“I’ve never seen addiction without an underlying cause — it’s always about something deeper.”— Shontelle ProkipcakIn this episode of Mino Bimaadiziwin, host Carol Hopkins sits down with Shontelle Prokipcak, a social worker, psychotherapist, and registered addiction specialist with Mental Health and Addiction Services Ottawa. Shontelle shares powerful insights into the deep connection between trauma and addiction, explaining how healing means addressing the root causes beneath behavior. She discusses using schema therapy to separate colonial-imposed shame from cultural identity and to rebuild self-worth through empowerment and connection.Together, Carol and Shontelle explore harm reduction, SMART Recovery, and the importance of safe spaces for community healing. At the heart of Shontelle’s work is a belief that culture is medicine and that everyone deserves wellness, belonging, and the chance to live a good life.For more on the work of Thunderbird Partnership Foundation, please visit our website at www.thunderbirdpf.org (www.thunderbirdpf.org) You can find us on social media by searching for ThunderbirdPF  Mino Bimaadiziwin is produced by David McGuffin of ExploreProductions.ca  ​ (ExploreProductions.ca%C2%A0%C2%A0%E2%80%8B)Additional Production assistance by Graham McGuffin and Clare McGuffin.

In this latest episode of Mino Bimaadiziwin, host Carol Hopkins is joined by Theresa Crow Spreading His Wings, founder of Gathering Our Bundles. They delve into the important topic of how to decolonize leadership in organizations and life. Theresa shares her perspective on understanding and dismantling colonial practices, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness, cultural identity, and leading with love. She recounts her personal healing journey as a Sixties scoop thriver, her experiences growing up, and how connecting with her Blackfoot roots has influenced her leadership style. Theresa also discusses the significance of integrating indigenous values and ceremony into leadership and the challenges of navigating and transforming mainstream organizational structures. Her insights offer a profound and heartfelt reflection on leadership, cultural safety, and the power of community and relationships.Theresa Crow Spreading His Wings is the founder of Gathering Our Bundles, a leadership and healing platform rooted in love, truth, and cultural safety. A survivor of the Sixties scoop, Theresa specializes in trauma-informed care, decolonizing leadership, and system navigation for Indigenous communities. She is a Blackfoot First Nations woman from the Blood Tribe in Treaty 7 Territory in Standoff, Alberta. Her work is grounded in Blackfoot values and teachings.For more on the work of Thunderbird Partnership Foundation, please visit our website at www.thunderbirdpf.org (www.thunderbirdpf.org) You can find us on social media by searching for ThunderbirdPF  Mino Bimaadiziwin is produced by David McGuffin of ExploreProductions.ca  ​ (ExploreProductions.ca%C2%A0%C2%A0%E2%80%8B)Additional Production by Graham McGuffin and Clare McGuffin.

In this episode of Mino Bimaadiziwin, host Carol Hopkins welcomes Koral Hamilton, program manager with Feathers of Hope in Thunder Bay, Ontario, an Indigenous youth advocacy organization. Koral shares her inspiring journey from addiction and trauma to advocacy and leadership in Indigenous youth support and addiction recovery. Koral, a proud Metis woman with roots in Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, has lived experience with addiction, incarceration, sex trafficking, and criminalization. She discusses the transformative power of reconnecting with Indigenous culture and the integration of dialectic behavioral therapy with Indigenous practices. Highlighting her efforts in developing harm reduction tools and leading the creation of a stabilization facility in Thunder Bay, Hamilton emphasizes the need for support structures that bridge the gap between detox and long-term treatment. Her approach centers on cultural healing, emotional regulation, and life skills, underscoring the critical role of Indigenous identity and community in the recovery process. Hamilton’s story is a testament to the impact of compassion, non-judgment, and cultural connection in fostering lasting recovery.For more on the work of Thunderbird Partnership Foundation, please visit our website at www.thunderbirdpf.org You can find us on social media by searching for ThunderbirdPF  Mino Bimaadiziwin is produced by David McGuffin of ExploreProductions.ca  ​ (http://exploreproductions.ca/)

In this episode of Mino Bimaadiziwin, Carol Hopkins, CEO of Thunderbird Partnership Foundation, welcomes Dr. Peter Butt, an expert in wholistic recovery from addictions. They delve into the concept of wholistic recovery, especially in the context of First Nations communities dealing with substance use disorders. Dr. Butt discusses the importance of addressing the spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical domains of individuals for effective recovery. He emphasizes the need for culturally grounded, compassionate care and the necessity of linkage to community services like housing and cultural activities. The conversation highlights the challenges and potential of creating supportive, wholistic care environments that are attuned to both the individual needs and cultural contexts of the people they serve.Dr. Butt is a retired Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan.He served for 24 years as a consultant in Addiction Medicine in the Saskatchewan Health Authority.He’s perhaps best known nationally for his work leading the development of Canada’s Low Risk Drinking Guidelines, co-chairing the Canadian Guidelines on Alcohol Use Disorder Among Older Adults, and most recently, co-chairing the 2023 Canadian Guidance on Alcohol and Health with the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction.Indigenous health has also been an important part of his career. His wife and children are members of the Saddle Lake Cree First Nation. He served as Director of Northern Medical Services for 14 years, coordinating medical care to predominantly Indigenous communities both on and off reserve.These days, he’s also a retired bison rancher—but his passion for advancing wholistic recovery and compassionate, culturally grounded care is still very much alive.For more on the work of Thunderbird Partnership Foundation, please visit our website at www.thunderbirdpf.org You can find us on social media by searching for ThunderbirdPF  Mino Bimaadiziwin is produced by the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation and David McGuffin of Explore Podcast Productions.  Our theme music is by Courtney Riley, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation.(https://ssl.gstatic.com/ui/v1/icons/mail/images/cleardot.gif)00:00 Introduction to Dr. Peter Butt and the Podcast01:55 Dr. Butt's Career and Contributions03:33 Understanding Wholistic Recovery06:16 Challenges in Substance Use Treatment10:29 First Nations' Perspective on Treatment13:44 Wholistic Recovery Options and Approaches29:11 The Role of Housing in Recovery32:55 Breaking Down Silos in Healthcare34:54 Introduction to Sanctum Care Group35:30 Evolving Models of Care35:57 Healthcare Funding and Support36:48 Cultural Interventions and Identity37:57 Sanctum 1.5: Supporting Pregnant Women40:17 Decolonization and Health Promotion42:04 Role of Culture in Recovery44:50 Challenges in Indigenous Healthcare45:43 Impact of TRC Calls to Action49:27 Community-Based Recovery Approaches55:32 Wholistic Healing and Family Support01:05:46 Final Thoughts and Gratitude

Carol is thrilled to welcome Cecile McKay to the podcast. Cecile is the Saskatchewan Director of the Talking Stick program, a new digital, Indigenous led peer support tool that has been used by tens of thousands of people since launching less than two years ago. Cecile joins Carol to talk about how the Talking Stick program is helping to fill crucial gaps by allowing quick and anonymous access to a safe place, providing emotional support, while empowering Indigenous voices, and creating jobs for Indigenous people. Cecile is a Cree woman from Buffalo Narrows and a proud member of Canoe Lake Cree First Nation, in Northern Saskatchewan. She has over a decade of leadership experience in Indigenous organizations.Talking Stick was developed by TryCycle, a Canadian digital health company focused on improving community well-being through safe, accessible technology and human connection.For more on the work of Thunderbird Partnership Foundation, please visit our website at www.thunderbirdpf.orgYou can find us on social media by searching for ThunderbirdPF  Mino Bimaadiziwin is produced by the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation and David McGuffin of Explore Podcast Productions.   Our theme music is by Courtney Riley, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation.

"This drug is designed and made to be addictive. It's designed and made to replace your dopamine. It's entire purpose as a chemical is to cause these actions and reactions." Carol welcomes Barbara Ann Horner back to Mino Bimaadiziwin for an important conversation about methamphetamines, crystal meth, what they are, their effects and strategies to address the meth crisis. Barbara Ann is Thunderbird’s regional mental wellness Coordinator for British Columbia. Barbara Ann was also recent guest on this podcast talking about the dangers of xylazine. Definitely check that out if you haven’t already. Barbara Ann's post-secondary studies include Women and Genders trauma-based addiction counseling. Her training along with a passion for harm reduction resulted in tenured expertise in frontline crisis intervention. Barbara-Ann is also a strong advocate for safer spaces and unbiased inclusion. Living off the land and holistic healing are close to Barbara-Ann’s heart and inform her existence and practice. This has resulted in her special relationship with saging and land-body healing methods. In her private life, Barbara-Ann is proud to be known as a mother, grandmother, auntie and friend.For more on the work of Thunderbird Partnership Foundation, please visit our website at www.thunderbirdpf.org (www.thunderbirdpf.org) You can find us on social media by searching for ThunderbirdPF  Mino Bimaadiziwin is produced by the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation and David McGuffin of Explore Podcast Productions.   Our theme music is by Courtney Riley, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation.

On this episode Carol welcomes Barbara Michel to Mino Bimaadiziwin to talk about Saskatchewan's crystal meth crisis and the rapidly worsening impact it is having on children in many First Nations communities. Barbara Michel is Thunderbird’s Regional Coordinator for Saskatchewan. Barbara is Cree from the northern Saskatchewan community of Deschambault Lake and is a member of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation. She speaks her language fluently and lives a traditional lifestyle with a passion for learning about her culture. She hopes one day to hold the title of Elder. Barbara has worked in the social services field for more than 20 years, and previously held the positions of Supervisor for a receiving home, Manager for a family wellness centre, Manager for a land-based crystal meth treatment facility and Treatment Director for the Prince Albert Grand Council.For more on the work of Thunderbird Partnership Foundation, please visit our website at www.thunderbirdpf.org (www.thunderbirdpf.org)You can find us on social media by searching for ThunderbirdPF  Mino Bimaadiziwin is produced by the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation and David McGuffin of Explore Podcast Productions.  Our theme music is by Courtney Riley, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation. 

Xylazine is a large animal tranquilizer that is being mixed in with an increasing number of illicit drugs and is being detected in a growing number of overdose deaths, including in First Nations Communities.Today on the Mino Bimaadiziwin, Carol Hopkins is joined for a frank and informative conversation about the impacts of Xlazine by Barbara Ann Horner.Barbara Ann is Thunderbird’s regional mental wellness Coordinator for British Columbia. Her post-secondary studies include Women and Genders trauma-based addiction counseling. Her training along with a passion for harm reduction resulted in tenured expertise in frontline crisis intervention. Barbara-Ann is also a strong advocate for safer spaces and unbiased inclusion. Living off the land and holistic healing are close to Barbara-Ann’s heart and inform her existence and practice. This has resulted in her special relationship with saging and land-body healing methods. In her private life, Barbara-Ann is proud to be known as a mother, grandmother, auntie and friend.For more on the work of Thunderbird Partnership Foundation, please visit our website at www.thunderbirdpf.org (www.thunderbirdpf.org)You can find us on social media by searching for ThunderbirdPF  Mino Bimaadiziwin is produced by the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation and David McGuffin of Explore Podcast Productions.  Our theme music is by Courtney Riley, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation.*

"If we took control of our own health, and if we took control of our programs, our services, our funding and redistributed the way we see fit and works with our people, our health outcomes for our people would be much better."Carol Hopkins is thrilled to be joined on this important episode on First Nations health transformation by two experts, Loretta Nootchai and John Scherebnyj.Loretta is a Health Transformation Project Manager with the Anishinabek Nation.John is President of White Rock Consulting, and has decades of experience in finance and management in the health sector, with a particular focus with First Nations.They are helping lead the health transformation that has been ongoing in the Anishinabek Nation since 2016, with the aim to gain greater control over their health and wellness, consistent with the inherent right to self-determination. For more on the work of Thunderbird Partnership Foundation, please visit our website at www.thunderbirdpf.org (www.thunderbirdpf.org)You can find us on social media by searching for ThunderbirdPF  Mino Bimaadiziwin is produced by the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation and David McGuffin of Explore Podcast Productions.  Our theme music is by Courtney Riley, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation.

Dr Andrea Sereda is Carol Hopkin's guest discussing safer opioid supply, addiction and recovery on this episode of Mino Bimaadiziwin. Dr Sereda is the lead physician at the London, Ontario Intercommunity Health Centre’s Health Outreach program and she is the founding physician for Safer Opioid Supply, which provides pharmaceutical grade opioids to people dependent on unregulated street fentanyl. In her work, Dr. Sereda focuses on caring for people who use drugs, people deprived of housing, women in the survival sex trade, as well as medical street outreach and care in non-traditional settings such as shelters and jails.Her program, Safer Opioid Supply, is a Health Canada recognized and funded, Substance Use and Addiction Program.It is considered a pillar of the Federal government’s approach to the overdose crisis.To learn more about safer supply, please visit the National Safer Supply Community of Practice website at https://www.nss-aps.ca/ (https://www.nss-aps.ca/)For more on the work of Thunderbird Partnership Foundation, please visit our website at www.thunderbirdpf.org (www.thunderbirdpf.org) You can find us on social media by searching for ThunderbirdPF  Mino Bimaadiziwin is produced by the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation and David McGuffin of Explore Podcast Productions.  Our theme music is by Courtney Riley, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation.

Carol is thrilled to be joined by Gilbert Whiteduck andJamie Carle for another in our series of discussions about successful Indigenous Treatment Centres and what lessons they provide. Gilbert and Jamie are the Program and Services Team Lead and Nurse, respectively, delivering harm reduction programing at Wanaki Centre, located in the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg community next to the town of Maniwaki, Quebec. Under their leadership, Wanaki was granted Accreditation of Exemplary Status in the Qmentum program of Accreditation Canada, an impressive achievement. The Wanaki Center provides an important wellness program that supports First Nation and Inuit people to discover the strengths they carry and learn how to balance life's challenges, seeking to heal from alcohol and substance addiction.​The center first opened its doors in 1991 with the mission to provideprogramming for substance abuse and to promote the physical,mental, spiritual and emotional well-being for First Nations and Inuitpopulations. The wellness services are provided over a 4-weekperiod in French and English on a rotational basis.Gilbert Whiteduck is Anishinabek from the Kitigan Zibi First Nation. He has served as chief of his community. He holds a bachelor of social work, a bachelor and masters of education, and an honorary doctorate from the University of Ottawa. He is currently completing an Indigenous law certificate from University of Ottawa. He has worked as a clinical coordinator, residential counselor and now as the program and services team lead at the Wanaki Centre.Jamie Carle is a nurse from the Kitigan Zibi. Jamie has been a nurse for over ten years in her community and is passionate about Indigenous health. Her work has included acute care palliative care, community care, maternal and child health, midwifery and she now works in treatment of substance abuse..For more on the work of Thunderbird Partnership Foundation, please visit our website at www.thunderbirdpf.org (www.thunderbirdpf.org)You can find us on social media by searching for ThunderbirdPF  Mino Bimaadiziwin is produced by the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation and David McGuffin of Explore Podcast Productions.  Our theme music is by Courtney Riley, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation

What role does Virtual Treatment play in drug and alcohol addiction rehabilitation? A fire four-and-a-half years ago at the Native Horizons Treatment Centre in the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation meant they had to find that out well before COVID made virtual care a widespread reality. Their Executive Director, Wanda Smith, joins host Carol Hopkins for a discussion on what she and her team have learned in those years, including what differences virtual outreach treatment services have made to programming and clients, are thereinnovations arising from virtual treatment delivery, and how have connections to culture been facilitated through virtual services?For 35 years Wanda Smith has been the Executive Director for Native Horizons Treatment Centre. Her career in the field of First Nations addictions has spanned 45 years in various positions from Community Youth Counsellor, to Native Addictions Program Teaching Master at Northern College in Timmins, to Executive Director for White Buffalo Youth Treatment Centre, Sturgeon Lake, Saskatchewan. Native Horizons focuses on healing individuals, families andcommunities challenged by substance use and the related mentalhealth issues for over thirty years. It does this with virtual andResidential, culturally-centered services in a nurturing, home-likeatmosphere, ideal for long-lasting healthy lifestyles.For more on the work of Thunderbird Partnership Foundation, please visit our website at www.thunderbirdpf.org (www.thunderbirdpf.org%C2%A0)You can find us on social media by searching for ThunderbirdPF  Mino Bimaadiziwin is produced by the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation and David McGuffin of Explore Podcast Productions.  Our theme music is by Courtney Riley, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation.

Host Carol Hopkins is very happy to be joined by Theresa Crow-Spreading-His-Wings and Sandra Malcolm from the Native Addictions Council of Manitoba, for a lively and fascinating discussion about the addictions workforce, specifically the certification in addictions core competencies and the investment their organization is making in their workforce. They also talk about the role of treatment centers in addressing the opioid and meth addiction crisis faced by many First Nations and the importance of traditional knowledge and ceremony in that. This conversation is part of a series of conversations highlighting the good work of First Nations treatment centres in offering quality services. Theresa is the Executive Director of NACM. She is a Blackfoot First Nations woman from the Blood Tribe in Treaty 7 Territory in Standoff, Alberta. Theresa grew up in the Child Welfare System, as part of the 60’s scoop and the heart-work of her healing journey has been anchored in being a mother of two adult children and two grandchildren. Theresa moved to Winnipeg in 2004 where she has been serving the inner-city community, as an advocate for adults, youth and families that are struggling with addictions, poverty and mental wellbeing.Sandra Malcolm is the Program Coordinator at NACM. Sandra’s background is in nursing and specialization in mental health and addiction. She obtained extensive experience working in a variety of addiction treatment centers, health sectors, and with marginalized individuals struggling with addictions and mental health challenges.  For more on the work of Thunderbird Partnership Foundation, please visit our website at www.thunderbirdpf.org (www.thunderbirdpf.org) You can find us on social media by searching for ThunderbirdPF  Mino Bimaadiziwin is produced by the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation and David McGuffin of Explore Podcast Productions.  Our theme music is by Courtney Riley, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation.

Host Carol Hopkins is thrilled to be joined by Deb Dell and Karen Main in a conversation highlighting the quality of addictions services for First Nations youth, how they know there is quality, what that looks like and their processes for facilitating continuous improvements.Karen and Deb both work with YSAC, a network of 10 First Nation Youth Residential Treatment Centres across Canada, offering holistic, culturally grounded addiction services that are centred in First Nations ways of knowing and being. For 27 years Debra Dell has been working at the Y-S-A-C and at its member centres. She is a founding member and currently the organizations Executive Director. She focuses on research and practises quality, as well as human resource training and competency work. She has a dual masters in counselling psychology and adult education and a doctorate in distance education. She is a first generation settler from Scotland who works in Treaty Six territory in Saskatchewan. Karen Main is Associate Director for the Y-S-A-C where her focus is providing support to their ten centres in accreditation, board governance and life promotion training programs. She spent 15 years as Executive Director of Leading Thunderbird Lodge – part of the Y-S-A-C network.She is a proud member of the Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation in southern Saskatchewan.***And related to this conversation, please take a moment to take part in The​ Standards Council of Canada and the Mental Health and Substance Use Standardization Collaborative, questionnaire related to mental health and substance use from the perspective of First Nations, Inuit, and Metis. The questionnaire can be accessed through the following link:https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VCMHZQL (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VCMHZQL)Mahihkan Management has been contracted to create awareness among First Nations, Inuit, and Metis knowledge holders, and mental health and substance use experts, and allied professionals to gatherinformation about mental health and substance use services. This information will be used to inform a report on standardization of Mental Health and Substance Use Health services and other future work.Please complete the survey before June 30th. Further engagement sessions will take place in the fall.For more on the work of Thunderbird Partnership Foundation, please visit our website at www.thunderbirdpf.orgYou can find us on social media by searching for ThunderbirdPF  Mino Bimaadiziwin is produced by the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation and David McGuffin of Explore Podcast Productions.  Our theme music is by Courtney Riley, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation.

We're thrilled to have Dawna Prosper on the podcast.She is Executive Director of the Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse and Counseling Association and a proud member of the Eskasoni First Nation of Cape Breton. Since 1971 NACADA has run addiction prevention and treatment programs in First Nations communities across Atlantic Canada. It has been accredited for the last thirteen years. In this conversation with Thunderbird Partnership Foundation CEO Carol Hopkins, Dawna describes both the challenges and benefits that come with accreditation in terms of funding, empowerment of staff, workload, and services delivered to clients. They also discuss the challenges of funding in terms of keeping staff by paying competitive wages, and the importance of cultural practices in treatment.For more on the work of Thunderbird Partnership Foundation, please visit our website at www.thunderbirdpf.org You can find us on social media by searching for ThunderbirdPF  Mino Bimaadiziwin is produced by the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation and David McGuffin of Explore Podcast Productions.  Our theme music is by Courtney Riley, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation.

"In our communities we need to do more ceremony. Those ones that are lost, they can come to the ceremony, the doorway is not closed to anyone. If they need that help from ceremony, they are welcome." Elder Hector Copegog, spiritual teacher, ceremonial chief and healer is our guest in this second conversation on managing grief through ceremony. In this powerful talk, Carol and Hector discuss how ceremony can honour lost family members through the use of fire, food, tobacco and language as a way of connecting with those lost spirits. This can be especially powerful now, coming out of COVID, where people died without funerals being held. Wes says having a ceremony on the year anniversary, or two year anniversary of a death is a strong way to connect to those we lost and in managing our grief as individuals, families and communities. Hector is a fourth degree Midewiwin, or spiritual advisor and traditional healer and a spiritual consultant with the Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle.He has decades of experience practicing traditional ceremony and culture as part of the process of loss and healing. And he is a proud member of the Beausoleil First Nation in Ontario. For more on the work of Thunderbird Partnership Foundation, please visit our website at www.thunderbirdpf.org (http://www.thunderbirdpf.org) You can find us on social media by searching for ThunderbirdPF  Mino Bimaadiziwin is produced by the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation and David McGuffin of Explore Podcast Productions.  Our theme music is by Courtney Riley, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation.

"Whatever you are suffering with, don't give up. Hang in there. There's a lot of people who've suffered. Just look back at the history of our peoples, the things we've survived and come through. Don't give up. There is help and you will find your way."We're thrilled to have Wes Whetung on the podcast for this episode on the importance of ceremony and culture to manage grief, loss and many other challenges First Nations people are facing today.This conversation was sparked by the recent Thunderbird Survey on Grief and Loss Among First Nations People. And the number one thing respondents to the survey wanted was to better understand grief and loss through the lense of culture. Which is why we turned to Wes. He is a ceremony maker, Knowledge Keeper, teacher, and helper. He originates from the First Nation community of Curve Lake Ontario and resides in the community of Mississauga number 8.His training is extensive, but he says his most valuable skills are derived from the Sacred Teachings, and ceremonial healing practises of the Anishinabe Midewin. He has actively supported the Three Fires Society Midewin Lodge for over 40 years. And is currently working with Indigenous inmates at the Beaver Creek Institution in Gravenhurst, Ontario. In this smart and thoughtful conversation, Wes and Carol talk about the historical impact of the loss of land, language, identity among First Nations people, caused by Residential Schools and other forms of systemic racism.They discuss how a connection to culture helps us to move through grief and the experiences of loss. And the remedy through ceremony. What works best and what resources are available.This conversation was sparked by the recent Thunderbird Survey on Grief and Loss among First Nations People. And the number one thing respondents to the survey wanted was to better understand grief and loss through the lense of culture.For more on the work of Thunderbird Partnership Foundation, please visit our website at www.thunderbirdpf.org (www.thunderbirdpf.org)You can find us on social media by searching for ThunderbirdPF  Mino Bimaadiziwin is produced by Thunderbird and David McGuffin of Explore Podcast Productions.Our theme music is by Courtney Riley, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation. 

"When they come in they are broken, they are so broken. That's why we use so much compassion at work and with what we do every day. And we tell them we're proud of them every single day. And that's when they start to regain that hope, is when we tell them 'You're one day sober and I'm proud of you.'" We're thrilled to have Barbara Michel-Ballantyne on the podcast, talking about a successful land based and traditional knowledge treatment program that has helped her First Nations Saskatchewan community overcome a devastating crystal meth addiction epidemic. She is the manager at Camp Hope, the Montreal Lake Child and Family Agency where she is Director for the Land Based Crystal Meth Rehab Centre. She has close to twenty years of First Nations Child and Family services experience, focused around mental health, addictions and recovery.  Camp Hope is a Land Based Therapeutic program, a family oriented facility located in a remote area of Montreal Lake Cree Nation in Treaty Six territory in Saskatchewan, that has helped hundreds of families with children to access recovery services. For more on the work of Thunderbird, please visit our website at thunderbirdpf.org  You can find us on social media by searching for ThunderbirdPF  Our theme music is by Courtney Riley, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation.  Mino Bimaadiziwin is produced by David McGuffin of Explore Podcast Productions and the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation.

As we continue our series on harm reduction, we are thrilled to be joined by three guests who are leading an incredible effort in drug harm reduction with their organization, "Fire with Fire," a response in eight First Nations communities in Treaty 1 territory in southeastern Manitoba to substance misuse causing harm and overdose."Fire with Fire" responds to individual needs of community members with the support of peer mentors who form quick response teams in each of the communities served. The main purpose of the peer mentors is to educate, support and train those in community toward more helpful health outcomes in dealing with opioid and meth addiction.Our guests are:Allen Contois is Project Coordinator of Fire with Fire and a proud member of the Brokenhead Ojibway Nation Tahl East is Fire With Fire mental wellness programs manager and developer. She was born in Jerusalem and is an ally of First Nations across Turtle Island.And Helene San Pedro is the Tribal Health Educator for Harm Reduction for the Southeast Resource Development Council and a settler to Treaty 1 territory from the Philippines.For more on the work of Thunderbird, please visit our website at thunderbirdpf.org  You can find us on social media by searching for ThunderbirdPF  Our theme music is by Courtney Riley, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation.  Mino Bimaadiziwin is produced by David McGuffin of Explore Podcast Productions and the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation. 

We're thrilled to be joined today by Audra Stonefish for this smart, thoughtful conversation about the importance of harm reduction with Thunderbird Partnership Foundation CEO, Carol Hopkins.Audra is the Cultural Harm Reduction Outreach Supervisor for Chippewas of the Thames First Nation located in southwestern Ontario.Audra's program is in its fifth year. It focuses on meeting the relatives wherever they are, promoting mental wellness and safe drug use.Culture based harm reduction carries the same goal with every interaction, and that is promoting inclusivity and facilitating connection because they believe those things will help people take charge of their own wellbeing and move towards recovery, whatever that looks like for the individual. Working with the crisis response line and the community wellness worker, Audra's long term goal is to provide education on the impact of harm reduction and eliminate stigma.For more on the work of Thunderbird, please visit our website at thunderbirdpf.orgYou can find us on social media by searching for ThunderbirdPFOur theme music is by Courtney Riley, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation.Mino Bimaadiziwin is produced by David McGuffin of Explore Podcast Productions and the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation.