I head north to Owen Sound, Ontario to attend a 9 day immersive somatic yoga program called Beyond Addiction, co-created with Dr. Gabor Maté and Sat Dharam Kaur. This will be my third time going. You might wonder why I keep returning. My biggest addiction is not cocaine or alcohol. I worked […]

Let it Burn

I wrote Breathing the Night Out to survive. To heal. To tell the truth. I am proud of every word in that book because it carried me through some dark nights. But tonight, I let it go. I let the universe take it. I am moving forward now. I carry the wisdom, the strength and […]