What are these classes all about?

You’re invited to join Gina Miller (Shift counsellour & meditation instructor) for our new weekly meditation group! 

When we meditate, we are activating our para-sympathetic nervous system, which sends a signal to our bodies and minds to relax. Each time we sit in stillness, we are strengthening the healthy neuro-pathways in our brains. With regular meditation practice, instead of being controlled by our fears, (Fight/Flight/Freeze), we have the possibility to respond rather than react in our daily lives much more often.

These sessions will provide a place of rest, de-stress and self compassion. You can expect to feel the sensations of your body, learn to use your breath to self regulate, and be able to notice and nurture your interior world. 

Sessions are 45 minutes long and include a brief talk, instruction, meditation, reflection and Q&A.

No experience necessary-come exactly as you are.

About Gina:

Gina is the newest member of the counselling team at SHiFT Recovery. She works individually with Shift clients to support their abstinence and to uncover and heal beliefs and behaviors that surface throughout recovery.

For the last twenty years Gina has worked in the helping field in a variety of environments with diverse populations. She has guided clients using Art Therapy as a way to process emotions with people living with HIV and AIDS at The Dr. Peter Centre, and with adults with developmental disabilities for Ridge Meadows Association for Community Living.

Gina spent years as a Coach, counselling people with negative body image and food addiction at Vital Body Weight Loss Clinic. This latter work and her lived experience with addiction, led Gina to work as a Group Facilitator and provide individual counselling in Addiction Treatment in private practice. Some of that work included facilitating intensive non-residential treatment programs for women suffering from drug misuse disorder, for Sage Counselling and Addiction Services.

It is the combination of Gina’s lived experience, humor and wisdom that make her sessions collaborative, healing and joyful. She believes that everyone has the possibility for hope, resilience and liberation whether they are suffering from addiction, grief and loss, negative body and self esteem issues, co-dependency and the myriad of pain that is part of a life.

Gina has a BFA from ECUAD, Certified in Compassionate Inquiry with Gabor Mate, Addictions Counsellor, Certified Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention-UCSD, Certified Mindfulness Instructor.