Restoring Joy, with Colleen O'Toole and David Duncan

This conversation explores the themes of pilgrimage, healing, and community through the experiences of Colleen O'Toole and David Duncan. Heather A. Warfield discusses with Colleen and David the significance of the Canadian Company of Pilgrims, personal journeys of rediscovery, and the impact of ambiguous loss. The dialogue highlights the therapeutic aspects of pilgrimage and the importance of being seen and welcomed in the process. Additionally, Colleen shares about her journey of writing her book, “Restoring Joy: 40 Days and 40 Nights on the Camino de Santiago," emphasizing the vulnerability and catharsis involved in sharing her story. This conversation explores the profound impact of pilgrimage on personal growth, community building, and healing. Colleen and David share their experiences as hospitalleros, emphasizing the importance of creating a welcoming environment for pilgrims. They discuss the integration of life experiences through pilgrimage, the role of occupational therapy, and the significance of storytelling in understanding the pilgrim experience. The conversation culminates in a reflection on the artifacts that symbolize their journey together, highlighting the love and community fostered through their shared experiences.

Takeaways:

*Pilgrimage can serve as a profound healing journey.

*The Canadian Company of Pilgrims fosters community and support for pilgrims.

*Personal experiences of pilgrimage often lead to rediscovery of the self.*

Ambiguous loss can create deep emotional wounds that require healing.*

Being seen and welcomed is a crucial aspect of the pilgrimage experience.*

The act of pilgrimage can be a treatment for trauma.

*Writing about personal experiences can be both cathartic and vulnerable.

*Community support is essential for those experiencing estrangement.

*Pilgrimage allows for reflection and connection with others.

*The journey of writing a book can mirror the pilgrimage experience. Creative output is a vulnerable act.

*Pilgrimage can be a transformative journey.

*Community is essential for healing.

*Occupational therapy can enhance the pilgrimage experience.

*Storytelling is a powerful tool for connection.

*Integration of life experiences is crucial.

*Creating a welcoming space for pilgrims is vital.

*Love and generosity are healing forces.

*Preparation for pilgrimage can ease anxiety.

*There is a need for greater awareness of pilgrimage opportunities.

Colleen O’Toole is an author and an occupational therapist and psychotherapist with a private practice in Hamilton, Ontario. She also coordinates the Hamilton Canadian Company of Pilgrims (CCoP) chapter with husband David. One of her passions is the intersection of occupational therapy, pilgrimage and trauma recovery. She began a pilot project in April 2024 to offer a semi-supported Camino to people recovering from trauma called Let’s Walk Home™ and recently supervised graduate students to evaluate its efficacy at McMaster University. She is also an hospitalero trainer, one of the Pilgrim Footprints national newsletter editors, has walked the Camino three times and served as an hospitalera.

David Duncan is a strategic planning consultant to social mission enterprises and a personal coach with a diverse background mostly in healthcare both in the private and public sectors. He was an entrepreneur for many years in IT, and has extensive administrative and board experience with not-for-profit and charitable organizations. He is an active CCoP volunteer with too many ideas and not enough time; he is also sometimes guilty of wearing too many hats. Having recently passed the baton of Communications Committee Chair, he remains a director of the CCoP serving as Chapter/Board Liaison Officer and he is co-coordinator of the Hamilton Chapter and hospitalero. David has walked on the Camino four times and served as an hospitalero twice.