HOLISTIC HEALING
Waseya, a Cree word that means “Light of the Spirit”, is the umbrella for most Waseskun programs. The Waseya Program is objective oriented with focus on holistic healing. It encompasses all aspects of residents’ lives at Waseskun: from their original intentions, arrival and healing plans, to circles, 1-‐on1 therapeutic sessions, chores, committees, outings, education, skills development, traditional and cultural programs.
Waseya’s healing, cultural, educational and skills development components are structured so that each resident can embark on his own healing journey by moving along a sequence of Paths. All the different spheres of the residents’ lives are addressed throughout the therapy, incorporated into a Healing Plan and assessed through their progress along the Paths.
The Paths Process begins with a personal retreat session that lasts a minimum four to seven days, as soon as a new resident arrives at Waseskun. This is an opportunity for the new arrival to reflect upon where he came from, why he has chosen to come to Waseskun and what issues he wants/needs to work on for his healing. During this solitary time, called Lighting the Fire, the new resident does not interact with the rest of the Waseskun community and must remain in his room, except for getting his meals, exercise, and meetings with staff and peer support. During his time in Lighting the Fire the new resident shall develop a personalized Healing Plan, which maps out the work he shall be engaged with during his time at Waseskun. Once he presents his Healing Plan to his brothers and staff in a Community Circle, he moves onto Waiting at the Edge, followed later by Path 1, 2, 3, and 4, advancing to each based on his individualized needs and progress in his healing journey. With each subsequent Path residents go ever-‐deeper intoMedecines for smudging their healing. Waseya is not just a program; it’s a way of life!
Waseya program components
The Waseya Holistic Healing Program has many components to it, each designed to address specific aspects of healing with which the residents need help and guidance. Many Waseya Program Components are offered in a Circle where teachings are given, stories are told, and the residents open up to share their experiences, followed by carefully facilitated discussions to explore the issues being looked at in greater depth. Other Waseya Program Components are more hands-‐on, with the focus of activity being on learning through direct experiences of doing and creating.
*Carving of Totem PoleIt is important to note that within the great variety of activities and components offered under Waseya, that they are not all offered simultaneously and thus are not always available.
1. POWER and CONTROL.
Power and Control touches on sexuality, violence, spirituality, culture and learning about limits and boundaries, to help residents look at all these issues differently. The residents learn to think differently by being exposed to diverse perspectives and opening their minds. They are also taught to use logic and common sense. Residents are encouraged to drop their defences and let go of whatever masks they used to hide behind, so they can clearly look at issues of blame, responsibility, and acceptance of what is.
2. HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS.
In Healthy Relationships participating residents learn to face the fact that they have made choices in the past that got them into trouble, and how to take responsibility for changing by letting go of shame and choosing to stop re-‐offending. Residents learn to regard sexuality in a healthy way, and to understand that one is never going to have a healthy relationship outside if one doesn’t have a healthy relationship inside.
3. ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS and THEIR UNDERLYING CAUSES.
In Addictive Behaviours and Their Underlying Causes the consequences of addictions on individuals, families and communities are closely examined. It is designed to address what residents need emotionally, mentally, spiritually and physically in order to change their behaviour patterns. All abuses and hurts at all levels are addressed so that they can be let go, while they get equipped with tools to apply when they are triggered, instead of returning to substance abuse and deviant behaviour. In Addictive Behaviours and Their Underlying Causes the consequences of addictions on individuals, families and communities are closely examined. It is designed to address what residents need emotionally, mentally, spiritually and physically in order to change their behaviour patterns. All abuses and hurts at all levels are addressed so that they can be let go, while they get equipped with tools to apply when they are triggered, instead of returning to substance abuse and deviant behaviour.
4. THE ROOTS of ANGER .
The Roots of Anger provides opportunities for residents to open up and share about experiences that impacted on their lives, and how past events could have been altered if there had been good communications and tools to manage their anger. We identify what triggers each resident’s anger and why and explore the roots of their problems, helping them to start trusting and opening-‐up so they can learn the practice of managing anger so it no longer manages oneself.
5. LIFE SKILLS TEACHINGS.
Life Skills Teachings involves an interactive process of learning, enabling residents to acquire knowledge and to develop attitudes and practical skills that help form healthy behaviors, encourage responsible management of their personal affairs, and support balanced living.
6. HEALTH and WELLNESS.
Waseya’s Health and Wellness Program Component teaches residents about physical health and nutrition and shows them how to engage with a diet and routine of exercises designed to achieve balance in their holistic health. Native healing beliefs and practices are reviewed, combining physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects related to achieving and maintaining well-‐being
7. PARENTING.
Waseya’s Parenting Program Component begins with the understanding that parents are our first teachers and have an enormous influence on a developing child. Parenting aims to identify and understand abusive behaviors, actions, patterns and cycles, with the goal of learning how to replace them with more healthy practices. Focus is placed on the importance of learning to not transfer current or past trauma to the next generation, thereby breaking the cycle of abuse
8. TRADITIONS.
Waseya`s Traditions Program Component helps residents find who they really are and to understand the process of cultural re-‐ discovery. Whatever may have happened in the past does not change the essential essence of who a person is, nor their cultural identity, even if they have been brought up disconnected from it. We empower residents to get beyond their guilt and shame to help them re-‐connect with their traditional roots and engender a sense of pride in and acceptance of who they are. In 2015, a Wampum belt was created by residents in the traditions program depicting people’s life journeys while telling the story of healing along the way. The Waseskun Wampum Belt is now used in many ceremonies performed at the Center.Waseya`s Traditions Program Component helps residents find who they really are and to understand the process of cultural re-‐ discovery. Whatever may have happened in the past does not change the essential essence of who a person is, nor their cultural identity, even if they have been brought up disconnected from it. We empower residents to get beyond their guilt and shame to help them re-‐connect with their traditional roots and engender a sense of pride in and acceptance of who they are. In 2015, a Wampum belt was created by residents in the traditions program depicting people’s life journeys while telling the story of healing along the way. The Waseskun Wampum Belt is now used in many ceremonies performed at the Center.
9. INTENSIVE LAND PROGRAM.
Waseya’s Intensive Land Program relies on our ancestral and traditional ways to address the needs of Waseskun residents, many who have become institutionalized and are in need of practical skills for living in this day and age. Residents who have lost the connection with Mother Earth and only know a city-based urban life need to become acquainted with Indigenous traditional ways that have been passed down from our ancestors.
The Intensive Land Program is designed to teach residents bush-craft and outdoor skills to help them to live outside of the walls of an institution. When the control of the guards and inmate hierarchy is taken away, how will a long-time incarcerated person react to living in society again? The bush-craft and outdoor skills learned will allow them to be truly free again.
Traditional men have the knowledge of how to live on the land. For warmth we gather wood and build a fire. For transportation we place one foot in front of the other. For light we ignite a lantern. What we haven’t brought with us into the bush, we do without. The benefits we derive from living on the land provide us with a feeling of self-reliance and a linkage to our forebears. When we put residents in the same setting as our ancestors 200 years ago, they will flourish as new men.
The program starts with classes that teach the foundation of emergency survival, then expand to the basics of camping, fire-starting, first-aid, tying knots, and taking care of tools. We then advance to bush-craft shelter building techniques, performing ceremonies to reconnect with the land., and the harvesting of particular animals and medicines. Once the knowledge has been shared, we move into actual trips onto the land, one-day outings and seasonal multi-day camping trips. The men get to enjoy many outdoor activities when out on the Land, including swimming, boating and fishing.
10. INDIGENOUS CULTURE.
Under the Waseya umbrella, we offer many cultural activities that include a variety of Aboriginal traditions. Some are part of daily life at Waseskun, while others are offered as special focus sessions for specific periods of time.
* Please note that not all activities are held at the same time, as some are seasonal while others are held in rotation depending on resources and so, are not always available.
a. Circles
Circles provide an excellent and fair way for people to meet and exchange, where each person in the Circle is heard and respected as part of the collective whole. At Waseskun, many of Waseya’s healing components are held in Circles, as are most of our traditional and cultural activities. We regularly have Elder’s, sharing, teaching, and healing Circles as part of day to day life at Waseskun in order to advance the healing process and empower residents to fulfil their responsibilities.
b. Arts and Crafts
Many residents have creative skills and abilities. At Waseskun they have the opportunity to create and market their crafts. Some of the arts and crafts practiced by Waseskun residents include: painting, bead work, carving, leather crafts, embroidery, sewing and jewellery making. Sometimes residents learn traditional crafts, such as drum making, as part of their Waseya programming with instruction and guidance, while in other cases residents work on arts and crafts during their leisure time.
c. Traditional Singing and Drumming
At Waseskun residents learn to respect their own culture and those of others. Traditional Drum Songs help them find out who they really are and to understand this process of rediscovery. Singing and Drumming open residents to what their culture is and help them to learn about other cultures as well.
d. Inuit Culture – Nukivut “Our Strength”
Inuit residents are an important part of the Waseskun Healing community. Nukivut offers teachings specific to Inuit society through resource people, peer mentoring and sharing feelings, life stories and experiences in circles, including discussions surrounding traditional family values and the meaning of relationships in Inuit communities. Nukivut participants learn how: to forgive themselves; to have confidence in themselves and others; to trust people and to not be shy to ask for help. Nukivut also helps them feel empowered by developing: their personal and social abilities, their understanding of the underlying causes of alcohol and drug abuse, conflict resolution skills and tools for managing feelings so as to aid them on their healing journey and to help them better understand and deal with life’s challenges. Traditional Inuit activities are organized and included within the Waseya Program at Waseskun, including Inuit games, soapstone carving, and receiving visiting Inuit Elders on a regular basis, with feasts of wild meat (country food) when available. Waseskun has a craft shed reserved for Inuit residents, equipped with tools dedicated to soapstone carving
e. Working with Hides
Quebec’s Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks collaborates with the traditional activity mandate of Waseskun. The Ministry harvests injured and nuisance animals and is also responsible for disposing of road kills. As well the Ministry seizes game that was illegally poached. They have agreed and bring us animals from all three categories (harvested injured or nuisance animals, seized animals from poachers, and roadkill).
Waseskun takes any animals they collect, including game for fur and birds for feathers, and we use them for cultural activities. When fresh game is seized from a poacher or is killed by a warden it is possible that the meat may be good and when the Ministry determines that it is, we cook it in our outdoor kitchen and have a feast. We also receive meat and hides on occasion from a nearby Buffalo Farm.
Whenever we receive an animal, residents get to skin it and then work with the hides to tan and preserve them for fur, leather or rawhide. Thus far we have worked with and processed many different hides from deer, moose, buffalo, bear and coyote hides, while often keeping the complete skull, claws and many of the bones for ceremonial purposes.
Working on the hides and using as much of each animal as possible is a form of respecting animals and giving thanks for all that they provide. It is an educational process as well through sharing and learning different techniques and an important way to reconnect with Mother Earth and Indigenous Cultures and Traditions.
f. Organic Gardening
Growing our own food and medicines lead us not only towards healthier bodies, but healthier spirits as well! In Waseya Organic Gardening, residents learn about different types of gardens, soils and weather conditions, and gain hands-on knowledge of how to: plan, time and map out a garden; prepare the soils; sprout seeds; plant seeds and seedlings; tend to and water the plants as they grow; pull weeds and care for the garden; harvest food and medicines; and collect seeds for future safekeeping and use. We also compost our kitchen and grounds wastes which is then used to help enrich the soil and nurture the plants growing in the gardens.
g. Traditional Feasts
Whenever Waseskun gets donations of wild meats and fish, including from Quebec’s Wildlife Service, and during harvest time and special occasions we have a Feast, putting our outdoor kitchen to use for barbecuing the meat, cooking the vegetables and making bannock in the traditional way. Mmmm, yummy!
11. SPIRITUALITY.
Under the Waseya umbrella, we perform many spiritual practices and ceremonies. Most come from First Nations and Inuit Cultures, while other beliefs and traditions are also respected and practiced by interested residents, e.g. Bible studies. Some practices and ceremonies are part of daily living at Waseskun, while others are offered on special occasions
a. Circles.
Circles provide an excellent and fair way for people to meet and exchange, where each person in the Circle is heard and respected as part of the collective whole. At Waseskun, many of Waseya’s healing components are held in Circles, as are most of our traditional and cultural activities. We regularly have Elder’s, sharing, teaching, and healing Circles as part of day to day life at Waseskun in order to advance the healing process and empower residents to fulfil their responsibilities.
b. Connecting with the Land.
Waseya’s Connecting with the Land Component gets residents out to the land, in order to practice traditional activities, learn survival skills, gather medicines, and to re-‐connect with Nature. Connecting with the Land offers residents a chance to break with routine and practice new life skills, based on traditional knowledge, values and customs.
c. Arts and crafts.
Many residents have creative skills and abilities and at Waseskun they have the opportunity to create and market their crafts. Some of the arts and crafts practiced by Waseskun residents include: painting, bead work, carving, leather crafts, embroidery, sewing and jewellery making. Sometimes residents do this as part of their Waseya programming with instruction and guidance, while in other cases residents do their artwork during their leisure time.
d. Inuit culture – Nukivut “Our Strength”
Inuit residents are an important part of the Waseskun Healing community. Nukivut offers teachings specific to Inuit society through resource people, peer mentoring and sharing feelings, life stories and experiences in circles, including discussions surrounding traditional family values and the meaning of relationships in Inuit communities. Nukivut participants learn how: to forgive themselves; to have confidence in themselves and others; to trust people and to not be shy to ask for help. Nukivut also helps them feel empowered by developing: their personal and social abilities, their understanding of the underlying causes of alcohol and drug abuse, conflict resolution skills and tools for managing feelings so as to aid them on their healing journey and to help them better understand and deal with life’s challenges.
Traditional Inuit activities are organized and included within the Waseya Program at Waseskun, including Inuit games, soapstone carving, and receiving visiting Inuit Elders on a regular basis, with feasts of wild meat (country food) when available. Waseskun has a building equipped with tools dedicated to soapstone carving.
d. Change of Seasons Ceremonies
At each Solstice and Equinox, Waseskun holds a Change of Season Ceremony and Celebration, often with invited guests and families, to acknowledge the time in the natural world where there is change from one season to the next. By acknowledging what goes on in Nature we are reminded to do the same within. A traditional Feast is held as a central part of these Ceremonies to honor the foods that we eat in the different seasons.