Our Mental Well‑being

ʔukłaasiš ʔimsča Hist’t’ukk shitls Ahousaht Hist’t’ukk shitls Nuučaan̓uł Isaak camis čuu ƛ̓eekoo ƛ̓eekoo

Keenan’s traditional name is Imscha and he comes from the Ahousaht First Nation of the Nuu-chah-nulth People (on his mother’s side), and his given name is Keenan Andrew where he has Scottish, Irish, and mixed European ancestry (on his father’s side). Respectfully, thank you.

Humbly, he acknowledges the K’ómoks First Nation as well as the kʷakʷəkʲəʔwakʷ and Coast Salish peoples whose lands he occupies. Further, he would like to acknowledge the Ayajuthem, Pentlatch, and Kwak̓wala speaking peoples whose lands he lives, learns, works, and raises his family on. He is a Registered Clinical Counsellor with an MA in Child and Youth Care – Counselling Specialization. His experience ranges from working with children, youth, adults, Elders and families in a community setting to post-secondary Indigenous students where he provides psycho-education, individual counselling, and group counselling. He has also supported parent groups, Indigenous and non-Indigenous men’s groups, and wellness groups.

His practice is from a Two-Eyed Seeing Framework that is based on both western modalities such as narrative therapy, trauma-informed counselling, mindfulness, trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF-CBT), and culturally responsive holistic approaches like storying as a framework while utilizing plant-based medicines and land-based healing. Importantly, he works from an Indigenous framework that honours traditional Elders’ teachings, as well as Indigenous ways of knowing, doing and being.

Gilakas’la, ƛ̓eekoo ƛ̓eekoo & ʔimot (thank you).

čɛčɛhaθɛč, Gilakas’la, ?imash ?imash

Simone’s ancestry is from the K’ómoks and Shíshálh Nations and a mix of European descent. She is a Canadian Certified Counsellor with a Masters in Counselling from the University of Calgary, and is also trained in Somatic Attachment Therapy. She is dedicated to learning and gaining more knowledge in all aspects of wellness. Her dream is to bring community together again, to heal and grow with each other, and continue to be the strong Nation that we are. She hopes that her passion for mental wellness can help add to that process. Though she is a registered K’ómoks member, providing confidential non-judgmental care is of utmost importance to her.

Simone’s practice is from a Two-Eyed Seeing Framework; this approach is to use both western modalities while incorporating Indigenous ways of knowing and being to create the best support she can. Within her work, she includes aspects of different modalities while encompassing a somatic framework. This allows her to provide a culturally safe space to work together and create a healing “toolbox” that you can use in daily life; she believes that everything connects and weaves together. She will honour where you are at, your cultural practices and traditions, along with your personal beliefs and values.

ʔimot / gilakas’la for taking the time to read this!