Indian residential school experience : B.C. first nations share critical incidents along their personal healing journeys ...

• Main Author: Palma, A. Harriet
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: University of British Columbia 2013
• Subjects: First Nations
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0165709; https://doi.library.ubc.ca/10.14288/1.0165709

This qualitative study used the enhanced critical incident technique to explore what helped and what hindered the personal healing journey of six former students of the Indian Residential School (IRS) system in Canada. In-depth interviews were conducted with three women and three men who attended an Indian Residential School in B.C. and perceive themselves to be on a healing journey from their experience. The interviews produced 307 incidents. There were 196 helping, 64 hindering and 47 wisdom provided incidents. The incidents were placed into 11 helping, 6 hindering and 10 wisdom categories. The following helping categories emerged with the highest participation rate: 1) Sharing about the Indian Residential School Experience, 2) Community, 3) Cultural Healing, 4) Personal Strengths and 5) Reconnection to Family and Traditional Parenting. The hindering categories with the highest participation rates were: 1) Internalized Shame from the Indian Residential School Experience, 2) Coping Behaviors and Readiness ...