Embarking on the path of peer-based work, my journey began with volunteering in groups and local recovery meetings. Guided by mentors who have walked the path of recovery themselves, I learned the importance of striking a balance between receiving peer support and giving back through volunteering. This journey has led me to immerse myself in various councils, committees, and boards, contributing my time and skills to initiatives close to my heart.
Daily, we often encounter numerous choices that directly or indirectly affect our health. From the food we eat to the products we use, our decisions as consumers can significantly impact not only our well-being but also the health of our communities, states, and nations. Understanding the importance of public health awareness is paramount in making informed choices that promote healthier lifestyles and contribute to the overall well-being of society.
As a parent navigating the challenges of raising a teenager in today’s fast-paced world, I have come to appreciate the significance of prioritizing mental health. With World Teen Mental Wellness Day just around the corner on March 2, it is an opportune time to reflect on ways we can actively support our teens’ emotional well-being throughout the year. In a world where one in seven adolescents faces mental health challenges, fostering awareness and reducing stigma becomes paramount, especially given the impact of the global pandemic on our teens’ mental health.
Growing up in a family of overachievers and natural-born leaders, allowed me to see what positive leadership can look like. Watching my grandpa Blackie Wetzel be such a humble person, set the tone for my dad and his siblings, to also be some amazing individuals too.
It wasn’t until I owned my own business at the young age of 19, that I realized that I too had some natural skills that gave me an edge over the competition.
In the rich tapestry of Native American traditions, storytelling stands as a sacred gift, a conduit for the transfer of wisdom, healing, and positive energies. Our Blackfoot people have a deep-rooted connection to tradition.
I share my life experiences and provide a compelling narrative as a Blackfoot woman in recovery. My story is not just a personal account; it’s a gift from Creator. There is a transformative power of sharing experiences, bridging the metaphysical and physical worlds by preserving true history for future generations. In the intricate dance between the past and the present, my journey unfolds, offering insights into the resilience that storytelling can foster.
Growing up and learning to live with mental health conditions, and finding power within my uniqueness has been a journey all its own. When growing up I always felt different, so it has been quite a journey in my self-acceptance of having these obstacles. Like many minorities, we come from intergenerational and historical trauma. Being a mother of two beautiful children who are already having similar struggles of not filling into the “norm” is hard for me, but super hard for them this day and age.
If you don’t have a vision and you’re struggling to pinpoint what you want and where you want to go, it can be hard to be inspired and visualize your destiny. Without a clear vision, it’s hard to direct your efforts in ways that serve your goals. It’s also hard to attract the support and resources you need. That’s where a vision board comes in.
Understanding the complexity of abuse, coercion, and control can be a complex multidimensional description. When asked,” What to look for?” within human trafficking is a hard question to answer, because human trafficking isn’t one situation to describe, it can have many faces. Human Trafficking effects all social groupings, genders, and does not discriminate when it comes to its victims. There are statistics that prove the American Indian population is in fact at a higher risk of being affected by human trafficking, murder, and becoming a missing persons case. 48.8% of Native American women have been stalked in their lifetime, and 40% of sex trafficking survivors are in fact, Native American women.
The arrival of Native American Heritage Month heralds a deeply personal journey for me, a Blackfoot woman steadfastly navigating the intricate path of recovery. Within the expansive tapestry of indigenous cultures, I discover not only solace and strength but a profound connection to my roots that serves as the cornerstone of my journey of self-discovery. Engaged in tribal liaison work with Montana tribes, this month transcends mere celebration; it stands as a testament to the transformative power of cultural heritage, weaving through my role as a mother and illuminating the unique lens of recovery from an American Indian woman’s perspective.
Recovery is the beginning of positive change and development of the spirit and who the human being is, as an individual. It is the bond and balance of body, mind, and soul. It is the discovery of who Creator really made someone to be.
I grew up between Helena and Great Falls, after my parents split, when I was around 3, and my brother was 9. I got the gift of seeing two very different parenting skills. My mom hovered and made sure I did what I was supposed to, and when I didn’t, there were consequences. My dad was very trusting and comforting, but very enabling. They both were amazing, and did the best with what they had, but I had one person in my life that gave me consistency, and that was my stepdad. My mom remarried when I was 7 years old. He was a teacher and coach in this community for over 50 years, and treated me and all my family, as if we were blood. What he was one day, was what he was the next, and when he said he would do something, he did it, and he did it with integrity.
For most of my life, I didn’t put much time and effort into things unless it was self-fulfilling, of some sort. I always have had a big heart and loved to help feed, support, and be there in any way I could for family and loved ones, but past that, I didn’t do much that was out of my way of comfort, and added to my own status or towards a goal that was for my own selfish needs. As I grew older, I was taught that we do what we can for others, with boundaries. I wanted the acceptance of others and turned into a “Yes” person very early in recovery. I got sober in a program that believed in incentives. It taught me as an adult, that there was appreciation and meaning in going out of my comfort zone to help others.
When I think of radical acceptance, I think of when my only brother passed away. I was in Montana’s Women’s Prison and didn’t have a chance to go to his services. It hurt, and I was sober for the first time since I was a teenager. I was sober, but I wouldn’t say I was in recovery, because I was still living in a way that had many, many character defects.
When I started getting diagnosed with mental health conditions, I was still a teenager. I was ashamed, scared, and felt like I was doomed. I come from a family that has both mental health conditions and substance abuse disorders, so I was aware of what they both can look like. It hit me hard, and even though I had seen struggles within my family’s dynamics, I still held shame and guilt from my situation. I later learned that the shame and guilt was not mine to carry, but before that, I carried it like I was packing luggage around, everywhere I went.
Forgiveness is a big part of a healing journey. It takes a lot of acceptance to be able to forgive and to acknowledge there is a need to understand that whatever it is that is holding one back, or is causing inner conflicts, is not always ours to own. We do not have to completely understand the reasoning behind one’s negative doing to us, we don’t ever have to forget, but being able to forgive, can allow healing and growth to continue.
Living a life to develop the best results in growth and healing, I have learned to be open and mindful of multiple pathways recovery entails. Beyond the inpatient, outpatient, justice programming, and whatever else was “expected” of me, I have dipped into reconnecting to my traditional, American Indian ways.
This month is National Native American Heritage Month, acknowledging Indigenous First Nations. I am a member of the Blackfoot Confederated Nation, the Amskapii Piikani Band. We are one band of a six-clan band, and the only band of our nation in the United States. Our culture is prevention on so many levels. Having a connection to both Indigenous First Nations knowledge and the Westernized knowledge can be very helpful in recovery.
It’s the season of changes. During this time of the year, we can have a mixture of emotions that we are feeling, dealing, and coping with. Everyone in recovery has their own story and I know for me, mine involves a lot of good times, amazing times, and a lot of traumatic times too.
Recovery is the beginning of positive change and evolving into the spirit and human being an individual was meant to be. Its the bond and balance of body, mind, and soul. It is the discovery of who Creator really made an individual to be.
