I spent most of my childhood and adolescence wandering through forests and meadows, attuning myself to the natural energies around me.

My backyard was a symphony of nature: my family home sat in the middle of 50 acres of land in rural Nova Scotia, surrounded by thousands of acres of undeveloped government land. This vast landscape provided me with a safe haven as I struggled under the weight of multiple stressors: being ostracized by my peers due to having deaf parents, realizing I was gay and then hiding it, being a highly sensitive boy, and living under the global uncertainty of the Cold War.

By the time I reached my early 20s, I was diagnosed with colitis and had reached a breaking point. I packed my backpack and went on a hike to contemplate whether to continue trying to live or to take my own life. This self-discovery quest ended up being one of the most important turning points in my life.

While contemplating my situation and history, sitting in meditation and feeling the warmth of the Earth beneath me, watching a glorious sunset over the ocean and feeling a cool breeze wash over my face, I had a profound mystical experience.

I felt a deep interconnectedness with my surroundings and was filled with an incredible sense of peace. I received a message telling me that although I already had a strong connection with nature, I would also need to develop a more confident and secure relationship with humanity and work hard to not let my fears and insecurities hold me back.

After that, I dove into life, embracing my identity as a gay man and as a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults). I started studying metaphysical topics and was a member of the Rosicrucian Order (AMORC) for many years. I deepened my meditation practice and was able to achieve a deep relaxation and calmness that resulted in the disappearance of my colitis and other stress-related ailments.

I graduated from Dalhousie University with a BA in Psychology and moved to B.C. to work as a child care counsellor with the BC Provincial School for the Deaf. Eventually I got my MA in Counselling Psychology from the University of BC and began serving as a Registered Clinical Counsellor.

I settled into a life where I felt fulfilled and connected to both nature and my friends and family.

Then, in my 50s, two difficult and traumatic events turned my life upside-down: being suddenly fired from my job and separating from my partner of 23 years.

I embarked on another spiritual quest to seek clarity and healing, and during a retreat in Peru, the idea for Elemental Magick was borne. I was reminded that Nature is a place of healing and growth and that the combination of my experiences and formal training would enable me to guide others to the feeling of interconnectedness and peace that I have experienced.

And this is what I hope you gain from going on a Holistic Wellness Adventure with Elemental Magick: the profound sense that you are part of something bigger and that you matter.