A very dreadful experience. Once you initiate contact with the Leaf & De Vine church, it becomes apparent that it is “The Gervais Show.” She wants to help but also want to be the center of attention at all times. She insists on people calling her “Momma Bear” with little self-awareness about how re-traumatizing this could be for people with trauma histories. Momma Bear also thinks it is appropriate to engage in physical contact with people under the influence of aya and apparently has little training in how people under the influence cannot give consent to physical contact under the influence. Another participant told me that within 2 minutes of meeting her, she kissed him on his cheek, insisted on being called “momma bear,” and did not seem to have any boundaries.

The church seems to have a revolving door of board members, who eventually call Gervais out on her inappropriate behavior. When board members try to set boundaries with her, they end up leaving the church. Yet the general overtone is that “Momma Aya is cleaning house” and always seems to result in Gervais getting her way. Whenever Gervais wants something or asserts her authority, she always says, “Momma Aya told me…[insert delusion].”

Also it is uncomfortable as a participant to witness the volunteer coordinator yell at participants and volunteers. Usually early Sunday morning, Kathy comes in like a bulldog and starts barking at people who are volunteering. During a ceremony a friend of mine participated in, she witnessed Kathy telling the entire ceremony participants as to why a participant was dismissed from ceremony and she cried about her addiction problems. It was uncomfortable for my friend to see a fellow addict get outed and no self-awareness as to why a participant’s privacy should be protected.

It appears that they mean well, but are practicing outside of the scope of their competency. You have to wonder if this church just exists as a money making scheme for a person who cannot hold down a job.