A Home Away has assembled a multidisciplinary team of professionals with complementary expertise who work together to provide each individual the best possible treatment and care. Our team is comprised of therapists, counsellors, and specialists in the addiction and behavioral health fields. The staff at A Home Away work with each client to create a custom, personalized treatment programs, rich with individual attention and 1:1 therapy sessions, that will best serve their needs.

The Home Away professional team includes:

John Derry - Director
John is a specialist who understands addiction. After twenty successful years as a pharmacist and manager in hospital and corporate settings, he has shifted his career focus to alleviating suffering from the disease of addiction.

He has an impressive track record of success and is known for his outstanding interpersonal, communication and leadership skills. He offers a unique depth of expertise based upon his complementary proficiency in both pharmacy and addiction. His credentials and professional experience distinguish him as an expert in his field.

John is a licensed pharmacist and holds a Master of Arts degree in Addiction counselling from the Hazelden Graduate School of Addiction Studies. The Hazelden Foundation is the world leader in the treatment of chemical dependency and the training of addiction professionals.

John's Mission:
I live by the principles of honesty, openness and courage, with integrity, and have faith in Love and spiritual direction. I strive to achieve my highest potential in life and am dedicated to alleviating suffering and inspiring hope. My mission is to help individuals living with addiction and unhappiness and those they love. I believe that every individual has an inherent capacity to change and transform. My goal is to help individuals, families and communities find hope and wellness and to promote peace.

back to top

Christine Bennett - Yoga and Creative Expression Coach
Christine is a gentle, nurturing, intuitive teacher, bringing a skill set, talent, personality and passion for life that aligns with the mission of A Home Away and adds value to the recovery experience of our guests.

Christine has been sharing her love of Yoga with students since 2003. Having completed an 18 month intensive Teachers Training course with The Yoga Centre of Burlington, Ontario, she earned a Hatha Yoga Teachers Certification, graduating with Distinction. Shortly after, Christine moved to Kelowna, to fulfill her dream of being submerged in nature and yoga, teaching full time since her arrival in 2004.

Christine's Mission
I am inspired to enrich the recovery journey of A Home Away guests through the creative expression opportunities afforded by yoga, artistic media, and appreciation of health and nature. I help guests learn to trust their intuition and to enjoy not only the simple, physical practice of Yoga and other forms of creative, inner expression, but the mental, spiritual and energetic elements of the experience as well. I strive to model what I teach and inspire others to find their true nature and to honour the Self.

back to top

Tia Cherneski - Massage Practitioner
Tia has a background in both counselling and massage. She has a degree in Social Work and was in the counselling field for approximately twelve years. During this period, she also pursued her growing interest in the holistic healing area. This led to certification and training in various massage and bodywork modalities. Tia's massage training includes: Swedish massage, deep tissue, reflexology, acupressure, aromatherapy, Reiki, and hot stone massage. Tia has related training in progressive relaxation techniques and visualization, and guided imagery.

Tia's Mission
I believe massage is a holistic therapy that can be healing to the mind, body, and spirit. My mission is to contribute to people's well-being through massage and bodywork. I strive to offer a calm environment that is conducive to receiving the full benefits of massage. I am committed to practicing in a professional, respectful and mindful manner.

back to top

Kyle Deleurme - AHA Staff Team Member
Kyle is currently completing undergraduate studies in psychology at the University of British Columbia. Following graduation, Kyle will pursue advanced studies in addictions and child youth care. His studentship period at A Home Away provides practical experience in his chosen areas of counselling career development. His interests in cooking, fitness, martial arts, and business, complement his enthusiasm and educational focus he brings to A Home Away.

Kyle's Mission:
I strive to invest of my time and effort to learn through the process of contributing as a student counsellor at A Home Away. I dedicate my efforts to the mutual benefit of the guests, staff and my career development. I am pleased to share in the learning I witness everyday at this wonderful place.

back to top

Geri Eakins - Group Counsellor
Geri brings a diverse background, life experience, skill set, sensitive personality and (com)passion that compliments the A Home Away team. She has a background involving careers with several major corporations and has worked as a Trainer, Facilitator and Life Coach for over 18 years. Geri has also conducted aftercare recovery groups for the past several years. She holds a Masters degree in Counselling Psychology.

Geri is known as a:

She has a:

Geri's Mission:
Geri supports and empowers individuals in living a healthy, balanced, and fulfilling life while being connected to their heart and spirit. She brings this expertise to her role with A Home Away in facilitating small group sessions that provide a safe, comfortable context for guests to learn about themselves and their interactions with others. Her goal is to help guests improve the effectiveness of their interpersonal communication and to create opportunity for growth and development through intrapersonal exploration of thoughts and feelings.

back to top

Carla Fox - Chef and Kitchen Manager
I am a woman who loves to cook good, healthy, and colourful food. My interests are people and their stories. I love to dance and travel and learn new things every day.

I look forward to spending time with you in the kitchen and to sharing fellowship, good food and grateful gatherings at A Home Away.

Carla's Mission:
I take pride in providing fresh, healthy and enjoyable food. I strive to cater to a variety of tastes, diets, and nutritional needs. My philosophy is that the kitchen is the heart of the home. Welcome home!

back to top

Tomas Avendano - Chef (Part Time)
I am passionate about food and love to cook as much as I love to eat. I am continually learning different worldly cuisines and enjoy creating menus that cater to a variety of tastes and appetites. I believe that a person's diet is essential to a healthy life. What one takes in fuels our lives and allows us to grow, develop and give back.

I am excited to contribute to the loving energy of A Home Away through my work in the kitchen and the meals I prepare.

back to top

Art Gillan - Addictions Counsellor
Art brings a wealth of experience, knowledge and skill as a highly qualified Addiction Counsellor. His educational training includes a Bachelor of Education from the University of Victoria, training at the Alfred Adler Institute in Chicago, and courses in psychodrama, couples counselling, survivors of childhood trauma, and individual psychology.

Following an earlier career as an educator, Art shifted his career focus to counselling in 1977. His addiction counselling career has spanned both outpatient and residential treatment settings.

Art's Mission:
I feel compassion for those suffering from addiction and unhappiness. I recognize addiction as a primary disease and am dedicated to help bring health and peace of mind. I utilize an eclectic mix of various therapeutic approaches, tempered with a background of educational and life experience to share of myself in a way that I hope adds value. I embrace the Twelve Step philosophy as a beacon of hope in the sea of addiction turmoil. One day at a time, I hope to help those willing to be helped. I value my time with the courageous guests who chose to join us at A Home Away.

back to top

Jane Snyder - Spiritual Counsellor
Jane's personal, educational, and vocational backgrounds have well prepared her for her role as Spiritual Counsellor at A Home Away. Following careers in the technologies of animal health and pharmacy, her personal spiritual journey awoke a calling to explore her understanding of humankind's conception and relation to Spirit. A pursuit to study world scriptures and spiritual traditions led her to Augustana University College, in Camrose, Alberta, where she completed a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Religious Studies.

With a desire to experientially integrate the masculine and feminine expressions of Spirit, Jane traveled on spiritual pilgrimages to Crete and Portugal exploring ancient traditions of worship. Mentored in spirit by Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell, Jane 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 her passion and to be of service to others, she has worked for eight years as a counsellor with street involved, and at-risk youth in Kamloops B.C. Inspired by the alignment of her personal journey and calling with the mission of A Home Away, she was motivated to shift her focus to serving as spiritual counsellor for our guests.

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.

back to top

Dena Unger - Life Coach
Dena graduated with a Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of Victoria and is currently a Registered Social Worker with the Board of Registration for Social Workers in British Columbia. She is a second generation Canadian. Dena's education and extensive traveling abroad have deepened her sensitivity to diversity and sparked an understanding of the multi-faceted dimensions of life. She has strong cross-cultural communication and counselling skills.

Dena's Mission:
I have a curiosity and desire to explore different cultures and levels of meaning, opinions and points of view. I strive to appreciate the experiential uniqueness of each individual. I am motivated to creatively helping guests at A Home Away to dream of the life they want and deserve, and to coaching them to develop confidence and a realistic plan to get there.

back to top

This team of fine, accomplished individuals are here, eager to embrace you, wherever you are on your life journey, and compassionately walk along side you.

Continue to Bookstore