Gathering Our Medicine

PROGRAM STRUCTURE

The Gathering Our Medicine program is intended to be covered over nine sessions. Each session consists of three hours, for a total of 27 hours of programming. Participants are encouraged to see the program as a sacred event (ceremony) that provides the conditions for healing, while enacting a living example of what is being taught in theory.

A sample agenda for each session will be provided with an instructional plan, however, facilitators will be encouraged to find their own sacred rituals and rites of passage that are appropriate and fitting for them in their own communities.

Program Intentions 

  • Create cultural safety: the kinship circle can reflect, discuss and explore potentially sensitive issues in regard to our youth;
  • Provide practical, strength-based developmental insight to the kinship circle so that they can respond to their youth with confidence;
  • Explore and experience ritual as a gentle, indirect and effective way of providing the relational context needed for teaching, learning, healing, and growth to occur;
  • Encourage the kinship circle to identify and explore rituals from their own culture and family of origin that would most naturally fit their lifestyle and support a healing relationship with their youth;
  • Provide model of development rooted in relational ways of being as a map that encourages caregivers to find their own way in terms of providing practical and effective care to Indigenous youth;
  • Support the kinship circle to view their youth through the lens of attachment, resilience and feeling in order to provide what is needed for healing the growth;
  • Re-orient the kinship circle (as opposed to experts) as being the most naturally equipped to raise youth;
  • Create a caring community of support for all those involved; and
  • Offer ongoing support and resources.

Weekly Sessions

  • Week 1 – A Warm Welcome and The Journey Ahead
  • Week 2 – The Healing Power of Cultural Rituals
  • Week 3 – Strengthening Relationships Through Gathering Rituals
  • Week 4 – Nature’s Plan for Growth
  • Week 5 – Reducing Separation Through Continuity Rituals
  • Week 6 – Recovering Resilience Through Grieving Rituals
  • Week 7 – Ritualized Forms of Expression for Aggression & Anxiety Problems
  • Week 8 – Bringing Together Our Kinship Circle Through Introduction Rituals 
  • Week 9 – Honouring Our Youth and Kinship Circle- Celebration Ceremony
Gathering Our Medicine

Session Descriptions

Read more details on each session:

WEEKLY SESSIONS
“The longest journey you’ll ever take is the one from your head to your heart.”
Kathy Lewis, Cree elder
“Teachings come from everywhere when you open yourself to them. Open yourself to everything, and everything opens itself to you.”
Richard Wagamese
“To live in ceremony is the greatest and truest gift we can give to ourselves.”
Richard Wagamese

Get in touch to learn more !

Have questions? We invite you to send us a message to learn more about Gathering our Medicine:

FACILITATOR TRAINING  |  COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE TRAINING  |  KINSHIP CIRCLES
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