By Bryan Eneas

PAGC Family Support Day brings grieving families together

Apr 13, 2017 | 12:01 PM

Grief is an ongoing process, and those going through it need as much support as possible.

The Prince Albert Grand Council Woman’s Commission hoped to provide the support needed to families affected by the murdered and missing indigenous women and girls crisis with a family support day event. Over 120 people gathered at the Senator Allen Bird Memorial Center. There will be another Support Day on June 28 for those who missed out on the first event.

Presentations on self-care, grief and trauma were all given, as well as an update into the murdered and missing indigenous women and girls inquiry. The idea for a family support day was brought about by Shirley Henderson from the Grand Council and Erica Beaudin from the Regina Treaty Status Indian Service.

“We had a meeting in Regina and we were talking about what we could do for families in the north,” Henderson said. “There’s really no support services for the families, so we came up with this idea; get all the families together and see what they want.”

Violet Naytowhow from the Holistic Wellness Centre gave a grief and trauma presentation to the crowd at the gymnasium. She called her work “edu-therapy.”

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“It’s mainly teaching people how to understand what grief is and how it works, and the way to recover, and that you can recover today,” Naytowhow said. “There’s new ways you can process your emotions and feelings.”

She said those impacted by any grief or trauma will never forget their losses, but they will eventually “come to a place where they’ll feel differently.”

Naytowhow said she hoped to raise awareness about the lasting impacts of grief and trauma by presenting. She also wanted to highlight other methods of coping with grief and trauma, such as the traditional Indigenous value system.

“We did have our own supportive systems that are still there, that they can access,” Naytowhow said. “Instead of going through the edu-therapy maybe they want to sit down with an Elder, and share and smudge in that fashion.”

RCMP Staff Sgt. Murray Chamberlain from the Regina Historical Crimes Division and Prince Albert Police Chief Troy Cooper made opening remarks at the gathering. Chamberlain assured those in attendance he is invested in their struggle.

“All I can do today is assure you that I do care. We are taking these files seriously, and we will never give up, so please don’t give up on us,” he said.

Bryan.Eneas@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @BryanEneas