ACYF staff recently completed one of the modules of Our Life’s Journey, a counsellor’s training program offered by the Ilisaqsivik Society in beautiful Kangiqtugaapik (Clyde River). This program combines western and traditional Inuit knowledge and counselling. It incorporates Inuit language, culture, traditions and values and provides certificate training in Self-Actualization Therapy, Traditional Inuit Therapy, Individual and Group Therapy and Client-Centered Therapy to Counsellors. The graduate Counsellors are provided with the knowledge, skills and abilities to counsel clients suffering from addictions, trauma, loss and grief, abuse and violence and suicide ideation.
Our staff took this course in order to better understand the counselling and healing model that Ilisaqsivik Counsellors work with. Our goal is to work with the creators, Elders, students and graduates of this program to create a child-centred trauma therapy framework for our Umingmak Centre clients. For more information, please go to the Ilisaqsivik website.