ATF Forum speakers - Ending Violence BC

Partners in Practice forum speakers

On this page you will find the profiles shared with us by the speakers for each session. To find a detailed outline of our schedule for the forum and descriptions about all sessions, you can visit our schedule page.

Keynote and Special Guests

Lydia Hwitsum

BC First Nations Justice Council (BCFNJC)

Lydia Hwitsum (Xtli’li’ye) is a director at BC First Nations Justice Council (BCFNJC) who has over 20 years of experience in leadership positions in Indigenous governance in BC and Canada, and recently served a term as Chief of the Cowichan Tribes.

She has been a staunch advocate for Indigenous and human rights, presenting at local, national, and international stages, including at the UN Permanent Forum on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Debra Sparrow

Knowledge Keeper

Debra Sparrow was born and raised on the Musqueam Indian Reserve and is self-taught in Salish design and jewelry-making. An acclaimed weaver, Debra is deeply involved with the revival of Musqueam weaving tradition. Her artwork can be seen in various museums and institutions. 

Debra is a knowledge keeper and teacher educating others about the history, culture, beauty and integrity of her peoples through her artwork, activism and speaking engagements. One of the topics she speaks on is the need for a collaborative approach to education and the importance of knowing one’s heritage. She credits her grandfather for grounding her in her heritage and enabling her to hear the voices of her ancestors.

shameless hussy productions

Theatre Production Company

Established in 1995 with a mandate of “telling provocative stories about women to inspire the hand that rocks the cradle to rock the world,” Vancouver’s shameless hussy productions brings herstory to the forefront.

We search for and create work that provokes a deeper understanding of women’s past, present and potential and bring it roaring onto stages across Canada and the US. Previous productions currently on tour include Meghan Gardiner’s Love Bomb and To Perfection. Since 1995, we have held over 750 performances.

Meghan Gardiner (she/her)

Writer and Director

Meghan is an actor and writer living in Vancouver, BC. In 2003, she premiered Dissolve, a one-woman show based on her experience of being drugged and sexually assaulted. After performing it nearly 850 times across the continent, she stopped touring the show in 2016 to start a family, but the show continues to tour to this day.

Meghan has been honoured with a citation from the American Alliance for Theatre in Education, was a nominee for the YWCA Women of Distinction Awards and won the Sydney Risk Award for emerging playwright at the 2012 Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards. She was a keynote speaker at the Toronto Police Service’s International Conference on Sex Crimes and has subsequently written three more plays that raise awareness of gender based and sexualized violence.

Meghan works consistently in Canada’s vibrant theatre community and can be seen on such television shows as: The Good Doctor, Family Law, The Flash, Firefly Lane, Motherland and numerous Hallmark Christmas movies. Meghan is passionately committed to sharing her journey, hoping to not only to inspire healing and recovery but to raise awareness on bystander intervention, the definition of consent, and to celebrate the resilience of survivors.

Taryn Walsh

Assistant Deputy Minister, Community Safety and Victim Services Branch

Taryn was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister of the Community Safety and Victim Services Branch in 2021.

Taryn brought over two decades of experience with the BC public service into her role. Prior to her current role, Taryn served as the Assistant Deputy Minister with the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions, overseeing a portfolio that included leading the provincial response to the overdose crisis, enhancing the quality and accountability of supportive recovery services, and supporting workplace mental health across various sectors.

In her current role as ADM for Community Safety and Victim Services, Taryn is responsible for:

A range of front-line programs, such as Crime Victim Assistance and the new Intimate Images Protection Service;
Over 475 contracted programs, including police-based victim services;
The Civil Forfeiture Office; and
Addressing priority issues such as gender-based violence and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

In her free time Taryn enjoys time with her family, including her adventure-seeking teenage daughter who managed to convince Taryn to both bungee jump and skydive.

Day 1 — Workshop Presenters

Chinedum Adebomi

Prince George & District Elizabeth Fry Society

Chinedum Adebomi arrived in Canada with her family as an international student and has just completed her second Masters in Women and Gender Studies from UNBC. She has been in the non-for-profit sector for more than 18 years working with international agencies in the areas of gender-based violence, governance, peace and conflict, women in environmental justice, skills and social enterprise. Chinedum’ s interest lies in research and policy analysis, gender mainstreaming, peacebuilding, conflict management and project management as these summarize her career trajectory. She also had a stint teaching in a university.

On arrival to Prince George, she started working with women experiencing IPV and DV. She was program coordinator at a transition house before moving to Elizabeth Fry as a Victims Services Worker. She enjoys helping survivors navigate their way through their trauma and promotes approaches that empowers survivors. She has her PhD in Peace and Conflict Studies She is a mother of four girls and a wife.

Janet A. M. Dickie (she/her)

Crown Counsel, Policy and Justice, B.C. Prosecution Service

Janet has been a lawyer since 1996 and Crown counsel with the BC Prosecution Service since 1999. As a trial Crown for more than 17 years, Janet developed a specialty in working with vulnerable complainants, and prosecuted almost every type of serious personal injury offence, including murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, sexual offences and firearms offences. Janet was also appellate counsel for five years (BC Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada), and recently joined BC Prosecution Service’s headquarters policy group as the resource coordinator for sexual offence prosecutions. Throughout her career, Janet has taught on a variety of topics, including sexual offences, search and seizure, expert evidence, and best practices for witness preparation.

Dr. Emma Cunliffe (she/her)

Professor, Allard School of Law and Principal, Green College, UBC

Dr. Emma Cunliffe is a Professor at the Allard School of Law at the University of British Columbia and the Principal of Green College, UBC. Professor Cunliffe’s research analyses the fact determination functions of courts, and particularly addresses expert scientific and medical evidence and the role of implicit stereotypes and bias in the criminal justice system. Her books include To Ensure that Justice is Done: Essays in Memory of Marc Rosenberg (2017) [with Benjamin Berger and James Stribopoulos]; The Ethics of Expert Testimony (2016); and Murder, Medicine and Motherhood (2011).

From 2020 – 2023, Professor Cunliffe served as the Director of Research and Policy for the Mass Casualty Commission. In this capacity she commissioned expert reports, convened expert roundtables and community conversations, and contributed to the Commissioners’ final report. Dr Cunliffe is frequently invited to testify before Parliament, participate in policy consultations and advise on strategic litigation regarding violence and the legal system.

Allison Felker

Director, Community Programs Unit in the Community Safety and Victim Services Branch

Alison works as the director for the Community Safety and Victim Services Branch that manages the funds for victim services and violence against women programs across the province.

Grant McKellar

Director, Crime Victim Assistance Program (CVAP)

Grant started working with the Community Safety and Victim Services Branch in 2002 as an adjudicator and then as the Assistant Director with the Crime Victim Assistance Program. He has been the Director of CVAP from 2011. Prior to his time with the Branch he was a supervisor with the Ministry of Social Development, in addition to numerous temporary assignment opportunities.

Cheryl Melder (she/her)

Program Director, Family, Trauma and Victim Supports

Cheryl currently works for Family Services of Greater Vancouver as a Program Director but began with them in 2017 as the Program Manager for their Victim Services division. At that time, she was an active member of the Richmond ICAT, Burnaby ICAT, New Westminster K file and Vancouver Domestic Violence Coordination Tables. Cheryl is a registered clinical counsellor with over 15 years of experience in the anti-violence sector, and over 20 years of leadership experience in both academic and community services settings.

Her past work as a clinical counsellor focused on survivors of gender-based violence and power-based crimes, and she has worked both privately and for not-for-profit organizations to provide both trauma counselling and leadership support. She is passionate about issues of social justice, nurturing leaders and teams, and creating truly collaborative partnerships with key funders and stakeholders in the community.

Kiran Toor (she/her)

Policy Analyst, EVA BC

Kiran has a background working in non-profit settings to support mental health, child and youth care, and victim services. She has been provided oversight to a victim services team supporting survivors of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, human trafficking, and elder abuse. She is currently furthering her knowledge and awareness of the justice system through the Justice Studies Master of Arts program at Royal Roads University.

Collaboration and coordination are at the forefront of Kiran’s work to address current justice issues and raise awareness at a provincial level.

Nicole Redekop

Community Safety and Victim Services Branch

I started working with the Community Safety and Victim Services Branch in 2012 as a Victim Court Support Caseworker. Prior to my role as Manager of the Intimate Images Protection Service, I have had the opportunity to work with the Public Guardian and Trustee of British Columbia, act as the Manager of the Restitution Program, and manage our Victim Court Support Program.

Corporal Sonny Virk (he/him)

Richmond RCMP

Sonny has been a member with the Royal Canandian Mounted Police (RCMP) for just over 16 years. He has worked in several different sections of policing including Front Line, Collisions, Community Engagement, and General Investigative Services. In 2017, he was promoted to the rank of Corporal and took on a supervisory role within the RCMP. In 2021, he began his role as the Corporal in charge of the Intimate Partner Violence Unit. His role included reviewing all files related to intimate partner violence and ensuring that Front Line Officers were compliant with investigations and forwarding charges when appropriate. He has been the Co-Chair of the Richmond Inter-Agency Case Assessment Team (RICAT) since 2021, working alongside several community partners in supporting victims and families of highest risk intimate partner violence cases.

When he’s not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two children (14 and 12).

Day 2 — Workshop Presenters

Sarada Bhagavatula (she/her)

Registered Clinical Counsellor, Venturous Counselling and Consulting, MA, RCC

Sarada is a cis, able-bodied, second-gen, racialized settler with Indian ancestry, living and working on the unceded and traditional lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, Stó:lō , Tsleil-Waututh nations. She is a practicing clinical counsellor at Venturous Counselling and Consulting and specializes in working with clients who are navigating life transitions and relationships with self, others, and the world. She supports her clients by turning this grief, loss, anxiety, depression, or stress into a rebuilding trust and compassion through art, somatic work, and play. Outside of counselling work, she enjoys laughing with loved ones and connecting to practices and activities that spark creativity and joy.

Jon Cawsey (he/him)

Sergeant, Regional Domestic Violence Unit

Police officer with the Saanich Police for 20 years. Five years with the Regional Domestic Violence Unit as an investigator and NCO i/c of the multidisciplinary team. Sgt Cawsey is an advocate for multidisciplinary work and supports community coordination and collaboration in the efforts to protect victims and their families against Intimate Partner Violence. Sgt Cawsey has authored a practice update piece which was published with Protect International’s Intelligence newsletter, describing the importance of information sharing in high risk IPV investigations.

Abby Chow (she/her)

Clinical Director, Venturous Counselling and Consulting, MA, RCC-ACS

Abby is a cisqueer, currently non-disabled settler from Hong Kong, occupying the stolen, ancestral territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, Stó:lō , Tsleil-Waututh, Qayqayt, and Kwikwetlem peoples. She is a practicing clinical counsellor at Venturous Counselling and Consulting, an adjunct faculty member, and a clinical supervisor. For over a decade, she’s had the privilege of working with folx resisting multiple systems of oppression, with 8 of those years working in STV programs and coordinating victim services. In addition to her work with folx impacted by the criminal legal system, addictions, and relational trauma, she is currently running Reflecting on Justice, an online educational platform for anti-oppressive, justice-oriented counsellors to unlearn systemic oppression together in community. Outside of work she enjoys live shows, reading, videography and storytelling.

Samantha Davis (she/her)

Researcher and Social Work Program Supervisor, Rise Women's Legal Centre

Sam is a researcher, supervises social work practicum students, and provides fronttline client services at Rise. Sam has a Master of Social Work and previously worked as the Virtual Legal Advocate for three years supporting clients around the province who need help with their family law, equality law, and some immigration-related legal matters.

Sam is passionate about improving access to justice and ending violence against women, trans, and gender diverse folks, especially at the intersection of family law. Samantha is interested in improving public understanding the nuances of family violence, and social work education.

Mike Gladman (he/him)

M. Ed. (Counselling Psychology); R.N.; Family Therapist and Men’s Counsellor, retired

As a Men’s Counsellor, I worked for many years in collaboration with the Stopping the Violence program in Kelowna, and then with the Comox Valley Transition Society. This collaboration strongly informed my work with men.

Comox Valley Nursing Centre – Men’s Counsellor, 2014 to 2024
Comox Valley Transition Society – Men’s Group Co-facilitator, 2015 -2019
Kelowna Family Centre, Men’s Relationship Group Facilitator; Family Therapist, 1995 to 2014
Child & Youth Mental Health, Vancouver – Therapist, 1989 to 1995
Co-Author of “A Manual of Ideas for Practice with Men in a Drop-in Relationship Group”, 2000.

Maggie House (she/her)

Supervising Lawyer, Centralized Legal Services, Rise Women’s Legal Centre

Maggie House (she/her) is a Supervising Lawyer with Rise’s Centralized Legal Services where she has worked since 2022. She works and lives in the unceded territory of the Coash Salish peoples, including the Katzie, Kwantlen and Semiahmoo First Nations.

Maggie supervises Family Law Advocates (“FLA”) across the province and mostly in remote communities where legal services are sparse. A lawyer with a passion for access to justice, Maggie brings creativity, tenacity, and compassion to her work. Maggie’s work fills a critical gap in our legal system. Empowering, education, and mentoring the FLAs creates access to quality family law services for B.C.’s underserved populations.

Outside of Rise, Maggie practices in family law and poverty-adjacent areas of law including civil mental health law. Maggie has presented clients in Supreme Court, Provincial Court, and in administrative tribunals. She humbly serves as Family Duty Counsel on Heiltsuk territory, colonially known as Bella Bella, B.C.

Ninu Kang (she/her)

Executive Director, EVA BC

Ninu Kang comes to her leadership role with EVA BC with over 30 years of work experience in the areas of newcomer settlement, gender-based violence, and justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. With an academic background in counselling psychology combined with frontline work experience, she has developed key skills in clinical counselling, facilitation, and senior leadership.

She is inspired in her work by young people who are the future of change. She aspires to learn from young people and stands committed to mentorship where needed.

In her spare time, she loves to hike in the beautiful lush BC trails.

Jane Katz (she/her)

MA, RCC

In addition to working with child and adult victims, Jane has worked extensively with individuals who perpetrate intimate partner violence. She developed programs and provided training and supervision in Canada, Asia and Europe. Jane was an invited expert to the United Nations Asia and Far East Institute Training on Domestic Violence.  Since 1988 she has been involved in best practice initiatives.  

From 1989 – 2003, Jane and her husband Zender Katz (R. Psych) co-facilitated programs for men on probation. From 1992 – 2005 she co-facilitated a Family Relationships program for federally incarcerated men. She also facilitated healthy relationship programs for incarcerated women. Jane helped develop the BC Corrections programs – RR (Respectful Relationships) and RVP, and for ten years trained RR facilitators.    

She has participated in and chaired community coordinating committees and was a board member of the Ending Relationship Abuse Society. Jane is currently in private practice in Chilliwack, BC. 

Myra Kohler (she/her)

Sexual Assault Services Program Coordinator

Myra Kohler graduated with a MSc in Applied Criminology & Forensic Psychology from Edinburgh Napier University. Originally hailing from Ontario, Myra made Campbell River her home around four years ago, starting with Campbell River Family Services Society in Community-Based Victim Services. Since then, she has coordinated the Violence in Relationships Committee, spearheaded the creation of the Sexual Assault Services Program in Campbell River & Nootka Sound, and provided psychoeducational programming to vulnerable youth, men on probation, 2SLGBTQ+ people, and local Indigenous organizations. She has also worked as a consultant for both BC Campus and North Island College; reviewing current supports available to students experiencing sexualized violence and recommending updates to sexualized violence policies and procedures.

Myra is passionate about improving support within systems for survivors, particularly in supporting survivors’ agency within referral and treatment settings, and is grateful for the opportunity to share her experiences with EVA BC ATF attendees.

Baljit Khun-Khun

BC Women's Hospital

Baljit works with Sexual Assault Services in BC. She has worked as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner and Nurse since 2008; and since 2020 has filled a leadership role for Sexual Assault Services.

In her various roles, she has provided Sexual Assault support at a local and provincial level, including direct patient care, examiner/nursing education and mentorship, and support with programs (set-ups/ongoing) across the province. With her expertise in the field of sexual assault from a healthcare lens, she has supported provincial level work including: EVABC’s Hope2Health project and contributing to Provincial Sexual Assault guidelines.

In addition to SAS, Baljit has worked as a registered nurse at BC Children’s Hospital (since 2007-2020) and Nursing Faculty at Langara College (2010).

Brooke McLardy

BC Network of Child and Youth Advocacy Centres Society (BCCYAC)

Brooke McLardy (she/her) is an uninvited settler on the unceded territory of the Sylix Nation. She works in the community-based antiviolence field, working with several local cross-sector coordination initiatives including the North Okanagan Integrated Case Assessment Team (ICAT), Vernon Sexual Assault Response Service, and the North Okanagan Violence Against Women in Relationships committee. She focused her passions for community coordination and the safety of children to develop Oak Child and Youth Advocacy Centre in 2015. Brooke had the privilege of co-chairing the BC Network of Child and Youth Advocacy Centres for several years before becoming the Executive Director of the newly formed network Society in 2023. In this role she works with other multi-disciplinary child abuse response models across the province, to share best practices in collaborating to serve child and youth victims of crime.

Wendy Potter (she/her)

Director, Community Coordination for Survivor Safety, EVA BC

Wendy has worked in the anti-violence field for over 20 years. She supported and advocated for sexual assault survivors at the Sexual Assault Service at BC Women’s Hospital, educated service providers and supported communities to improve their sexual violence response. Wendy also held roles as an STV counsellor, transition house worker, and Community-Based Victim Services (CBVS) worker.

Wendy is passionate about advocating for survivors of gender-based violence, especially those who face the greatest barriers to access services. She brings an intersectional feminist perspective to her work and a commitment to doing the work.

Susan (Sue) Robinson (she/her)

Victim Service Worker, Regional Domestic Violence Unit

Sue Robinson has worked in the field of intimate partner violence for 35 years. She has worked as a Transition House Counsellor, in Seniors Second Stage Housing, facilitated men’s treatment programs and delivered public education and training throughout BC. She is a subject matter expert on strangulation in domestic violence and has facilitated strangulation training throughout the province to police, Crown and victim advocates. For the past 20 years she has worked as a community-based Victim Support Worker; in the courthouse for 5 years and since 2010 as a founding member of the Regional Domestic Violence Unit based out of the Saanich Police Department in Victoria.

Carol Seychuk (she/her)

Executive Director, Northern Society for Domestic Peace

Has over 38 years’ experience working in the non-profit anti-violence sector. Responsible for establishing two transition house shelters for women and children, second sage and third housing and a continuum of 17 responsive programs that address gender-based violence in Northwest BC. Carol’s commitment led her agency to be a pioneer in the province to offer groups for men charged with assaulting their intimate partner, and concurrent groups for women and children.

Carol volunteered as an RCMP auxiliary member for seven years and has sat on numerous provincial boards including BC Society of Transition House, BC Institute of Family Violence, Ending Relationship Abuse Society formerly ACAM, and she contributed to the development of Management in the Women’s Sector curriculum formerly offered through the Justice Institute of BC. Her frontline and leadership experience continues to inform her advocacy and fuel her passion for supporting individuals and families facing challenges in the unique demographics of the northwest rural and remote communities. 

Lucie Vallières (she/her)

A/Director, Standards and Training Unit, Policing and Security Branch, Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General

Lucie has worked for the Policing and Security Branch in the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General since 2007. She is now leading the team who, working under the authorities of the Police Act, develops or amends BC Provincial Policing Standards and evaluates compliance with the Standards. Lucie has previously worked on various projects and Standards currently in place, related to police responses to missing persons, gender-based violence, promoting unbiased policing, and sexual assaults.

Karen Wickham (she/her)

Clinic & Access Coordinator , Victoria Sexual Assault Center

Karen has been working with Victoria Sexual Assault Centre since 1986 in a variety of roles. Currently, she is the Clinic & Access Coordinator coordinating VSAC’s Sexual Assault Clinic and police interview room as well as overseeing VSAC’s Access program which provides crisis support and initial assessment for VSAC programs and Sexual Assault Response Team. She sits on VSAC’s Team Victoria which is a coordinating committee in place for many years composed of VSAC, Forensic Nurse Examiner, Regional Police, Crown and Restorative Justice. Karen is also the resident statistic person and database designer.

Wellness Session Presenters

Fatima Tajah Olson (she/her)

Trauma Informed Therapist

My name is Fatima Tajah Olson. I was born in Malawi. My Canadian father adopted me at the age of 7. I moved to Canada when I was 16 years old. I hold a BFA from Emily Carr Art & Design University.

I’ve been a professional artist since 2015 and exhibit my work in Canada and the USA. My self-portraits are based on my transition from Africa to Canada, being adopted, being a black woman and the inner struggles, I faced with my identity.

My art has been my therapy and helped me gain confidence and reclaim my identity.

In 2022, I graduated from Yorkville University with a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology (MACP).

I currently work as a clinical counsellor at Peak Resilience and my own practice. I combine art in my therapy as I believe art is a powerful tool for healing.

Kendra Coupland (she/her)

Spiritual Wellness Coach

Kendra Coupland (she/her) is a Yoga Grandmaster, who was initiated into the yogic tradition and lineage by Swami Vidyanand in 2017 while residing in Tamil Nadu, India. As a queer, neurodivergent yoga teacher, a survivor of childhood sexual violence, and person of mixed Afro-Caribbean and Romani-Hungarian heritage, Kendra brings a compassionate, trauma-informed, and intersectional framework to her practice.

Her body of work includes creating programming for survivors of sexual violence at UBC and Capilano University; she is the founder of Spiritual Wellness for Black Bodies and the Dark Before the Dawn Retreat for Black community healing. Kendra also teaches free-to-the-public, trauma-informed classes three times a week at The Gathering Place Community Centre – a space which centres marginalized communities.

Her aim is to create safer spaces for folks who experience marginalization and systemic violence to practice self-liberation within the yogic community.

Carolyn Schmidt

Breathwork Facilitators and Wellness Professional, The Stretch Space

Carolyn Schmidt is a professional facilitator of embodied experiences!

She is a certified Fascial Stretch Therapist, Breathwork Facilitator, Myofascial Release Therapist and Embodiment Coach. Carolyn has been on a life-long journey of exploration into the human body, starting with dance as a young child. After 10 + years in the professional contemporary dance world, Carolyn began investigating deeper layers of healing and embodiment through Fascial Stretch Therapy and Conscious Connected Breathwork. Carolyn is the co-founder of The Stretch Space, a wellness studio in Kitsilano dedicated to Stretch Therapy and Breathwork. Carolyn is honoured to work with a wide variety of clients, helping them find freedom in their bodies and lives.

Elijah Zimmerman (he/they)

Executive Director, Center of Mindful Self Compassion

Elijah Zimmerman is the Executive Director for the Center of Mindful Self Compassion. He has extensive experience in non-profits and academia with a focus on leadership, collaboration, and facilitation through a lens of compassion. He has volunteered or worked in social services for 20 years with his most recent role as the Executive Director with the Victoria Sexual Assault Centre.

Elijah integrates mindfulness into his leadership, enhancing resilience, compassion, and well-being within teams. His Ph.D. in Communication Studies and skills in Interfaith Studies enrich his approach, fostering inclusive and compassionate environments. Elijah emphasizes the importance of mutual care, believing that our collective efforts and support for one another are what truly make a difference.

Rianne Svelnis (she/they)

Artistic Associate / Facilitator

All Bodies Dance Project (ABDP) is an inclusive dance company located on unceded Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Səlílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), and xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam) territories (Vancouver, BC, Canada). ABDP offers free and accessible dance classes for people of all abilities, genders, sizes, and backgrounds in addition to making opportunities for diverse artists to practice, research, and create innovative, inclusive dance.

In ABDP’s work, differences are regarded as creative strengths as we explore the choreographic possibilities of diverse ways of moving and perceiving. Our work blurs the boundaries between community-engaged and professional practice. We prioritize new cultural practices and move beyond traditional ideas of dance training to value the lived experience of movers both with and without disabilities. Our practice aims to dismantle assumptions, biases, and default notions around contemporary dance, the theatre, and the dancing body.

We want to expand the possibilities of who dances and what dance can be.

Participant Supports

St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program

St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program was established in 1992. Along with their handlers, Therapy Dogs do just what pets have been doing for centuries – offering companionship to those in need of comfort or emotional and physical support. Dogs are non-judgmental. They are undeterred by human frailties. Dogs will be accepting of those with physical or mental illness, or those presenting with confusion or tears. Dogs calm the distressed, distract those in discomfort, and comfort the lonely. Our mission statement is “To Spread Moments of Joy.”

The St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program reaches out to thousands of people across Canada on a daily basis bringing comfort, joy and companionship to members of the community who are sick, lonely, reside in long-term care and mental health facilities; are in hospitals, schools and library settings. Program participants reap the therapeutic benefits of the unconditional companionship of a four-legged friend. Through petting, affection, and regular visitation, many people benefit both physically and emotionally from the unconditional love of a dog, while also providing the volunteer with a unique and rewarding volunteer experience.

Anti-Violence Worker Support

Community Coordination