Quote - Harriet Thomas

Harriet Thomas owns and manages two very successful cafés in London, England.

What brought you to The Haven?

Fifteen years ago, my marriage in tatters, I was wandering around BC with my 5 year old daughter looking for a new start in life. We were hitchhiking in the Queen Charlottes when we were lucky enough to be picked up by some people who had been to The Haven. That's how I heard about it. So I feel I really stumbled across The Haven and have felt grateful that I found it ever since.

I really love the fact that since then many of my family, friends and even employees have come to The Haven - a whole contingent from West London!

What programs have you done?

I started with a Come Alive, which really blew me away. I had never experienced anything remotely like it. Susan Clarke was one of the leaders. I saw and personally experienced what I believe to be healing on a very deep level. I was amazed that this kind of work was possible at all, and here it was being carried on in this funky resort on this rustic little island in BC!

I did Phase I, my daughter did Kids in the Spotlight, and later I took Phase II with my partner at the time. Then I spent some time getting my business in England off the ground and looking forward to the next time I would have the time and money to come back again and take more programs. About 7 years ago, we started coming every summer in the school holidays. My daughter did Teens Alive and I did whatever program was on offer - which meant I did a lot of Come Alives! As a result I have acquired a bit of a taste for doing the programs more than once. I've done Phase I again and I'm planning to do Phase II again in 2009, maybe. This last summer I took New Horizons for the second time, this time round with Wayne Dodge and Jane Olynyk. The quality of the teaching was second to none, and the personal work that went on was quite extraordinary, as ever. I had an amazing time and learnt lots.

I see The Haven as this fantastic resource for my life, somewhere for me to go and recharge my batteries and grow.

How have the programs benefitted you?

The biggest benefit for me has been learning how to see people and communicate. This was really huge, the biggest area of growth for me and in this process I learned more about myself. Looking back, I don't think I could have started my business, where relationships are really important, without the tools and skills I learned (and am continuing to learn) at The Haven. In the summer I employ up to 18 people and it can be very challenging to manage this in a relational way. I am learning how to get out of my own way and create better relationships all the time.

As I said I have taken several Come Alives over the years. Sometimes I have had some kind of agenda, a particular crisis or life issue I was dealing with at the time where I was feeling stuck. Other times I have just taken one out of curiosity to see what came up for me, and because it fitted my holiday time. Every time, without fail, I have had a profound experience of some kind, and experienced huge shifts and insights and a moving on with my life. I have always left on a high, feeling greatly strengthened and more sure of myself than before. Apart from that it makes a fab holiday! For 5 days I laugh and cry and love. I realize again that there are other people out there, how interesting and often beautiful we all are, and how wonderful life really is. All my experiences at The Haven have been truly life-affirming for me.