When you consent to work with us, we endeavour to:
- Be patient while you decide if you can trust working with us.
- Welcome you telling us your story. The whole story in your own way.
- Listen with empathy.
- Accept that whatever you have done, whatever you may do, is the best you have to offer and seemed right at the time.
- Understand you are not a person. You are this person, unique and special.
- Not judge you as right or wrong, bad or good. You are what you are and that’s all you have to be.
- Not assume that our knowledge of you is more accurate than yours. We only know what you have told us. And that’s only one part of you.
- Never think that we know what you should do. We don’t. You may be confused but you are still the expert about yourself.
- Not place you in a position of living up to our expectations. You have enough living up to your own.
- Hear your feelings. Not just your words. And we will accept all of them. If we can’t, then how can you?
- Not try to save you. You can do it yourself. You knew enough to ask for help, and we acknowledge and respect that.
Adopted from the Anishinabe & Onkwehonwe community: Contributions from various sources are gratefully acknowledged:
- Anishinabe Native Elder – Art Solomon
- Anishinabe Native Elder – John Stonechild
- Rev. Jonathan Ellerby (WRHA)
- Dr. Brian Rice – (Mohawk) University of Manitoba
- Sakoieta’ Widrick – (Mohawk) Regional Indigenous Spiritual/ Cultural
- Care Coordinator – Indigenous Health Services (WRHA)
