Indigenous organizations seeing influx of mental health requests following discovery of grave sites
Since the recent discoveries of unmarked graves at residential schools across the country, many trauma and mental health workers have seen an increases in the number of people looking for help.
Regina Treaty Status Indian Services Inc. put together a collection of services to support both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. It’s dealing with a surge of calls from people seeking help, as more graves are found around residential schools.
“To talk about how people are feeling and not only the indigenous community, but also Canadians, mainstream Canadians,” Erica Beaudin, Executive Director of Regina Treaty Status Indian Services Inc., said.
Beaudin said Indigenous people have been speaking their truths through the Truth and Reconciliation process. She feels until the recent discovery of graves, most Canadians didn’t seem to understand what happened, or what kind of role they could play in moving forward.
“This is perhaps the perfect time, where ears are open, where the brain is willing to listen, where the heart is open,” Beaudin said.
Since many residential school survivors attended multiple locations, Beaudin said its important to remember the wide spread pain these findings can cause.
“There's an interconnectedness and a collective grief that is occurring right now, and that is portrayed in, or I should say it comes out in different ways for different people,” Beaudin said.
Similar services are being offered at the Saskatoon Indian and Métis Friendship Centre. Mental health therapists, councillors and Elders are all on hand to help anyone who seeks their services.
“They’re not just for Indigenous people. If non-Indigenous Canadians want to come to the Saskatoon Indian and Métis Friendship Centre and they want to get something off their shoulders and they want to cry and they want to talk to somebody, we are here for them,” Robert Doucette, Executive Director of the Saskatoon Indian and Métis Friendship Centre, said.
Doucette said policies continue to impact the number of Indigenous youth in care.
He feels although politicians and leaders often cause change, the road to healing for all Canadians starts with talking and listening.
“Sit down with the First Nations and Métis brothers and sisters, because again I say to you we are all part of this family. And lets start the dialogue amongst ourselves,” Doucette said.
Beaudin said while the average Canadian is not directly responsible for anti-Indigenous polices, it’s important they understand the benefits they received from them.
--
If you are a former residential school survivor in distress, or have been affected by the residential school system and need help, you can contact the 24-hour Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419
Additional mental-health support and resources for Indigenous people are available here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air turbulence: When can it become dangerous?
Flight turbulence like that encountered by a Singapore Airlines flight on Tuesday is extremely common, but there's one aspect of severe turbulence an aviation expert says can lead to serious injury.
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked and sustained life-threatening injuries in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
WATCH Why today's inflation numbers are good if you have a mortgage
New inflation data is 'welcome news' for consumers and an economist says it could signal the possibility for a interest rate cut as several core measures also continue to ease.
Conservatives kick off return to House with new call for Speaker Greg Fergus to resign
Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives returned to the House of Commons on Tuesday with a renewed call for Speaker Greg Fergus to resign, this time over 'very partisan' and 'inflammatory' language used to promote an upcoming event.
OPP continues to investigate boat collision north of Kingston, Ont. that left 3 people dead
Ontario Provincial Police continue to investigate a long weekend fatal boat collision on Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont.
opinion Tom Mulcair: With Trudeau spiralling, Mark Carney waits in the wings
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair argues that if there's an unofficial frontrunner in the eventual race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, it has to be former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.
Loblaw boycott organizers say they plan to keep movement going past May
The organizers of a month-long boycott of Loblaw-owned stores say they've decided to extend the boycott past May.
Trump campaign calls 'The Apprentice' 'blatantly false,' director offers to screen it for him
Donald Trump's reelection campaign called 'The Apprentice,' a film about the former U.S. president in the 1980s, 'pure fiction' and vowed legal action following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. But director Ali Abbasi is offering to privately screen the film for Trump.
Winnipeg trial hears admitted serial killer searched web for serial killer definition
The trial of a Winnipeg man who has admitted to killing four women has heard he searched the internet to look up the definition of what it means to be a serial killer.