The Native Family Systems - In the Spirit of the Family training emerged in the 1990s and continued through the early 2000s as a foundational framework within Indigenous addictions and wellness programming. Rooted in the original Family Systems Counsellor's Handbook developed through the National Native Association of Treatment Directors, the model was based on primary and secondary studies and applied work within Native alcohol and drug treatment centres across Canada. It centered Indigenous family structures, intergenerational roles, caregiving responsibilities, and collective healing as core to recovery and community wellness. One of the original teams carrying this work forward included dedicated contributors such as the late Arsene Tootoosis and Vera Manuel, whose leadership and commitment helped shape this Indigenous family systems approach within the addictions and healing field.
Arsene Tootoosis and Kimberly Tootoosis carried and delivered this training in communities across Canada over the years through their private practice Red Echo Associates. Due to renewed demand and interest in the model, Kimberly Tootoosis has asked Mylan Tootoosis to assist in facilitating and carrying this work forward as part of this resurgence effort.
This resurgence of the training is carried forward under the support and blessing of Rod Jeffries, former Executive Director of the National Native Association of Treatment Directors, who was influential in the original design and development of this training and continues to support and advance this work. He has affirmed the importance of maintaining and strengthening this family systems model for future generations in today's era.
Now, by request, this training is making a return through the Resurgence Program. Mylan Tootoosis has been facilitating and offering this training locally as part of a broader effort to update, contextualize, and renew the original content and manual for contemporary Indigenous communities. Drawing on over 20 years of experience in life skills programming, Indigenous family systems work, and community wellness facilitation, Mylan integrates lived community knowledge with the original framework to ensure relevance for today's realities, including intergenerational trauma, ongoing colonial impacts, and rebuilding home fire systems of care.
This training is intended for counsellors, social workers, wellness staff, educators, community leaders, and individuals wishing to strengthen their social and familial kinship approaches within their own families and communities. Non-Indigenous professionals working for native organizations are welcome to attend. A Certificate of Completion will be issued to participants who attend and fully participate in all five days of training.
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