Meet the SATA Centre Team

I have witnessed the trauma patients suffer in the investigations, procedures, wait times, treatments and receiving the diagnosis of a terminal illness. I have come to understand that the most profound source of suffering is existential – ‘who am I in the context of a disease where I lose capacity to do the things that I identified as having meaning?’

I joined with Dr. Laura McLean and Andrea Lemp to co-create a different model of care. This model prioritizes service over profit and leverages MSP programs so patients do not have to pay.

Current medical and psychological models do not support the spiritual crisis that is often associated with facing our death. We provide supportive programs which allow us, in the face of our death, to connect with essence of ourselves – WHO we are when we can no longer DO the things that we previously identified ourselves with. We use story and mindfulness meditation techniques which are accessible to those with limited resources of energy.

I co-founded the SATA Centre for Conscious Living with Andrea and Valorie, aiming to collaborate with like-minded individuals in communities of practice that support reconnection to our shared humanity and inherent wholeness. Mindfulness and meditation, self-compassion, land- and nature-based approaches, and ancient knowledge may all play a role. For some, plant or psychedelic medicines may also serve as catalysts for healing. My vision includes integrating these practices into our healthcare system.
I am engaged in compassionate leadership as taught by Shawn and Heather Atleo. From them, I have learned that true leadership means leading from the heart. It is “power with” as opposed to “power over”. It requires building relationships and cultivating connection and trust. This creates a safe environment where team members can be authentic, communicate openly, and work together creatively and efficiently.
I bring a strong commitment to safety, ethics, transparency, and accountability to my work. My intention is to use my unearned privilege and power to create pathways and networks that support all people, especially those who are marginalized, lack financial means, or face barriers to self-advocacy.

Andrea made the move to Vancouver Island, where she developed and managed Community, Tertiary, and Hospital Mental Health and Substance Use Systems for Island Health. Her educational background includes graduating from BCIT’s Psychiatric Nursing and Registered Nursing Programs, as well as obtaining a Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science in Nursing from UBC.

In addition to her nursing qualifications, Andrea is a Chopra Certified Meditation Teacher, and a Chopra Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga Certified Yoga Teacher. She has attended training with Eckhart Tolle in Stillness and Presence for Health Care Professionals. She has also completed the full coursework at the Institute for Functional Medicine, and is Certified Integrative Psychiatry Insitute Practitioner.

After a 30-year career in hospital and community settings, Andrea has transitioned from the confines of conventional psychiatry. She now focuses on supporting individuals, groups, and leaders in their journey to recover their full health and unlock their true potential in body, mind, and spirit.

Sarah brings an interest in embodiment, a practice of paying mindful attention to the wisdom of the body, and an attunement to the energetic and emotional patterns in our bodies as a way to tap into the inner healing intelligence within each of us.

Sarah’s personal and work life has been influenced by living in the liminal spaces of life and death while caring for a medically complex child for many years. Sarah was first introduced to Dr. Valorie Masuda in 2018 when she was the palliative physician for Sarah’s son.

Sarah has recently been influenced by the emerging field of psychedelics for working with trauma and end-of-life care, and is drawn to the teachings of the land, waters and plants in the Quw’utsun (Cowichan) lands, and the energy medicines in Therapeutic Touch, QiGong and breathwork.

Hwiemtun’s connection to the spirit world, passion for story-telling and love of sharing diverse traditions of indigenous knowledge, has made it possible for him to bridge many worlds. Spiritually, Hwiemtun is a sweat lodge keeper, following the Lakota teachings, and a follower of Buddhism and spent two years working with the Maitreya Project throughout North America and Asia.

He believes that we are all related in one way or another and this helps in achieving knowledge once we learn this clearly.