Advanced FEEL Certification
Green Valley, ON K0C1L0
613 525 2065
equuswisdom@hotmail.com

Born and raised in Laval Québec, JoAnne spent long summers and winter vacations at the family cottage on Lake McGlashan in the beautiful Gatineau Hills in the Outaouais region, where she roamed the forest and lake shore with fishing rod and bucket, making friends and giving names to toads, rocks, bugs and pretty much anything that would listen, all the while dreaming about fields of horses and riding them into the sunset and across the mountains and valleys.  Being the only female child of her siblings, she followed and participated in her brother’s and father’s hunting expeditions as well as the family’s tradition of martial arts.

After high school and college studies in various languages, she pursued in the field of aesthetics and later in Natural, Alternative and Holistic medicines for humans and animals. Throughout this period she studied and obtained many certificates in such fields as Reiki, Aromatherapy, Homoeopathy as well as blood types, supplements, alternative medicine and nutrition.
At the age of 29, she went out and bought her first horse. JoAnne was so enraptured by this beautiful black horse that in the first week she got it, she was caught neighing in her sleep as well as calling out and smooching. Within 6 months JoAnne was off to her first Natural Horsemanship clinic in Allentown Pennsylvania, which was the beginning of her long and loving relationship with horses.

JoAnne has been on a spiritual journey learning First Nations teachings since 2004 and has participated in many ceremonies. She also owned and co-owned many small businesses in various fields and has organized and hosted many events such as seminars, workshops and demonstrations. She taught adult education in the field of aesthetics at a public school in Gatineau Québec, for a year, then at a private Academy in Hull Québec for a year and a half.

One day after viewing a media piece on the news about ”Equine Facilitated Experiences”, she realized this was her heart’s desire. Once again, the horses were calling; it was time to answer from the heart. Searching the internet, she found the Epona center in Arizona and from there the links that brought her to Horse Spirit Connections in Tottenham Ontario, where she went on to study under the patient guidance of Wendy Golding, André Leclipteux, Janis Mirynech and the wonderful herd of horses they own. JoAnne is now a certified F.E.E.L.(Facilitated Equine Experiential Learning) program facilitator. In 2012 she completed a CanfitPro Personal Trainer course and her St-John’s Ambulance First Aid and CPR certification and in January 2013 she completed a business course at St-Lawrence College in Cornwall Ontario through the SEA program and in July 2013 the TEMA Conter Trust “Psychological First Aid” certification. She intends to continue her studies in relation to her F.E.E.L. work and JoAnne never ceases to learn on a daily basis from her horses. In the future she intends to put together various programs such as healing programs to help First Nations ”Elders” who have suffered through residential schools and the repercussions of those experiences.

JoAnne currently leads a fulfilling life in Green Valley, Ontario with her menagerie of animals, 4 cats, 2 dogs and 2 horses with 2 more to come. She is working on developing a private and corporate clientele as an “Alternatives Health & Wellness Coach” and F.E.E.L. Facilitator in the beautiful Glengarry region to help and inspire personal growth, emotional intelligence and overall health to those who wish to explore and experience the wisdom that horses offer so selflessly and their teachings on authenticity. Having experienced and knowing the stress associated with her fathers chosen field of work, JoAnne is focused on helping “frontline” and “first responders” on their journey, so they may cope and get past the challenges they experience in their line of duty.