This morning began in a good way.
With ceremony, Grandmother’s Voice opened a new chapter of partnership at the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Halton site. Each Wednesday, space will now be held there for gathering, reflection, and learning together. Like all meaningful beginnings in Indigenous ways of knowing, it began not with an announcement or a program description, but with ceremony — grounding the work in relationship, intention, and respect.
Ceremony reminds us that healing work is not something we do alone. It is something we enter into together.
We want to acknowledge and thank CMHA Halton for opening this space and the organizations that make up the Halton Mental Health & Addictions Alliance for recognizing the importance of Indigenous approaches to healing. Their leadership demonstrates something important: reconciliation is not a concept. It is a relationship. It lives in the choices institutions make about who they learn from, who they walk beside, and how they support community-led knowledge.
When organizations step forward with humility and curiosity, something powerful becomes possible.
At the heart of the work we are sharing together is a simple but profound truth:
How can we help heal others if we have not taken the time to heal ourselves?
This question sits at the centre of the Indigenous Wisdom in Trauma Recovery program led by Elder Dennis Windego. The program is not simply professional development, nor is it only an academic exploration of trauma. It is a year-long learning journey rooted in Indigenous knowledge, ceremony, and lived experience — one that invites participants to explore trauma not only as clinicians or helpers, but as human beings.
Across seven modules, participants learn about complex trauma, intergenerational trauma, and the ways these experiences live in our bodies, families, and communities. They explore the neurological and emotional impacts of trauma while also learning traditional Indigenous approaches to restoring balance through ceremony, storytelling, land connection, and respectful relationships.
The training weaves together Indigenous wisdom and evidence-based psychotherapy practices, including Focusing-Oriented Therapy (FOT), offering participants practical skills while grounding those skills in a deeper understanding of wholistic healing.
But perhaps most importantly, the program reminds us that healing is relational.
Indigenous knowledge teaches that wellness is not only about the individual. It lives in the relationships we hold — with ourselves, with one another, with the land, and with the spirit of the world around us. When helpers reconnect with those relationships, the way they care for others changes.
Health care workers, social workers, counsellors, community leaders, police officers, corporate leaders, and individuals on their own healing journeys have all taken part in this program. Some come seeking tools. Others come seeking understanding. Many come because they feel the weight of helping others and realize they must care for their own spirit as well.
What they often discover is community.
People from different professions, backgrounds, and cultures sit together, learn together, and reflect together. Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants share space respectfully, guided by Elders and traditional teachings. In doing so, they begin to experience something that reconciliation often promises but rarely creates: real relationships.
This is why partnerships like the one beginning with CMHA Halton and the Halton Mental Health & Addictions Alliance matter so much.
When institutions invest in learning from Indigenous knowledge holders, when they encourage their teams to participate in programs like this, and when they create space for ceremony and community within their work, they help build a new path forward — one where healing systems begin to reflect the wisdom of the land and the people who have cared for it for generations.
The next cohort of the Indigenous Wisdom in Trauma Recovery program begins in April 2026, and spaces are still available.
For those who help others every day, this program offers something rare: the opportunity to pause, reflect, reconnect with purpose, and learn approaches to healing that honour both Indigenous knowledge and contemporary therapeutic practice.
But more than that, it offers an invitation.
An invitation to heal ourselves so we can help heal others.
An invitation to walk together in a spirit of respect and reconciliation.
And an invitation to remember that when community gathers with intention, real transformation becomes possible.
Learn more about the program here:
https://grandmothersvoice.com/trauma-recovery/
Presented by Samantha Doxtater
Presented by GRANDMA RENEE
In a world seeking direction, Indigenous teachings offer clear and enduring policies for how to live in harmony with one another and the Earth. This workshop invites participants to explore the profound lessons of the Two Row Wampum Belt and other wampum belts as frameworks for mutual respect, environmental care, and collective well-being. These belts, created long before colonization, embody ancestral agreements that guide humanity on how to coexist with honor, dignity, and reciprocity.
Led by Grandmother Renee, this session emphasizes the importance of relearning and honoring the policies established by our ancestors, rather than creating new paths disconnected from this wisdom. Through the teachings of the belts, participants will uncover the principles of self-care, stewardship of the land, and respect for all beings. This is not about inventing something new—it is about rediscovering the instructions that were always there and committing to uphold them.
Key Takeaways:
Through this workshop, participants will be reminded that the wisdom of the belts is not only a guide for Indigenous communities but a path for all of humanity to walk together in respect and care for one another and the Earth.
Presented by Grandma Gail and Angela DeMontigny
Ceremony is more than tradition—it is a deliberate practice rooted in wisdom, responsibility, and foresight. This workshop explores the “science of ceremony” as a guide to living with intention and accountability for the next seven generations. Our ancestors used ceremony to prepare for the future, ensuring that their actions would benefit not only their own time but also those yet to come. Now, it is our responsibility to carry that practice forward.
Led by Grandmother Gail, this session will examine what has been lost and the actions we must take to restore, respect, and reclaim the ceremonial practices that ensure the well-being of future generations. Participants will be encouraged to reconnect with ceremony as a means of healing, reflection, and renewal, building a foundation of responsibility to guide us in restoring balance and harmony.
Key Takeaways:
Through this workshop, participants will rediscover the transformative power of ceremony as a pathway to healing, accountability, and preparation for a sustainable and harmonious future. Together, we will reaffirm our responsibility to the generations to come.
Presented by Asha Frost
Join Asha Frost, an Indigenous healer, teacher, and bestselling author, for a transformative workshop rooted in traditional teachings and the power of self-discovery. Asha’s work often centers on reconnecting with ancestral wisdom, embracing one’s authentic self, and creating pathways for healing and empowerment. Drawing from her Anishinaabe roots, she weaves stories, teachings, and practical tools to inspire participants to reclaim their power and align with their purpose.
Through her signature blend of traditional healing practices and modern insights, Asha guides participants in understanding how to honor their own journey, navigate challenges with resilience, and embrace the interconnectedness of all beings. This workshop is an invitation to explore the sacred within and around us, fostering personal growth and collective transformation.
Key Takeaways:
Whether you are seeking personal healing, professional inspiration, or a deeper connection to traditional wisdom, this session with Asha Frost promises to be a profound and enriching experience.
Presented by Allen Sutherland
The Seven Fires prophecy, as shared by seven prophets across different time periods, offers profound guidance for humanity’s path forward. According to Anishinaabe oral tradition, these teachings speak to the choices we face when the world has been polluted, and the waters turned bitter by disrespect. The prophecy teaches that humanity must choose between materialism and spirituality—one path leading to survival and the other to destruction.
In this workshop, Mishoomis Allen will guide participants through the teachings of the Seven Fires prophecy, exploring its relevance in today’s world and its call for spiritual renewal. Additionally, he will share his Canadian Indigenous Historical Timeline, providing a broader context for understanding the cultural, social, and spiritual significance of these teachings.
Key Takeaways:
This workshop offers an opportunity to reflect deeply on humanity’s collective responsibility and the transformative power of choosing a spiritual path for the survival of future generations.
Presented by Thohahoken Michael Doxtater
In this session, Thohahoken Michael Doxtater explores the ongoing impact of Canada’s colonial policies on Indigenous communities and the historical journey toward Truth and Reconciliation. He examines the systemic attempts to erase Indigenous identity, from residential schools to the suppression of cultural practices, and highlights Indigenous resilience and legal resistance. The presentation also delves into the concept of the “Canada Rafter,” a historical agreement acknowledging Canada’s adoption into the Indigenous Longhouse, raising the question: Has Canada truly upheld its responsibilities in this relationship?
