The Haven, Gabriola Island

The Haven, Gabriola Island Centre for personal and professional development, resort, and event space on Gabriola Island. Give it a try, we'd love to hear from you.

Did you know that our friends can post stories on our page?

08/15/2026

Meet Loretta Laurin, who goes by Lo (they/she), a q***r and multi-racial therapist, movement teacher, and facilitator of our upcoming Queeriousities program this September on Gabriola Island.

πŸ‘‰ Learn more: https://haven.ca/programs-index/13760/q***riousities/

08/15/2026

Meet facilitator, Louise Amuir, and experience some of what's practiced together in Befriending Your Inner Critic, starting August 21st here on Gabriola.

This program is for people who want to learn creative ways to:
❀️ Accept themselves
🧑 Trust themselves
πŸ’› Stop the negative self-talk
🩷 Build confidence in themselves
πŸ’™ Practice present moment awareness
🀍 Be intentional about the language they use in inner dialogue
πŸ’š Let go of habitual responses to triggers
🩢 Accomplish their desires

πŸ‘‰ Learn more: https://haven.ca/programs-index/13638/befriending-your-inner-critic-190812/

"Patterns that cause difficulty now, were often lifesaving earlier β€” people-pleasing, withdrawal, freezing, self-critici...
07/30/2026

"Patterns that cause difficulty now, were often lifesaving earlier β€” people-pleasing, withdrawal, freezing, self-criticism. Over time, these become opportunities to lean in and build new neural pathways.

Like walking the same field again and again, a clearer path forms."

Would you like to walk this path with us? 🌸 Read more by Louise Amuir in this new blog: https://haven.ca/why-time-matters/

🌟 Come Alive in 2026...and 2027! New dates below...August 16-21 with Jo-Ann Kevala  & Louise Amuir September 20-25 with ...
07/27/2026

🌟 Come Alive in 2026...and 2027! New dates below...

August 16-21 with Jo-Ann Kevala & Louise Amuir

September 20-25 with Ian Curtin & Louise Amuir

October 11-16 with Susan Clarke & CrisMarie Campbell

December 1-6 with Ian Curtin & Cathy Wilder

January 1-6, 2027 with Linda Nicholls

February 4-9, 2027 with Jo-Ann Kevala & Louise Amuir

March 14-19, 2027 Ian Curtin & Susa Holt

April 4-9, 2027 Jane Olynyk & Jo-Ann Kevala

May 2-7, 2027 Susan Clarke & CrisMarie Campbell

June 1-6, 2027 Cathy Wilder & Jo-Ann Kevala

June 19-24, 2027 Cathy Wilder & Jo-Ann Kevala

August 16-21, 2027 Jo-Ann Kevala & Louise Amuir

πŸ‘‰ See all: https://haven.ca/come-alive/

πŸ“• Shen Archives: Bringing Haven to the Workplace"Over the years as an entrepreneur, I have found that the missing substa...
07/25/2026

πŸ“• Shen Archives: Bringing Haven to the Workplace

"Over the years as an entrepreneur, I have found that the missing substance in all of the classical management training that I have encountered is how to be personal, self responsible and to have good boundaries in the workplace. Although vital to being an effective leader, these are significant challenges in most work environments yet they are not the self-awareness skills that one readily learns in books from management gurus or in classroom environments.

Attending the Haven courses and exploring myself in the context of my management challenges has led me to important discoveries that have helped me become a much more effective manager and human being. Every one of my managers or staff that attended courses at the Haven came away with significant cognizance that benefited both their work and personal lives. The management tools learned in other venues were enriched with the underpinning of a company culture of respect, honesty and personal responsibility. Our overall organizational results improved significantly and together we created 'the kind of place where I would like to work.'"

πŸ‘‰ Read more: https://web.archive.org/web/20060527234418/http://haven.ca/us/shen/shen36.html?

⭐️ In 2009 when this entry in Shen was published, Paul Robillard was a manager, entrepreneur, consultant, course leader and a member of the Board of Directors of the Haven Foundation. He continues to offer mentoring and coaching on Conscious Leadership and can be reached by email (linked in our newsletter): https://preview.mailerlite.io/emails/webview/757240/192996496063333383

"Both Gillian and Ian are masters of facilitation...I have more insight into my patterns, my sensuality and sexuality (w...
07/23/2026

"Both Gillian and Ian are masters of facilitation...I have more insight into my patterns, my sensuality and sexuality (who knew at 64 the juices are still flowing!)..." - Blaire, 2026

πŸ’ž Start Planning for 2027...
Gillian Enright and Ian Curtin have made a commitment to immerse in experiential learning again next May 7 - June 1. Will you join us?

Ask about available discounts, scholarships, or other curiosities. We're here to help! Email [email protected]

πŸ‘‰ Learn More: https://haven.ca/programs-index/13808/living-alive-meaningful-connections-2/

"I loved how the program challenged me, pushed my edges, gave me opportunities for shadow work, and also how positive, caring and connected it all was. I made so many meaningful connections in this well-named program." - Margaret, 2026

Scholarships for Queeriousities! 🌈This new Queeriousities gathering, September 9-13th, is designed for multi-spectrum q*...
07/21/2026

Scholarships for Queeriousities! 🌈

This new Queeriousities gathering, September 9-13th, is designed for multi-spectrum q***rs of all ages β€” including non-binary, Two Spirit, gender-fluid, gender non-conforming, trans, bisexual, and pansexual people, as well as the LGBTQIA2S+ people who support them.

As part of our commitment to access and inclusion, and through generous financial support from Freddie, several scholarships are available. We invite you to self-select based on your circumstances and complete the application form here: https://haven.ca/programs-index/13760/q***riousities/

🌲 Fir – $500 Scholarship – For attendees with stable housing and basic security who require mindful budgeting to attend due to debt repayment or variable income. This includes meals and a dorm room, with $742 remaining to be covered by the participant.

🌲 Cedar – $750 Scholarship: For attendees with limited financial flexibility and no traditional safety net, including early-career creatives, non-profit workers, or those with high essential expenses (medical/debt). This includes meals and a dorm room, with $492 remaining to be covered by the participant.

🌲 Oak – $1,000+ Scholarship: For attendees experiencing underemployment, who are on fixed government benefits, who have unstable housing, and/or do not have other financial support systems or savings. This includes meals and a dorm room, with $242 remaining to be covered by the participant. You may also request for the remaining amount to be covered if needed.

Apply: https://haven.ca/programs-index/13760/q***riousities/

πŸ‡¨πŸ‡³ Continuing our Cross-Continental Connection...Linda Nicholls recently wrapped up another successful Mandarin Living A...
07/20/2026

πŸ‡¨πŸ‡³ Continuing our Cross-Continental Connection...
Linda Nicholls recently wrapped up another successful Mandarin Living Alive on Gabriola (along with Wen-Shwu Lee and a team of interns, assistants, and translators!) and is looking forward to welcoming some youth from China for Teens Alive in August.

❣️Teens Alive 1 & 2 are almost full! Linda co-founded this innovative program for young people aged 14-19 back in 1992 with David Raithby. She now co-leads with David's daughter, Annika Raithby. If you wish to gift the benefits of Come Alive to the next generation, share this opportunity with the teens in your life!

Teens Alive's 34th Year πŸŽ‰
Teens Alive has supported over 500 teens in developing emotional resilience, genuine communication, compassion for themselves and others, and meaningful connections with peers and mentors. Starts August 15th.

πŸ‘‰ Learn More: https://haven.ca/teens-alive/

"When I attended Living Alive: Self-Awareness in 2020, I was in the middle of some major life transitions. I felt like I...
07/17/2026

"When I attended Living Alive: Self-Awareness in 2020, I was in the middle of some major life transitions. I felt like I was drowning in the uncertaintyβ€”having left behind my old normal but not yet arrived at my new one. And, of course, we were also living through a pandemic.

If I'm honest, I think my intention was more about escaping than learning. That quickly changed as I bonded with a circle of strangers who soon became friends, and together we created a space that invited us to be raw and real.

Whether you've participated in a Haven program before or this will be your first experience, there's something incredibly powerful about being in a room full of people who intentionally choose to show up for themselves. People who are willing to lean into discomfort, try something new, and connect with a wonderfully diverse group of humans. One of the greatest gifts of this program is its length. It creates the space to slow down, with support to process your experiences, deepen your learning through practice, and begin integrating the skills and lessons the Haven offers.

Some of my biggest takeaways were:

βœ”οΈ Learning to listen to my body and recognize the signals I had previously ignored, minimized, or simply wasn't aware of.
βœ”οΈ Discovering patterns that no longer served me and beginning to choose new ones.
βœ”οΈ Embracing emotions I had learned to suppress after years of receiving messages that they were "too much" or inconvenient.
βœ”οΈ Becoming more honest with myself about who I am, what I'm up to, and what I truly want.
βœ”οΈ Learning to have difficult conversations with greater curiosity and vulnerabilityβ€”including checking the stories I create about others and sharing my own thoughts and feelings more openly.
βœ”οΈ Finding the clarity and courage to make decisions I had been afraid to make.

I'm so excited to be interning the upcoming Living Alive: Self-Awareness this November and can't wait to meet everyone who will be attending!

If you're still on the fence, I'll leave you with one of my favourite quotes by Dolly Parton.

'Find out who you are. And do it on purpose.' πŸ’›"

Chantel Laforet is an experienced Intern at the Haven, having supported 9 Come Alive programs following her first experience in 2016. Along with being a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor through ACCT, she also holds a designation of Master Practitioner Clinical Counsellor - Provisional through CPCA. While she won't be in those roles when she joins our Living Alive: Self-Awareness program this November, she brings with her a wealth of skills and gifts to support participants.

πŸ‘‰ Living Alive: https://haven.ca/programs-index/13645/living-alive-self-awareness-2/

Address

240 Davis Road
Gabriola, BC
V0R1X1

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 10pm
Tuesday 8am - 10pm
Wednesday 8am - 10pm
Thursday 8am - 10pm
Friday 8am - 10pm
Saturday 8am - 10pm
Sunday 8am - 10pm

Telephone

+18002229211

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