{"id":220,"date":"2025-07-10T11:32:38","date_gmt":"2025-07-10T18:32:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/decolonizing-health-healing-care\/?page_id=220"},"modified":"2026-04-08T15:35:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T22:35:07","slug":"working-with-indigenous-peoples","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/decolonizing-health-healing-care\/working-with-indigenous-peoples\/","title":{"rendered":"Working with Indigenous Peoples"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\"Decolonizing<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Chapter 8.5<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Counselling Considerations for Working with Indigenous Peoples<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

By Gwendolyn Villebrun and Melissa Jay<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Book: Decolonizing Health, Healing, and Care<\/a>
Published: June 1, 2025
Publisher: Counselling Concepts<\/a>
Chapter DOI: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.71446\/kd38266945<\/a>
Book ISBN: 978-0-9738085-6-8
Format: ePub
Distributor: Vital Source<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Purchase your copy at<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Vital Source<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Abstract<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This chapter is a call to walk alongside and uplift Indigenous peoples and communities with humility, love, and accountability. We invite readers into a relational approach to anti-colonial practice in psychology and the helping professions. In our work relationships are not just a component of therapy; they are the very foundation of healing, centring deep respect, knowledge about the ongoing impacts of colonialism, and an unwavering commitment to safety and trust. This means showing up authentically, being willing to listen and learn, and recognizing that healing is not something we provide but something we co-create, guided by the knowledge and experiences of those we walk alongside. Together, we explore how dismantling colonial frameworks begins with unlearning deficit-based narratives about Indigenous Peoples and centring perspectives of resurgence and survivance. Supporting Indigenous communities calls for continuous self-reflection, a willingness to confront personal, professional, and systemic complicity in colonial harm, and an active commitment to growth and change. By honouring the autonomy of Indigenous Peoples to define health and healing on their own terms, practitioners can create spaces rooted in respect and cultural safety. Healing is a shared journey of remembering and reclaiming wholeness, and while the path ahead may be challenging, it is one we must walk together toward a future where all can live well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Co-Authors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Gwendolyn Villebrun<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 (she\/her), PhD, RPsych, is a Dene\/M\u00e9tis and a member of K\u2019atl\u2019odeeche Dene First Nation, Northwest Territories. She resides in Amiskwac\u00eew\u00e2skahikan (Edmonton, Alberta), Treaty 6 territory. She is an assistant professor in the counselling psychology program in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta. As a registered psychologist since 2005, she serves predominantly urban First Nations, those impacted by the Indigeous Residential Institutions, and children who have experienced abuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Melissa Jay<\/em><\/strong> (she\/her), PhD, RPsych, is a cisgender nehiyaw (Cree) member of the M\u00e9tis Nation of Alberta and lifelong student of yoga philosophy. She is a cisgender, able-bodied woman who moves through the world with white-passing privilege. She is a psychologist and associate professor at Athabasca University. Her work is centred in reciprocal relationships, decolonized healing, anti-oppressive practices, and the integration of ancient wisdom and psychology. Her intention is to share trauma-informed, culturally responsive care alongside her ongoing work, including Indigenous-led self-inquiry into honouring Protocol and preserving Truth.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Citation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Villebrun, G., & Jay, M. (2025). Counselling considerations for working with Indigenous people. In S. Collins and M. Jay (Eds.), Decolonizing health, healing, and care: Embodying culturally responsive and socially just counselling<\/em> (Chapter 8.5). Counselling Concepts. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.71446\/kd38266945<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chapter 8.5 Counselling Considerations for Working with Indigenous Peoples By Gwendolyn Villebrun and Melissa Jay Book: Decolonizing Health, Healing, and Care Published: June 1, 2025Publisher: Counselling ConceptsChapter DOI: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.71446\/kd38266945Book ISBN: 978-0-9738085-6-8Format: ePub Distributor: Vital Source Purchase your copy at Abstract This chapter is a call to walk alongside and uplift Indigenous peoples and communities with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-220","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"sandrac","author_link":"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/decolonizing-health-healing-care\/author\/sandrac\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Chapter 8.5 Counselling Considerations for Working with Indigenous Peoples By Gwendolyn Villebrun and Melissa Jay Book: Decolonizing Health, Healing, and Care Published: June 1, 2025Publisher: Counselling ConceptsChapter DOI: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.71446\/kd38266945Book ISBN: 978-0-9738085-6-8Format: ePub Distributor: Vital Source Purchase your copy at Abstract This chapter is a call to walk alongside and uplift Indigenous peoples and communities with…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/decolonizing-health-healing-care\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/220","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/decolonizing-health-healing-care\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/decolonizing-health-healing-care\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/decolonizing-health-healing-care\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/decolonizing-health-healing-care\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=220"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/decolonizing-health-healing-care\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/220\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":413,"href":"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/decolonizing-health-healing-care\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/220\/revisions\/413"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/counsellingconcepts.ca\/decolonizing-health-healing-care\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=220"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}