Programs

We offer a culturally oriented program that is designed to instill pride and empowerment to our families. In our seven-week treatment program each week includes a traditional teaching and they are as follows:

• Week One - Assessment - Respect
• Week Two - Addictions - Truth
• Week Three - Relationships - Love
• Week Four - Feelings - Honesty
• Week Five - Grieving - Wisdom
• Week Six - Self-Awareness - Humility
• Week Seven - Relapse Prevention - Courage

The traditional teachings permeate throughout our weekly programming.

Week One - Assessment - Respect

Within the first week the teaching of respect is shared and imparts the message that we need to have respect for each other and our differences. We intake families from different provinces and different communities, many of whom have different ways of seeing things and doing things, so understanding what it means to be respectful and why we need to show respect helps to set the tone in all that we do as we interact with one another. The teaching of Respect helps us to create an atmosphere where all can feel safe.

Week Two - Addictions - Truth

The second week focuses on the teaching of truth. Within the second week individuals are asked to look at their addictions and their behaviours. It is important to be truthful with others but more important to be truthful with self. Only when we are truthful with ourselves are we truly able to be open about ourselves and open to change.

Week Three - Relationships - Love

The Third week focuses on the teaching of Love and Relationships more specifically family relationships. The Healing Lodge believes that the foundation to strong and healthy families is that all within the family are valued. No matter what is occurring in a family the common thread the keeps them together is their love for one another.

Week Four - Feelings - Honesty

The Fourth week focuses on the teaching of honesty and how we need to be honest with ourselves and our families about our feelings. Learning to communicate respectfully and honestly empowers families to work through the difficulties they may be having.

Week Five - Grieving - Wisdom

The fifth week focuses on Grief and the teaching of wisdom. Many of our families have experienced multigenerational losses. Loss of any kind leaves an individual feeling empty. The teaching of wisdom tells us that we know as individuals what it is that we need to heal.

Week Six - Self-Awareness - Humility

The Sixth week of treatment focuses on the teaching of humility. Many have self-esteem issues such as grandiosity or low self-worth so we teach the families that all people are equal beings deserving of equal respect and acknowledgment. We assist in identifying families' strengths and weaknesses and in doing so they achieve self-awareness; thus appreciating humility.

Week Seven - Relapse Prevention - Courage

The Seventh week focuses on the teaching of courage. When families are preparing to embark on their own with their newly learned skills they are asked to recognize and keep in mind the courage they have shown in their endeavours to make healthy changes in their lives.

We are a Healing Lodge, dedicated to teaching families about the good life, "Mino Pimatiziwin", and that happiness can be obtained through a drug and alcohol free lifestyle.

Resources

Harm Reduction Fact Sheet

Harm reduction is a way of being that helps people (no matter what their
choice is about drug and alcohol use) to reduce risks associated with
substance use for themselves, their families and communities.

Vicarious Trauma Fact Sheet

Vicarious trauma can gradually impact a person's physical,
emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing as a result of exposure to
other people's trauma or being exposed to the details of a traumatic
event(s).

Additional Supports

We understand the enormous loss and we mourn with the many families affected by the recent discovery of 215 children at a Kamloops Residential School. The mistreatment of Indigenous children is a tragic and shameful part of Canada's history. There are no words to ease the grief and pain of generations of children taken, futures ended and dreams unrealized.

While the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) help line is open for eligible employees, LifeWorks has also opened up a Crisis Support Line for anyone in the community in need of emotional support in relation to these events. The Crisis Support Line is open 24/7 and can be reached at: 1-844-751-2133. By calling, individuals will receive professional emotional support and/or referral to community resources. This resource is available to anyone and everyone, client or not.

Other resources available for support are: Manitoba Indian Residential Support Line at 1-866-818-3505 and the National Indian Residential School Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419.

Our hearts go out to the families of these children and our Indigenous communities.