Shkaabe Makwa Prepares for the Long Season Artist Katie Barber depicts Shkaabe Makwa (Spirit Bear Helper) peacefully asleep in a den they have burrowed beneath a tree bearing fall-foliage. Shkaabe Makwa retreats from the light of the harvest moon, and rests among the roots after eating the last of the season’s berries. They begin to preserve energy for the long season ahead. A note from the artist: Like Shkaabe Makwa, we are connected to the seasons. Fall is also our time to harvest, to feast, and to return our energy to the root. Fall signals a time for us to go inwards, to reflect, to rest and relax, and to prepare ourselves for the winter months. Shkaabe Makwa offers us many lessons of how to live in accordance with Creation, how to heal, and how to care for ourselves and our kin. About the artist: Katie Barber (she/her) is a self-taught visual artist. Katie is Mohawk, Turtle Clan and a member of Six Nations of the Grand River. She grew up off-reserve and currently resides in Simcoe, ON. Katie holds her BSW, MSW, and is currently a second-year PhD student. In her work, Katie blends research, writing, painting, and illustrating in effort to create space for stories that build pathways towards connection, belonging, healing, health, and wellness. Katie sources her inspiration from her culture, teachings, and kin. Her work reflects her deep love for the land, waters, and animal- and plant-relatives, and all that they have to teach us.
Artwork: Katie Barber Layout: Laura Stanley Editor: Michael Rancic Writers: Bruce Barber; Louis Busch; Jeff D’Hondt; Olivia Keast; Renee Linklater; Diane Longboat; Heidi Maracle; Cindy Noel; Laura Stanley; Jane Theriault; Laura Thibeault; Chrysta Wood
A Letter from Shkaabe Makwa’s Senior Director, Dr. Renee Linklater
In early September, Shkaabe Makwa team members gathered together at CAMH in Toronto to talk, eat, and share ideas with one another. We also had the opportunity to participate in CAMH’s Every Child Matters flag raising ceremony ahead of National Day of Truth and Reconciliation and to celebrate with community at the CAMH Pow Wow. With much of our team living throughout Ontario, the times when Shkaabe Makwa can get together in person is incredibly special. Our team has grown tremendously since Shkaabe Makwa launched in 2020. Over the last few months alone, we have welcomed nine new staff members! We are also thrilled to announce that Aboriginal Services at CAMH transitioned to join Shkaabe Makwa and is taking on the new name as Shkaabe Makwa’s Clinical Services. Since it began over twenty years ago, Aboriginal Services has been a valuable outpatient clinical program
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at CAMH that has supported First Nations, Inuit, and Métis patients by blending therapeutic and psycho-educational groups with cultural programming and ceremonies. Shkaabe Makwa’s Clinical Services will allow clients to benefit from the unique expertise and leadership of Shkaabe Makwa, while still being connected to the clinical programs at CAMH. The hard work of our growing team shines brightly within the Fall issue of Shkaabe Makwa Magazine. To be able to travel and connect with different communities after years of disconnection, whether it be at conferences, research initiatives or through in-person trainings (pages 7-9), has been an important part of our work lately. Within this issue you’ll notice that there are many future opportunities to connect with Shkaabe Makwa, not only by participating
in the unique trainings that we offer to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis helpers (page 17) but by becoming a member of our team as well (page 16). When thinking about a theme for this issue, a thread connecting our work emerged: the role art interventions play in helping work. On pages 30-33, we hear about the remarkable impacts of Art of Healing, a new program created in partnership between CAMH and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra that supports patients at CAMH through storytelling and musical composition. To hear that, as one participant stated, Art of Healing is “the catalyst to recovery” is heartwarming and encouraging feedback. Also in this issue, we learn how the artwork of emerging Anishinaabe Onyota’a:aka visual artist Tsista Kennedy designed for our training Pivoting Towards the Good Life: Braiding Indigenous Wisdom with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Indigenous
Members of Shkaabe Makwa and the First Nations Wellness Initiative visit Walpole Island First Nation (L to R) Dr. Samantha Wells (Senior Director of Research, Research Services, CAMH), Anika Altiman (Research Coordinator, Walpole Island First Nation), Julian Robbins (Manager, Research and Knowledge Mobilization, Shkaabe Makwa), Shelly Hachey (Manager, Research and Knowledge Mobilization, FNWI), Dr. Renee Linklater (Senior Director, Shkaabe Makwa)
Helpers elevates the training’s content (pages 34-39). We interviewed award-winning Red River Métis (Michif) writer Katherena Vermette (pages 40-44) and gained insight into how writing can be a valuable tool in your helping practice. Lastly, we showcase some of the Indigenous art found throughout CAMH’s Queen Street campus (pages 46-47), an important reminder to the CAMH community of the space that we hold within the hospital organization. If you’d like to get in touch with us about any of our initiatives, please don’t hesitate to send us an email: shkaabemakwa@camh.ca Wishing you all a wonderful Fall and Winter ahead,
Renee Linklater, PhD Senior Director, Shkaabe Makwa
Kahontakwas Diane Longboat (Senior Manager of Strategic Initiatives and CAMH Elder) smudges the Every Child Matters flag at the flag raising ceremony
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Forming the Circle: Report on the 2023 Gathering on Indigeneity, Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, and Mental Health Co-led by Brock University and Shkaabe Makwa, the 2023 Gathering on Indigeneity, Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, and Mental Health brought together a diverse and passionate group who discussed the important intersection of Indigeneity, neurodevelopmental disability, and mental health. A new report developed from the event calls for culturally relevant services, enhanced partnerships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations and a 6
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national network for knowledge-sharing and advocacy, among other recommendations. To read the report and to learn more about the gathering, click here . CAMH Launches Virtual Urgent Care Appointments for the CAMH Virtual Urgent Care Clinic are now open. The CAMH Virtual Urgent Care Clinic offers convenient, confidential, same-day virtual mental health advice using a computer, smartphone or tablet. This service is available Monday to Friday, 1:00 PM – 9:00 PM ET to Toronto residents aged 16+. To see if the CAMH Virtual Urgent Care Clinic is right for you and to book an appointment, click here .
CAMH and Shkaabe Makwa Leadership Meet with Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon on the Ceremony Grounds
Shkaabe Makwa in Community Surviving to Thriving: Healing Intergeneration Wounds In June, Shkaabe Makwa team members Olivia Keast, Bruce Barber, and Chrysta Wood attended and facilitated trainings at Anishinabek Nation’s gathering Surviving to Thriving: Healing Intergenerational Wounds in Sault Ste. Marie. The event was well planned by the hosts who took great care to ensure that participants not only had access to the training but also wholistic care, opportunity to create, to move, to laugh, and to connect.
L to R: Walter Lindstone (Implementation Specialist, Shkaabe Makwa), Lori Spadorcia (Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, Partnerships and Chief Strategy Officer, CAMH), Dr. Renee Linklater (Senior Director, Shkaabe Makwa), Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Sarah Downey (President and CEO, CAMH), Dale Kuehl (Advanced Practice Clinical Leader, CAMH), Kahontakwas Diane Longboat (CAMH Elder and Senior Manager, Strategic Initiatives, Shkaabe Makwa), Laura Thibeault (Director, Strategy and Planning, Shkaabe Makwa)
Suicide Crisis Helpline (9-8-8) will be Available November 30 Starting November 30, people across Canada will be able to call and text 9-8-8, a new three-digit service, for help when they need it most. 9-8-8 will be free for anyone in Canada who is thinking about suicide, in emotional distress, or who is worried about someone they know. Support is available in English and French and accessible 24/7/365.
Chrysta Wood leads a training at Anishinabek Nation | Photo by: Ingaged Creative Productions
The team extends deep gratitude to Anishinabek Nation for the invite, to the drum, and to the Batchewana Singers. They also thank Elders Evelyn Stone and Mike Esquega for the guidance and knowledge shared throughout, to both Banakonda Kennedy-Kish Bell and Dr. Gabor Maté for their keynotes, to Scott Simpson who kept us moving throughout the three days, to Ron Kanutski who was a phenomenal emcee,
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and to Ingaged Creative Productions who helped facilitate such a beautiful event. For the Shkaabe Makwa team members, it’s hard to put into words what a meaningful experience this was. The First Nations Wellness Initiative Team Visits Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory In a three-day visit to Wikwemkoong Unceded Territory in July, the First Nations Wellness Initiative team came together with members of the community to participate in the community’s open house. The next day, they came together for a Sunrise Ceremony in the Naandwechige-Gamig Wikwemikong Health Centre Medicine Lodge to launch this collaborative partnership and then participated in a day-long series of presentations and discussions focused on community wellness.
(Front row, L to R): Ashley Cornect-Benoit (Manager of Research and Knowledge Mobilization, Shkaabe Makwa [on leave]), Dr. Samantha Wells (Senior Director of Research, Research Services, CAMH) (Back row, L to R): Cindy Noel (Administrative Assistant, Shaabe Makwa), Tia Peltier (Research Coordinator, Shkaabe Makwa) Dr. Renee Linklater (Senior Director, Shkaabe Makwa) 8
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MetaECHO 2023 Global Conference Shkaabe Makwa Senior Director, Dr. Renee Linklater and Implementation Specialists Walter Lindstone and Heidi Maracle, as well as the Health Care Resource Team of ECHO Ontario First Nations, Inuit and Métis Wellness traveled to the MetaECHO 2023 Global Conference in September held in the beautiful territories of the Pueblo Nations ‘Land of Enchantment’ in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Together they presented on the ECHO Ontario First Nations, Inuit and Métis Wellness approach to wellness that values medical and Indigenous Knowledges. They also presented on the collaborative ongoing work being done with the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) . During the conference, team members of Indian Country ECHO and the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB) organized a gathering for those supporting ECHOs serving Indigenous communities. At this gathering, Renee and Walter presented on the seven years of growth and development of ECHO Ontario First, Nations, Inuit and Métis Wellness.
(L to R): Sarah Bissex (Manager of the Executive Offices and Principal Advisor to the CEO Project ECHO Ontario Child and Youth Mental Health CHEO), Dr. Renee Linklater (Senior Director, Shkaabe Makwa), and Walter Lindstone (Implementation Specialist, Shkaabe Makwa)
Throughout the three-day conference, the knowledge exchange was tremendous as there were hundreds of unique presentations, powerful keynote speakers, and plethora of diverse presenters. It was a great experience to meet innovative and highly gifted individuals from across Turtle Island. The ECHO Ontario First, Nations, Inuit and Métis Wellness team looks forward to connecting with more communities in the near future.
Specialists, Chrysta Wood and Louis Busch, co-led two impactful trainings for a group of 53 participants who generously shared their traditions, wisdom, and boundless energy. While the team had many unforgettable moments during their time in Kenora, including sightseeing, fishing, and stargazing, a true highlight of this experience was
The First Nations Wellness Initiative Team Attends a Pow Wow at Saugeen First Nation
Shkaabe Makwa’s Workforce Development team members enjoy a Kenora sunrise together (L to R): Louis Busch (Community Support Specialist), Chrysta Wood (Community Support Specialist), Bruce Barber (Training Coordinator), Olivia Keast (Education Specialist) (Front row, L to R): Yara Janes (Manager, Evaluation and Performance Measurement, Shkaabe Makwa), Ningwakwe George (Research Coordinator, Saugeen First Nation) (Back row, L to R): Dr. Samantha Wells (Senior Director, Research, Research Services, CAMH), Dr. Renee Linklater (Senior Director, Shkaabe Makwa), Cherylyn Kitchikake (Research Coordinator, Shkaabe Makwa)
A Week with Ogimaawabiitong, Kenora Chiefs Advisory The Kenora Chiefs Advisory invited Shkaabe Makwa’s Workforce Development team for a five-day visit in September to facilitate trainings to both staff members and helpers from the Kenora Chiefs Advisory member communities. Community Support
the remarkable setting of the training sessions. Nestled within the Kenora Chiefs Advisory Youth and Family Wellness Camp, the surroundings were nothing short of awe-inspiring. With sprawling hills, sacred teaching sites, a horse-based therapy program, innovative developmental services, and more, the Shkaabe Makwa team felt deeply honoured to be present on this land. They extend their heartfelt appreciation to Elder Andy White of the Bizhew Clan, Naotkamegwanning First Nation, for his enduring presence and insightful counsel, which will forever resonate with them.
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CAMH
POW WOW
On a beautiful September day in downtown Toronto, the city’s usual symphony of construction and traffic were replaced by singing, drumming, and the celebrations coming from the 2023 CAMH Pow Wow to Honour Children and Youth.
We were thrilled that, despite the hot weather, so many people were in attendance to dance, visit with others, learn about Indigenous cultures, and celebrate life at the CAMH Pow Wow. Given the last few years navigating through the pandemic, isolations, and disconnection, it’s important that we take every opportunity to be together in ways that support healing and wellness. Shkaabe Makwa would like to extend our deepest thanks to all of the staff, volunteers, donors, drummers, dancers, and vendors who made the CAMH Pow Wow such a success! The cultural exchange that occurred during the event was invaluable, and we hope to host many more Pow Wows in the future!
View some of the many special moments from the day
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Dr. Renee Linklater, Senior Director of Shkaabe Senior Manager of Strategic Initiatives for Shkaa gratitude to former (2009 - 2021) CAMH Preside dedication to reconciliation
Cedar Smoke, head female dancer, mesmerizes in her vibrant jingle dress, embodying tradition and grace
Flag Bearers lead the way for th Pow Wow Grounds with soverei Kahontakwas Diane Longboat gifts Lori Spadorcia, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, Partnerships and Chief Strategy Officer for CAMH, a soapstone bear in appreciation for her leadership in advancing reconciliation 12
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Kahontakwas Diane Longboat presents a sacred star blanket to current CAMH President and CEO, Sarah Downey
Makwa, and Kahontakwas Diane Longboat, abe Makwa and CAMH Elder, express their ent and CEO Dr. Catherine Zahn for her
he Grand Entry, infusing the ignty, unity, and cultural pride Thunder Jack, head male dancer, dances to honour our Ancestors, a dance for those who are not able to dance, and for those who do not have regalia SHKAABE MAKWA MAGAZINE
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Dr. Renee Linklater thanks everybody who made the CAMH Pow Wow possible
Members of Shkaabe Makwa provide information and resources about ongoing initiatives, research, and workforce development
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The drum groups Al Pow Wow with their
Members of Shka Andre Morriseau
ll Nations Jrs and All Nations Srs (pictured) bring life to the r vibrant energy
aabe Makwa share a smile with u (centre)
Pow Wow emcee Walter Lindstone expertly guides the celebration
Kahontakwas Diane Longboat carries the Eagle Staff with pride in the Grand Entry
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UPCOMING TRAININGS 27 OCT
INDIGENOUS HELPER WELLNESS: BUILDING SKILLS FOR SELF-CARE
01 NOV
INDIGENOUS PERSPECTIVES ON THE END OF LIFE (FALL LEARNING SERIES WEBINAR)
Online | 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM ET This three-hour virtual workshop will explore helper wellness in the context of working with Indigenous communities. Workshop participants will be able to: Recognize the signs of vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and burnout in yourself as a helper. I Participants will also learn to identify individual and shared values and effective strategies for nurturing healthy relationships at work and home. Apply mindfulness skills to support coping with the stressors associated with helping work. Build a plan to support wholistic well-being and to balance work/life responsibilities.
Online | 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM ET Palliative Care Educator Joanna Meawasige Vautour will present on Indigenous perspectives on end-of-life, harmonizing Indigenous and Western approaches to care, and honouring the life journey through ceremony. Joanna will be joined by Knowledge Keeper Sherry Copenace. Intended Audience: Shkaabe Makwa’s Fall Learning Series is a free weekly webinar for First Nation, Inuit, and Métis direct service providers, centered around health, education, and community empowerment.
Intended Audience: First Nations, Inuit, Métis mental health professionals and community helpers in Ontario.
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06,13, 20, 27 NOV & 04,11 DEC
STRENGTHS-BASED STRATEGIES FOR CHALLENGES IN SCHOOL
Online | 9:30 PM - 12:30 PM ET This six-day interactive training will explore the meaning of “challenging behaviour”, its risk and protective factors, the role trauma and adverse childhood experiences, cultural considerations and approaches, and practical strategies for strengthening healthy relationships and behaviour.
signs of vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and burnout in yourself as a helper. Participants will also learn to identify individual and shared values and effective strategies for nurturing healthy relationships at work and home, apply mindfulness skills to support coping with the stressors associated with helping work, build a plan to support wholistic well-being, and to balance work/life responsibilities. Intended Audience: First Nations, Inuit, Métis mental health professionals and community helpers in Ontario.
Intended Audience: First Nations, Inuit, Métis mental health professionals, community helpers or educators in Ontario who work with Indigenous children in school.
24 NOV
INDIGENOUS HELPER WELLNESS: BUILDING SKILLS FOR SELF-CARE
Online | 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM ET This three-hour workshop will explore helper wellness in the context of working with Indigenous communities. Workshop participants will be able to: Recognize the 18
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Culture is Protection: Exploring Culturally Relevant Protective Factors against Violence Prevention among Indigenous Youth (Virtual) Building Good Relations: Essential Counselling Skills for Helpers (In-person training in Toronto)
Beautiful Difference: A Primer on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities for Indigenous Helpers (Virtual) Indigenous Perspectives of Disability: A Primer on FASD (Virtual)
Have questions about any of our trainings? Want to request a training for your team or organization? Send us an email: workforcedevelopment@camh.ca
RAISING AW FETAL ALCOHOL SP According to CanFASD, the leading Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) research organization in Canada, FASD impacts 4% of Canadians which is more than autism, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome combined. Despite being the leading
“There are 10 different brain domains that are looked at when a person goes through the diagnostic process. These domains include memory, motor skills, executive functioning, and more. For a person to receive a diagnosis, there needs to be
developmental disability in Canada, FASD is often misunderstood.
a statistically significant difference in a minimum of three areas. And that can be any three of those 10 domains so what FASD looks like can be very different for each person.”
“There’s a lot of misinformation out there,” says Chrysta Wood, a Community Support Specialist with Shkaabe Makwa who was previously part of an FASD diagnostic clinic team. “The influence of negative language and messaging, as well as stigma has resulted in FASD not being talked about a lot so the misinformation continues to spread.” The current standard definition of FASD as per CanFASD is: “A lifelong disability that affects the brain and body of people who were exposed to alcohol in the womb. Each person with FASD has both strengths and challenges and will need special supports to help them succeed with many different parts of their daily lives.” As Wood explains, the strengths and challenges of individuals with FASD differ greatly. 20
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Indigenous Perspectives of Disability: A Primer on FASD is a new training for Indigenous helpers offered by Shkaabe Makwa that was co-developed by Wood with a Curriculum Advisory Circle. The two-day training provides an overview of FASD, the diagnostic process, and the impact of language, messaging, and stigma. It also explores Indigenous perspectives on disabilities, a critically important aspect for everyone to be mindful of when working with Indigenous clients. “All Nations have unique teachings and traditions so there’s not a pan-Indigenous view, but disabilities are often looked at as special gifts. Everybody has gifts and so do folks with different abilities and brain differences.”
WARENESS OF PECTRUM DISORDER
Chrysta Wood, Community Support Specialist with Shkaabe Makwa
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Ahead of the next offering of Indigenous Perspectives of Disability: A Primer on FASD, Chrysta Wood answers our questions about FASD
What are some common misconceptions about FASD? FASD is often referred to as a hidden or an invisible disability because only 10-15% of persons with an FASD diagnosis have the sentinel facial features. And these facial differences are not associated with any severity of the impact of prenatal alcohol exposure. I feel that there’s also a misconception about the higher prevalence of FASD amongst First Nations, Métis, and Inuit. There definitely is an over-surveillance of our people. In Journey to Healing: Aboriginal People with Addiction and Mental Health Issues , Dr. Caroline Tait notes that the majority of women living in Métis settlements, First Nation communities, as well as Inuit Nunangat, do not drink alcohol while studies of alcohol use during pregnancy in Canada disproportionately focus on women within Indigenous populations. When the FASD diagnosis emerged in the 1970s, Canadian researchers focused their attention on clinical populations with high numbers of Indigenous children and on First Nations communities and 22
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they ignored data showing that a larger percentage of non-Indigenous women in Canada used alcohol. So this unfair inference of the direct causal link between FASD and social problems in Indigenous communities occurred when medical assessments for FASD were virtually absent and this continues to fuel perceptions that rates of FASD in Indigenous communities are out of control. The bias has also shaped Canadian research of FASD and in turn, has influenced government policies, public health strategies, and healthcare systems across the country. Can you speak to the mental health of people with FASD? 90% of individuals with FASD experience challenges with their emotional wellbeing and mental health. There’s a wide range of co-occurring diagnosis and challenges and a lot of that stems from when the needs of individuals with FASD are not met.
There might be folks who have a higher risk for employment challenges, substance use, housing instability, interactions with the justice system, and suicidality. Despite the significant need for support, there’s very little evidence on the use of psychotherapy for individuals with FASD. When folks with FASD seek counseling or mental health support, that counselor needs to be FASD informed. They also need to have a good understanding of that person’s cognitive strengths and to build a support plan off of that. Maybe a client has really strong expressive language skills but you can’t really notice that when you’re only verbally speaking to them and they’re not taking in and understanding what you’re saying. Knowing how to adapt your therapeutic approach is really important. There’s not just one approach, it really has to be individualized and based on the relationship you’re building with that person. Can you recommend any additional resources for those who want to learn more about FASD? There’s a lot of excellent information on the CanFASD website . FASD Ontario is also a good website that includes information on clinics, support groups, resources, and there’s a list of FASD workers in the province.
Chrysta Wood rocks her red shoes as part of Red Shoes Rock , an FASD global awareness campaign
Registration for Indigenous Perspectives of Disability: A Primer on FASD will open Spring 2024! To keep up to date on all training opportunities, sign-up for our mailing list.
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JESSICA (ROBINSON) MAMAKEESICK | SURVIVING TO THRIVING
Christi Belcourt | Offerings to Save the World
CHRISTI BELCOURT | OFFERINGS TO SAVE THE WORLD Before COVID, while I was still travelling a lot, a colleague and I were in Ottawa on our way to a meeting with the federal government when we stopped at a gallery that was showing Christi Belcourt’s works. As I walked through the gallery, Offerings to Save the World stopped me in my tracks and I began to weep even without knowing the name of the piece. I was lucky enough to receive a print of this piece from Christi with some good words of encouragement for my spiritual and healing work. I treasure Offerings to Save the World and I think that it really summarizes my work at Soul of the Mother. Kahontakwas Diane Longboat (Senior Manager of Strategic Initiatives and CAMH Elder)
Peter Migwans | Untitled 24
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Jessica (Robinson) Mamakeesick, an Oji-Cree woman with roots in Sandy Lake and Keewaywin, made this painting for the Surviving to Thriving: Healing Intergenerational Jessica (Robinson) Mamakeesick | Wounds , a Surviving to Thriving gathering hosted by Anishinabek Nation. The bird, to me, represents flight: soaring. At closer look you see the wings of the bird are made up of Anishnaabeg, all supporting one another, connected. Chrysta Wood (Community Support Specialist)
PETER MIGWANS | UNTITLED This is a piece by the late Peter Migwans who was an established Woodland artist, Elder, proud grandfather, and family friend. I couldn’t remember when I received this painting, so I texted my mom. From my mom: “Peter gave it to your dad in 1995, then your dad gave it to you”... Simple enough! The painting is done on rough wood which is now a bit cracked and has duct tape on the back, courtesy of my dad. It has amazingly survived all these years and hung in every home I’ve lived in and even after all this time is still my very favourite piece of art. Jane Theriault (Social Worker, Clinical)
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For this issue, which highlights art interventions in helping work, we ask Shkaabe Makwa staff members to share a piece of art that they love and their connection to it.
CHRISTI BELCOURT | GETTING THE MESSAGES FROM THE SPIRITS I’m a member of the Turtle Clan and immediately connect to any art with a turtle as a result. But Christi Belcourt’s Getting the Messages from the Spirits also soothes me. It evokes the ease I get on long hikes in nature, particularly at dusk or dawn, as I connect with ancestors away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Even now, I felt more peaceful, typing out the reasons I enjoy this work! Jeff D’Hondt (Senior Health Policy Analyst, Strategic Initiatives)
Christi Belcourt | Getting the Messages from the Spirits
HAWLI PICHETTE | WE WERE SEEDS I took this picture at the front entrance of the Maawnjidiing Wiingushkeng Centre for Indigenous Excellence and Land Based Learning in Mississauga. My daughter and I are a part of Hawli Pichette | We Were Seeds the Indigenous Community with Peel District School Board. We meet regularly during the year at the Maawnjidiing Wiingushkeng Centre for events including language classes, storytelling, sharing circles and many other teachings. I did not have this when I went to school and I am so grateful that Naleah and I are able to participate and learn together. This mural on a wall of the Centre stopped me dead in my tracks – it’s so powerful. It represents the resurgence of culture, language, and identity and that’s what Maawnjidiing Wiingushkeng Centre is all about. Cindy Noel (Administrative Assistant) SHKAABE MAKWA MAGAZINE
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IN CONVERSATION WITH...
PEARL GABONA
Pearl Gabona is a Métis leader, an Elder in the Métis Nation of Ontario, and a trusted advisor for many Workforce Development trainings at Shkaabe Makwa. A grandmother of two boys with autism, Pearl was an instrumental Knowledge Keeper during the 2023 Gathering on Indigeneity, Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, and Mental Health in Ontario in May. Pearl is a retired police detective having served for 30 years. As a current member of the Restorative Justice Council for the Métis Nation of Ontario, Pearl works with Indigenous Peoples charged with, and convicted of, a criminal offence with the intent of returning the offender to their Indigenous roots and values and avoiding punitive measures or incarceration. In conversation with Bruce Barber (Training Coordinator with Shkaabe Makwa), Pearl speaks about connecting with her Métis identity, the role of Traditional Knowledge in addressing mental health challenges, and her work with Shkaabe Makwa.
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Bruce Barber: What inspired you to become a Traditional Knowledge Keeper? Pearl Gabona: I did not know I was Métis. I was not brought up with my mother and she was my Métis ancestry and my father would not tell us anything about her. I didn’t even know my mother’s first name until I was about 12 years old. When I was about 48, I finally met my mother a week or two before she passed away. After that I really wanted to know what Métis was and who I was. It felt like a piece of me was missing. I started looking and found my Métis ancestry (my mother was one of 12 children so I had a big family) and became a citizen of the Métis Nation of Ontario. That was important because as soon as I found a connection, I wanted to know everything I could. Although I was about 55 at the time, maybe older, I continually sought out opportunities to learn more about my heritage and my culture, and put a little bit more of me together. Because I was so involved in the Métis Nation of Ontario, interested in expanding my knowledge, and inspired, that led me to become an Elder. “Inspired,” that’s a good word. I wanted to know more and I wanted my grandchildren to know more. My oldest grandson, when he was five or six, he would go up to complete strangers and say, “I’m a Métis boy,” and that just warmed my heart. He is, even today, very proud to be Métis. BB: How did that journey lead to your work in the field of mental health with Shkaabe Makwa and CAMH? PG: I got involved in CAMH through my work with the Métis Nation of Ontario.
I was introduced to [Community Support Specialist with Shkaabe Makwa] Louis Busch probably four years ago. I think initially it was to talk about my experiences as an Elder and how culture is an important part of my life. Since then I have done a lot more. I just love helping Louis and I love working with CAMH. What’s most inspiring about my work [with Shkaabe Makwa] is that I can see how extremely important Indigenous culture is. We have collectively been taken from or held from our culture so often. Although I was not a residential school child, I feel that I missed out on so much of my culture and I missed out on opportunities. That made me want to not only increase my knowledge, but to share everything that I was learning with others who also need to know their culture. It means so much because it changes the way you live when you live according to the principles of your culture. BB: How does your Traditional Indigenous Knowledge play a role in your work with Shkaabe Makwa? Particularly addressing mental health challenges? PG: I think that as young people, and I say young people because I’m so old, but as young people grow and learn and are confronted with a culture that is the one we’re living in, not our culture but the colonialist culture, sometimes it’s easy to get lost. Reminding young people, and everyone that we come in contact with, what our values are, what our morals are, and why we have those morals is important.
I’m part of the Restorative Justice Council for the Métis Nation of Ontario and Indigenous Peoples are referred to us by the criminal courts. We work with people who have been accused of a crime prior to their sentencing. What we try to do is to draw them back into their cultural way of life. Crime is not an Indigenous thing. Prior to our colonial ancestors coming, we took care of things. We didn’t have jails, we shared with everyone, and we gave people what they needed. But we’re not in a society that does that. So, as part of the Restorative Justice Council, we help the accused look back at his or her own culture, at where he or she came from, and what might have caused them to behave in this manner. By returning to their cultural standards, they can avoid incarceration, which is ideal, but also they can look at, and change, their life and that’s what is needed. I feel the same about mental health. We can give people a strong understanding of their culture and bring them firmly back to the values that we value. And that includes going back to Mother Nature. If you move into a place of rest with who you are and what Mother Earth and our culture gives to us, we can more easily overlook the things that are creating anxiety and have a more stable mindset.
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BB: What are some of the unique challenges and opportunities you’ve encountered bringing traditional Indigenous Knowledge to Western approaches to mental health care? PG: I have to say that it’s very difficult because the influence of Western culture is so powerful and it makes our culture look less important [when] it’s not. But very often, people, particularly young people, look to Western culture rather than their own. So the challenge is to show how significant Indigenous culture is. I think all of the Métis, Inuit and First Nations are doing that by involving their young people in cultural experiences and activities that show them the part of the way of life that we need to adopt. We can be in the Western world, but we can be different. And the problem is learning how to do both. How can I be in this Western culture, but also protect my Indigeneity?
and leaders, Western society is sometimes uncomfortable because they’re being confronted with something that they don’t want to see. But [it] is so important that we do [see it], you know? One of the things that makes us most comfortable in life, it’s something we don’t agree with. But we have to be sensitive to and understand the things that are important to Indigenous Peoples. Some agencies want to fix or help or change the First Nations, Métis, Inuit and we don’t need that. We need understanding, we need concern. We need help in rebuilding our own way, not in learning [the Western] way.
BB: What advice would you have for mental health professionals and organizations seeking to engage with Indigenous communities and integrate Traditional Knowledge into their services? PG: I believe that we need to rebuild our relationship with the Creator. I can show other people through my prayer and my teachings that we need to go back and acknowledge that we own nothing and we have nothing. We’re simply using what Mother Nature and what the Creator gives us and that is important to us. I think that as Indigenous Peoples develop and bring forward their Elders and Knowledge Keepers 28
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I had a particular church group who wanted me to talk with them and help them because they were going to do a walk from one city to another, sleep in tents overnight and whatever, and go to a First Nation community. This was all an act of compensating for the harm done to Indigenous Peoples. But it’s all wrong. Indigenous Peoples are not punitive.
We did not self-flagellate because you did something wrong. When something went wrong, it was about nurturing, rebuilding, going back to the basics and caring and sharing and loving. We didn’t punish ourselves or anyone else. For the Western people to want to do something that was punishing them to make them feel better, that’s nothing for the Indigenous. We don’t want that. Even if they sit down and say, “but we walked for two days, through rain and snow, so that we could help understand you,” my answer would be, “you have no
think it’s going to be extremely valuable. I have also been involved in the gathering on youth violence prevention that Louis is leading. I find that as I see our young people growing, I’m seeing them more alert to their culture. As they do that, they will be able to put away the Western ideas of greed and theft and anger and frustration and be drawn back into the values that we hold. The Seven Grandfather Teachings are what we want to live by.
more understanding of the Indigenous than you did before you started the walk. What you’ve done is for your own conscience and to ease your own sense of guilt. Organizations need to look at why they want to do what they’re doing. Why do you want to go to a First Nation community and give something or do something? Determine your motives first. BB: I have one final question. Are there any Shkaabe Makwa-led projects at CAMH you’re involved in that you’re particularly excited for or proud of? PG: I’m really looking forward to the continuation of the [Gathering on Indigeneity, Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, and Mental Health]. It’s so important that we remember the needs of these children and adults and that they’re not any different than other human needs. It’s so important that CAMH can reach these people who are already so disadvantaged and give them a better way of life and raise them up. That’s why I’m looking forward to that and I
Pearl speaks at the 2023 Gathering on Indigeneity, Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, & Mental Health
Bruce Barber is a proud 2 Spirited First Nations individual from Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation in Treaty #3. He serves as the Training Coordinator for Shkaabe Makwa at CAMH. As the eldest of three siblings, he became the first in his family to pursue post-secondary education, specializing in Business Marketing. Bruce’s career spans Indigenous organizations, the music industry, and healthcare, highlighting his dedication to personal and professional growth through strategic innovation in marketing and entertainment. SHKAABE MAKWA MAGAZINE
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A CATALYST TO RECOVERY How a new program formed in partnership with CAMH and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) supports client wellness harmoniously BY LAURA STANLEY
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During the winter of 2023, a group of CAMH outpatients, Métis composer Ian Cusson, two members of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (Camille Watts and Joseph Kelly) and Dale Kuehl, Advanced Practice Clinical Leader with Shkaabe Makwa, gathered weekly at CAMH’s Queen Street campus to laugh, connect, share stories, and songs. They were the first participants of Art of Healing, a new program that supports patients at CAMH through storytelling and musical composition. The inaugural run of Art of Healing also marked the beginning of a multi-year partnership between CAMH and the TSO. A special event , that included performances by acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma and Tobique First Nation performer and composer Jeremy Dutcher, was held in November 2022 to announce the partnership. “We started our conversations just before the COVID lockdown in March 2020 so we had been talking for quite a while before we came up with something that we felt was really meaningful and viable in the context that we are operating in,” says CAMH’s Director of Community Engagement Janet Mawhinney about how Art of Healing started to come together. “During COVID, of course, there were a lot of restrictions on gatherings so everyone was really trying to think creatively about how we could make something meaningful that was in person. We also wanted to do something a little bit different and something that could be sustained over several weeks and not
CAMH’s Director of Community Engagement Janet Mawhinney & Dale Kuehl, Advanced Practice Clinical Leader with Shkaabe Makwa
just a one-time concert or visit. It was a very thoughtful and gradual process developing Art of Healing.” Art of Healing was designed, as Mawhinney notes, “in the spirit of reconciliation.” The culturally relevant program prioritizes CAMH’s First Nations, Inuit, and Métis patients, is open to non-Indigenous patients and celebrates Indigenous-specific worldviews. “For our first gathering, we had an opening prayer from Walter Lindstone [Implementation Specialist with Shkaabe Makwa] and, in my mind, that really set the foundation,” says Kuehl. The program was also intentionally structured to be in-person to allow for handson exercises with instruments and to help foster connections between participants and co-facilitators Kuehl and Cusson. Some CAMH patients in the group even braved snowstorms to ensure they didn’t miss a session. SHKAABE MAKWA MAGAZINE
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Composer Ian Cusson introduces “To Live (Ikiru)” at a special preview concert at CAMH for staff and program participants
“It started as a peripheral activity that turned out to be the high point of my year so far,” wrote one client in the program’s feedback survey. “Life is truly worth living during these sessions.” “We were very mindful that it was a pilot,” Mawhinney explains. “We were all like, ‘well, let’s see how this goes.’ We sort of felt like we were being courageous, but also grounded in good practice.”
“We kept saying this is therapeutic but not therapy,” states Kuehl. Nevertheless, their weekly conversations about music naturally led participants to share personal stories. As one CAMH patient noted, “To give language to healing and difficult experiences. Talking about music and what it makes us feel is, in a way, ‘indirectly’ discussing and finding our voices within the darker places. To connect. Music is SUCH an equalizer and healing can be a very isolating experience.” One of the objectives of Art of Healing was for Cusson and the CAMH patients to co-create an original piece of orchestral music together. Inspired by the group’s conversations, Cusson composed a nearly 10-minute long piece entitled “To Live (Ikiru).” “We had a preview concert where the piece was performed at CAMH in our auditorium and it was extremely moving. The clients who’ve been involved in the program were very open about its impact and, frankly, the composition is stunning,” says Mawhinney.
Kuehl’s primary role in the program was to ensure participants’ safety and to support patients’ wellness. “We structured the sessions so that at the beginning everyone had a check-in,” he says. “Let’s say we did a check-in and someone was really having a rough week, I would have been there to also say, ‘okay, why don’t we chat after group’ and I could assess to see if there were any mental health concerns that we needed to be aware of.” But Art of Healing is not a therapy group 32
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Art of Healing co-facilitators Dale Kuehl & Ian Cusson
Following enthusiastically positive feedback from program participants, both Kuehl and Mawhinney confirm a second iteration of Art of Healing will take place in 2024. As a participant in the inaugural group illustrates, the impacts of the program will continue to be life changing. “[Art of Healing] opened a lot of emotional doors I thought were long closed. This was the catalyst to recovery.” “To Live (Ikiru)” will be performed by the full
Toronto Symphony Orchestra at concerts taking place June 7th - 9th, 2024 at Roy Thompson Hall. To view the TSO’s calendar and to purchase tickets, click here .
Laura Stanley is a Communications Coordinator with Shkaabe Makwa. She has a Master’s degree in Canadian & Indigenous Studies from Trent University. Laura spends a lot of her time knitting, crying about the Toronto Raptors, and reading books. She is a settler based in Tkaronto (Toronto).
Life is truly worth living during these sessions. Art of Healing participant
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By Louis Busch Anishinaabe Onyota’a:w artist Tsista Kennedy Photo by: LoveLee Photography
Artist Tsista Kennedy's Reflections on Art, Life, Culture, and Healing I have always been interested in exploring ways to communicate concepts to adult learners that go beyond the usual wordy psychobabble of the many mental health trainings I’ve encountered as a helper. As a facilitator, I most often use real world examples and interactive activities.
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In 2021, when work began on Shkaabe Makwa’s Pivoting Towards the Good Life: Braiding Indigenous Wisdom with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Indigenous Helpers (you can learn more about how the training came together in the of our magazine), I reached
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out to Anishinaabe Onyota’a:aka artist Tehatsistahawi (Tsista) Kennedy to see if he would be interested in trying to bring some of the training’s concepts to life. I had first encountered Tsista’s work while reading about a mural he had done at the London Health Sciences Centre . I was immediately drawn to the bold connective lines, vibrant colours, and unique approach to the Woodlands style. Tsista’s visual art seems to walk in two worlds, blending a traditional Woodlands style with a futuristic commentary on technology and the reality of modern life. I thought that this mix of art styles was the perfect fit for a curriculum that intends to blend two helping worlds together.
When he agreed to help, I was thrilled but I didn’t realize then just how important his pieces would end up being to the training curriculum. In addition to the usual ‘oohs’ and “aahs’ from participants, his work tends to generate a lot of important discussion, and seems to reach the helpers at a personal level. Like his art, Tsista commands a strong presence. When I reach Tsista virtually, he is in a canvas tent out in the bush on the territory of his ancestors along the coast of
it for fun or trying to pass time in school. I wasn’t really keen on school, so a lot of times, I’d be drawing all over my schoolwork or anytime there was free time or even during recess, I’d just be sitting there drawing on blank pieces of paper. The year before high school, I think I was around 14 years old, I created my first Woodlands style piece kind of by accident. I was at a track meet waiting for my race to start, and was just sitting there doing some drawings in a sketchbook and ended up drawing a snapping turtle.
Georgian Bay. Before relocating this past spring, Tsista had been living in London, Ontario but high rent prices forced him to start thinking about getting off the grid. “It’s been really eye-opening and has completely changed my perspective and outlook on life,” Tsista tells me. “I’ve certainly learned what is worth complaining about and what’s worth worrying about. I feel like it has really improved my mental toughness.” His deep thoughtful voice and contagious smile make it easy to hang on his every word. I was eager to learn what I could from him. Louis Busch: I thought we could start from the beginning. How did you get started on your journey with art? Is there a specific memory that you might point to as motivating you to consider art as a something you wanted to take seriously? Tsista Kennedy: I started doing artwork at a pretty young age. I was basically doing
Self-portrait by Tsista Kennedy
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It happened to have all of the elements of Woodlands style, not completely Woodlands style, but the elements were there. I posted the drawing to Facebook and someone bought it off me for $100.
as anxiety or depression, with words. I imagine that there’s a therapeutic quality to putting those experiences out on the canvas like you do, in a way that transcends words.
That kind of sparked something in my head — people really liked the things I drew in that style, so I kept working at it, and found that it came naturally. That was the moment that got me to stick with Woodlands style and set the direction I was heading in in terms of creating artwork.
TK: Absolutely. When we talk about the four parts of our being, the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical, I feel like the creative process touches all four of those at some point. Looking back on the tough times I used to go through, a lot of my art pieces would kind of manifest themselves
LB: Has living in the bush had an impact on your creative juices? TK: When I lived in the city, I was really dissatisfied and anxious, and struggled with depression — that was, in a way, good fuel for my artwork. I could express those feelings and portray things like capitalism and greed and the issues we face as Indigenous Peoples through my artwork in a very impactful way. But now that I’m living in this quiet and peaceful environment, where I’m basically undisturbed by anyone or anything, it’s become really difficult to create impactful work like that. I’ve started to lean more towards telling the stories of my life out here, and that’s really changed my artwork a whole lot. I suppose I am looking inwards more than outwards these days and expressing that through my artwork. LB: To me, there is something really interesting about using art to communicate complex concepts. It’s pretty difficult to do a good job of describing our internal experiences, such 36
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from these emotions, from what I was experiencing. So it was about sitting there in that emotional and mental space, and really reflecting on what I was feeling and how I could translate that into an image. Sitting there in that stillness and setting some time aside throughout the day brought that to life. That was really therapeutic for me. It gave myself an opportunity to reflect and to validate those feelings and bring them to life. During the process, I noticed my issues kind of drift away, even the world could sort of drift away. When I get into that creative flow, it’s just me and the artwork, and it gives me a little bit of a break from those moments of struggle. LB: You did some work for Shkaabe Makwa’s training Pivoting Towards the Good Life. I was really interested to see how you might translate some of the concepts into visual form and I was blown away with what you came up with. You created the title piece for the training, which I guess we could call “Pivoting Towards the Good Life.” [img. 1]
The title illustration created by Tsista Kennedy for Shkaabe Makwa’s training Pivoting Towards the Good Life [img. 1]
Can you tell me a bit about it? TK: For me, the good life brings me to the Seven Grandfather Teachings : Humility, Bravery, Honesty, Wisdom, Truth, Respect and Love. I was exposed to these Teachings growing up, so as soon as we talked about Pivoting Towards the Good Life, I knew that the Grandfathers had to be part of it. I wanted all Seven Grandfathers surrounding a family. For me it was about representing how each of these Teachings are always with you. And not just as individuals, but family units at all stages can look to these Teachings when they are lost. The Grandfathers are there for the family, are with them, and connected with love. Those values are connected to us by balance, represented by the Medicine Wheel, the four aspects of our being, the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual. The Grandfathers are all there to ensure you are tending to those aspects of your being.
LB: You created this next work [img. 2] after our chat about experiential avoidance, the tendency to try to escape or get some relief from our difficult experiences, which can become problematic when it becomes our primary motivation in life. Tell me a bit about what you were thinking here. TK: Honestly, for this entire art piece I drew upon my own past experiences. Especially as a teenager, this is how I was a lot of the time, constantly avoiding the duality of life. That’s what I wanted to illustrate here because there’s a good and a bad side. When you’re sheltering yourself and distracting yourself from all of the negative things out there, you also miss out on what life is really about. And so you have the beauty on the right side, and then you have all the crazy and awful stuff on the on the left side, but if you look up at the very top, you find they’re both connected, because you can’t really separate the two.
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Tsista Kennedy depicts the duality of life [img. 2]
“The things that we perceive are wrong with us start to become who we are as a whole,” reflects Tsista Kennedy on the above illustration depicting the “concept of the observer self” [img. 3] 38
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When you’re walking through life, you come across the good and bad, and you just have to take them for what they are and learn from them. If you spend your whole life just constantly avoiding them all together, you aren’t living life to the fullest. This is really just a reflection of how I used to approach life, or rather, how I used to hide away from life.
a little baby filled with nothing but love and light. That’s the child that is staring out in this piece. Then we get to that next stage and maybe we encounter some traumatic experiences that really rattles us. But we continue to grow, and now we’re an Elder and we’ve done the work and we find balance, and we find who we were when we first started.
LB: For this next piece [img. 3], you and I had talked about the concept of the observer self, that part of us that is more than our thoughts or emotions, that part of us that rises above and notices that we are having these human experiences. When you look at this piece now, what are you thinking? TK: As I look at it now, one of the things that stands out for me is how the eagle flows through the life stages. To me there is something here that says that we aren’t the bad things that we think are wrong with us. Although we tend to make ourselves out to be that way. The things that we perceive are wrong with us start to become who we are as a whole. When I think back on the life paths of many of the people I’ve known, they didn’t have the best upbringing and sometimes they might think, well this is just who I am, I am this person who isn’t treated well and who doesn’t treat others well, and they find themselves stuck in a bad way. But it wasn’t really their fault that they experienced those kinds of situations growing up. That may or may not have carved the path to where they are now, but they started out as the purest human being,
Pivoting Towards the Good Life: Braiding Indigenous Wisdom with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Indigenous Helpers will take place throughout November. To learn more about this training and to register, click here To learn more about Tsista Kennedy and to view more artwork, visit his website and follow him on Instagram
Louis Busch is Bear Clan Member of the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation and a Community Support Specialist with Shkaabe Makwa at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Louis is a Registered Psychotherapist and Board Certified Behaviour Analyst with 15 years of experience working within the mental health and forensic mental health systems. Louis has a Master’s in Education from the University of Calgary and is currently completing doctoral studies at the University of Toronto. SHKAABE MAKWA MAGAZINE
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KATHERENA VERMETTE WRITING AS A PATHWAY TO HEALING By Chrysta Wood
Chrysta Wood (Community Support Specialist with Shkaabe Makwa) sits down with Governor-GeneralAward-winning Red River Métis (Michif) writer, and her sister through traditional Anishinaabe adoption, Katherena Vermette to discuss the art of writing as a pathway to healing, and to get tips on how you can pursue your own healing through the written word. 40
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I have always been drawn to both art therapy and expressive arts therapy in my helping work, especially with youth. I am not an art or expressive arts therapist, but I love to use the tools offered by these approaches to enhance my helping work. Art and expressive arts therapies are forms of psychotherapy that utilize creative mediums to promote emotional healing, self-discovery, and overall well-being. These therapeutic approaches recognize the power of artistic expression as a means to communicate and process emotions,
at Champlain Elementary: Mrs. Frohlich and Mrs. Lewicki (grades 5 & 6), Mrs. Perlmutter (she taught me how to knit and crotchet), and Mr. Solomon (the principal). They made teaching a room full of disaffected inner-city kids look easy. We really lucked out to be surrounded by such great teachers!
thoughts, and experiences.
reflects Katherena. “But honestly, when I think of those teachers, I think of the love and respect they gave us, the time and care. Getting that from your teachers is priceless.”
Expressive arts therapy encompasses a wide range of creative activities, including visual arts (painting, drawing, sculpture), music, dance, drama, and writing. This diversity allows individuals to choose the medium that resonates most with them. Writing, I find, is a particularly versatile and accessible tool that can significantly contribute to a person’s wellness. Writing provides an emotional release, promotes self-reflection, reduces stress, enhances problem-solving skills, and fosters better communication. One of my earliest memories of using writing as a tool for wellness was a project I did in elementary school. We made our very own books. I wrote a book of poetry which I admit at that age I thought meant making sure everything rhymed! Katherena Vermette was also in that class with me. We have been peas in a pod since we were 9 years old. Our teachers were phenomenal. Katherena shares the same great love for our teachers Photo by: Vanda Fleury
“The books we made in grade 5 and 6 we’re instrumental for me. The process of writing, editing, illustration, the physical putting together of a book. I love every step — haven’t stopped doing it since,”
For myself, it wasn’t long after this that I discovered the power of journaling for my own healing. I was always a very shy kid so writing in a journal was the perfect way for me to express myself and it continues to be an important tool in both my personal life and my helping work. for Katherena, writing started as a cathartic process, a therapeutic one. As she explains: “I have often said, ‘sometimes I don’t even know what I am feeling until I write it and then read it over.’ That’s how my feelings become known and clear to me. As a kid, I wasn’t given room to name my own feelings or communicate my singular experience in an honest way, so finding a method to do that safety was literally life-saving. Haven’t stopped doing that either.”
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Chrysta Wood: Can you share your personal experiences with how art has played a role in your healing journey, and how it influences your writing? Katherena Vermette: For me, writing started as purely a healing journey. I took up journaling and poetry as a young person and through it was able to articulate some pretty difficult things. I knew I always wanted to be a writer, though it took me a long while to figure out what I wanted to write about. For an impossibly long time, I tried hard not to write about myself and avoided putting that personal writing out into the world. I thought the stuff I published was supposed to be different, better, more writerly. My own internalized prejudices, I think. When I finally started writing about things that had my heart and soul inside of them things started to click for me. Then I became a real writer (super writerly — haha!). Writing about myself or people like me and my versions of the world became its own form of healing. CW: In what ways do you believe art and creativity can be therapeutic for individuals? KV: I think writing can be very healing but can also be very hindering and retraumatizing. You have to feel your way through to know the difference, then find the ways that work best for you. When I was starting, as I said, I thought I had to give all of myself, literally bleed for the work (I was a very dramatic young person). I thought just doing that would be healing on its own. But it’s not. Writing about the hard stuff can be good. It can be cathartic and you can learn 42
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to write it as a release. But I wasn’t writing as a release of anything — I was writing to hang on. My work became this excuse to not deal with [emotions] and not heal. That didn’t serve anybody. I think the difference between healing and not is different for everybody, but you have to go toward what feels good, what heals and releases versus what makes you feel re-traumatized. CW: How do you approach the delicate balance between addressing difficult or painful topics in your writing and providing healing or solace to your audience?
“Writing myself or like me a versions world be its own fo healing.”
KV: I put the care on the page. My novels tend to be about hard things but in fiction, you can make stuff up, right, so I also get to put the healing in there wherever and whenever I reasonably can. In my first novel, The Break — which was so hard for me to write — whenever something hard happened in the story, the next part — immediately or as soon as I could after — I had some care written in — usually in the form of tea drinking. There’s a lot of tea drinking in that one. A Traditional Storyteller once taught me that as storytellers, we can’t just lead people into dark places and leave
them there. We have to take them through and show them how to get to the other side. That has always stayed with me and I think of that with everything I write. CW: Could you share any insights on the role of storytelling in art and its potential to create empathy and healing connections between people?
about r people and my of the ecame orm of ”
KV: I always have a hard time with this empathy thing. I think stories are
the best way we learn about it each other and gain empathy for one another, but I don’t think that should ever be the goal of a story. Stories can’t tell you how to feel or what to think about something. Stories have to show, be honest, and be their own world. In writing, we always say Show Don’t Tell. This is as much for ourselves as for the story. A good story is just a story. What people get out of it is their business. CW: What role does self-expression play in the healing process through art, and how can writers encourage others to explore their creative voices? KV: I love reading and knowing about others through art. I love seeing myself in places where I never thought I’d see myself. Art is
all about feelings and human experience, and that is something we all have in common. The best kind of art is reflective of who we are, and at the same time, opens up the world to things we didn’t even know. I think our stories are important, all stories are. If you have a story that wants to get out there then you should write it. Stories have a way of making themselves known, keeping themselves known, bothering you until you do what they want. Hard stories are necessary to be told, and if the teller wants to, to be shared and heard. This is necessary for both ourselves as the teller, and for others as the listener. But they must never be told at the expense of our well-being. Some stories take a long time to get out into the world, and that’s okay, too. I had a loved one die when I was young but it took me ten years to write poetry about it. Another ten years to publish those poems. I just wasn’t ready. It takes as long as it takes. To learn more about Katherena Vermette and her work, visit her website
Chrysta Wood, Eagle clan, is a Community Support Specialist with Shkaabe Makwa. Chrysta is a mom, auntie and a kokom. She grew up in Winnipeg’s North End, is a member of Hollow Water First Nation with family roots in Manigotagan. She lives with her partner on his family’s ancestral grounds on Naotkamegwanning in Treaty 3 Territory. Chrysta holds a Master of Social Work based in Indigenous Knowledges from the University of Manitoba. SHKAABE MAKWA MAGAZINE
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WRITING AS WELLNESS
My biggest rule: you have to really take care of yourself during the writing process. Rest, feel your feelings when they come up, and be kind to yourself (spirit and body) as you do this work. You never have to bleed for it. I learned all that the hard way, and now I give that advice to anyone starting.
First rule of writing is to just write. Don’t judge, don’t correct, don’t question, just let yourself write. Scribble on pages (or screens) to your heart’s content. The words on the page are a lot less scary than the thoughts in your head, trust that. Give yourself lots of time, more than you need, and always selfcare after. And before. And during. 44
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Whether you’re an aspiring writer or interested in incorporating writing as an approach in your helping practice, writer Katherena Vermette shares some tips to get started.
There are two ways to write — you can write for yourself and you alone or you can write for others. Both are hard to do in different ways. Sometimes you can write just for yourself so you can read them back, for your eyes only. Some people even burn the pages after they’ve written them. I’ve done this and it’s not a bad ceremony, really. If, for whatever reason, you can’t or don’t want to share, you can leave it at that. Nothing wrong with that.
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THE HEALING POWER OF ART We shine a light on some of the incredible art by Indigenous artists enhancing the patient and visitor experience at CAMH’s Queen Street campus. These pieces were created as part of CAMH’s Therapeutic Art Project
Artist and CAMH patient Simon Shimout (aka Napayok) spent 500 hours creating this 18foot long sequence of nine tiles carved from Algonquin limestone now embedded in one of the walls in the lobby of the McCain Complex Care & Recovery Building. To learn more, click here
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Love Bears by Dean Drever
Located on the second floor of the McCain Complex Care & Recovery Building, Love Bears is, as the artist explains, ”a sculptural representation of the healing power of love.” To learn more about this sculpture, click here
Rebecca Baird’s installation titled All My Relations blends Indigenous symbols and imagery and Mid-Century Modern design. All My Relations is located above and beside the stairs leading from the lobby of the Crisis & Critical Care Building. To learn more about this installation, click here SHKAABE MAKWA MAGAZINE
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We believe that culture is central to healing and wellness.
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