Ontario Akwesasne, March 14, 2026

Healing is not a destination it is a lifelong journey rooted in connection, culture, and community. At the Indigenous Wellness Training Society (IWTS), this journey is guided by a deep commitment to walking alongside Indigenous individuals, families, and communities, including Sixties Scoop Survivors, as they reclaim wellness, identity, and belonging.

Founded and led by First Nations individuals, IWTS offers culturally grounded programming that reflects both the lived experiences of community members and the teachings of Elders. By blending traditional knowledge systems with contemporary therapeutic approaches, IWTS creates safe, respectful environments where healing is informed by trust, understanding, and cultural continuity.
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Culturally Grounded Programs and Services

IWTS delivers a range ofholistic supports designed to address the intergenerational impacts of displacement and cultural loss experienced by many Sixties Scoop Survivors and their families. These services include:

Culturally Grounded Counselling Services
Holistic mental healthsupports that integrate Indigenous healing practices with contemporary therapeutic approaches, ensuring culturally safe care for participants.

Elder-Led Teachings and Sharing Circles
Weekly gatherings offered both in-person and virtually provide opportunities for community members to connect through storytelling, teachings, and shared experiences.
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Healing and Wellness Tools
Participants are supported with sacred items such as smudge kits, healing wheels, and traditional medicines that empower individuals on their healing journeys.
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Land-Based Healing Programs
Activities including medicine walks, cultural gatherings, and land-based teachings help reconnect participants with the land and ancestral knowledge systems.

Through ongoing engagement with Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and community members, IWTS ensures that program development remains community-driven and culturally relevant.
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Indigenous Wellness Cultural Wisdom Exchange Program
At the heart of IWTS’s work is the Indigenous Wellness Cultural Wisdom Exchange Program an initiative grounded in the understanding that healing begins with reconnection: to culture, to community, and to ancestral teachings.

Developed for Sixties Scoop Survivors, their families, and descendants, this program creates space for participants to rediscover cultural identity while engaging in meaningful, culturally informed healing practices. Through Elder-led sharing circles, land-based teachings, and cultural workshops, participants are supported in rebuilding connections that were disrupted by the legacy of the Sixties Scoop.

Program components include:
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Cultural Immersion Workshops
Guided by Elders and Knowledge Keepers, these sessions focus on traditional skills, storytelling, language revitalization, and land-based learning.
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Healing Circles and Ceremonies
Sacred spaces where Survivors can share lived experiences and receive support within community.
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Art and Cultural Expression
Traditional crafts, music, and artistic practices are incorporated as pathways to healing and identity reclamation.

Online Elder Gatherings
Weekly virtual sessionsextend access to teachings and support for those unable to attend in person.

Restoring the Circle
The Indigenous Wellness Cultural Wisdom Exchange Program represents more than a set of services it reflects a commitment to restoring connection, rebuilding cultural continuity, and strengthening community ties. Through shared teachings and collective healing, Survivors and their families are supported in reclaiming identity, fostering resilience, and reconnecting to the circle of belonging that has always been theirs.