By Sean O’Malley, Senior Media Relations Specialist, CAMH
We originally conceived this podcast series as a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the formation of CAMH, which is happening this year.
While there is much to be proud of about CAMH’s Aboriginal Services program – it didn’t even exist 20 years ago – in the broader picture there is nothing to celebrate when it comes to the state of mental health in indigenous communities across Canada.
In a speech before the United Nations last September, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rightly called the treatment of First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities Canada’s shame.
In the fourth episode of the official CAMH podcast, we discuss the past and the present of Aboriginal Peoples of Canada, and the role CAMH plays in the lives of those coping with mental illness and addiction.
As you will hear from our special guests, CAMH Director of Aboriginal Engagement Dr. Renee Linklater, Aboriginal Services Elder Diane Longboat and CAMH client Mandi Howard, the legacy of intergenerational trauma in Indigenous communities continues to this day.
You will hear Renee talk about her own experience being taken from her mother as a baby during what is now known as the Sixties Scoop and being raised in a culture not her own.
You will hear Mandi tell her powerful story about reclaiming her heritage in a way she never had before while a client of CAMH.
And you will hear Diane talk about the role of the Elders here at CAMH and the range of services offered to Indigenous clients, including the power of the Sweat Lodge to transform the lives of people like Mandi.
Listen to the podcast on Soundcloud here: https://soundcloud.com/camhnews/the-indigenous-experience-at-camh