Awakenings Womens Retreat

Heather & Jarrod Gunn McQuillan

Heather is the co-owner of Nature Space Resort in beautiful St. Peter’s Harbour, PEI. She is a certified RYT 200hr Yoga Alliance Teacher (500h currently in process with certifications in Vinyasa, Yin, Yoga Nidra, and Chair Yoga). Heather has actively practiced yoga since 2009, is trained in Mindfulness Meditation (MBSR graduate), and has practiced meditation since 2013. She is also certified as a meditation and mindfulness instructor and is a graduate from Canada's only graduate-level University program in Mindfulness (Mindfulness Based Teaching and Learning offered from The University of the Fraser Valley). Heather is also a certified MBSR facilitator from the Centre for Mindfulness Studies. Heather's mindfulness and wellbeing work often happens in nature, including the Forest Bathing walk at the resort. She has developed the wellbeing programming at Nature Space (and has extensive experience in curriculum development as a university professor at the Atlantic Veterinary College). She has been a veterinarian for more than 20 years. Heather also holds Reiki level II certification, and integrates Reiki into her yoga practice, as well as private offerings. Jarrod is the co-owner of Nature Space Resort and brings a wide variety of life and work experiences to their project at the resort. His educational background includes Commerce and Science degrees and early in his career his work focused on sustainability & localizing food systems and he worked closely with primary food producers, community groups, sustainable food advocates and First Nations communities in Ontario and British Columbia. More recently, prior to opening the resort, he spent more than 10 years as the Oyster Biologist for the Province of Prince Edward Island and still grows his own oysters and shares experiences and his passion for oysters with guests at the resort. Jarrod has used cold water therapy for years through his athletic career, but recently has begun to implement many of the breath work and mindfulness strategies to broaden his understanding and use of cold water. He is currently completing his Cold Water Therapy Diploma and has begun training on the Wim Hof Method. He is also a passionate naturalist and outdoor leader. He is one of the most highly certified sea kayak instructors in Atlantic Canada with Paddle Canada and has had the pleasure of leading programs & expeditions as well attending sea kayak gatherings as a guest coach all across Canada, the United States and beyond through his sea kayak instructional business – Cloud 9 Adventures.