Traditional Healing and Wellness

In November of 2022, Traditional Healing and Wellness became a strategic initiative of IPHCC. This initiative develops and implements sector-based solutions to address the workforce challenges of needs of employers for Traditional Healing (TH) and Cultural Services. It addresses solutions for employers around recruitment, retention, skills development for employees or potential employees, capacity building, diversity, and inclusion. Through the design and delivery of TH skill development, increasing gaps for the Indigenous aging population of skilled Traditional Healers will be addressed.

At the beginning of THW journey, IPHCC and IPHCOs envisioned the creation of a traditional healing and wellness sector that was sustainable, equitably resourced, that promotes physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional wellbeing among FNIM. While the work of Traditional Healing and its practice is centuries old, mainstream health care providers still lack belief in its value. The colonial structures embedded within health systems often create a hierarchy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous knowledge systems and practices, excluding or minimizing the relevance of Indigenous healing practices in addressing the holistic health needs of Indigenous Peoples. Our members have worked tirelessly over the decades to restore and pave the way of integrated Traditional Healing within community health care. It is because of their commitment to honouring and restoring ancient ways, IPHCC now has a dedicated team, that will support member sites vison to integrate cultural ways of being across the various health care streams within Ontario, ensuring maximum reach of all Indigenous peoples.  

 

IPHCC’s Traditional Healing and Wellness Team remains committed to:

  • Collaborative and active engagement with our IPHCC membership.
  • Ensuring Traditional Healing and Wellness strategic deliverables stays within alignment of our membership and communities they serve.
  • Providing opportunities of learning, cross-sectoral collaborations, and resources sharing amongst our Traditional Healing network within the IPHCC membership.
  • Safeguarding sacred knowledge for future generations.
  • Honour the knowledge shared with us.

Sector Objectives:

  • Develop an Accreditation model for Traditional Healing
  • Increase capacity of Indigenous Health organizations and communities to provide traditional healing and cultural services to Indigenous peoples.
  • Protect and maintain the experiences and knowledge of our Traditional Healers and Medicine people through promoting and delivering traditional healing training and employment opportunities for a new generation of Indigenous Traditional Healers and Cultural Service Providers. A process is developed for matching Teachers with Learners

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