Team
Krys Sciberras
, MA, RCC
RTT Training Program Chair, Operations Integrator, Facilitator
Krys is a Registered Clinical Counsellor, and she has worked in the Mental Health and Substance Use field for 25 years, managing teams in various leadership capacities. This varied experience working in clinical environments offers a thorough understanding of the challenges in health care and a powerful desire to create changes through innovative methods to support a new model of care. Krys brings significant knowledge and experience with team-based care in a clinical setting and supporting change initiatives with a strong focus on enhancing access to mental health services across the region. In Krys’s role with RTT she works closely with participants and the RTT team focusing on the day to day operations of the Society.
Other Facilitator
RN, MPH, EdD
Visioning and Development Lead, RTT Innovations Co-Chair & Organization Steward
Shannon Dames (maiden Magnus) is a third generation immigrant with mixed ancestry from Britain, Norway, and Germany. She is a descendant of GT Magnus and Lianne Telnes, the proud mother of Piper and Beckett Dames, and the life partner of Phil Dames. She lives and serves as a Health Professional ...
Lead of Operations & Organization Steward
Phil Dames (he,him), a descendant of diverse European roots, resides on the ancestral lands of the Stz’uminus First Nation. He is the son of George and Leslie Dames, a brother, a father, friend to many and a life partner of Shannon Dames.
Phil is a co-founder, the Lead of Operations and playlist ...
MD
RTT Medical Team Co-Chair, Medical Lead and Organization Steward
Dr. Pamela Kryskow is the medical lead for the Roots To Thrive Program. She is a founding board member of the Psychedelic Association of Canada and the medical chair of the Vancouver Island University Post Graduate Certificate in Psychedelic Medicine assisted Therapy. Pam is also a a clinical i...
MD, FRCPC
Co-Chair RTT Medical Team & Organization Steward
Crosbie completed his MA in Psychology at Lakehead University, prior to completing Medical School at McMaster in 1991. Following medical school, Dr. Watler completed his residency in psychiatry at Dalhousie University. Crosbie relocated to Duncan BC in 2001, working with Island Health in diverse ...
Somatic Energy Modalities Lead & Organization Steward
Helen comes to the team with a background in integrative health delivery. She earned advanced certifications in Eden Energy Medicine and Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT). Her work heightens awareness at the level of body-mind, supporting the innate capacity for healing. Helen is playing a lead ...
MD
RTT-KAT physician
Dr. Zhiish McKenzie is Family Physician. She is Anishnabai from Northern Ontario and a member of the Temagami First Nation. She works as a Clinical Instructor & Indigenous Portfolio Co-Director at the Faculty of Medicine at UBC. Zhiish was introduced to Roots to Thrive as a patient particip...
Lead Elder
In my role as a VIU Elder-in-Residence, I work directly with students and Faculty/Professors in Health and Human Services programs at VIU and the Shq’apthut/Gathering Place. I share my Traditional Knowledge to work with all programs within the Health & Human Services and within the Shq’apthut...
RN(c), MN, DMin
Co-Chair RTT Medical Team, Medicine Administration Nursing Lead, PAT Facilitator
Gail brings nearly 50 years of nursing experience to Roots to Thrive. Much of her career has been working with and for Indigenous people and communities. Gail promotes awareness of physical, mental, and spiritual health issues associated with past traumas and walks beside people as they reconnect...
PATGC
Development Chair, Facilitator
Wes’s core practice is recognizing the heart and beauty in everyone. Joining in the early days of the Roots to Thrive team was therefore a no-brainer. During the ‘80s and ‘90s, he worked as a therapist in addiction and trauma recovery in the US and Australia. He focused on providing advanced No...
RPN, BSN, MBA
RTT KAT Program Chair, Intake lead, Nurse Facilitator
Julia comes to the Roots to Thrive team with over twenty years experience as a front-line registered psychiatric nurse. Julia completed her nursing training in New Zealand before becoming certified in California and then Canada. Julia has practiced in a wide variety of clinic areas including inpa...
RN, MSN
Program Nurse
Jo comes to the Roots to Thrive team with a nursing background in palliative, psychiatric, medical and minor-surgical patient care. Years of disrupted mental health inspired her to seek healing in a variety of alternative treatments. This lived experience informs her deeply compassionate approach...
M.Ed., RCC
Facilitator, Facilitator Support and Therapist
Todd is a Registered Clinical Counsellor. He entered the field of mental health and substance use as a peer support worker in 1998 and his work since that time, has been focused supporting humans heal impacts of trauma, mental health, substance use challenges. Todd brings experience in various r...
BHSc, CCAC
Alumni Facilitator
Kelsey first came to the Roots to Thrive team as a patient-participant and is thrilled to transition into a co-facilitation role. She has experience working as a counsellor with adults, youth, and families; her expertise is in the areas of mental health, substance use, and trauma. Kelsey is passi...
RPN BscN
Nurse Facilitator
Kerrie has been a Registered Nurse for nearly 20 years, working in inner city public health for nearly a decade, before moving to Vancouver Island where she has worked in mental health and substance use, primarily as a crisis nurse.
Kerrie has been part of the Roots to Thrive team since June 2021...
MA, RCC
RTT Alumni Program Chair, Alumni Facilitator
Graham comes to the Roots to Thrive team with a passion for supporting people on their journeys of healing and growth. He has worked as a clinical counsellor since 2011 using an integrative therapeutic approach that includes the mind and body while honouring people’s inherent wisdom to heal thems...
RN, BScN
Nurse Facilitator
Laura joins the Roots to Thrive team as a co facilitator following patient participation in cohort 3. She is accompanied by her 25 years as an oncology registered nurse specializing in Leukemia\ Bone Marrow transplant as an inpatient RN, outpatient RN and most recently a case manager. Having iden...
Facilitator
Hello Fellow Roots to Thrivers, My name is Allan Campbell and I am excited to be a part of the Roots to Thrive team. I come to this work as a curious participant with a desire for other means of supporting those I work with. I have been a counsellor over 20 yrs and have spent the majority of my c...
MA, RCC
Research and Development
As a Registered Clinical Counsellor, Tamara has worked and taught in the field of trauma healing for over 20 years, using somatic therapies, expressive arts therapy, EMDR, and other modalities, in a wide variety of settings. She is particularly interested in healing personal, intergenerational, c...
MA, RCC
Facilitator
Jolene is of mixed Northwestern European descent and feels grateful to live, work, and play on the traditional, unceded, and ancestral territories of the skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and shíshálh (Sechelt) First Nations; colonised as The Sunshine Coast, BC.
She is a Registered Clinical Couns...
MD, MPH
Researcher Lead
Dr. Tsang is a physician specializing in psychiatry. She is a graduate of the University of British Columbia (MD), the University of Toronto (ICD.D), and Harvard University (MPH). She is recognized as a National Schulich Scholar, TEDx speaker, and WE Day National Speaker. Dr. Tsang is the researc...
RN
Facilitator
I am a Metis woman from Northern Alberta; my mom is a Cree residential school survivor, my dad is an Irish farmer and 3rd generation Canadian. I was fortunate to grow up a little wild as a farm kid before much technology existed, thus I have a very active imagination and can daydream like a cham...
Participant Navigator
Susan comes to Roots to Thrive with over 15 years of experience in supporting non-profit administration. Susan also works at Vancouver Island University as the Program Assistant for the Psychedelic Assisted Therapy Post Graduate Certificate Program. Passions include painting, singing, gardening a...
MSW, RSW
Facilitator
Hi, my name is Lindsay. I am a settler and a grateful guest on the unceded territory of the K’omox First Nation, living on a rural acreage in Black Creek, with my wife and two dogs. My ancestry is Scottish and British.
I am a social worker by training and education; I have a BSW from UBC and a ...
RCC
Facilitator
Sarah gratefully lives on the Traditional and Unceded territory of the Quw'utsun Peoples. She has been working in the field of somatic and trauma therapy for the past twenty years. She believes that an attuned and redsonant compassionate relationship can be part of the transformation and healin...
Participant Navigator
Kaarina joins Roots to Thrive with many years of administrative experience in medical and not-for-profit organizations. She is a "behind the scenes" type of person, quietly making sure participants and team members alike have the things they need to succeed. Kaarina finds joy in being resourceful...
