About Me

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Who I am


I am a third-generation white settler born and raised on Treaty 6 territory just outside of amiskwaciwâskahikan / Edmonton, Alberta (now temporarily living on unceded Kumeyaay territory outside of San Diego, CA).

For years, I worked in various places across Treaty 6 and 7 as an environmental educator and a co-founder and organizer with Climate Justice Edmonton. However, after an intense period of climate despair, burnout, and depression I knew I needed to switch paths.

Since then, I’ve completed my Master of Theological Studies degree and two units of Clinical Pastoral Education at St. Stephen’s College in Edmonton. Currently, I work four days a week as a hospital chaplain, and one day a week doing movement chaplaincy (supporting the healing and spiritual well-being of people working in social movements).

My work is (imperfectly!) grounded in the principles of collective liberation and the practices of the contemplative Christian tradition. I strive to help people re-enchant the world around them and feel a sense of deep, committed belonging here.



Photography by Abdul Malik

Training and Experience

  • Sept 2019 – May 2023 Clinical Pastoral Education
    St. Stephen’s College | Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Completed two CPE units, one in an acute care setting and one in psychiatry, totaling to 600 hours of direct clinical contact hours and 200 hours of lecture and peer review. Recommended for Advanced learning placement.

    Jan 2019 – Dec 2021 Master of Theological Studies
    St. Stephen’s College | Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Graduated with a 4.0 GPA. Courses included Group Counselling, Theories of Psychotherapy, and Professional Ethics in Psychotherapy and Spiritual Care. Completed my thesis, “To Be Alive in the World Right Now: Climate Grief in Young Climate Organizers,” by conducting grief circles with nine young adults.

    Sept 2011 – Apr 2015 Bachelor of Arts
    University of Victoria | Victoria, BC, Canada

    Majored in sociology with many psychology courses as electives. Graduated with Distinction. Conducted undergraduate research on faith and spirituality.

  • Jan 2024 Somatics, Trauma Healing, and Social Justice
    Embodywise | San Anselmo CA,

    Participated in intensive group practice during this 3-day training led by Staci Haines to learn a holistic framework for the embodied healing of trauma.

    Oct-Dec, 2023 Love and Rage Course
    Lama Rod Owens | Online

    Gained competency in the core Buddhist meditation practices from Lama Rod Owens’ book, Love and Rage: The Path of Liberation Through Anger.

    2020 - 2022 The Living School for Action and Contemplation
    Centre for Action and Contemplation | Albuquerque NM, Online

    Studied under internationally renowned teachers for 2-years, receiving teachings on spiritual practice and the writings of Christian and Buddhist mystics.

    Sep, May 2022 Somatic Experiencing Professional Training Beginner 1 and 2
    Somatic Experiencing | Saskatoon SK,

    Developed foundational skills in the SE™ biophysiological model for the resolution of trauma by participating in partner and small group practice.

    Sep-Dec, 2021 Healing White-Body Supremacy – Level 1
    Generative Somatics | Online

    Participated in an expert-led somatic practice group focusing on how to be in right relationship to power, community, self, land and lineage.


    Feb-Apr 2022 Daring Compassion: Movement Chaplaincy
    Faith Matters Network | Online

    Journeyed for 12 weeks with an online cohort exploring healing justice practices and holistic perspectives on spiritual care in social movements.

Get sense of my approach.

This is a clip from Coping in a Changing Climate: A Panel on Climate Anxiety, hosted by the UofA Peer Support Center. My talk is titled “How to Face the Reality of the Climate Crisis: A Meme Essay.”

Here’s a link to the whole panel if you’d like to watch it in its entirety.

 

Using Grief to Inspire Action

Check out a conversation I had with two young organizers where we discuss questions like, “Is turning to spirituality in the face of climate collapse just a cop out?” and “Will addressing my climate grief completely immobilize me?” and, “Is it ethical to bring kids into the world?”

In It for the Long Haul: Climate Grief and Sustainable Organizing

I had the pleasure of joining with youth organizers Naisha Khan and Janelle Lapointe (both wise way beyond their years) and Dogwood BC organizer Paige Gorsak (an angel) to talk about climate grief and how to keep going when the world is on fire.

How to be bad at Meditating - Workshop

In this recorded workshop, Laura Kruse and I draw on our own extensive experience of being bad at meditating to lead a conversation how to commit to a spiritual practice even when you suck at it.

The first half includes an overview of how I have been taught to understand spirituality and spiritual experience, and then a deeply personal and moving story from Laura.

In the second half, we host a brief Q&A and end with a 10 minute guided meditation.