Addiction Centre Erects Sweat Lodge

[thujone]

TORONTO -- Canada's largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital has added a unique service for its aboriginal clients -- a sweat lodge to help promote spiritual, physical and emotional healing.

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto unveiled the sweat lodge on a tucked-away section of its sprawling campus, fulfilling a goal set years ago to augment its services for indigenous clients by adding the ceremonial structure.

"Having the sweat lodge on-site at CAMH is going to allow us to offer indigenous healing ceremonies as part of the treatment plans," Renee Linklater, director of aboriginal engagement and outreach, said in an interview prior to Thursday's official opening.

...

Linklater, an Anishinaabe from Rainy River First Nations in northwestern Ontario, said she believes Canadian society has become much more aware of the historical scars borne by First Nations, Metis and Inuit as a result of colonization, forced relocations of entire communities, the impact of residential schools and the mass apprehensions of aboriginal children in what's known as the '60s Scoop.

"We know that this trauma does not resolve on its own, but rather intensifies and then becomes extended to the children and grandchildren," she said.

"And that's why we feel that it's really important that health services understand the impacts of multi-generational trauma and begin to offer services that are actually relevant and appropriate."

http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/toronto-hospital-opens-sweat-lodge-for-aboriginal-patients-1.2959836#

 

[polymath]

When I was in alcohol detox, there was a sauna in there, but they didn't let patients to go there before they had been in treatment for 4 days and didn't need diazepam anymore.

I'd never heard about sweat lodges before, it's strange that indigenous peoples have gotten similar ideas around the globe (I'm comparing this to sauna).

 

[nuttynutskin]

Is peyote involved? :D

 

[assclass]

Is peyote involved? :D

No.

Smudging generally involves burning a bunch of herbs and plants like sage and sweetgrass. Other than the respiratory issue, this is great.

We have a terrible substance abuse/mental health issue in Canada with our Native communities, and there has been a lot of great a strides made to integrate western and tradition cultures in dealing with legal/health issues.

Unfortunately we have some systemic issues within the communities that prevent positive steps forward.