Columbia Valley Chapter

At Mountain Muskox, our Chapters create spaces for community healing through monthly professionally facilitated peer support circles. Each Chapter offers a welcoming environment where individuals impacted by loss or trauma in mountain communities can connect, share, and grow together.

Through consistent gatherings, we foster resilience, belonging, hope, and contribution—building circles of care where no one has to navigate their journey alone.

Columbia Valley circles are held in Golden, BC

What to expect

Mountain Muskox circles offer a supportive space to connect with others impacted by trauma and loss. Meetings run about three hours once a month and include a group check-in, a learning topic, and optional discussions.

There’s no pressure to share—participants engage at their own pace. Circles are not a substitute for therapy but provide a valuable layer of community support, fostering resilience, belonging, and connection over time.

Columbia Valley Team

Justin Telfer holds a deep appreciation for mountain adventures of all kinds. For nervous system regulation he seeks out mountain streams for fly fishing adventures. For quiet and solitude ski touring and mountaineering trips with close friends in the Purcell’s and Bugaboos have offered many rich experiences. For excitement and adrenaline, mountain biking and kicking horse river paddling do the trick. Justin also enjoys navigating the inner adventures of life and holds a master’s in clinical psychology with distinction and is registered with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors. He has been working in private practice, hospital and non-profit settings in Golden BC and around the world for over 20 years. Most recently working in and around the Altai mountains of Mongolia with a family of nomadic eagle hunters!
Losing three close mountain adventuring friends to suicide solidified for him the need to speak publicly about mental health issues and how to hold tender conversations. Experiencing firsthand the lack of supportive community spaces post incident Justin has been keen to start a Mountain Muskox Golden Chapter. Justin has also developed, facilitated and participated in the Golden Men’s Group. GMG is a volunteer support group of men helping men talk openly about mental health struggles. It is his hope that by offering more spaces and teaching more people how to be with the tenderness of loss and suffering we will be healthier and more resilient.

Ana Maria is a Registered Professional Therapist living in Golden, the unceded territory of the Ktunaxa and Secwepemc people and the chosen land of the Métis. She provides mental health services for two non-profit organizations in Golden and holds a private practice. After 15 years studying and working with mindfulness-based practices from the Zen Buddhism tradition and experiencing their mental health benefits, Ana Maria felt driven to share these practices with others as a vehicle for healing. She returned to school and pursued a B.A. in Psychology and a Master’s in Psychology and Neuroscience of Mental Health. The primary theoretical orientations of her practice are nature-based therapy, mindfulness-based therapy, and existential therapy.
Originally from Brazil, Ana Maria fell in love with the mountains and skiing as a teen. She worked in the ski industry in Chile and the United States and has been recreating in the beautiful mountains surrounding Golden for the last 10 years - on foot, on her bike, and on her skis. She has experienced the profound positive effects nature and outdoor activities have on mental health. At the same time, she has witnessed how they can be the site of tragic losses leading to traumatic experiences. It is her love for these wild spaces and respect for the complexity of emotions that can arise when facing trauma that deeply motivates her to be part of Mountain Muskox. Ana Maria knows that healing is a process that requires personal as well as interpersonal work where community plays an integral role. Ana Maria brings an openness to experience and empathic curiosity to support people in reconciling with loss and restoring balance when everything seems to have fallen apart.

Living in Golden, BC, on the unceded territory of the Ktunaxa and Secwepemc peoples and the
traditional land of the Métis, Anna finds deep inspiration in the natural world that surrounds
her. Whether climbing, hiking, skiing, or simply spending time outdoors, she feels a profound
connection to the mountains. Navigating chronic illness has shaped Anna's adaptive
relationship with outdoor sports, leading her to discover creative and dynamic ways to stay
connected to the natural world and the mountain community.
Anna deeply values authentic connection, is committed to fostering community and making
mental health services accessible to all. Passionate about art, Anna believes in the
transformative power of creativity as a key to emotional well-being.
In her role within Mountain Muskox’s Columbia Valley chapter, Anna takes on multiple
responsibilities, serving as a mentor, onboarding manager, fundraiser, and active community
participant, dedicated to building inclusive spaces for support and growth. With a background
in art therapy and her experience working for non-profits, she brings a holistic, compassionate
approach to her work, helping to create spaces of healing and connection for those facing
challenges in the mountains.