1. 1

2. Our Presenters
Mental Health First Aid – First Nations
Presented in Brandon, Manitoba
For Creating a New Legacy - October 2015
Presented by Bev Curtis, Senior Advisor, Mental Health Commission of Canada
and Rhonda Ross, MHFAFN Facilitator, Opaskwayak Cree Nation, Manitoba

3. Our Journey
Mental Health First Aid – First Nations
PAST
PRESENT
FUTURE

4. PAST

5. Turtle Mountain Tales: The Council of Stones.
It is an Embroidered “Turtle Mountain” done
by Kim Stobbe Shaw (1977)

6. / 6

7. / 7

8. Art by community member, Renee
This drawing is by Renee

9. A drawing by Candace

10. Drawing by Ben

11. / 11
Drawing by Christine

12. / 12
This painting is by Ricky

13. / 13
MHFAFN trained
facilitators from Prince
George, British Columbia;
Opaskwayak Cree Nation,
Manitoba; and Sioux
Lookout, Ontario

14. / 14
Artwork by Nathan

15. / 15
Art by Joe

16. Successes
made by Chantal Daniels – Winnipeg, MB

17. / 17MHFAFN trained facilitators from Eskasoni Mi'Kmaw Nation, Nova Scotia; Gesgapegiag First
Nation, Quebec; and Saulteaux First Nation, Saskatchewan.

18. PRESENT
Mental Health First Aid – First Nations

19. Our journey to wellness

20. Our journey to wellness
20

21. Our Journey to Wellness is:
A lifelong journey to achieve
wellness and balance of body, mind
and spirit…Mental wellness must be
defined in terms of the values and
beliefs of Inuit and First Nations
people.
Source:Mental Wellness Framework,Mental
WellnessAdvisoryCommittee, 2002

22. • To increase your ability to help others
• To reduce stigma and shame
• To raise awareness about some mental health disorders
• better understand the concepts and treatments from a First Nations and
Western perspective
• You learn to:
– Practice active listening
– Practice and share EAGLE
Objectives of our training

25. Walking in Two Worlds

26. Historical Context
“To understand the present,
we must understand the past.”
-Dr. Betty Bastien, Piikani First Nation

27. Residential Schools
GROUP ACTIVITY

28. EAGLE

29. Restoring Balance
“Mental health problems such as depression, addictions,
and self-harm are seen as imbalance in the whole.
Recovery is about restoring balance to the whole.”
Dr. Bill Mussell

30. Circle of Support
Mom or Dad
Teacher
Kookum or Shoom
Brother or sister
Friend or
neighbour
Nurse or Social
Worker
Elder
Chief or Councillor
Counsellor
Traditional
practitioner
Cousin
Aunt or Uncle
Team mate

31. Beatrice Wilson Health Centre – Opaskwayak, Manitoba

32. FUTURE
Mental Health First Aid – First Nations

33. / 39

34. Art by Sean

35. Our Journey:
Mental Health First Aid – First Nations
• Guidance
Group
• Research
• Engagement:
Pilot
communities
PAST
•Community of
Practice
•Curriculum:
instructor and
participant
manuals
•Master Trainer
PRESENT •Launch of
instructor training:
criteria,
applications, cost
FUTURE

36. Thank You
for our journey
today
42
For more information on the Mental Health First Aid – First Nations:
http://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.ca/EN/Pages/default.aspx