New healing workshop for Aboriginal women with addictions issues
Some of you may be familiar with the community-based research project, From Stilettos to Moccasins, undertaken by the National Native Addictions Partnership Foundation, the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, and the University of Saskatchewan.
The research project examined the role of identity and stigma in Aboriginal women’s healing from illicit drug abuse in Canada. The song and video above was written and developed in 2009 from the findings by Aboriginal women healing from illicit drug abuse and problems with the law, and those who are helping them on their journeys. You can watch the video on YouTube and visit the web site of researcher Colleen Dell to learn more about the project. I’ve also included the song lyrics at the end of this post.
This fall, the research team has developed a free, easy-to-deliver health intervention workshop to accompany the music video. The research team has just hired a group of “ambassadors” to help advertise, circulate and assist others with facilitating healing journey workshops across the country. Many of these ambassadors are women who have experience with their own healing from addictions.
I’ll be posting more about the workshops and the discussion guide that accompanies the music video in the next few weeks.
Lyrics: From Stilettos to Moccasins
I survived through the pain
Many emotions like waves
Laughing and crying again and again
Honesty, strength, friends and devotion
Showering gifts of hope to reclaim
Walking the streets dragging my heart
Wandering with my head held down in shame
When and how did my family fall apart
Who am I, what is my name?
BRIDGE:
Surviving the street lost and alone
I started a journey to find my way home
CHORUS:
From stilettos to moccasins
Our spirit dances within
On our way to resolution
We find our peace
And this is who I am
Broken barriers and new discoveries
My spirit I now reclaim
Coming home to who I am
Taking honour in my name
No longer a prisoner lost in this world
Look within my shell
To find that pearl
CHORUS:
From stilettos to moccasins
Our spirit dances within
On our way to resolution
We find our peace
And this is who I am
Girls, Women, Alcohol, and Pregnancy 
[…] The workshop is based on the key finding of the project, which is, to heal from drug abuse, there is a need for women to re-claim, and for some to claim for the first time, a healthy self-identity as an Aboriginal woman. The workshop is designed to be facilitated by community members with community members. (For more on the From Stilettos to Moccasins research project and music video, see an earlier post here). […]