'A sense of purpose': N.W.T.-based Indigenous counselling program celebrates 15 graduates

Lenny Fabian says it was his partner's idea that he take the course. 

"I helped her get out of her trauma, and she wanted me to help others," Fabian said Saturday at a graduation ceremony where he and 14 others celebrated completing the two-year Northern Indigenous Counselling Program. 

"It kind of gives me a sense of purpose," Fabian said. "It's like it's what I'm supposed to be doing." 

Fabian is among the first group of graduates in a program that's new to the N.W.T.

It was created by Jean and Roy Erasmus, who own the Dene Wellness Warriors healing group in Yellowknife, in partnership with the Rhodes Wellness College in Vancouver, where the pair were originally trained.

One of the goals was to provide more Indigenous counsellors to help people coping with the traumas of residential school.

The 15 graduates are now qualified to take a certification exam from the Canadian Professional Counsellors Association. 

Fabian is now completing a practicum and looking for work. He plans to stay in the N.W.T. as a counsellor. 

Lena Koe Peterson completed her studies online from her home in Inuvik.

Two weeks before the program started, she lost her biological mother, and was debating whether or not to continue. 

She said that in addition to getting her diploma, the program helped her recover from grief and loss. 

Students are expected to experience the therapeutic techniques they're learning about. 

"It was hard, emotional," she said of the course. "But we all did healing so we could help other people heal from their trauma and just be able to help them overcome whatever comes their way."

Billy Archie of Aklavik said the course was "really challenging" but also an "eye opener." 

"Just to sort of learn more about the real impacts of residential school," he said. 

"To all these survivors and what they went through. And it was interesting growing up at the time when all these first survivors were struggling. And to finally realize, taking this program, that there was a lot of trauma."  

Archie hopes to take his experience as a counsellor out on the land at some of the camps around Aklavik.