Journey Haven

05/13/2026

There’s been a lot of talk lately about boys “falling behind” in school, especially following recent coverage from CBC News.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/boys-falling-behind-in-school-9.7195214

But what if that’s not the full story?

Working inside schools, I see something different. I see boys who are capable, intelligent, and deeply aware—but who often learn, move, and express themselves in ways that don’t always fit into a traditional classroom model.

Some have already put in hours of work before the school day even begins.
Some regulate through movement and connection.
Some are labeled before they’re truly understood.

This blog isn’t about choosing sides.

It’s about widening the lens.

It’s about recognizing that students don’t all learn the same—and when we begin to understand that, everything shifts.

👇 Read the full blog and let’s open up the conversation
https://journeyhaven.ca/2026/05/12/are-boys-falling-behind-or-are-we-missing-how-they-learn/

05/12/2026

There’s been a lot of conversation around the new expectations in Ontario schools… especially when it comes to attendance and student accountability.

And truthfully, it’s something we need to talk about.

Our youth are navigating more than ever before. Mental health matters. Support matters. Compassion matters.

But at the same time… we can’t ignore the importance of showing up.

In this blog, I reflect on the balance between empathy and accountability—how we can support our youth while also helping them build resilience, self-awareness, and responsibility for their learning and growth.
Because one day, school becomes the workplace.

And life won’t remove the pressure… it asks us to learn how to move through it.
This isn’t about being hard on our youth.

It’s about believing in them enough to help them rise.

👇 Read the full blog and join the conversation
https://journeyhaven.ca/2026/05/12/showing-up-matters-reflecting-on-ontarios-new-education-expectations/

04/20/2026

🌿 Journey Haven Summer Camps 2026 — Sign Up Now! 🌞

Our summer camps are filling up, and we are so excited for the season ahead! Watching the kids grow in confidence, connection, and joy each summer is truly something special.

✨ Why Journey Haven?
• Builds confidence + independence
• Supports emotional well-being + mindfulness
• Encourages friendships + social skills
• Connects kids to nature + outdoor play
• Creates meaningful, lasting memories

Because some weeks are already filling, we are now offering limited daily spots in addition to our weekly registrations to help give more families the opportunity to join us 🌿

📍 Exeter + Mitchell
👧👦 Ages 6–11 (varies by camp)

🌱 Low camper-to-leader ratios for quality + safety

If you’ve been thinking about signing up, now is a great time — spaces are limited and filling quickly!

If a week shows waitlist, please still register and we will reach out if a spot opens.

We can’t wait for another summer of adventure, growth, and connection with your kiddos 💛

Register for the week 👇
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdh_ICnNqOxUny5OYX6CmW_mXKuaE_padOHnR6Xuc8A2c5JLA/viewform?usp=header

Register for a day, here and there 👇
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdpy3Fb5c5gUjJGcqZBMs-MkXwX7F2PWN9FuCPLx0GD9cjbpw/viewform?usp=header

04/18/2026

We are so excited to welcome Janneke Vorsteveld from Seeds Rooted in Youth to Journey Haven's Mindfully Natured Kids camps this summer 🌿

Janneke brings such a beautiful, grounded presence and a deep connection to land-based learning, relationship, and meaningful experiences. Through Seeds Rooted, her work is centered around creating spaces where children can grow in confidence, connection, and belonging—guided by nature, community, and intentional care
Our campers will have the opportunity to experience something truly special alongside her—slowing down, connecting deeply, and learning in a way that feels natural, supportive, and empowering.

We are so grateful to have her join us and can’t wait to see the seeds she helps plant this summer 💛🌱

Welcome, Janneke ✨

04/01/2026

🌲 What exactly happens at Mindfully Natured Kids Camp? 🌲

Great question — and we love answering it! 👇

Mindfully Natured Kids is where outdoor adventure meets emotional superpowers. 💪

We take kids outside — like, really outside — and let nature do what it does best. Fresh air, open space, creek water, and dirt have a remarkable way of helping kids' nervous systems settle, reset, and recharge. We call it nature as a co-regulator, and science backs it up completely. 🌿

But we don't stop there.

While your child is busy having the time of their life, they're also quietly building some of the most important skills they'll ever have. 🙌

Here's what a day might look like:
🦎 Discovering salamanders and crayfishing in the creek
🏕️ Building epic forts with real sticks and real teamwork
🎨 Getting gloriously messy with nature crafts
🧘 Learning mindful tools to handle overwhelming emotions
🤝 Forging real friendships — the screen-free kind
🌊 Moving, laughing, exploring, and just being a kid

And here's the part parents love most — your child won't just come home tired and happy. They'll come home with actual strategies to navigate big feelings, calm their own nervous system, and face challenges with confidence. 🧠✨

It's the perfect balance between wild, adventurous kid and grounded, present human.
And yes — they'll also help plant a tree in Ontario. 🌳 Because kids who love nature protect it.

🌲 Mindfully Natured Kids Summer Day Camp
Part of the Journey Haven family of camps
📍Exeter + Mitchell, Ontario | 👉 journeyhaven.ca
⚠️ Spots are filling fast — grab yours before they're gone!

04/01/2026

🩵🤍🩷 International Transgender Day of Visibility — March 31

Today is a day to be seen.

Every transgender person deserves to love who they are — not in spite of who they are, but because of it. Self-love isn't a destination you arrive at when the world finally catches up. It's something every person is worthy of right now, in this moment, exactly as they are.

At Journey Haven, we believe in a world that doesn't just tolerate difference — it celebrates it. A world where every person can step into their truth without fear, and be met with open arms.

Today we honour the strength, the courage, and the beauty of the transgender community. And we recommit to doing our part in making this world a safer, kinder, more accepting place for everyone in it.

You are seen. You are enough. You are loved. 🩷🤍🩵

03/30/2026

⚠️ Spots are filling FAST — don't miss out! ⚠️

Summer 2026 at Journey Haven is going to be the best one yet, and parents are already snapping up spots! 🙌

Here's why kids LOVE it here 👇
🌿 They finally unplug — and actually don't miss their screens. Nature has a way of doing that. When kids are outside, their nervous systems calm down, their mood lifts, and their confidence soars. It's not magic — it's science. Nature is one of the most powerful co-regulators for growing kids.
🐟 They have real adventures — crayfishing, fort building, creek exploring, finding salamanders. The kind of memories they'll talk about for years.
🎨 They get beautifully messy — mud, crafts, creativity. We celebrate all of it.
💪 They grow — not just in fun, but in emotional strength. Kids leave with real mindful tools to handle big feelings, build friendships, and show up confidently in the world.
🌳 They give back — every camper plants one tree in Ontario. How cool is that? They also do community initiatives.

We have three different types of camps that are designed for YOUR child:
🌸 Spirited Girls
🌲 Mindfully Natured Kids
🪓 Wildly Adventurous Boys

💥 Spots are going FAST and we'd hate for your child to miss out on the summer of their life.

👉 Register NOW at journeyhaven.ca
Because the best summers happen outside. 🌞

03/26/2026

☀️ Summer just got a whole lot wilder — and that's the whole point! ☀️

At Journey Haven for our Summer Day Camps, we're big believers that the best therapy has mud on its boots. 🌿

Here's a little secret that nature already knows: kids' brains and bodies are wired to regulate through the outdoors. Fresh air, bare feet on grass, splashing in streams — nature is a built-in co-regulator, calming big emotions, boosting focus, and building resilience in ways no screen ever could. When your child is outside, their nervous system literally breathes a sigh of relief. 😌

So we ditched the fluorescent lights and took everything outside — where the real magic happens! 🪲🌊🌳

Your kid will:
🐟 Go crayfishing & discover real creek creatures
🏕️ Build forts they'll actually be proud of
🎨 Get creatively (gloriously) messy
💪 Learn mindful tools to handle big feelings like a pro
🤝 Make the kind of friendships that last way beyond the summer

We have three amazing camps built for your child's unique spark:
🌸 Spirited Girls | 🌲 Mindfully Natured Kids | 🪓 Wildly Adventurous Boys

Less scrolling. More salamanders. 🦎

That's the Journey Haven way.

👇 Registration is OPEN for 2026 — spots fill fast!
🔗 journeyhaven.ca

03/23/2026

🌿✨ I’m so excited to share something close to my heart…

I’ll be volunteer teaching at Amarya Academy, offering a class on:
Youth Emotional Regulation Foundations
(A sneak peek into an ICF-aligned Youth Coaching Certification I’m creating through Journey Haven: Pathways for Youth 💛)

This class is, tomorrow on Tuesday March 24 at 7pm, and is all about:
understanding the youth nervous system
seeing behaviour through a different lens
learning simple, powerful tools to support kids through big emotions

It’s gentle, real, and something you can take into everyday life right away—whether you’re a parent, educator, coach, or someone who simply cares deeply about supporting youth.

✨ Amarya has opened this space so we can share our work and invite our communities in… and I would truly love to have you there.

💫 This session is FREE to attend

If you feel called to join, send me a DM or text me at 519-301-9266 and I’ll get you all the details.

Let’s keep creating spaces where youth feel seen, supported, and safe 🌿💛

✨ New Amarya Teacher Spotlight: Jenny Stasik-Cates, PCC ✨

Starting next Tuesday at 7pm ET

We are honored to welcome Jenny Cates, holistic life coach, youth mentor, and founder of Journey Haven, to the Amarya teaching community.

Jenny brings a deeply compassionate + grounded approach to supporting both youth and parents through meaningful growth, emotional resilience, and authentic connection.

🌿 Pathways to Confidence: Youth Coaching Foundations

Equip yourself to confidently coach youth in building resilience, self-awareness, and trust in themselves.

🌿 Raising Resilient Humans: Coaching for Parents

Support parents in strengthening connection, communication, and emotional understanding within the family.

🗓 Tuesdays + Wednesdays (every other week, alternating)

🕖 7pm ET

This is powerful, heart-centered work for coaches ready to make a real impact across generations.

03/22/2026

POV: Your child comes home from camp a little dirtier… a little more confident… and full of stories about the friends they made, the games they played, and the adventures they didn’t want to end 🌿

That’s the magic of Journey Haven.

Our 2026 Summer Camps are open, and we’re getting ready for days filled with nature, laughter, mindfulness, and connection.

📍 Exeter + Mitchell
🌱 Ages 6–11 (varies by camp)
✨ Limited spots (we keep ratios low!)

Spots are already filling, all camps are more then half full — if you see waitlist, still sign up and we’ll reach out if something opens 💛

We can’t wait to welcome your kiddos into another unforgettable summer.

https://journeyhaven.ca/summer-day-camps/