Faith Richardson
Author Faith Richardson is a confirmed, non-recovering 'bookaholic'. Early favorites were the Enid Blyten 'Adventure' Series, Trixie Beldon and Cherry Ames, the Nesbit stories, and, later, Madeleine L'Engle's and L. M. Montgomery's novels. Today, her bedside reading has returned again and again to the works of authors who have influenced her most profoundly: stories by C. S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and George Macdonald.As a young author, she was privileged to be mentored by Madeleine L'Engle (author of Newbery Award winner, A Wrinkle in Time) and to assist her in Writer's Workshops at Regent College, Vancouver School of Theology, and Oxford College. Faith continues to love story and words and, as Luci Shaw has stated, 'the way words rub together.' Spinning stories and writing children's lit is still a passion!Along with books, pets have always filled her life: horses and ponies, a donkey, goats, dogs, cats, birds, fish, and guinea pigs . . . a few of those species now make their home at Fox Song Farm.Faith's doctorate is in nursing practice (DNP). Her doctoral research was in gerontology and Positive Aging. As a Registered Nurse, with a practice background as a Family Nurse Practitioner, hospice, community health, she has provided care for a wide variety of people of all ages, including those who have been less-than-satisfied with only a prescription focus.In her educational writing and coaching practice, Faith calls on a variety of therapeutic modalities, including HeartMath, applied kinesiology, and Equine-facilitated Wellness to help people re-kindle joy, passion, and a purpose-rich life. Faith's practice and writing grow out of a tradition of healing arts: story and medicine and a nature connection.
"Stories reach to the deepest part of us; stories are how we order our lives and the world around us. Is it any wonder that healing can occur through the telling of our story, our life?"
Brief Bio ...
Dr. Faith Richardson, DNP RN, a clinician with an academic and research background, has developed and taught courses in undergraduate and graduate programs (Nursing, Counseling Psychology), including advanced practice (CNS) gerontology. Her doctoral dissertation research involved an Action Research project with the aim of increasing voice in practice with older adults in Assisted Living and Residential Care. Previous research and scholarship focused on promoting positive aging. Dr. Richardson is the Canadian author of Mosby's Nursing Drug Reference (Elsevier).
Faith also has an MCS/MA from Regent College, Vancouver, with a focus on spirituality and an interdisciplinary approach to deep joy, connection with soul and spirit, and authentic well-being. The novel The Peacock's Stone, was written as part of her Master's thesis. The Peacock's Stone, published as a YA novel, went on to win the 2005 Eric Hoffer Award.
Dr. Richardson is now a sem-retired nurse and Equine-facilitated-Wellness provider practicing as an Ecotherapist, PSYCH-KTM affiliate, HeartMathTM mentor and Life Coach. Today, most of her professional energy goes into writing and education. On a limited basis, Faith continues to offer sessions at Fox Song Farm as an ecotherapist partnering with nature and equines and communication, creativity and health/wellness workshops on the farm and locally. She embraces both person-centered and narrative (story) perspectives within an appreciative inquiry framework.
Author of several YA novels and other fictional work, Faith is available for public readings and writer-in-residence sessions (K-12). She is a member of CANSCAIP and TWUC. As a member of TWUC, Faith is available for public bookings through funded efforts of The Writer's Union of Canada (TWUC) and National Public Readings Program.
Memberships:
CANSCAIP https://www.canscaip.org/Sys/PublicProfile/70390095/1160952
TWUC: https://www.writersunion.ca/member/faith-richardson-fay-s-lapka
Faith and Janna in the nursing classroom several years ago.
Wellbeing and working with animals.
The philosophy of wellbeing that Fox Song and Kindle Health holds is one that celebrates connection with Creation and fellow-creatures. We learn many lessons about wellness through nature, and in particular through socially-structured groups, such as horse herds.
'Herd' manifests as collaborative mutuality with present-moment living. There is joy in living fully aligned and connected--within our self and among our family, friends, colleagues and community. In equine-guided work, we begin to see ourselves mirrored in our herd partners and experience deeper empathy with self and others.
'Wellness' means we look to the connected mutuality of body and soul, heart and mind in the four pillars of wellness: purpose, balance, congruence, sustainability (Stinson, 2013).
Connecting to our external herd through collaborative communication, we weave in the threads of appreciation, altruism, and presence-ing. The four wellness pillars (purpose, balance, congruence, sustainability) manifest-in-the-moment, promoting well-being that embodies connection.
Our animals are appreciated as sentient partners in life and work. We seek to provide them with an environment that promotes their own well-being and we include them respectfully in our work, striving to move toward mutuality in decision-making.
Faith & Tivio
The Fox Song herd: Puck, Arael, Tivio and Penelope
HeartMath is a registered trademark of Quantum Intech, Inc. For all HeartMath trademarks go to www.heartmath.com/trademarks. .