Yellowknife residents now have an outlet to share their feelings with others in a safe environment.
The NT/NU Council of Friendship Centres group has recently been holding Men’s Talking Circles and Women’s Sharing Circles for locals to come and get things off their chests. Guests are joined by various Indigenous Elders to discuss topics of healing, connection, and support.
Maxine Lacorne, the Wellness Coordinator and Resolution Health Support Worker for the Council of Friendship Centres, helped to explain how this idea first got started.
“Well under the NT/NU Council of Friendship Centres, the program under the IRS-RHSP which is the Indian Residential School Resolution Health Support Program, as part of that program, we started the sharing circles in the fall, and I guess a part of that was to come together, as indigenous people or non-indigenous people, and connect and share, and basically support each other in a sharing circle.”
Darryl Cook, one of the Elders who helps run the Men’s sharing circles, elaborated more, explaining that “It’s a sharing circle that is well needed in the community. As men, we do suffer from depression and anxiety, and addictions also. We needed to find a time to get together as men and just talk with each other, and support each other in those areas.”
Two topics recently discussed at the Men’s circle were information resources in the community, and a presentation on intergenerational trauma and healing.
The Women’s Sharing Circle meets once a month, while the Men’s Sharing Circle meets every two weeks. The next two sessions for the Women’s group are set for February 22nd and March 15th. The next two sessions for the men’s group are on January 27th and February 10th.
Those who wish to join in on the Sharing Circles can call 873-4332.
