The Team

Rita Bozi, Chief Kindness Officer

Rita is creator of and lead facilitator for all Training, Kind and Wise Nights, Brilliant Healing medicine retreats and transformative week-long healing intensives. She is the weaver of somatic relational trauma-informed facilitation, attachment education, embodied practices with the therapeutic and ceremonial use of healing medicines. She blends humour and rigour in a conscious way and practices kindness and is humbled by what it takes to decolonize the mind and body. She is profoundly grateful to be surrounded by a dedicated team of humans. If she weren’t doing what she is doing, she would be working for Amnesty International. Her favourite festival is the Fairy Tales Queer Film Festival.

Deirdre Young, Associate Kindness Collaborator

Deirdre’s devotion to integrating ceremony with therapeutic models comes from early heartbreak, relational gaps and many labours. Encouraging gentle re:learning then re:experiencing deeper truths, she transforms body:spirit awareness into relational service, wholeness and love. Tending to our hearts and to one another is key in her approach. Deirdre’s offerings are rooted in: core shamanic practice, land-based ancestral teachings, 20+ years in death and hospice, ancient myths and lineages, pilgrimage experiences from 2013-2019, cosmic play, mediumship, specialized kinesiology, ceremony, somatic relational trauma-sensitive spiritual/therapeutic practice & care. It is an honour and pleasure to work alongside Rita for so many years.

Karen Pickles, Ceremonial Kindness Attendant + Co-Facilitator

Karen is a Somatic Relational Trauma-informed Medicine Guide and Medicine Facilitation Assistant. With 30 years experience as a film and TV producer, she is currently Director of Communications and Operations for Brilliant Healing Inc, and a visual Artist. Karen is also a mother of two emerging adults and has a cherished roster of clients in her own private practice.

A graduate of Rita Bozi's first Cohort for Somatic Relational Trauma-informed Practices for Medicine-Assisted Facilitation, Karen supports a culture of kind collaboration. She flourishes from assisting Rita with the expanding activities at Brilliant Healing Inc. She serves as a supervisor and development support for Brilliant Healing Inc's evolving Cohort Trainings.

Her ongoing studies include, NARM Basic Level 1 (NeuroAffective Relational Module) therapy, Embodiment and Touch Practices with Rita Bozi, Strengthening Affective Spirituality with the Primary Modes of Communication and Healing Spiritual Trauma with Dr. Sharon Stanley.

Ken Cameron Ceremonial Kindness Attendant + Co-Facilitator

Born in Ontario, Ken came from a happy and stable home, and had all the privileges associated with a middle class white male upbringing. Ken has struggled with issues of self-image, self-worth, adequacy, sexuality, & anger management. Ken realizes there is always trauma to work through, regardless of upbringing; no upbringing is perfect. Ken has practiced meditation off and on for 20 years. Since Ken’s first experience with ayahuasca he has explored a wide gamut of other medicines (Iboga, etc). Ken is Rita’s husband, and an accomplished playwright theatre editor, business consultant & visual artist.

Melissa Parsons, Chief Kindness Assistant + Co-Facilitator

Mel began her own healing journey more than two decades ago to better understand her human experience through a holistic lens with a focus on the link between unprocessed trauma and physical pain. Her passion for healing arts has lead her to both study and experience numerous different modalities including consciousnesses expanding medicines. Mel has been cultivating her relationship with Rita for many years as a client, assistant, student and friend. Somatic Relational Trauma and Psychedelic informed therapy has become the crucible in which she will continue to forge her own healing path as well as assist others on theirs.

Vicki Deveau, Chief Kindness Assistant Intern

Vicki’s deep curiosity about how human relationships and environments shape individuals led her to a PhD in Social Psychology. During a particularly challenging phase in life, she turned to traditional therapies, only to find them largely ineffective. Enter Rita. Very quickly, Rita’s ways of being and relating helped Vicki make significant and enduring changes in her well-being. Offered the chance to participate in Brilliant Healing Inc.’s training, Vicki eagerly accepted. She has since completed trainings and continues to grow as a practitioner under the generous and insightful guidance of Rita, Karen, and Deirdre. When she's not involved in BHI activities, Vicki can most often be found at home tending to her beloved dogs and plants or knitting.

Sandi Somers, Associate Kindness Collaborator

Sandi has been practicing within the holistic, transpersonal, and healing arts for over 25 years assisting clients dealing with anxiety, depression, emotional regulation, self-esteem, life transitions, and habitual behaviours generated by beliefs, attitudes and past experiences. Today, Sandi incorporates somatic mindfulness, providing a safe, non-judgemental space within the foundation of a relational somatic approach to discovery and healing. Sandi brings authentic and compassionate care to clients, using a blend of approaches, person-centered, body-oriented, and mindfulness. Sandi facilitates trauma informed, somatic, mindful and compassionate meditation groups, is an award-winning filmmaker whose communities include LGBTQ2I+ Herland, for women in film, where she mentors filmmakers and writers on their creative path.

Crystal Perratt, Ceremonial Kindness Attendant + Co-Facilitator

Crystal has been on her own journey of exploration and healing for many years now. From experiencing the depth of restoration and vulnerability in herself and those in healing medicine circles with her, Crystal felt the pull to deepen her work and in addition to being client, put on the hat of practitioner and assistant through completing Somatic Relational Trauma-informed Practices for Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy with Rita. Crystal is humbled and honoured to partner with others on their journeys and knows first hand the healing that connection and community bring. Her approach is informed by the medicine she finds in nature, poetry, her smallest family members and this beautiful community of humans here. She looks forward to connecting with you.

Eve Paraschuk, Ceremonial Kindness Attendant + Co-Facilitator

Eve began her spiritual and healing journey during a period of darkness, when she found the the tarot card The Star in the gutter on a walk. She began working with Grandmother Ayahuasca in 2014 to heal patterns of disordered eating, and later as a client of Rita’s to mend attachment wounds to self, family of origin, and environment. Eve completed Brilliant Healing Inc’s first cohort training and is deeply committed to living and practicing in a somatic and relational framework. Eve is a nurse, artist, singer, poet, and Master of Social Work student. She synthesizes deep intelligence, curiosity, strength and love in her work with clients.

Tim Molloy, Chief Information Officer + Ceremonial Kindness Attendant

A techie by trade, Tim has a passion for medicine and the healing path. Born in NWT, Tim grew up in BC and was drawn to his own healing journey after his struggles with addiction. His first experiences were with Ayahuasca under the guidance of Dr. Gabor Maté on one of the famous retreats, similar to those featured on the CBC documentary The Jungle Cure. There, Tim learned that it is possible to heal and medicine can be the door that allows you to see the truth(s) about yourself.

Tim continued his medicine exploration in Alberta where he help to organize local retreats. The somatic work with Rita has confirmed that if one can slow down and pay attention, then we discover that the body has the wisdom to heal. Tim is proud that his rich lived experience allows for him to relate to those from all walks of life, working through all manner of struggles. Tim’s most dangerous addiction now is sky-diving and his son Declan.