Newsletter March 2025
- Leigh Sh
- Mar 18
- 4 min read
Every month going forward, Indigenous Psychological Services will send out our newsletter we call miyo-mahcihoyān to help support your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. miyo-mahcihoyān is Cree and refers to the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing of a person.
We will showcase language, culture, and stories relevant to Indigenous Psychological Services. You can also expect staff spotlights and written entries as an opportunity to connect with our team. Our goal with this newsletter is to bring more Culture to you!
If there is any content you would like to see in this newsletter that can help your healing, please tell us. If you, your family, or even your agency would like to be celebrated in this newsletter please let us know.
The Power of a Circle
By Leigh Sheldon
Did you know that our agency is guided by the principle of a circle?
A circle represents a community built on equality, respect, and friendship.
To be part of a circle means that you belong, that you are valued, and that you are accepted exactly as you are. Your voice, your thoughts, and your perspective matter. Not only do you matter to us, but your presence is essential. We believe that our circle is stronger with you in it.
Our agency’s foundation is rooted in the values of unity, respect, and mutual support. We do not adhere to a model that seeks to possess or control others—whether those we serve, the people within our organization, or the knowledge shared. Instead, we believe in a community based on togetherness, sharing, honesty, kindness, and full transparency. While these values may seem simple in theory, they require continuous commitment and a deep sense of responsibility to maintain. They demand that we actively nurture trust and safety within our circle.
To be in a circle requires us to feel safe with one another. It calls for vulnerability, openness, and a willingness to engage as equals. It means showing up as human beings—not as professionals who hold power over others. This is a departure from the hierarchical, Western mindset that suggests effectiveness is rooted in dominance. True humility, however, allows us to be seen as we truly are, to make mistakes without fear of judgment, and to embrace learning and growth. We all make mistakes, and in a circle, we support one another through our vulnerabilities. When we are weak, we lean into the circle for strength, and we build each other up when needed.
I was once told that a circle has a spirit—a spirit that can heal and provide what is needed when we let go and allow the Creator to guide us. When one person feels something deeply, we all feel it. In this way, we experience healing together as we share in the collective emotions and experiences that arise within the circle. Group therapy that honours the circle is more powerful than individual therapy.
I believe in the power of the circle and strive to live my life according to this principle. The intentions I set forth are the intentions I receive in return. If someone harms me or behaves unkindly, I do not respond with anger, but with kindness and prayer. I trust in the circle—that what is given will return, and that cycles of negativity can be broken through love and compassion. While I am committed to maintaining healthy boundaries, I also recognize the importance of releasing what is not mine and offering it to the Creator. I trust the circle. I trust the Creator.
Healing is collective, just as trauma is collective. The emotions we experience—whether anxiety, sadness, anger, or joy—are all part of the medicine that comes when we sit in a circle. This shared medicine requires connection and collective healing. When we come together, we honor not only each other but also our ancestors. Through sharing and listening, we create the space for transformation. The act of remembering brings about change, and we cannot ignore our hearts when we sit heart to heart with another person. The circle is, and always has been, more powerful when we are united.
I serve the people in the circle, they do not serve me. Leigh Sheldon pihpihchow- the robin known as the bird that works hard for others.
Other Resources
Looking for additional support? We would like to take this opportunity to highlight some trusted and helpful resources that may complement your healing journey. These external organizations and tools are designed to provide guidance, support, and connection, and we hope they can serve as valuable companions alongside the care you receive here. Explore them to find what resonates with you.
First Nations Telehealth Network: PTSD and CPTSD in Indigenous Communities:
Impacts, Connections, and Healing Pathways
Leigh Sheldon, founder of IPS, is speaking at this event.
To access this session
from zoom:
60046
Meeting ID: 851 5166 0046
Passcode: 464847
Please select “join meeting as an
Attendee”, once logged-in
To access this session
from an audio line:
1-587-328-1099
Meeting ID: 851 5166 0046
Passcode: 464847
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