Learn about Luminate Wellness
Vision & Purpose
Testimonials
Watch, Listen, and Read
about jenn cusick
Jenn has been a mental health professional since the early 90s.
Photography by Michele Phillips from What Dreams May Become Photography
During her decades of service with community mental health organizations, she has been a relentless force for innovation. She sees sparks—programs and projects with the potential to serve humanity in bright new ways—and tends to them until they catch fire, transforming their surroundings.
Jenn led one of the provinces first mental health peer support programs from a small and underutilized program to a robust service that reaches struggling people in incredibly diverse settings. In the early 2000s she introduced the revolutionary Wellness Recovery and Action Plan to British Columbia, advocating for agency support until the model was integrated across Western Canada.
In 2020 Jenn was awarded the contract to develop, create, and write BC’s provincial peer support training curriculum. It was launched in 2021, and is utilized by many across the country. She rewrote the curriculum as a text book for post-secondary schools and won the 2023 International Merlot Classics award for it.
In 2015 Jenn created Luminate Wellness in order to satisfy her itchy visionary spirit, and share what she has learned from her time trailblazing these innovative, transformative ideas with an even broader community.
Today Jenn delivers peer support and staff development trainings, facilitator skills trainings, and team-building workshops. She recently developed a new program called Foundations of Well-Being. All trainings and workshops focus on trauma-informed practices that unpack biases, support interconnection, and encourage self-determination in people supported. Jenn will work with leaders to develop workshops and trainings specific to the needs of their organizations.
Jenn personally understands deep struggle. She has been through some really dark seasons in her life, and through much support from others and personal work, she has learned survival skills to stay afloat in difficult seasons. She has also supported close family members through their mental health struggles.
For thirty years, she has been creating curriculum, delivering trainings, and facilitating workshops that kick doors open in the minds of her clients. She has been leading the way to well-being primarily by honouring her own pioneering spirit. She can’t stop now.
jenn is:
A CPRP (Certified Psychosocial Rehabilitation Practitioner) through the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association (PRA)
An Advanced Level WRAP Facilitator through the Copeland Center
An Appreciate Inquiry Facilitator trained through the Center for Appreciative Inquiry
Jenn and her family live in Abbotsford, BC. They are a family of self-proclaimed movie buffs.
Hope is born in the stillness of a moment when one, ever so slightly, begins to believe that they might be able to experience relief, happiness, satisfaction, connection, and joy.
luminate wellness...
delivers personal development workshops, trainings, and resources to individuals and organizations bravely committed to challenging the status quo for the sake of exuberant wellness.
Led by British Columbia’s Wellness Recovery Action Plan pioneer Jenn Cusick, Luminate offers a complement of strengths-based, innovative, and best practice tools and trainings for people who need to creatively shift the way they work, live, play, and care for themselves and others. Luminate believes that fixating on problems wastes the energy that we could be devoting towards identifying and maximizing strengths.
We unearth desires and illuminate strengths because true wellness at home and work is within reach. Profit, productivity, peace of mind, and purpose are striding forward, hand in hand. You have time to catch up.
WHY this work?
Our society has a very serious problem.
But I am here because there is HOPE.
1 in 5 people are diagnosed with a mental health/substance use issue.
We live in an era of hyper individualism, and deep systemic trauma.
This is negatively affecting individuals, communities, and organizations.
Collectively we have the POWER to change! We CAN create COMPASSIONATE and INTERCONNECTED communities.
We CAN create stronger places of BELONGING, HEALING, and WHOLENESS,
where people are mindful of their biases and judgements, and seek to UNDERSTAND.
vision & purpose
We believe that everybody has the right to live a life of wholeness and purpose despite setbacks and personal and systemic challenges and injustices. The work of Luminate Wellness is dedicated to doing all that is possible address and dismantle systemic issues that impact people’s mental health, and society as a whole. The work takes a lens of interconnection, belonging, and community, rather than focusing only on the individual.
Luminate Wellness will always focus on supporting organizations to create conditions that support people to heal, grow, and thrive. We recognize the importance of engaging in our own personal healing and growth, while addressing our own judgements and biases, so that we can better support others.
The work of Luminate Wellness is always grounded in self-determination, curiosity, equity, belonging, acknowledgement, and humility.
We are committed to shining a light on strengths and supporting people to trust and listen to their own inner wisdom so that they can take the reins of their lives and organizations, and live out their dynamic, synergistic sense of purpose.
Luminate Wellness charges GST.
HOPE
testimonials
“I have been fortunate to collaborate with Jenn on various recovery based training initiatives over the past 10 years. She has always demonstrated a high level of skill and flexibly in her delivery of services. She has been very creative in responding to training needs that we have identified. Jenn is very passionate about supporting individuals to develop the skills to be effective in their roles whether it is their personal lives or professional roles. She has worked with a wide range of individuals and I have received positive feedback from my staff that have attended training programs that she facilitated.”
~Anthony Neptune: Fraser Health Mental Health & Addictions Rehabilitation and Recovery Manager
“Jenn is one of those people that you will occasionally meet that is truly and genuinely beautiful on both the inside and the outside.
I have had the pleasure of working closely with Jenn through my previous work with both adult mental health WRAP and a new initiative called High School WRAP, both in Edmonton, Alberta.
Jenn embraces and models the characteristics of an amazing facilitator....jenn coaches rather than “tells”; listens more than she talks, can expertly frame all participant feedback as positive and enhancing contributions; and brings so much of her warm, vibrant nature to the WRAP trainings. Jenn is kind of like a warm mug of your favourite hot chocolate on a brisk day...when Jenn facilitates a session, it just feels right and you leave with a satisfied smile on your face but still wanting more!”
~Komala Pepin: Former Manager of Recovery Supports Alberta Health Services - Edmonton Zone
“I have the ongoing pleasure of working with Jenn on developing WRAP strategies for my health organization. We are currently in the third year of a three year project. Working with Jenn has been extremely collaborative, allowing me as the busy project manager to turn many a responsibility over to Jenn. Jenn is strategic, thoughtful, professional, warm and engaging. She also meets all timelines and exceeds all deliverables, an organization’s dream! I recommend working with Jenn, she remains a valued partner in a project that would not succeed if she were not at the helm.”
~Shana Hall: Project Manager, Mental Health and Substance Use Services - Island Health
“As a recent participant taking part in a WRAP group facilitated by Jenn Cusick, it didn’t take long to be drawn to Jenn’s warm, welcoming, and personable presence. For one to open up about certain topics, especially those revolving around one’s mental health in a group setting can surely be an unsettling experience for some. But Jenn has the natural ability to engage a room and create a fun learning, trust worthy, and non-judgemental experience to guide those on their mental health journeys.
Jenn simply cares about others and is the epitome of a strong mental health advocate. She was undoubtedly meant to promote and teach personal wellness to others and I personally can’t recommend the services of Jenn Cusick and Luminate Wellness enough.”
~Keith Wilen: Toronto, Ontario
“Jenn’s passion for WRAP and compassion for people shines through as a facilitator. She treats participants with unconditional high regard and as her equal while supporting their choices and options in the learning of the material.”
~Lauren Pearson: Project Coordinator at Alberta Health Services
“WRAP has had a profound influence on my life. Having a plan in place to support my wellness has helped me in both my personal and professional life. I attended a group Jenn facilitated and was amazed at her ability to create such a safe space. She has an ease to her that makes you feel instantly comfortable, fostering trust and unity within the group. Her passion is evident and her enthusiasm is infectious; it’s easy to feel inspired in her presence. She is definitely an asset to the health and wellness field.”
~Tara Strachan: BTR, CTRS - CMHA
“I have attended several workshops that Jenn has facilitated. Her passion for this work in encouraging wellness, motivation and empowerment of self is inspiring. She is not only knowledgeable of the material she’s presenting but always takes the time to enhance her own skills and education. When Jenn presents she is confident, charismatic and open to learning from her audience too. I can’t wait to keep learning and being inspired by such a wonderful facilitator. ”
~Celina Jeves: Fraser Health Authority Mental Health Worker
“Jenn Cusick is an extremely skilled wellness facilitator. It has been my pleasure to be a participant in two of her WRAP sessions. I have learned so much from her about facilitating an engaging, informative and positive learning environment. You will come away from Jenn’s session with tools to utilize in your everyday life and be inspired to continue your personal development.”
~Christine Naidu: Edmonton, Alberta
“I had the privilege to receive WRAP Facilitators training in 2014. One of my trainers was Jenn Cusick. This training provided a venue to explore our own thoughts about recovery and wellness and ultimately how we encourage wellness in people receiving care. Jenn was clear about what was expected of us as new facilitators. Her approach is caring, understanding and supportive. ”
~Krista Nabb: Vancouver Island Health Authority
“I was so fortunate to receive my WRAP facilitator training from Jenn Cusick. It was a great and lasting experience. I describe Jenn as the Frida Kahlo of WRAP. She is an artist of wellness who possesses the special ability to help one recognize and access their inner strengths. By building upon the positive Jenn has helped empower me with the tools to focus on personal and professional goals, self-betterment and the pursuit of happiness.”
~Kent Laforme: WRAP Facilitator BCSS - Victoria
“The Desire Map has helped me to focus on what I want out of life. It’s opened me up and I notice that my thoughts and feelings have shifted, in a subtle way. Not all life changes need to be big and bold to matter; small, gentle, consistent shifts can lead you to the right path and on to joy. I’m very grateful for this book and to Jenn and Danielle who created the space for me to really start to integrate the teachings in the Desire Map.”
~Jane Meachin: Desire Map Workshop participant
watch, listen, and read
In this session we will dig into the research behind self-compassion.
Jenn Cusick is the founder and lead facilitator at Luminate Wellness. She is passionate about helping organizations create inspiring and heathy work cultures.
In this interview segment with WRAP facilitator and trainer, Jenn Cusick from Luminate Wellness, we discuss the 5 Key Concepts of Mental Health Recovery and Wellness.
In this interview we discuss the mental health recovery program called WRAP, developed by Mary Ellen Copeland, and the 5 Key Recovery Concepts of wellness.
The BC PSR Advanced Practice is pleased to offer a webinar that addresses the concept of self-determination in a caring context. Most of us get into the mental health field because we want to give back, or help. We will spend some time in this webinar looking at the radical/cutting edge shifts that have occurred in the field over the years.
Appreciative Inquiry is the process of team-building through Appreciative Inquiry involves storytelling and exploring the best of what already exists, through team connection, and sharing. Appreciative Inquiry (AI) flips the negative "glass half-full" paradigm on its head.
The BC PSR Advanced Practice is pleased to offer this webinar as the first of two WRAP sessions. Jenn Cusick facilitated an interactive overview of a WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) workshop. We had a few group participants in the room as well as online participants.
articles by jenn for other organizations
Agents of HOPE
(Originally written for the PSR/RPS Canada website)
There are so many different paths people can take on their recovery journey, but every single path begins with HOPE.
Hope for many starts out really, really small. I often describe hope as the wee spark that gets us out of bed in the morning. If that spark is tended to, it can grow and grow until it becomes that catalyst that fully changes our lives.
VISION’S Magazine
Well-Being as a Non-Linear Journey
Jenn was the guest editor, and contributed an article for the issue called Blips and Dips.
Snippet of the article:
“The only way out of something is to go through it. Being present, learning how to sit with our difficult feelings when we are in struggle is an essential step. Processing pain means that we have to let ourselves feel it first.
I have also come to understand the importance of community and support. As human beings, we all experience struggle: it’s our birthright. I have noticed that when I talk about my struggles, my shame melts away and I know that I am not alone.”
Self-Determination and Recovery
(Originally written for the PSR/RPS Canada website)
Self-determination should always be integral to the way we serve anyone. It might look different depending on how someone is doing, but it should always be present. It is an essential part of being human.
A Focus on Strengths
(Originally written for the PSR/RPS Canada website)
When we really think about it, the culture we live in is very focused on deficits and problems. From a very early age we become keenly aware of our personal issues, flaws and problems. What is getting in the way of me being the best I can be? Why am I not living to my full potential? How can I fix this vexing problem within me? I need to lose a few pounds, then I’ll feel good about myself.
Article for
#makeitREIGN
Article for Make it Reign website on managing diabetes.
I have calluses on my fingers.
I was forced to get over any discomfort I had over needles many, many years ago.
On more than one occasion a syringe has accidentally fallen out of my purse. I always get judgmental looks when it happens. It’s pretty mortifying, as you can imagine.
The Importance of Language in Recovery-Oriented Organizations
(Originally written for the PSR/RPS Canada website)
When we were kids we chanted the rhyme, “Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” However as adults we know this is untrue. Words can profoundly hurt and leave scars that can last years. I can imagine that a lot of us might be still nursing scars from hurtful words we have received over our lifetimes. The topic of language is something on the radar for PSR focussed organizations committed to serving with recovery-oriented practices