Well For Culture is here to help reclaim and revitalize Indigenous mental health and wellness

The discussion of mental health has been an ongoing struggle for many, but with initiatives like Bell Let’s Talk Day, we get to reshape how we think about the topic and keep those conversations going. There are many other initiatives out there that help create easier discussions regarding such a difficult subject.

Michaella Shannon, a special correspondent for etalk, spoke with Thosh Collins, one of the founders of Well For Culture, an Indigenous wellness initiative that aims to reclaim and revitalize Indigenous health and wellness. The initiative studies and implements Indigenous ancestors’ lifestyle teachings while incorporating new information to contribute to the ongoing chain of knowledge. The initiative encourages wellness amongst Indigenous people to sustain, rebuild and strengthen communities. 

Well For Culture was founded by Thosh and his wife Chelsey Luger, who both grew up in Indigenous communities in the United States. Thosh told Michaella that Well For Culture was created when he and Chelsey got together in 2013. “She’s a journalist, and I have a background as a photographer, and we both share a passion for health and wellness, especially for Native people. We wanted to get together and share on social media another narrative as why it's important for us as Native people that we continue to reclaim our health.” 

Well For Culture promotes a holistic lifestyle and mind, body, and spirit optimization through the Seven Circles of Wellness. The Seven Circles include connection to land, sacred living space, peacefulness, movement, sleep, food, clanship and community. Well For Culture believes that Indigenous wellness is spiritual, mental, physical and emotional. The Seven Circles in our lives help determine how well we really are.

Thosh and Chelsey’s initiative also has a deep focus on mental health. “The way I have always been able to try to keep myself in harmony and balance is first understanding the model that many of our Native people have followed; our people understand that the human being is made up of these circles that overlap and they’re connected, and that’s our spiritual well-being, our mental well-being, our emotional and our physical.” Thosh said he does activities throughout the day that keep all those areas in balance and in harmony. 

Thosh suggests that if you find yourself in a state of negativity, it’s good to have an array of tools you can use. “My tools are being physically active. We have a little home gym we recently built. I like to utilize kettlebells, I like to utilize full-body dynamic flows, and I like to do mindful breathing. We know that even the science has now caught up to the understanding that physical movement moves energy around,” he shared. Thosh also says that it’s important to say what you’re grateful for each day and change the way we think. 

What we put into our bodies also affects our mental, physical, and spiritual being. Thosh suggests that we eat with gratitude and understand that some kind of work was done for that food to come in front of you. He says that turning to our ancestorial foodways is really important. “A lot of things in Indigenous culture is surrounded by food. Creation stories talk about how the food came, how the monoamine came, how the bison came to the people. When we delve into that, we learn about gratitude ceremonies that changes the way our brain thinks; it changes our entire world view on things," he explained. "We learn about nutrient-dense food, we learn about food that is sustainable, food that makes sense, it’s local, it’s from the land. When we eat that food, and we engage in it, it connects us to that land. And that’s the beauty of Indigenous food. It’s a way to align ourselves with our Mother Earth, who provides all life."

Thosh and Chelsey not only want people to see food in a different light, but they also shine a light on the importance of exercise and movement. “It’s important for people to understand you can move your body because it’s empowering to move your body, you can move your body as a way to give thanks for your heart, give thanks for your mind, arms and legs,” he said.

When it comes to mental health, every action counts! Join the conversation on Bell Let’s Talk Day, January 28, and help create positive change for those living with mental health issues. For every text message, mobile or long-distance call made by Bell, Bell Aliant and Bell MTS customers, Bell will donate five cents to Canadian mental health initiatives. The same goes for every tweet or TikTok video with the hashtag #BellLetsTalk, watching the Bell Let’s Talk Day video on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, Pinterest or TikTok, or using the Bell Let’s Talk Facebook frame or Snapchat filter. But that’s just the first step: Visit letstalk.bell.ca for more ways you can effect change and build awareness around mental health.

BEFORE YOU GO: New documentary highlights the COVID-19 risk for Elders in the Indigenous community

[video_embed id='2105832']BEFORE YOU GO: New documentary highlights the COVID-19 risk for Elders in the Indigenous community[/video_embed]