Come Alive

5.006 reviews
Location icon
240 Davis Rd, Gabriola Island, BC V0R 1X1, Canada
Date
September 14 - 19, 2025

About this Retreat

Details of this retreat

Come Alive is our most popular core program and the perfect place to begin or continue your journey in personal or professional growth and transformation.
People from all walks of life, backgrounds, experiences, lifestyles, and locations join us and most experience something profound.

We are grateful for the land and sea that sustain us.  We are deeply grateful to learn, live and play on 7 acres of forested land by the sea that is the ancestral, traditional, and unceded territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation, a community of Coast Salish Peoples.  Our peaceful yet vibrant centre on Gabriola Island offers a natural environment that supports the exploration of our innermost selves and our relationships with others. It’s a special place where we can take back our lives and discover our potential.

The magic of Come Alive is in our unique history, renowned communication and relationship models, community dynamic, and oceanfront setting on Gabriola Island. With support and guidance, you will learn and practice the Haven models of communication, relationship and self-responsibility, through a range of opportunities for personal learning.  Group activities, discussions and experiences take place in both large and small group settings.









Come Alive is for me if...

I want to deepen my self-awareness and move beyond self-imposed limits
I'm ready to develop greater self-compassion and self-acceptance
I want to experience the freedom of being my whole and authentic self - mind, body, and spirit
I'm open to learning and practicing a transformative model for communication
I want valuable insights to strengthen my health and well-being
I want to break through self-limiting patterns and live the life I want
I'm curious about myself and my place in relationships, community, and the world
I want to rediscover joy and meaning in life
I want more harmonious, loving and fulfilling relationships; I want to know what intimacy really is
I am looking to improve my professional skills; to be more authentic as a leader, bolster my 'soft' skills, and develop better relationships with my co-workers.
I want to shake things up and try something different... 

 
"For the first time, I felt comfortable in my own skin..."
 









Program highlights:

5 days in a serene oceanfront setting on Gabriola Island to focus on yourself.
Opportunity to learn from, relate to, and deeply connect with others.
A unique East meets West approach developed by a psychiatrist (Ben Wong) and a medical doctor and acupuncturist (Jock McKeen).
Experiential learning through diverse methods: bodywork, breath, visualization meditation, movement, and cognitive skill development.
A powerful approach to developing self-compassion and deeper self-awareness.
40 years of continued success with thousands of participants from around the world.
Select expert program leaders, who are highly trained at The Haven and in their various professions.
Unparalleled support and a high ratio of team members to participants.
Opportunities to further heal and explore mind-body-spirit connection with onsite bodyworkers.
A full schedule, complete with daily breaks for introspection, connecting with others, rest, relaxing in the oceanfront hot tub, exploring nearby trails, and more.
Support to integrate your learning beyond The Haven through one-on-one coaching, online video meetings, and various local groups.
A $1000 discount off Living Alive after you have completed Come Alive


Investment:
Our Earlybird tuition price of $1490 is available up to one month prior to the program start.  Full tuition is $1590.  Full payment is due one month before the program start date regardless of tuition price.

We are offering private and shared room options.

You can find our cancellation policy here
Schedule:

Breakfast 8:00 - 9:00am
Morning session 9:15am to noon
Lunch noon to 1:00pm
Afternoon session 3:00 - 6:00pm
Dinner 6:00 - 7:00pm
Evening session 7:30 - 9:30pm

Afternoon and evening sessions can vary.  Your program finishes with lunch on the last day

Transportation:
If you are traveling to Gabriola as a foot passenger on the Gabriola Ferry a shuttle to The Haven can be requested.  Information on this option will be included in your pre-arrival email.

Recommended Resources:
Here are book titles that can complement and enhance your learning in this program. You can purchase when you are at Haven, or order online. Click to learn more:

Being: A Manual for Life by Bennet Wong & Jock McKeen



 

 

Admission requirements: The student must have the desire and ability to learn.  Must demonstrate a capacity for responsible self care, responsible self organization and sound mental health.  The student must understand and speak English.

This program does not require approval by the registrar of the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training.  As such, the registrar did not review this program. What does this mean? Click here to learn more.

Getting Here

Location icon The Haven, 240 Davis Rd, Gabriola Island, BC V0R 1X1, Canada

Accommodation

Dorm bed (upper) - Participant

Accommodation
Thunderbird dormitory is our most economical option. Each dorm pod accommodates up to 6 people, and each pod has its own washroom. Bunks are adult built, single over single, with extra-long mattresses. Dorm pods are separated by gender. The Thunderbird dormitory is only available for participants registered in a catalogue program at The Haven. From July to mid-August, the dorms are reserved for our Youth Programs.  We have property wide complimentary WiFi, the signal varies from room to room. Read more about Thunderbird Dorms (PDF).

Dorm bed (lower) - Participant

Accommodation
Thunderbird dormitory is our most economical option. Each dorm pod accommodates up to 6 people, and each pod has its own washroom. Bunks are adult built, single over single, with extra-long mattresses. Dorm pods are separated by gender. The Thunderbird dormitory is only available for participants registered in a catalogue program at The Haven. From July to mid-August, the dorms are reserved for our Youth Programs.  We have property wide complimentary WiFi, the signal varies from room to room. Read more about Thunderbird Dorms (PDF).

Basic Room - Shared - Participant

Accommodation
These cozy rooms have 1 double or 2 single beds.  Some rooms have a small desk.  We have property wide complimentary WiFi, the signal varies from room to room.

Basic Room - Private - Participant

Accommodation
These cozy rooms have 1 double or 2 single beds.  Some rooms have a small desk.  We have property wide complimentary WiFi, the signal varies from room to room.

Forestview - Shared - Participant

Accommodation
These rooms look out to lush forest views and have 1 queen or 1 double in addition to 1 single bed.  Many rooms have a small fridge and desk.  We have property wide complimentary WiFi, the signal varies from room to room.

Forestview - Private - Participant

Accommodation
These rooms look out to lush forest views and have 1 queen or 1 double in addition to 1 single bed.  Many rooms have a small fridge and desk.  We have property wide complimentary WiFi, the signal varies from room to room.

Oceanview Room - Private - Participant

Accommodation
These rooms are spacious and bright with 1 queen and 1 double sofa bed and a stunning ocean view.  In room amenities include fridge, microwave, coffee maker and kettle.  We have property wide complimentary WiFi, the signal varies from room to room.

Oceanview Suite - Private - Participant

Accommodation
These rooms are spacious and bright with 1 queen and 1 double sofa bed and a stunning ocean view.  In room amenities include fridge, microwave, coffee maker and kettle.  We have property wide complimentary WiFi, the signal varies from room to room.

Staying off-premise - Participant

Accommodation
This lodging type is used by guests staying off-premises, not staying at The Haven.

Customer Reviews

5.00 out of 5.0 average rating

5.0
2nd time
Experiential, universal, revelational about relational and self knowledge. Skilled experienced facilitators. Both times I’ve gone it has left me with deep connections in a short time and I continue to stay I. Touch with those co-participants. Food is hearty, delicious, and plentiful. Grounds are peaceful. I look forward to my next course and my next reunion with newfound friends.

5.0
TEENS ALIVE I, II & III
Our 15 year old son just completed Teens Alive (1-3) for the second time, and loved it. The environment is so nurturing and transformative - I really can't say enough about how grateful I am to have this program as a support during these years when parenting can be TOUGH. Our son is navigating high school with confidence, and making mature and thoughtful decisions - we definitely see him process his experiences in a new way and love what we are seeing. His communication with us is more open and productive, and we look forward to him navigating the rest of his teen years with his hands on the reigns. He is looking forward to next year's program and has plans to become an intern in the future as well.

5.0
Giving Voice
The Haven is beautifully set on the waterfront on Gabriola Island. I wasn't sure what to expect at this workshop. I was hoping I would find more confidence in using my voice as I have been confident in speaking in public but deathly afraid of singing in public! What I found was a very safe space to explore making all kinds of sound from humming and babble to overtone chanting and yes...singing. Leah was an excellent and gentle guide and the acoustics of our meeting space were amazing. I would recommend The Haven for anyone wanting to get away from their regular routine and explore their inner world. I will go back for more!

5.0
Imagine 2019
A wonderful opportunity to meet like minded people and to participate in goal setting activities for The |haven and for myself.

5.0
Journey to Self
Great Journey to the very centre of myself. I love all the Haven programs and this one was amazing, too.

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