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Introduction
The Biidaaban Healing Lodge
is a 12 unit facility that provides the Aboriginal
population in the Robinson-Superior Area with Residential
and community-based Programming.
We are located in the Ojibways
of Pic River First Nation on the shores of Lake Superior.
Pic River is approximately a three hour drive east of Thunder
Bay and three and one-half hour drive west of Sault Ste. Marie
on Hwy 17.
Our History
In the early
1980's, the disease of Alcoholism was the primary problem
faced by many of the First Nation families and communities.
There was a movement of aboriginal people accessing drug and
alcohol rehabilitation facilities that failed to acknowledge
our different approaches to life.
Native people were checking
into different treatment centers across Ontario for the fifth
and sixth time; and were experiencing very little in terms of
long term sobriety.
During stays in these
rehabilitation facilities issues such as Sexual Abuse, Grief and
Abandonment, Childhood Emotional, Physical and Physical Abuse,
Family Violence, Childhood Trauma and other related matters were
surfacing. People would deal with their Alcoholism, but
would obtain very little in terms of tools to assist them in
maintaining sobriety and healing.
After spending time within a
family, community or society that didn't change; these
individuals paths led down one of two roads--the familiar path
of alcohol or drug use OR they simply would continue to maintain
sobriety at the cost of picking up a secondary addiction such as
gambling, abusive relationships and prescription drug addiction.
Pic River submitted a proposal
in 1992 on behalf of the Robinson-Superior Area to target at
that time what were referred to as "Secondary Problems".
This proposal addressed seven areas: Compulsive
Overeating, Self-Parenting, Family Violence, Adult Children of
Alcoholics, Sexual Abuse and Unresolved Anger stemming from
Childhood Issues.
In early 1993, we began
delivering mini-programs at First Nation and community levels in
the seven areas listed above. During this time, we also
developed our ten day residential treatment programs.
To date, Biidaaban delivers 10
day treatment programs in Grief and Abandonment, Sexual Abuse
and Anger Management on a rotational basis. We have
programs developed that can be facilitated in the areas of Adult
Children of Alcoholics, Compulsive Overeating and Self-Parenting
that can be ran on a need be basis.
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