Our Fresh Start Health Retreat Team Members
Dawn Summer Langerak, BN
Program Director
Dawn Summer deeply understands the mind-body connection and its role in emotional and physical healing. She provides a safe space and an open heart to listen and support when guiding through the program. She has 13 years of experience as a Registered Nurse.
Experience: 11 yrs
Ania Kastashchuk
Program Manager, Senior Program Director
Ania is a co-founder of Fresh Start. She is an experienced program facilitator, educator, and researcher. She deeply understands the healing process and also specializes in individual plan creation, program process explanation, and program development.
Experience: 19 yrs
Dr. Lise Maltais ND
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Dr. Lise is a Naturopathic Doctor, Accredited Bowen Therapy Instructor and Homeopathic Physician. She is a Founding member of the Quebec Association of Naturopathic Medicine and has trained the first Bowen Therapists in Quebec, Alberta, and Alaska.
Experience: 31 yrs
Dr. Jeremy Unwin, DTCM
Live Blood Analysis & Casual Therapist
Dr. Jeremy does the before and end-of-program Live Blood Analysis assessments. His past clients include the Royal Ballet (United Kingdom), Cirque du Soleil, Elton John and David Furnish. Dr. Jeremy has been treating and lecturing around the world.
Experience: 19 yrs
Kate Richards, MA, CCC, RCC
Registered Clinical Counsellor
Kate is a Certified and a Registered Clinical Counsellor, brings a wealth of experience in trauma-informed, person-centred care. Her experience encompasses a wide range of concerns, which includes depression, anxiety, trauma, life transitions, lack of sense of self, difficult family dynamics etc.
Experience: 5 yrs
Sandie Sparrow
Registered Colon Hydrotherapist, Program Director
Sandie is a knowledgeable professional. She is a certified life coach, body treatments and laser specialist, and wheatgrass grower. Sandie studied psychology at the University of Waterloo and currently takes Somatic Experiencing™ with P. Levine.
Experience: 10 yrs
Chanci Dawn
Emotional Wellness Specialist
Chanci’s pleasure and passion is holistically supporting her clients in their own healing, so they can live their most radiant, whole and fulfilling lives. Chanci studied psychology with a particular interest in emotional eating and eating disorders.
Experience: 13 yrs
Rebecca French DipEd, BSc
Intuitive Energy Healer & Life Coach
Rebecca French is an Intuitive Energy Healer and Life Coach. She specializes in Emotional, Spiritual and Wellness Coaching and is a natural born healer. Rebecca has over nine years of experience in Energy healing in person and via distance and is a Master Life Coach.
Experience: 26 yrs
Shannon Flaherty
Somatic Therapist
Shannon brings a grounded, wholehearted atmosphere to sessions, and believes strongly in the power of judgment-free connection– with self. Naturally curious, she continues to develop her understanding and practice through books, presentations, and workshops.
Experience: 8 yrs
Kristi Birnie, BAA
Energy Healer & Meditation Instructor
Kristi offers CranioSacral Therapy, Jikiden Reiki and a sweet and deep fusion of the two modalities woven together. She applies hands-on healing techniques, listening deeply to sensations and allowing her to be guided by the cells of each recipient.
Experience: 14 yrs
Sandra Kelly
Bodyworker
Sandra brings a unique combination of 35+ years with a research background, and advanced training in energy healing and emotional wellness. As a Holistic Health Practitioner, Sandra believes that the key to health is the physical and energetic connection of the body with “mind body medicine”.
Experience: 14 yrs
Steven Thomas, R.Ac
Registered Acupuncturist
Steven’s acupuncture style is very gentle and pain-free for those sensitive to the feel of acupuncture. He offers deeper sports acupuncture for those who are ready. Steven uses an intuitive approach and incorporates other techniques such as Gua Sha, Tui Na and cupping.
Experience: 19 yrs
Laurie Williams
Yoga Instructor & Bodyworker
Laurie teaches Fresh Start yoga classes and is a multidisciplinary bodyworker with incredibly strong hands who specializes in Thai Yoga and Deep Tissue massage. She has extensively travelled throughout Asia when getting her advanced training in Thai.
Experience: 20 yrs
Cindy Leech
Yoga and Meditation Instructor
Cindy is an experienced and certified Yoga/Fitness instructor and her passion is to help others feel better about themselves. She got Certified as Fitness Instructor with BCRPA as she loved connecting with people while exercising.
Experience: 19 yrs
Janine Calder
Fitness Instructor, BCRPA Certified, Nature Walks Guide
Janine is a very experienced walk guide and a person of wide interests, from snorkelling to gardening. With her, you’ll learn a lot of interesting facts about the local area and nature. Janine works as a Family Support Worker.
Experience: 44 yrs
Madeleine Ramsey
Fitness Instructor
Madeleine is a national-level athlete in synchronized swimming and kayaking. She is a certified personal trainer and yoga instructor. She is a former Synchro National Team Athlete in Synchronized Swimming. She participated at the First World Aquatic Championships in 1973.
Experience: 47 yrs
Vasili Kastashchuk
Senior Program Consultant, IT Development Specialist
Vasili is a co-founder of Fresh Start, a visionary, and the one who inspires the entire team behind the scenes. Vasili has been called a clairvoyant because he often sees what is in the very depth of one’s heart. His words changed many destinies.
Experience: 19 yrs
Andrea Thayer, B.Sc.
Program Coordinator
Andrea is passionate about making a positive impact by providing a safe and healthy environment for people to heal, learn, grow, and love! Andrea received her Bachelor of Biological Sciences from Guelph University in Ontario.
Experience: 5 yrs
Allison Barlow
Program Consultant
Allison is an experienced and compassionate soul with genuine interest in helping others in their pursuit of quality of life.
Experience: 26 yrs
Amanda Brown
Program Consultant
Amanda is a highly experienced Natural Health Consultant with a profound dedication to holistic healing and wellness.
Experience: 34 yrs
Sheri Benson, R.H.N., Red Seal Chef
Head Chef
Sheri graduated from the Camosun College Professional Cooking Program & began cooking professionally over 20 years ago. After years in the kitchen, she began to encounter many guests with allergies or food sensitivities and became aware of the need to deepen her knowledge of food.
Experience: 27 yrs
Andre LaFrance
Chef
Working as a culinary chef for more than 30 years, Andre has the experience and passion for food at Fresh Start. Andre, being a strong team player with a professional positive as well as a sense of humour, has enjoyed everything and everyone on this new journey.
Experience: 32 yrs
Tina Knowles
Cook/Kitchen Assistant
Tina emanates love, compassion and light. She believes we all have the capacity in us to be bringers of light.
Experience: 9 yrs
Melissa Wescombe
Chef
Mel is a graduate of the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition and is passionate about vegan nutrition.
Experience: 10 yrs
Breanne Harder
Cook/Kitchen Assistant
Breanne has worked in natural food industry since 2020 and has experimented with with vegan and vegetarian diets.
Experience: 8 yrs
Ashley Vader
Cook/Chef Assistant
Ashley is a passionate enthusiast of cooking healthy and alternative foods with years of holistic experience.
Experience: 6 yrs
Disclaimer: Not all practitioners above are present for each program session. This is subject to their availability, as they run busy personal practices and travel for training. We cannot guarantee that any of the team members listed above will be available when you come or that you will be booked with him or her. Additionally, we have a small number of registered therapists who may be covered by insurance and cannot guarantee that you’ll be working with them. We hand-pick practitioners based on their skills, healing personality and alignment with our company. Many of our guests keep returning because they are impressed with the quality of service the Fresh Start team offers.
Your Emotional Wellness Retreat Will Be a Life-Changing Experience