President of River Valley Wellness Centre, Ellis McKinney Affiliates & Oak Valley Retreat Institute

I am a small town girl with a big passion for life. Having grown up among much family tragedy and in poverty, I learned first hand that life can be difficult and sometimes quite unfair. Walking with this first hand experience of the trials of life at an early age I began to dream of working to help poor, disadvantaged and marginalized persons. Somehow I persevered with commitment, determination, and vision to graduate with distinction from St. Thomas University with a Degree in Social Work. For 15 years I  worked as a helping professional in the government system in Child Welfare, Disabled Adults and Mental Health and Addictions.  

In 2008 I opened River Valley Wellness Centre as a start up business in wellness and therapeutic services. In 2010 I expanded to add Oak Valley Retreat Institute offering care and retreat service. In 2021 I formed Ellis McKinney & Affiliates to solidify the professional practices of additional counsellors at the Centre.

I was honored to receive the Civil Service Excellence Award in 2007 for my work in Child Protection and also received an exceeds performance distinction from the Regional Director of Social Development in 2006. In 2010 I was chosen from an application process to attend a 9 day Mindfulness Retreat with Jon Kabat-Zinn at Spirit Rock Mediation Centre. This training was the climax of the series of trainings I had attended with Kabat-Zinn in the years prior.

I am delighted to have reached a point in my life where I am able to walk forward in the full embodiment of who I am, to offer expertise in my fields of practice on a part time basis, to assist and support those around me and to be of service in my community.

But most of all I am enthralled, invigorated and renewed to step forward into a more encompassing daily reality of my entrepreneurial successes and future opportunities.

Lori Ellis

Owner