About
The Mino Miikanan Trauma and Addiction program was created to deliver a culturally appropriate, safe, and meaningful psycho-educational program that promotes wellness in all aspects of life: physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional. Contemporary approaches to wellness will be integrated with traditional, land-based methods that, when available, will be led by community Elders. Any modern or Western techniques used are meant as tools, not as a cultural or identity replacement. Participants attending the Mino Miikanan, (Good Trails) program, are not required to disclose their personal experience regarding trauma.
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Although trauma narratives are not the focus, the program will address the strategies used to cope with original traumas that are no longer effective as a means to wellness. These strategies can include, but are not limited to, addiction, isolation, anger, and shame. As a consequence of these strategies, individuals can experience loss of family and community; liberty and identity; and economic stability and advancement.
The program is designed to offer skills that are self-supporting and peer-driven. The materials covered will give participants a better understanding of the effects of trauma and addiction, and more effective coping strategies to apply to all areas of their lives.
Program Highlights
The program is based on a psychoeducational approach to Judith Herman’s Tri-Phasic Model of Trauma Recovery: Phase 1 – Safety and Stabilization, Phase 2 - Remembrance and Mourning, and Phase 3 – Reconnection and integration. This program is not a therapeutic program, instead, it is designed to provide participants with the basic language and understanding of trauma recovery.
In keeping with trauma competent guidelines, the program will use a slower pacing model of information, breaking up the trauma teachings with expressive arts and land-based healing. Each day will open and close with talking circles to allow participants to process their thoughts and feelings about the program. And each day will offer experiential grounding exercises that provide a grounding in the moment while allowing participants to practice new skills for safety.
Using the bio-psyco-social model of understanding addiction, this program outlines the relationship between trauma and addiction.
To normalize and validate the participants’ experiences of trauma and addiction, the program will be presented in the oral tradition of storytelling and humour. There is no PowerPoints or technology used and sessions are customized to the participants and presented in their own words.
Participants will garner a sense of purpose and meaning they can carry with them in all areas of their lives. All of which create a language for the experience of trauma and addiction.
Our Founder
GRAHAM JOBSON, CIAC, CCAC, TITC-CT
Graham is a consultant from northern Ontario, and is a member Temagami First Nation. He is an addiction and trauma-focused workshop / group facilitator, counsellor, educator and artisan. Graham is a Certified Addictions Counsellor, a Certified Indigenous Addictions Counsellor and a Certified Clinical Traumatologist.
His work is grounded in his personal experience which includes addressing childhood trauma, overcoming addiction and direct experience with the justice system. He uses western ways as tools, NOT as an identity replacement. Graham focuses on three principles in his work: purpose, ceremony and spirituality. He works with people to develop positive meaning within their own experiences, redefine the notion of safety and trust, while emphasizing the importance of addressing grief and loss to move towards reclaiming life.
Email: miikanan@hotmail.com
