Quote - Shana Johnson

Shana Johnston is a family doctor based at the BC Women's Hospital in Vancouver.

What brought you to The Haven?

After years with my nose to the grindstone at med school, I felt a bit lost when I finished studying. I began exploring different approaches to spirituality and personal growth. I found myself attracted to books and programs that opened my mind to new approaches and ways of seeing the world.

I first found out about The Haven when I was working as a locum in the interior with another young doctor. One of the doctors we were working with spoke highly of The Haven, where he'd attended a couple of programs, which he found very powerful. The young doctor I was working with decided to do a Come Alive and had a really great experience, so I decided to do a Come Alive as well.

What programs have you done?

My first program was Come Alive in 2001 with Ben and Jock [the founders of The Haven] - I had no idea who they were! After that I did a few short programs, and then reconnected with Ben and Jock at Reflections in 2004. They planted a seed in my mind about doing the Phase programs. In the meantime I met my husband, Dave, at a Haven check-in group in Vancouver. We did Phase I and II together in 2005 and 2006, which was a really excellent experience. We are both now at the very beginning of the intern path.

How have the programs benefitted you?

The biggest benefit I have seen is in my family relationships. Dave and I have done a lot of Haven work together, so our natural default is honest communication and owning our own stuff. I have never had a relationship like this before! We had great tools right from the beginning. The same skills have helped me as a parent of a new baby and step parent of a teenager. In my work, what I have learned at The Haven has been hugely beneficial in my interactions with patients and colleagues - my relationships seem to flow very well.