While Indigenous history and realities are continuing to surface among Canada, the realities and impacts to mental health care and delivery. Systemic racism, economic barriers, and the still-enduring effects of colonization compound Indigenous realities and experiences to frightening trends: overrepresentation among the visibly homeless on urban centres; complex health intersections; and distrust of Western service providers. As the fastest growing population in Canada, and the first care takers of Canada, we have an ethical obligation to equip our interventions to better guide cultural safety and treatment. This session looks at our ethical obligations for Indigenous mental health and advancing our understanding; relevant colonial history and how it arises in session; trauma-focused formulations; cultural intersections to interventions; case examples; and insights for practice.
Dr. Mikaela D. Gabriel is an Italian-Mi'kmaq clinical and counselling psychologist, scientist, professor, and auntie. She holds a Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Women & Two-Spirit Mental Health and Homelessness, and is a Research Scientist at Unity Health Toronto across Well Living House & MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions. Her clinical and research efforts seek to provide culturally-centered, trauma-focused, and ceremonially enriched care for Indigenous Peoples in urban settings navigating housing, healing, and health.
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