Christine spent a lifetime of professional listening. She trained as a therapist and pastoral counsellor, as well as studying theology. She married young and had four children. Christine was among the first to complete a minor in Women’s Studies (an emerging field) at SFU, where she obtained her BA in Counselling Psychology. She finished an MEd in in that field at UBC with a focus on child psychology, and she became a registered play therapist.
Christine was separated from her husband when, in 1980, she met fellow counsellor Robin Rennie who worked for Family Services in Vancouver. Christine worked for the Pastoral Institute. They were both let go from their positions because their agencies were not used to having openly lesbian therapists.
Together Christine and Robin founded Dragonstone Counselling in 1991, focusing on LGBTQ+ folks, HIV/AIDS patients, and others of all cultures and ethnicities who faced oppression. They were among the first couples in Vancouver to get married when Canada legalized same-sex marriage and were together for 30 years. Christine and Robin were both members of Quirk-e starting in 2007. Robin passed away in 2013. Christine is now retired, lives in care, and is lovingly cared for by family members.
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