Giwiidosendamin Certificate Program
Responding to Addictions and Suicide with Decolonized Practices
Rooted in the Ojibwe concept of giwiidosendamin (“we walk together”), this 5-day program emphasizes collective health, shared support, and reciprocal learning. By integrating Indigenous and Western perspectives, you will gain the skills and knowledge to support individuals, families, and communities through addictions, suicide, and related mental health concerns.
Your co-facilitators will guide you through the impacts of addictions and suicide, the connection between trauma and addictions, and the role of cultural perspectives in decolonization. This is a unique opportunity to learn practical harm reduction and recovery capital strategies, as well as life-affirming approaches to suicide prevention. You’ll strengthen your ability to provide meaningful, respectful support in Indigenous spaces.
By the end of the program, you’ll be able to apply key prevention, assessment, intervention, and postvention tools, alongside culturally respectful practices. The program also encourages personal reflection and growth—empowering you to support decolonization efforts and make a lasting impact in your community.
Key Elements
- Developed using Mi’kmaq Elder Albert Marshall’s concept of two-eyed seeing, which combines Western clinical and Indigenous cultural approaches to address trauma and grief.
- Co-facilitated by one Indigenous trainer and one non-Indigenous trainer.
- A relational, reciprocal approach to sharing and understanding the impacts of addictions and suicide.
- Cultural and community-rooted practices of smudging, sharing circles, and moments of celebration are woven throughout, creating space for reflection, connection, and joy.
Book your training today (NOTE: We are always adding more dates, so check back often!)
Upcoming Public Workshops!
November 24 – 28, 2025 9:00AM-4:00PM CST
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CTRI Does Not Provide Crisis Counselling. If you are in crisis, please call or text the number 988 to receive immediate support.
Statement on Reconciliation
As we walk the path of reconciliation, we are mindful of the connections we share with all our relatives. We understand that these connections are impacted by colonization and that there is trauma in our relationships and to the land and Indigenous ways of life. We commit to listening and learning from our relationships, and to be guided by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 94 Calls to Action and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
