Event Details

PHO Webinar: Walking in a Good Way with First Nations, Métis and Inuit Clients

This Public Health Ontario (PHO) webinar delves into culturally responsive, trauma-informed care for Indigenous families, with a focus on fostering respect and understanding. Participants will explore the effects of racism on health outcomes and the significance of holistic approaches like the "Two-Eyed Seeing" framework, which bridges Indigenous and Western knowledge systems. This session will offer insights into Indigenous perspectives on mental health, emotional well-being, and the interconnectedness represented by the Medicine Wheel. Attendees will learn strategies for recognizing diverse parenting styles, asking open-ended and neutral questions to uncover personal stories, and responding with compassion to difficult disclosures. By addressing these themes, the session aims to deepen awareness of intergenerational trauma, promote cultural safety, and enhance practices that build trust and support healing within Indigenous communities.

Intended audience: Public health nurses, team leads, supervisors and managers in Ontario’s Healthy Babies, Healthy Children and Nurse-Family Partnership programs and any other community providers providing mental health support in the perinatal period.

This webinar is also open to all community members who provide care, services, or support to pregnant individuals and families with young children.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Describe the effects of intergenerational trauma and stigma on First Nations, Métis, and Inuit (FNMI) families.
• Develop strategies and build confidence to engage in meaningful discussions about mental health with FNMI clients.
• Recognize the importance of cultural safety and its role in fostering trust and healing.
• Incorporate holistic approaches, such as the Medicine Wheel, into practices supporting Indigenous families.
• Use open-ended, neutral questions to respectfully learn about clients’ experiences and perspectives.

Presenter(s): Trista Hill

Trista Hill, AM, is from the Six Nations Reservation along the Grand River. She is a member of the Mohawk Nation and belongs to the Wolf Clan. A proud mother of four children and a happily married wife of one year, Trista graduated from the Aboriginal Midwifery Training Program in September 2017. She became the first Aboriginal Midwife hired at the Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Center (SOAHAC) in London, Ontario. Trista is currently based at the Waterloo Wellington SOAHAC office in Cambridge, Ontario.

Disclaimer

The opinions expressed by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies or views of Public Health Ontario, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by Public Health Ontario.

Accessibility

Public Health Ontario is committed to complying with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). If you require accommodations to participate in this event, please contact 647-260-7100 or capacitybuilding@oahpp.ca.