Healing process continues for many in Northwest

Workshops hosted by the Northwest Band Social Workers Association have tackled a number of issues that hit close to home for some fifty Rupert residents.

The workshops held at the Nisga'a hall were designed to help those that suffered in the residential school program of the past, but a number of current issues for families in the Northwest also came up during the course of the sessions, proving for an opportunity to help the community address those concerns as well.

The Daily News featured details on the sessions on the front page of the Wednesday paper.

PAINFUL STORIES SHARD AT LATEST HEALING WORKSHOP
Many find strength to talk about abuse and continue their healing as a result of session
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Pages one and two

More than 50 residents of Prince Rupert and the surrounding communities were able to start or continue their healing process recently thanks to a Northwest Band Social Workers Association hosted workshop.

The workshop, entitled You Call This Love?, was the second of two put on during the course of three sessions at Nisga'a Hall. The first workshop happened in November 2007 with a focus on dealing with family violence, where participants first heard the life story of NBSWA Executive Director and workshop leader Geri McDougall.

"I was in some really violent relationships, and I wanted to give them hope because I did eventually find someone who gave me 17 years," said McDougall.

"It really opened the door for a lot of people to talk about their experiences and start healing. This time, we wanted to have part two of that, where the focus would be more positive."
McDougall said the primary reason the healing workshops began was to help residential school survivors and the inter-generations deal with the cultural shame they experience as a result of being condemned, devauled, humiliated and abused for being Aboriginal.

The workshop in November heard many horrific stories of abuse and neglect from residential schools, and last week several people shared their stories as well, some for the first time ever.
"I think we're on our healing journey, and next time we come together it's going to be better and better," said McDougall. "My message is that we have to start working on ourselves. We have to start making ourselves better, instead of waiting for someone else to make us happy.

"We have to take responsibility for our kids, because a lot of our parents have lost their skills because of residential schools."

Many of the people who attended You Call This Love? in November came back for the second part of the series, and the overall sentiment expressed by participants was that they had found both workshops very helpful in their personal healing and recovery process.

During the June 18, 19 and 20 workshop, nearly everyone who participated was able to summon the courage to speak about their anger and fear, their forgiveness and trust, and their process for moving forward.

While many people may not know much about the Northwest Band Social Workers Association, it has been in existence for 30 years and was incorporated as a registered society in July 1990. The organization is constantly evolving to meet the needs of the Band Social Workers and the communities they work in, and operates as a consulting and networking group that provides ongoing support, caring, sharing and trust. In association with Northern Health and the Ministry for Children and Family Development, NBSWA provides intervention programs, family counselling and support groups, and a residential school outreach program funded by the Aboriginal Healing Program.

The NBSWA head office that McDougall works out of is in Terrace, but they also have a Prince Rupert office located at 101 First Avenue East - Suite 4, from which counsellors Shirley Huson, Dean Wilson and Gina Wilson provide services to the entire community, free of charge.

The membership of the NBSWA includes representation from the Tsimshian, Haida, Nisga'a, Tahltan, Haisla, Gitksan and Wet'suwet'en Nations, but the association provides services to both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in the communities it serves.

The Prince Rupert NBSWA office can be reached at 627-8435, and toll-free at 1-866-627-8434.