Biography: Jane Derry

Jane Derry - General Manager and Spiritual Counsellor, A Home Away Retreat, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada  www.ahomeaway.org My  personal, educational, and vocational backgrounds have well prepared me for my role as Spiritual Counsellor at A Home Away. Following careers in the technologies of animal health and pharmacy, my personal spiritual journey awoke a calling to explore my understanding of humankind's conception of and relation to Spirit. A pursuit to study world scriptures and spiritual traditions led me to Augustana University College, in Camrose, Alberta where I completed a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Religious Studies. With a desire to experientially integrate the masculine and feminine expressions of Spirit, I traveled on spiritual pilgrimages to Crete, Portugal, Mexico, Belize and Guatamala, exploring ancient traditions of worship. Mentored in spirit by Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell, I strives to explore eternal spiritual truths through the use of story and other creative expressions of spiritual axioms based on many of the world's spiritual traditions. Motivated to share my  passion and to be of service to others, I worked for eight years as a counsellor with street involved, and at-risk youth in Kamloops B.C. at a Safe House.  Inspired by the alignment of my personal journey and calling with the mission of A Home Away, I was motivated to shift  my focus to serving as spiritual counsellor for our guests. I also provides strong leadership for A Home Away in my role as General Manager. Jane's Mission: Through my commitment to live by spiritual principles, it is my intention to model and inspire hope and encouragement to people, especially to those suffering from the disease of addiction. I strive to cultivate a nurturing, safe, non-judgmental and inclusive environment for guests to explore their own spiritual beliefs. In this atmosphere of sincerity, acceptance, compassion and faith, my mission is to provide leadership that fosters individual healing through spiritual exploration and development. Thanks be to God! (As you understand Him/Her/It or Them)