Transforming Trauma into Medicine through Sacred Relationship with Self, Spirit and Mother Earth

Is my work a fit for you? Book a FREE 15 minute consultation now!

Sarah Salter Kelly is a talented healer, teacher, and speaker, utilizing the raw compounded teachings of her life experience, to uplift, empower and guide others. Her wisdom is authentic, embodied and hard won – generated through years of integrating the tragic homicide of her mother and learning to forgive the perpetrator – alongside thirty years of studying personal growth, mysticism, restorative justice, and earth-based healing traditions. Over the past fourteen years she has run her own private healing practice, facilitated retreats – both in Canada and in Peru – taught trauma focused and shamanic healing workshops, and presented at conferences/public events.

Her primary background is in energy healing – Shamanism, Reiki and Ceremony to be precise. She has been initiated into the highest order of the Andean Shamanic path on her eight journeys to Peru, being gifted rites of passage at over five of their sacred Apu’s, (mountains) and carries the lineage of the Q’ero tradition. She has worked extensively in creating and facilitating shamanic healing programs that integrate these teachings in relationship with the land, culture and spirit of the West.

She is a mother, wife, and lover of organic gardening, as well as an avid out-door enthusiast, seeking the edges of the wild for solace, connection, and the challenge of physical endurance. 

 

Work History 

2021 – Author of Trauma as Medicine a DIY book for healing trauma and transforming your life

2007 – Present – Private healing practice. It all started in an old dairy barn converted into a healing centre in Pigeon lake Alberta, evolved into working in clinics throughout Alberta and BC as well as on Zoom. Garnished a reputation for being able to support people in healing trauma and doing deep soul transformation work.

2012- Present – Created, designed, and implemented Trauma focused 4-day retreats/workshops – including the use of sharing circle, ceremony, meditation, personal and group process. These evolved from Healing Grief and Trauma programs to Trauma as Medicine through the years and are also used as a 4-day training.

2015 – 2020 – Created a two-year Shamans Path training program. First year included teachings on the wheel of the year, directions, five elements and Andean Shamanic principles/ceremonies. It was rooted in practical tools and skills for an embodied shamanic practice, applicable for daily living. The second-year program was a certified Shamanic Practitioner program with a practicum clinic focused on shamanic journey, navigating the dark and soul retrieval. Program was tabled as I took time off to write and launch Trauma as Medicine, will be revisited in 2022

2010- 2020 – Inspirational speaker, sharing my story of healing trauma at the following organizations – Alberta Restorative Justice Conference, Alberta Questers Conference, Edmonton Women’s Prison, Victim services Blue Quill, Knowing our Spirits Conference, Central Alberta FASD, Indian residential school’s recovery Saddle lake, Various churches and Wellness Conferences as well as those organized by myself.

2007- 2019 – Monthly healing circles or full moon fire ceremonies on my land, often including co-facilitators of various talents and healing traditions.

2008 -2018 – Wrote articles for Alberta’s Mosaic – body, mind, and spirit – Magazine, and Blogged on Waywardhealer@blogspot.ca

2013, 2014, 2017 – Facilitated Women’s empowerment retreats at numerous locations around Alberta. 

2013, 2014, 2015 – Led three groups to Peru, highlighting the Andean Shamanic path, by directly connecting my participants with the Q’ero tradition; camping high in the mountains and learning their healing practices as well as integrating the philosophies rooted in the mystical path of the Inca at the ancient sites in the Sacred Valley. Two of these trips included Ayahuasca retreat centres in the Amazon where I facilitated support circles and shamanic practices to integrate the experiences of plant medicine.  Next trip September 2022

2008 – 2015 – Created, designed, and implemented Reiki workshops, retreats and training including a practicum clinic with local volunteers.

 

Training and Credentials: all sourced in Energy Healing modalities, earth-based spirituality, body focused awareness and love for restorative/social justice ( I am a healer not a therapist):

2020 – Yin Yoga teacher training Bernie Clark

2015 – Somatic experiencing first level -therapeutic practice for supporting people in tuning in to their nervous system to self regulate.

2008 – 2015 – Eight group trips to Peru, three of which I led myself, to work with the Q’ero in the high Andes – Indigenous Healers who are the last of the Inca – as well as venturing into the Amazon to work with Grandmother Ayahuasca.  

2006-2011- Inca Medicine Wheel 5-year apprenticeship in Andean Shamanism which included directional teachings, ceremony, healing the light body and core shamanic techniques for transformation.

2011 – S.T.A.R. Level 1 – Strategies for trauma awareness and resilience put on by Eastern Mennonite University, Washington DC – trauma informed practices for supporting people in highly traumatic situations

2010 – Peace circle facilitation with Kay Pranis – utilization of the circle as a tool for mediation and conflict resolution.

2007 & 2010 – Alchemical Healing training with Nicki Scully – renowned shamanic teacher of Egyptian Mysteries and transformation – completed beginner, advance and assistant programs.

2007 – 2008 – Reiki level 1, 2 and Master Teacher

2003 – 2004 – Training in the Reclaiming tradition: Cycle teachings, sabbaths, working with the 5 elements, creating ritual/ceremony, and using trance/journey for healing. 

1990 – 2005 – Personal growth workshops focused on self esteem, empowerment and transformation, including the late and great Shakti Gawain 

 

I feel like I have been given a gift, all of Sarah’s years of experiences and knowledge has been passed on to me through the words of these pages and will forever change my cellular makeup. I am deeply grateful. I can now pass this knowledge on to my clients so that they may find healing and peace, and to my children so that I can do the best job with what I have been given. This book is a ‘great reminder’. Not of who we can become, but of who we already are, right now.

This is a book I could read over and over again. Sometimes life gets in the way and I can feel off track. When I need a little help with remembering my worth or how to stay on track, I will pull out this book and find my way back. 

Laurie Nordberg

BSN, Life Coach and Shamanic Pracdtitioner

Through Trauma as Medicine and Shamans Path, I was guided to see and feel “unresolved” trauma energy in me.  I learned so much from these workshops. Each ceremony and exercise helped me take my first steps in my healing journey.

As for her book : This is a love story. This is an affirmation that we all have a higher purpose, and there is a higher intelligence that will show us the map to get there; we only need to follow. 

Heep Quon

Shamanic Practitioner

Sarah has created a sacred process of healing that I can embody in the here and now.

The beauty is, I can go through my day with a healing stone about my neck as a constant reminder that my inner world is tending to a wound with curiosity, love and compassion. It makes it real. The result is only for the betterment of myself, my family and my community. It ripples outward.

Healing trauma is sacred work.

Denise Stewart RMT– Mornville Alberta

Working with Sarah and the Trauma as Medicine has been a tremendous gift on my journey of healing my deep and long-standing abandonment wounds. Sarah’s ability to help empower me to heal myself, without reliance on anything or anyone outside of my own inner medicine and truth has been a remarkable gift.

Kate Hook – Onoway Alberta

I have gleaned the importance and the profound understanding of being able to share our stories around trauma, in order to help heal each other as a collective. The importance of being able to do it in a safe environment where we know there will be no judgment, just the pure desire to help support each other wherever we sit in this process. 

– Jae Write, Vernon B.C.

As somebody who is new to shamanistic journeys and also was skeptical many many years ago, I am so grateful that I had the open mind and I allowed myself to go on this journey! I had no idea what to expect and I didn’t have any expectations. I just went with it and the most amazing things came to me on this journey and I am in amazement. Sarah was wonderful to work. I would definitely recommend this to anybody who is open to the experience of learning more about themselves.

Jenn D

January 25th 2019

I came to Sarah after a very difficult time after my son was born. I was experiencing extreme anxiety and insomnia. The Shamanic Healing session allowed me to gain more awareness around the roots of my “dis-ease” and supported me in finding forgiveness and compassion for myself. The space she holds allows you to be vulnerable, transparent and supports you to feel held even with the most uncomfortable feelings and sensations. It is a space of unconditional love and compassion.

Astraea Starr

January 19th 2019

Through Soul Retrieval I was able to heal a negative generational pattern and welcome back my inner-child. Amazing doesn’t even describe what I now feel. The entire experience has rid me of the empty feeling inside I used to have. Thanks to this beautiful, caring, talented soul, Sarah has been witness to both my pain and my joy. I am grateful to have been guided to her. Hai Hai

Matreva

October 30th 2018

Is my work a fit for you? Book a FREE 15 minute consultation now!