A new program through the Saskatchewan Health Authority is blending cultural practices like ribbon skirt making and beading with mental health and addictions care, giving people a way to reconnect with their roots while getting support. The Saskatchewan Health Authority launched the Indigenous Cultural Recovery program as a two-year pilot, with funding from the Community Mental Health Endowment Grant through the Royal University Hospital Foundation.
Recreation therapist Marg Petty and occupational therapist Ashley Springer are leading the project, which partners with Wanuskewin Heritage Park for cultural expertise. The idea came to Petty while cleaning up her mother’s old sewing projects. She found fabric that could be turned into culturally meaningful items, and the program was born.
“I’ve been hearing over the years how our clients were wanting to find their cultural identity,” Petty said. Springer pointed to research showing that a strong connection to culture and identity has a positive impact on mental health and well-being. The program includes making ribbon skirts and shirts, beading, and crafting medicine bags, all aimed at strengthening a person’s sense of self and accomplishment.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority has committed to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, including Call #22, which urges health-care systems to recognize the value of Aboriginal healing practices. The SHA formally committed in 2019 and reaffirmed that commitment in September 2024. This program puts that commitment into practice, offering clients care that respects and incorporates their cultural background.
Over the next two years, the pilot will serve as a test for how cultural programming can be woven into mental health and addictions treatment. For participants, it’s a chance to heal in a way that honors who they are and where they come from.
