We explore the complexities and uncertainties of being human
Who are we?
Lisa Loewen
Lisa is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC), educator, writer, artist, trained animal-assisted therapy practitioner (canine and equine), and Certified Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapist. Lisa has a Bachelors degree with a specialized focus in psychology and a Masters in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on Trauma and Person of the Counsellor. Since 2013, she has had the privilege of walking alongside individuals and couples as they navigate trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, grief, identity, life transitions, and the beautifully messy work of being human.
Her approach is trauma-informed, attachment-based, experiential, and non-pathologizing. Drawing from somatic, mindfulness, and relational approaches, Lisa believes that meaningful change begins with curiosity, compassion, and understanding—not judgment. Her role isn’t to tell people how to live, but to help them reconnect with themselves so they can make choices that align with who they are and how they want to move through the world.
Lisa offers psychedelic preparation and integration support within legal and ethical boundaries. She is particularly interested in how transformative experiences—whether through profound life events, loss, or altered states of consciousness—can become opportunities for healing, growth, and deeper self-understanding. Her work has also expanded into end-of-life support, where questions of meaning, identity, legacy, and connection often become most important.
Lisa’s perspective has been shaped by more than her clinical training. Growing up in a rural farming community before experiencing metropolitan life through university gave her an appreciation for both the close-knit nature of small communities and the diversity of larger urban centres. Those perspectives continue to shape her understanding of identity, belonging, relationships, and the many different ways people make sense of themselves and the world around them. Before becoming a counsellor, she spent nearly twenty years training horses professionally and also worked as a professional driver and heavy equipment operator. She is also a parent who has experienced the joys and challenges of raising a family within a blended family system, giving her firsthand appreciation for the complexity of child development, co-parenting, changing family roles, and the resilience families continually ask of one another.
Like many of the people she works with, Lisa’s understanding has been shaped by both education and lived experience. From horses to motherhood, and from life’s unexpected turns to its greatest joys, those experiences continue to shape how she listens, teaches, and shows up for others.
Outside of counselling, Lisa is the co-founder of Humanity Academy, where she creates practical educational resources, workshops, and courses that bridge the gap between traditional education and the emotional, relational, and psychological skills we all need to navigate everyday life. She is also a writer and mixed-media artist, primarily working in acrylics, and you’ll often find her gardening, skiing, mountain biking, hiking, or spending time in nature—places where she continues to learn, reflect, and create.
David Loewen
David Loewen is an educator, facilitator of meaningful conversations, advocate for reflective practice, communication strategist, learning designer, course developer, and co-founder of Humanity Academy. He holds a Doctor of Education specializing in Online Distance Education and a Master of Interdisciplinary Studies in Adult Education.
For more than three decades, he has partnered with organizations, communities, and professionals to communicate clearly, learn continuously, and navigate complexity through strategy, education, and meaningful conversations.
His career spans higher education, healthcare, Indigenous governance, community development, emergency management, and organizational consulting.
David specializes in learning design, curriculum development, strategic communication, facilitation, and organizational development. Whether designing a course, facilitating a strategic planning session, or supporting organizational change, his focus is on creating learning experiences that foster clarity, collaboration, and action.
Throughout his career, David has worked extensively with rural and remote First Nation communities across British Columbia and the Yukon. He currently serves as an Open Learning Faculty Member with Thompson Rivers University–Open Learning, where he teaches university-level communications. Through D. Loewen Strategy Co., he continues to support organizations with strategic communication, learning design, thought leadership, proposal development, curriculum design, and facilitation.
David’s perspective has been shaped by more than academic study. Raised on Haida Gwaii and living on Lheidli T’enneh Territory for more than two decades, he has learned that some of the most important lessons emerge through collaboration, listening, and lived experience. His professional journey has included founding non-profit organizations, serving on numerous boards, and receiving a Canadian Environmental Award from Canadian Geographic and Environment Canada in 2002 for his work in salmon conservation.
Like many of the people he works alongside, David’s understanding has been shaped by both formal education and the depth of everyday life. An avid cyclist, lifelong learner, and lover of nature, he finds inspiration while exploring new landscapes, engaging in thoughtful dialogue, and creating space for reflection. Those experiences continue to shape how he teaches, facilitates, and approaches every learning opportunity.
Outside of his consulting and teaching, David co-creates courses, workshops, and educational resources through Humanity Academy, where he brings together communication, adult learning, strategy, and systems thinking to help people and organizations turn insight into action.
David believes that lasting change isn’t created by simply sharing knowledge. It emerges when people have the opportunity to think critically, reflect deeply, and engage in conversations that lead to new understanding.
Dave & Lisa
We met in 2009 and married just four months later. This is a reflection of the same energy and wholeheartedness that defines our work today.
Together, we bring more than 40 years of combined experience in education, facilitation, and program development, helping individuals, organizations and communities build resilience, connection, and growth.
We believe in learning by doing and choosing experiences over possessions. In every space we create — from classrooms to boardrooms to retreats — we bring curiosity, optimism, and a spirit of genuine engagement.
Our partnership—personal and professional—is the foundation of Humanity Academy: curated learning for curious minds.
We believe in practical, accessible, useful, and experiential learning.
Humanity Academy is a social enterprise committed to providing services, tools, and learning centred on emotional literacy, self-knowledge, communication, conflict management, relationships, creativity, and learning.
Our dedication as a social enterprise transcends mere revenue generation.
We pledge to leverage our resources to create a positive social impact by reinvesting some of our profits to provide accessible, free education and knowledge to those who need it most. Through these opportunities, we support individuals and communities in unlocking deeper potential, overcoming challenges, and building more connected communities.
We appreciate the power of education and personal growth. By blending our revenue-generating services with our values-driven initiatives, we establish a sustainable model that promotes self-sufficiency and the well-being of individuals and communities.