Alpha House has had Indigenous Peer Support Workers (IPSW) on staff for many years and we finally had a chance to sit down with one such worker, Augustine Hunter (or Auggie) to learn more about what her day looks like and the unique cultural activities she’s able to support in our Detox Program. Settled in our Wellness room, a culturally safe space for ceremony and gatherings, blessed by Elder Alvin Manitopyes in late 2022, Auggie, just back from a walk with clients, speaks enthusiastically about every aspect of the program.

 

Why are Indigenous Cultural Supports so important to you and the clients in the program?

“Usually, people want to learn the Indigenous route because it’s peaceful. Indigenous culture isn’t religious, but spiritual instead. When you’re working with a population facing addiction and homelessness, many of them feel disconnected from Mother Earth and The Creator as a result of their time on the streets. The role of an IPSW is to have those supports here for clients looking to detox; they need support and something to look forward to when they’re first coming into the program.”

We ask about the different activities she supports. The answer is a huge variety. Sharing circles to express feelings and experiences in a safe, non-judgmental space – both traditional sharing circles and shorter gathering circles—  Wellbriety, a AA program with an Indigenous focus, sweat lodge ceremonies – a central part of reconnection with land and body for many – medicine walks, arts and crafts, and one-on-one peer connection.

 

Sharing Circles

Throughout the day, clients participate in traditional sharing circles, and shorter sharing circles, like thought/quote of the day. Shorter sharing circles, like thought of the day, offer a low stakes opportunity for clients to open up in a supportive group environment; this is especially helpful for easing clients who have a lot of walls up into sharing with a group, and could result in other breakthroughs down the line.

“Often they’ve [clients] gone through something traumatic and sharing circles allow them to read quotes from celebrities or writers or doctors – these are quotes that may apply to their life and we talk about those – it can be very helpful for clients”

 

Wellbriety

Wellbriety has been a big part of our cultural programming at Alpha House for many years, and is something we facilitate in-house. The Wellbriety Movement is a 12-Step AA/NA program that has been merged with the teachings of the Medicine wheel. This movement helps individuals heal from substance use, and also addresses and looks to heal the systemic intergenerational trauma that Indigenous peoples have faced historically. That’s not to say that Wellbriety is only for indigenous clients— individuals from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds are welcome and can benefit from the spiritual teachings rooted in indigenous culture. The start of each cycle is marked by welcoming returning clients, and is ended by recognizing participants who have completed the Wellbriety program.

“Me and my partner got our certifications to facilitate Wellbriety recently. I feel like we were meant to do this and I’m excited to share the spiritual side of the AA book. The foundations that Wellbriety is built on have been around almost 200 years– I’m excited to show them [clients] about the key routes to why we have pain – it isn’t just bout being angry or hurt – it’s more than that.”

 

Sweat Lodge Ceremony

Every week, our clients have the opportunity to attend a sweat lodge ceremony. Participants are driven out onto the land where they will enter a lodge made of wood and tarps/blankets to begin the ceremony. During the ceremony, the entrance to the lodge is closed and steam is created by pouring water onto heated rocks; this is to encourage the sweating out of negative energies in the body. There are brief reprieves where the entrance is open to let some steam out and to allow cold air to enter to prevent any health hazards. Sweat lodge ceremonies are intimate communal ceremonies that come with many benefits for clients including pain relief, relaxation and stress relief, and fostering a strong sense of community with the other participants.

“The connection between the individual to Mother Earth is central to Indigenous teachings Mother Earth gives us food, medicine, and our strength; even (and especially) during ceremony, she is present— the rocks (grandfathers), the water, and the branches that we use for ceremony all come from Mother Earth.”

 

Medicine Walks

One of the more frequent, and favourite, activities of the clients, are the medicine walks, where clients are taken out into nature to hear stories and learn about land-based medicine teachings. This can look like taking a group walk along the elbow river, or taking a group trip to Nose Hill Park, which gives clients the opportunity to hear different stories and learn about other medicines.

“The clients really love this – they always give thanks that they’re able to learn this stuff – always say they’re really happy to learn things they feel disconnected from.”

And it’s true that there are lots of interesting stories and facts to take in about all these long-standing locations in our city— the name of the elbow rives originating from the bend of an elbow, or how certain trees were used as camouflage by wolves while they hunted their prey, or how tree bark and buds from particular trees (like cottonwood or willows) can be used as a sort of alternative to Aspirin, due to the salicin found inside the bark/buds working to relieve similar symptoms like headaches, muscle soreness, and inflammation. These teachings alongside the physical exercise during the walks cumulate into a therapeutic experience for everyone involved.

While on the topic of medicine walks, Auggie recalled one of her favourite moments working at Alpha House:

During a medicine walk, I noticed that one client was struggling to make it up a hill. I approached him to see how he’s doing, and while looking up at the hot sun, he told me that he doesn’t think he can finish the medicine walk.

I chatted with him for a while as everyone took a rest, and reassured him that he could do the walk, but if he really wanted to turn back, then we could. He was still feeling a little unsure, so I offered up some advice: “…you’re looking to the distance, seeing how long the journey is, but you need to focus on the present moment and take it step by step. We will take breaks to sit down, learn, and engage with the teachings and stories of the knowledge keeper so, don’t worry, we’re not doing the whole walk in one go.”

By the end of the walk, he was at the front of the group, engaged in the stories and teaching of the knowledge keeper. I was so happy to see that he was able to finish the walk and asked him what had changed from the start of the medicine walk, where he could barely make it up a hill, to the end, where he was at the front of the group. He said that he took my advice and tried to pay attention to the stories and teachings as they walked and, before he knew it, he was engrossed in what the knowledge keeper was saying and forgot about his discomfort.

 

Arts and Crafts

Auggie shares that arts and crafts are one of her favourite activities to do with the clients, which she also believes to be an important step in recovery. Arts and crafts act as an opportunity for clients to engage with something they can succeed at, and that sense of pride and accomplishment they feel when finishing a craft can be an important part of improving their self-image.

“When you’re coming into recovery, you need to keep yourself busy. You get to talk and share stories and you can keep them [clients] engaged.”

Auggie tries to make the arts and crafts portion of the day a peaceful moment; she’ll sometimes lightly play some Indigenous music in the background while clients share stories, and work on their crafts.

Alpha House is always looking for more arts and crafts donations because it’s such a popular activity in our Detox program.

 

One-on-One Peer Connection

In between all the group activities, Auggie makes time to have one-on-one sessions with the clients to debrief what’s on their mind that day, traumatic experiences, and everything in between.

“Let them vent and sit with them, listen and then suddenly you’ll see an emotional person come out when you give them that room to feel. A lot of people are angry or disrespectful at first but that’s their way of defending themselves, once you peel back the layers, they’re kind humans.”

 

Projects

Alongside the regularly scheduled programming, staff are able to provide opportunities for Detox clients to get involved in fun projects that come up throughout the year. Recently, we had the pleasure of bringing in Trevor Prairie Chicken and Naomi Eyahpaise from Kiit Fine Arts to work with our clients to paint the tipi we’ve been using for our sweat lodge ceremonies. Other such opportunities include creative projects like painting community garden boxes, cultural reconnection camps, and even Superbowl parties and attending Calgary Flames home games.

 

What does Auggie like most about working at Alpha House? We wondered too:

“Helping the clients is my favourite part of doing this work. Even before Alpha House, I was doing outreach and helping people with addiction in the community. I felt like that was my purpose that the Creator gave me a couple of years ago, and I went with it…”

 

What does she see clients struggle with once they’ve finished the detox program?

“A lot of clients are scared to leave detox once they’re sober and finished the program. It’s hard to discover what sober fun is, especially when you don’t know any sober people. They [clients] need to stay connected to the community, we can’t do it alone.

We see some people that have slipped up and need to come back to detox, but we don’t judge that. It’s important to remember that recovery might not happen on the first, second, or even the twentieth try, but we keep trying for when that day does come around.

We can plant the seeds, but we need to keep watering them in order for them to grow.”

 

Her favourite part about the clients themselves?

“When they win, you win. That sits with me. I try to be what I didn’t have when I was on the street— someone to sit with and listen when they’re hurting. I needed help and I didn’t know how to ask for it, so now I try to be who I needed and that’s gotten me far in building relationships with the clients.

Some of the clients that we help here have reunited with their kids, some go back to work or school, and others are still in recovery. It makes us all happy to see them doing well out there.”

Cultural Supports at Alpha House

This Saturday, marks Canada’s third National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The day honours the missing children and survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities (Heritage, 2023). Indigenous peoples make up roughly 45% of our clientele, many of whom have first-hand or intergenerational trauma associated with residential schools. As such we recognize the importance of reconciliation and cultural integration in the healing process for those clients, and the importance of providing opportunities for Indigenous activities and programming.

Practices encouraging cultural connection/reconnection in addictions treatment improves client’s wellness in all areas. Cultural programming addresses wellness in a holistic sense, offering a different approach than the Western model of medicine (Rowan et al., 2014). Holistic supports consider all potential factors contributing to well-being, which includes the physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional wellbeing of an individual.

Alpha House is lucky to work with Elders, Knowledge Keepers, Indigenous Support workers, and Peer Support workers throughout our programs to provide cultural supports for clients. Providing these resources to clients can provide direction and help individuals gain a sense of identity, which are important tools in sustaining recovery.

One of the ways we provide cultural supports is through our Cultural Connection Camps.

Cultural Connection Camps are an important part of Alpha House’s cultural programming, providing both Indigenous and non-Indigenous clients with the opportunity to connect with their heritage and the community, and reconnect with the land. Clients from our Detox, Housing, or Shelter programs can sign up to attend a staff run trip to a 3-night, 4-day camp. Camp activities include:

• Tipi raising and painting
• Building a sweat lodge
• Cultural teachings and stories
• Scraping elk hides
• Horseback riding
• Crafts (talking sticks and/or dreamcatchers)
• Campfires

The sweat lodge ceremony is an integral part of our cultural programming, being a part of our regular weekly programming as well as the cultural connection camps. The sweat ceremony is a ritual where participants enter a dome-shaped structure that is heated by pouring water onto heated rocks to create steam. This is meant to heat up the interior in order to encourage the sweating out of negative energies and toxins (Gadacz, 2006). In our cultural connection camps, participants build sweat lodges from the ground up before participating in the ritual; this is usually a highlight for many participants, finding fulfillment in working together as a team toward a common goal. Here’s what a few of the clients that participated in our last cultural connection camp had to say:

“Well structured and eye opening, I haven’t experienced something like this in years. It was great as a group to assemble the tipi and rebuild the sweat lodge. The nature was something we were all craving and the people and staff who attended were all very helpful and respectful. There were activities such as bean bag toss, horse shoes and campfire songs. Being able to help gather the wood for the fire for the sweat and the willows for the rebuilding of the sweat lodge was a great feeling and a sense of belonging. I would recommend it to anyone who attends detox who wants to reconnect with their spiritual side especially if they felt spiritually bankrupt like I was before the trip. Thanks, Alpha House you rock! Keep up the good work. “

• Paul

“Having the opportunity to learn how to put together a teepee was a great learning experience. There was team work which I as an individual am new to dealing with will only lead to more willingness to be involved with group activities. I never knew how rewarding being a part of something bigger than myself could be. I enjoyed taking part in building a sweat lodge. Chopping wood was also another amazing experience I have never done that before. The camp showed me how you can do things sober and actually enjoy them. I am grateful for Alpha House and the support they offer. I would not have the courage without the help of Alpha. “

• Christopher

“My experience was different for me as we worked as a group it was nice to see all of us work together as a tribe as we were building a new sweat lodge and changing teepee skin and so many other tasks like wood gathering, chopping, clearing bushes, food etc. and experience the sweat it self along with prayer in another culture. Overall, it was a great experience and would recommend or even go again if I could even though the first day was a mud bag we all manage to pull it together and it made me feel a lot better about myself through my recovery. The sweat was refreshing and hot and my experience has been new and refreshing body and mind. I learned to pray not only but realized how much I should have loved my self and others and the ground we walk on, the air we breathe. It is not recognized as much as we should and I’m grateful for the experience so I’d like to thank Alpha House staff and Brad and fam for letting me experience such a beautiful thing and I recommend to all people that are in recovery or not to try out. Thank you so much. Me, myself will keep going to sweat and Wellbriety as much as I can and whenever the opportunity is there. It has really made me think and change a lot of thing in my life and surroundings and mind. Thank you. “

• Tommy

Cultural supports are available for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous clients so everyone can experience the spiritual, physical, mental, and practical benefits of this programming on their recovery journey.

Recovery is a difficult journey to take on alone. Providing clients with the opportunity to discuss what’s on their mind and tackle obstacles in a group setting is invaluable in supporting individuals towards recovery. Through engaging in activities like building a tipi in a group, traditional ceremonies, and storytelling, individuals are given the opportunity to reflect, strengthen their connection to the physical and spiritual world, and rediscover their identity and place in the community. This is a powerful motivator, and can be the important piece for an individual to sustain their recovery.

 

 

Rowan, M., Poole, N., Shea, B., Gone, J. P., Mykota, D., Farag, M., Hopkins, C., Hall, L., Mushquash, C., & Dell, C. (2014, September 1). Cultural interventions to treat addictions in indigenous populations: Findings from a scoping study – substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy. BioMed Central. https://substanceabusepolicy.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1747-597X-9-34#citeas

Gadacz, R. R. (2006, February 7). Sweat Lodge. The Canadian Encyclopedia. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/sweat-lodge

Heritage, C. (2023, September 26). Government of Canada. Canada.ca. https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/national-day-truth-reconciliation.html

Q&A:

Trevor G. on Inspiration and the Connection Between Art & Spirit

Sound Artist, Illustrator, Painter, and client of  Alpha House Society’s Detox Program, Trevor G. spoke with us about his spiritual connection to art and recovery, and the inspiration behind the mural he created for Calgary Alpha House’s new Detox Gathering Room.

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you originally from?
I was born & raised in Lethbridge. I spent most of my adult life…not in Calgary. I was in Vancouver, then lived in the UK for a bit – in Scotland – I travelled a lot in my 20’s and then I moved to Calgary when I was 32 to try to get sober. I spent 2 years sober, and then the last few years I’ve been in and out of here a lot. I’ve been here a lot. My binder’s like a phone book.

How did you get into art?
Art? Ohh…Well, I’ve always been into art. I was really into children’s books and comics when I was a kid, so I kind of got into drawing that way. My dad used to be an accountant, so he used to come home with that paper that was all attached and….well it was the kind of paper for those old dot matrix printers. He’d bring home stacks of that paper and that got me started drawing. I started making other kinds of art after high school, and now that’s what I’ve been principally doing for my entire life.

Do you have a favourite medium?
I do a lot of sound art. I play in a band that does really arty sort of music. I also work in film, like stop motion. But drawing and painting seems to be where I’ve earned most of the money that I’ve made by creating.

What would you say inspired you to create this specific mural for Alpha House?
The inspiration for this was actually something that Diane (Alpha House’s Detox Manager) gave me – the Seven Sacred Teachings. Each of the teachings is represented by a different animal, and then one footprint.

How is art helping you in your sobriety?
I find it’s a spiritual exercise a lot of the time because I don’t plan at all when I make things. I’d like to take credit for a lot of the stuff that I do, but I feel that it would be a bit of a misstep to do so because so much of it has to do with just putting colours or things onto something and then letting it make itself. There really are no accidents in that sense. I find it meditative, and I find that it connects me. I do consider it a form of prayer or meditation – more so than talking to the sky.

Is the spiritual element of creating art something that inspired your connection to the Seven Sacred Teachings portrayed in this mural?
Yeah, because what inspired my connection to Indigenous Spirituality was when I started coming here to Alpha House. I only ever come here to detox when things get pretty bad drinking wise. I would come here for detox, and it was through the sweat lodges and a lot of the cultural things that happen here that I was able to connect with it. It finds me when I’m at my worst both emotionally and spiritually and so I’m very spiritually thirsty when I come into recovery. Alpha House has always been there for me when I’m at my neediest and Indigenous Spirituality has always been the thing that has been there when I was hungry for it.

Also, as I’m doing the art, I always like to be informed about what I’m painting, so looking into the Sacred Teachings brings me closer…it just makes a lot of sense for me.

Is there anything else that you’d like to add or elaborate on in regard to the project?
To me, it’s an honour to be able to do this because Alpha House has been pretty instrumental every time I’ve begun recovery. This is where I come to clean up before I go into treatment or go back to my apartment. It’s been there when I’ve needed it the most, so this is a swell way to be able to give back. This place does really great stuff and there are lots of people who start here. Some people I’ve met here are now years into their recovery, so I see it as a privilege to create something that is going to be in a room that is going to be used for Alpha House things.

 

*Interview conducted by Jessica Irving.

INDIGENOUS PROGRAMMING TO BENEFIT FROM GOLF TOURNAMENT

Tom Jackson spearheads Alpha House fundraiser

 

CALGARY, AB – On Monday, August 16, Alpha House will hold its Second Annual Golf Tournament at Bearspaw Golf Club in support of its Indigenous Programming in Calgary and Lethbridge.

 

Alpha House provides safe and caring environments for individuals whose lives are affected by alcohol and other drug dependencies. The non-profit, charitable agency is commited to help heal the systemic, inter-generational and historical trauma among Indigenous people that has occurred as a result of residential schools.

 

More than ever, the honoring of cultural traditions and the provision of cultural connection – like Alpha House’s Ceremonial Sweat Lodges and Indigenous Outreach – is crucial to the health and well-being of its Indigenous clients.

 

The tournament is spearheaded by Tom Jackson, a musician, TV personality, activist, producer, long-time volunteer and supporter of Alpha House. Tom holds the strong belief that Alpha House is doing important work to help those with alcohol and other drug dependencies, especially among the Indigenous community.

 

“This work can save lives, and we have an opportunity to play a part,” commented Jackson. “Through this tournament, we can enjoy an afternoon of camaraderie and meaningful connections, while knowing the funds raised will make a difference to Alpha House clients.”

 

“Cultural connection is essential to the healing journey, especially in the context of the past year and a half,” says Kathy Christiansen, Executive Director of Alpha House. “Now more than ever, funds are needed to help support our work. Donations ensure the sustainability of programs that can be life-saving for people made vulnerable by poverty and addiction.”

The 2nd Annual Alpha House Golf Tournament takes place on August 16, and is made possible through the generosity of Title Sponsor IG Wealth Management. Registration for individuals or foursomes can be completed here.

 

About Alpha House

The Calgary Alpha House Society was established in 1981 as a committed response to a marginalized population of individuals who are addicted to alcohol or other drugs and living vulnerable on the streets of Calgary and Lethbridge. Alpha House currently runs four programs: Shelter, Outreach (DOAP/Encampment), Detox, and Housing. Learn more at alphahousecalgary.com.

For more information:
Bonnie Elgie, Publicist
p: 403.630.6164
e: [email protected]

On Tuesdays and Thursdays for over 2 years, Alpha House has hosted Wellbriety sessions for clients who are completing or have already completed our Detox Program. Clients return each week to keep a connection to this Indigenous program offering. (During Covid-19, we have limited numbers and incorporated social distancing and other health requirements).

Facilitated by our Cultural Reconnection Peer Support Worker, Michael Firingstoney, and co-founded with Wade Maude, our Indigenous Coordinator, this co-ed recovery program has become a mainstay for Detox and returning participants alike.

The Wellbriety Movement (also called the Wellbriety Path) uses culture to help individuals to heal from drug and alcohol use, as well as to heal from the systemic, inter-generational and historical trauma that is often related to substance addictions for Indigenous people. The program is robust and adaptable and it enriches the recovery path of all individuals who decide to participate. At its heart, it sees Indigenous culture as preventative and restorative.

 “The Wellbriety Movement was born in the early to mid-1990s and merged 12 Step AA/NA with the teachings of the Medicine Wheel. This approach uses any or all the various local tribal traditions in meetings and talking circles. The Wellbriety Movement also highlighted the need to go beyond sobriety to heal the wounds of inter-generational trauma carried by almost all Native Americans people (Coyhis, 2006). Native Americans people now understand that alcoholism is a symptom of more deeply embedded wounds. The most prevalent wound is the trauma of oppressive genocidal behaviors and policies arising from the dominant Euro-American society and passed down unabated from generation to generation. The most obvious outward causes of inter-generational trauma.”

Linda Anderson: The WellBriety Path to Treating Co-Occurring Disorders in Native Americans: An Adlerian Perspective An Experiential Project 2017

Alpha House employs over 300 people with diverse cultural backgrounds. Each year the Detox program alone welcomes nearly two thousand clients of diverse ethical and religious backgrounds. As Alpha House seeks to provide safe and caring environments for men and women with alcohol and substance use addictions, Wellbriety has become an inclusive environment for all.

Between 50 – 60% of Alpha House clients are Indigenous or of Metis descent.  The Indigenous program through Wellbriety connects participants to agency sponsored Sweat Lodge Ceremony, Drumming Circles, Sharing Circles, and access to Elders. All clients are offered these services as part of Alpha House’s continuum of care. Alpha House recognizes that trauma informed care for all helps to heal the wounds of addiction and of historical and ongoing systemic discrimination.

How does it work?

Every Wellbriety session at Alpha House attracts 8-10 people per session (3-4 during Covid-19) and each group of sessions is offered over a three month period. Given the nature of Detox, not everyone will complete the full set of modules offered in one go. However the door is open for those wanting to maintain their recovery by completing the Wellbriety steps. Each cycle is marked initially by welcoming returning clients and at the ending of the cycle by recognizing participants who have completed the Wellbriety program. The Wellbriety Path in this way welcomes continuous engagement. 

Comments from WellBriety participants at Alpha House:

A Wellbriety graduation in March 2020

“Wellbriety has helped inspire me to stay sober through connecting my sobriety through traditional teachings. Within the holistic framework Wellbriety uses I find myself more inclined to share about the suffering that goes along with addiction.” Matt

“It has given me a better outlook and a different approach to sobriety.” Alex

“Myself, I’ve been to numerous treatment centers and have found in Wellbriety the awareness surrounding oppression and spirituality as internal was beneficial. “ Jared

There is a solution for us as Native people, and for some of us it is a return to the traditional ceremonies of our Nations. For some of us, it is to seek out an Elder and have him or her help us find the path to the Good Road or to the Red Road as we call it.

The Red Road to Wellbriety Study Guide page 19

Looking Forward

Over time we hope that as alumni mature and grow they will also become instrumental in supporting the Wellbriety program. We aren’t there yet but it looks promising. One alumni beginning has been the Sober Clan, as an offshoot of the Alpha House Wellbriety sessions this group of alumni now help with running of the meetings and assisting the facilitator and new group members with their stories of recovery. Several of the Sober Clan have reached their one year of recovery thanks to Wellbriety.

To date we have given out 50, 30-day medallions; for some, marking their longest period of sobriety. We are proud for all who have participated and all who have shown their best in this Alpha House Indigenous program offering.

Please note that Indigenous Programming at Alpha House is dependent on individual and community donations from people like you .

David is marking his 25^th year of service at Alpha House with a series of blogs.