Refuge is safe
Our innate capacity for healing can only manifest under the right conditions. If we take care to create a safe, supportive, and non-judgmental container, we can trust our healing intelligence to guide and repair emotional wounds. Refuge practitioners bring extensive expertise and deep care to our commitment to holding space for your well-being.
Refuge is local
We recognize the mutually reinforcing relationship between individual and collective well-being. So, we aim to support not only the well-being of our individual clients, but also the families, communities, and systems with which we all live. Ownership of Refuge is local. Our members all live, practice and pay our bills in Montreal. We contract with local suppliers wherever possible. We nurture our connections to local experts, journalists, organizations (public and private), cultural and spiritual leaders, and business owners. The integration of local culture and wisdom enriches our collective lives and deepens the container for healing.
Refuge is relational
Healing does not happen alone. We hold the relational nature of healing at the centre of our philosophy. Refuge itself is designed as a “relational container.” Refuge practitioners know and support each other in a tightly knit community of practice. We are real people with real vulnerabilities in real relationships. We have dinner together and know each other’s children. This ethos extends to our suppliers and partners. So when you – whoever you are – enter Refuge, you are welcomed into a network of relationships with people whose ambition is the expansion of love and care in the world.
Refuge is collective
Refuge is more than a clinic. It is a gathering place where diverse community members participate in a range of activities designed for connection, healing and inspiration. Group programming is prioritized to leverage collective healing resources. We also encourage the involvement of friends and family in individual healing journeys and engagement with other local community centres and institutions. The leadership of Refuge is distributed among its founding members and guided by the input of its advisory board, which includes representatives of local stakeholders such as clients, healthcare institutions, business and government.
Refuge is compassionate
Refuge welcomes you all. Our commitment to inclusivity extends to all individuals, regardless of their culture, race, religion, language, sexual preference, sexual identity, trauma history, or neurodiversity. We embrace the rich tapestry of human diversity and believe all individuals and groups deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. We are dedicated to understanding, learning, and growing alongside our clients, ensuring that everyone feels heard, seen, and supported in their journey toward healing and self-discovery.
Refuge is transformative
Personal development is non-linear. There are periods of adversity and periods of ease. We are especially well-equipped to support you when you feel stuck. Our approach is grounded in experiential modalities such as Internal Family Systems, mindfulness and breathwork, and may include the judicious use of psychedelics as catalysts. These healing journeys are supported by thoughtful preparation beforehand – to ensure a conducive set and setting – and rigorous integration afterward – to ensure the experience is deeply metabolized and embodied.
Refuge is humble
Refuge practitioners bring extensive training and expertise to our work supporting transformative healing with evidence-based, experiential therapies. That said, we humbly recognize our own limitations and remain committed to learning from diverse sources of wisdom.
Refuge is good
In this historical moment, it can be difficult to find sustainable sources of safety, connection, and peace. Unfortunately, this scarcity often manifests in healthcare settings, where we are particularly vulnerable. Our aspiration with Refuge is to create a place where you can feel truly welcome, fully at home and resourced to heal. We view our role as stewards of this public good, through these challenging times. While we are human and our collective work on perfecting Refuge will undoubtedly be full of missteps, we believe such a resource is essential for sustainable, collective well-being.
