Tanya
Helton has over ten years of experience working
with children with special needs and their families.
She has worked with parents, police, schools, organizations,
social services, and mental health agencies to develop
attachment-based responses to special needs children.
A recognized speaker in the area of parenting children
with attachment issues, she has provided family support
counselling for birth, adoptive, and foster parents.
Tanya has had a long-standing interest in the dynamic
between at-risk children and criminality.
Her training includes a M.Sc. Criminology
(Leicester), BA Sociology/Criminology (Winnipeg),
Certificate of Excellence in Non-Profit Leadership
and Management (Wisconsin), and Critical Incident
Stress Debriefing Certificate (Justice Institute of
BC).
Tanya’s work in Victim Services
with the Winnipeg Police and RCMP Fort St. John Det.
have also given her an insight into the lives of emergency
services workers and an ability to help professionals
develop a healthy balance between work and home.
Tanya
& Ona Forest Cottage Centre is owned
by Tanya Helton and Ona Helton. Ona is a public
accountant and Tanya’s mother. As the
parent of four children, including three special
needs adults, she feels a strong desire to
see parents receive more education and support
as they parent children with special needs.
Ona has a special heart for grandparents who
see their grandchildren being harmed by the
choices their special needs children make.
Ona is the Financial Consultant for Forest
Cottage Centre. 
Havana
was adopted by Tanya in 1995 when she
was two years old. Havana likes animals, especially
cheetahs, and enjoys playing with all of her
friends. Havana provides Tanya with practical
parenting training every day.