Counselling within Inuit Systems in Canada’s North

Authors

  • Anya L. Brooker

Keywords:

Family Systems counselling, Inuit, Theory,

Abstract

This article discusses the history of Inuit culture with a focus on the intergenerational trauma that stemmed from colonialism, forced assimilation, and the Canadian government’s sovereignty efforts. This article addresses the loss of cultural identity among Inuit people that resulted from these events. A comparative statistical analysis between Northern and Southern Canada reveals the higher rates of psychosocial issues such as drug and alcohol abuse and family violence in Nunavut. Inuit culture is in a state of cultural transition and consequently requires culturally sensitive and knowledgeable counsellors. The author combines existing literature and personal observations from working as a clinician in Nunavut to arrive at recommendations for practice. The interventions of a family system’s therapy approach align well with Inuit values and will be discussed as one beneficial intervention for use with Inuit clients.

Author Biography

Anya L. Brooker

I am a Canadian Certified Counsellor. I have lived and worked in Iqaluit, Nunavut in the field of mental health since 2013.

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Published

2018-01-02

How to Cite

Brooker, A. L. (2018). Counselling within Inuit Systems in Canada’s North. Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy, 52(1). Retrieved from https://cjc-rcc.ucalgary.ca/article/view/61182

Issue

Section

Articles/ Articles