My Career

 

 I am a certified counsellor with The Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association

 

An Educator, an Author, and the owner of The Ark. Services. 

 

My Experience

I do have more than 20 years of experience in the mental health field.

 

Experience that I gained after seventeen years of banking. 

 

My counselling experience is in the school setting, community setting, and in private practice. 

 

I am also a published author of 2 educational books, and several academic articles, and I also develop and deliver training programs.

 

I review for the Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy: Canada's premier journal in the field of counselling and psychotherapy. 

 

In 2019 I was the recipient of CCPA’s Training and Resources Materials Award. 

 

I bring all of these experiences to my current writing of legacy memoirs, as well as my experiential training (learning by doing). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Value of 

Sharing Life Stories

You may agree that we all continue to benefit from those courageous authors, both past and present, who dare to share their insights with us.

 

For some authors, the power of their insights is still relevant hundreds of years after they have passed on.

 

As a child, I was always in awe of my Grandmother's stories. She was an excellent storyteller. As an adult, I realized that her stories were either from the Bible, folk characters, or horror stories.

 

Those stories all had life lessons; however, as a child, the horror stories were a bit too much for me. To date, they are still not my favorite.

 

In high school, I loved literature; especially, exploring the authors' insights into the human condition.

 

Coming from Trinidad and Tobago, during my high school years I focussed mostly on English and Caribbean authors. 

 

It was during my undergraduate years, at an American university, that I was formally introduced to American writers. 

 

Since English was my minor, I was privileged to explore the works of many American writers and I especially enjoyed reading the life stories and writings of Emmerson, Hawthorn, and Thoreau. 

 

Reading the life stories of these Masters made American history come alive for me. 

 

During my undergraduate years, I also revisited both the English and Caribbean authors with fresh and more mature eyes. Once again, reading the life stories of some of these authors opened up a new appreciation for their courage to write their insights into life and living.

 

So, whether it was my banking career (where I spent some years listening to clients' life stories to prepare their Wills) or my counselling career (where listening at different levels is critical), listening to life stories has been a recurring theme in my life.  

 

In fact, all of the above experiences continue to influence my writing, and my passion for helping others to muster the courage to also write their life stories for the benefit of others: those who are in their current sphere of influence, as well as those who they may never meet.   

My Formal Education

 

 

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Educational Studies: the University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick. 

 

Master of Education (M.Ed.), Brandon University, Brandon, Manitoba. My practicum hours were completed through the Brandon Friendship Centre and through the university.

 

Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.,) in Behavioural Sciences, and a minor in English: Andrews University. My practicum hours were completed at a drug rehabilitation centre and a psychiatric hospital.

 

Other Education 

 

My interest in my own wellness and development has led me to complete other educational programs as follows:

  

Commonwealth of Learning: Foundations of Assessing Learners Online

 

IAP Career College: Life Coach Certificate

 

Counsellor Tutor: Certificate in Online and Telephone Counselling-mapped to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy competences 

 

ACS Distance Education: Aged Care and Counselling

 

Several Biblical courses both directed and self-directed

 

ISHA Institute: Inner Engineering Online Course (Sadghuru)

 

Ontario Vipassana Centre: a 10-day meditation course

 

Ann Wigmore Institute: Living Foods Lifestyle Course

 

Certificate: Youth and Drugs Manitoba Addictions Foundations

 

Certificate: Helping Relationships Facilitation Course: Canadian Mental Health Association

 

Emotional Freedom Therapy (EFT Tapping) - Gary Craig