WARNING: This story contains disturbing details
Mental health providers across the country are significantly busier helping traumatized people after Pope Francis arrived in Canada and apologized for the forced assimilation of Indigenous people in residential schools.
“As soon as we got settled, before the pope made his first address on Monday, we had about 125 people come to us in Maskwacis,” said Nola Jeffrey, executive director of the Tsow-Tun Le Lum Society, a substance abuse and trauma support center that offers traditional and cultural healing in Lantzville, British Columbia
Jeffrey and her team of elders, survivors and people living with intergenerational trauma were invited by the British Columbia First Nations Health Authority and the organizers of the papal visit to come to Alberta to provide support while the pope apologizes, the first road in Canada, in front of residential school survivors and their families in Maskwacis, Alta., south of Edmonton.
“After [the apology]people just came to us in droves,” Jeffrey said. “We didn’t leave until the last person who wanted help was gone.”
Indigenous Services Canada said the federal government’s 24-hour crisis support line has received double the number of callers it normally receives since the pope arrived for his penitential visit this week.
“Crisis lines receive calls from across the country,” Kyle Fournier, a spokesman for Indigenous Services Canada, said in an email Thursday.
“Callers to crisis lines express a range of different emotions. For some, the Pope’s visit and apology may be healing, for others it may be triggering. Discussions about the harmful legacy of boarding schools are important and can also be difficult for many.”
Fournier said the National Indian School Crisis Line has received an average of 121 calls per day since January 2022.
But on the day the pope apologized for the cultural destruction and forced assimilation of indigenous people, the number of callers jumped to 277. The next day, the crisis line received 244 calls.
Fournier said in Alberta, 300 additional psychiatric and cultural aides have been asked to attend papal events. Sixty workers have been asked to be in Quebec and 40 psychiatric workers are to be on site in Iqaluit for the papal visit, eight of whom are clinical counselors.
Indigenous people wipe away tears after Pope Francis apologized to Indigenous people for the church’s role in schools on Monday. (Nathan Dennett/The Canadian Press)
For the pope’s visit to Alberta, Jeffrey said she drove from British Columbia carrying traditional remedies, including cedar and spruce branches, which people brush with to release negative energy.
Many people also turned to Geoffrey to use cold water to wash the tears from their faces, which is traditionally done four times. Water helps balance emotions and ground people.
“The first ablution is in honor of the Creator, the second ablution is in honor of their ancestors, the third ablution is in honor of their territory and the last ablution is when I always say: ‘This is the most important ablution in honor of beautiful and dear you. ‘”
Jeffrey said her team didn’t turn anyone away.
“We even had clergy come to us and the person who was in charge of security was depressed and came for help,” she said.
The next day, she said, she stayed past midnight with her team at Lac Ste. Ann, northwest of Edmonton, after the Pope took part in a holy pilgrimage. Jeffrey said many people there also need help.
She said Canadians need to think about how those who can’t let go of their pain can get support in the days, weeks and years ahead.
“There’s a teaching that it takes seven generations to break free from trauma, so we’re just at the tip of that,” she said. “I hope we can help our people,” she added through tears.
“The Pope does not talk about how children were raped, beaten, shamed, starved and how they were experimented on. We have to make our people feel good. So many of our people are dying.”
During his address in Maskwacis on Monday, the pope apologized for the hurtful actions of many church members toward First Nations, Métis and Inuit people and the role they played in Canada’s “devastating” indigenous residential school policy.
He said the forced assimilation of indigenous peoples into Christian society destroyed their cultures, divided their families and marginalized generations in ways that are still felt today.
He said memories of the children who never returned from boarding schools left him feeling “sadness, outrage and shame”.
“In the face of this terrible evil, the church kneels before God and asks him for forgiveness for the sins of her children,” the pope said Monday during his speech. “I want to confirm this myself with shame and unequivocally.
Francis prays at a graveside at the Ermineskin Cree Nation cemetery in Maskwacis on Monday. (Nathan Dennett/The Canadian Press)
Fournier said access to trauma-informed cultural and emotional support services, as well as professional mental health counseling, will continue to be available through the federal government’s Indian Schools Resolution Health Support Program.
“Community-based support varies from community to community and may include elder services, traditional healers, local health support providers and peer counsellors. Professional mental health counseling is also available through this program.”
Jeffrey said indigenous peoples flourished for thousands of years before colonization.
“Colonization is just a blip in our history,” she said. “This is a painful time, but I know we can come out of this and be strong and thrive again.”
This story was produced with financial assistance from Meta and the Canadian Press News Fellowship, who were not involved in the editorial process.
Support is available for anyone affected by their dorm experience or the latest reports.
A national Indian school crisis line has been set up to provide support for ex-students and those affected. People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419. Mental health counseling and crisis support is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the Hope for Wellness Hotline at 1-855-242-3310 or via online chat at www.hopeforwellness.ca.
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