Ayás Mén̓men
Child & Family Services
Ayás Mén̓men Wellness Team
Phone: 604-985-4111
Email: amm_wellness@squamish.net
Manager: Jessica Delorme
Email: jessica_delorme@squamish.net
The Ayás Mén̓men Wellness Team offers a range of wellness, prevention & therapeutic services to Squamish Nation community members – this includes traditional wellness supports, therapeutic services for children & families, groups and family supports. We walk alongside families while they move toward their own defined path of wellbeing. We provide a confidential and judgement free space for children, youth, and families to work through challenges while also uncovering strengths. We support people and families to navigate life’s experiences related to mental well-being including: big life transitions, emotions related to parenting or connection to family, mental health challenges, recovering from trauma and intergenerational trauma, exploration of gender and identity among other things.
Ayás Mén̓men Wellness Team offers:
- Child & Youth Therapy
- Family Wellness Counsellors
- Family Therapy
- Access to traditional ways of healing
- Therapeutic & Support Groups
- Community events & activities to promote Wellness & Healing
Our work is grounded in trauma-informed & inclusive practices and we utilize Squamish values & teachings in our work. We work from an understanding and consideration of the history and impacts of residential schools and colonization.
Family Therapy
Our Family therapist offers a space for families, to come together and work on strengthening their relationships through talk and experiential activities focusing on connection.
Sessions include:
- Supportive time for parents and caregivers to focus on their relationships with their children
- Support with understanding and responding to the needs of children and youth using a strengths based lens
- Support with understanding the impacts of intergenerational experiences on parenting and how to manage related challenges as they arise
- Opportunities to improve communication between parents or caregivers and their children
Child and Youth Therapy
Our child and Youth therapists offer a confidential space for children, youth and families to meet with a trained Counsellor who can support a broad range of Wellness themes. Sessions use many forms of expression such as talk, play, nature and art making and include:
- Opportunities for children and youth to slow down and learn more about themselves and their unique strengths to deal with life as it comes
- A space for children and youth to develop skills for self-expression and coping
- Support and information related to mental wellbeing challenges such as grief, big transitions, anxiety, depression, substance misuse or traumatic experiences
Family Wellness Counsellor
Our Family Wellness Counsellors provide intensive community and in-home support in a wide variety of areas including:
- Support with needs such as housing, food security, finances & budgeting, medical needs, life skill development
- Creating a wellness & self-care plan for adults that are caring for children
- Creating connections to community & cultural supports
- Support with understanding emotions and experiences in the context of parenting and other important relationships
- Connecting with other Squamish nation departments, supports & community resources
A variety of supports with those caring for children are offered to provide intensive community and in-home support.
- Parent coaching and counselling.
- Support with housing, food security, finances, budgeting, medical needs, and life skill development.
- Creating a wellness and self-care plan for adults that are caring for children.
- Specialized parent education (one on one or in a group setting).
- Education around healthy relationships and boundaries.
- Creating connections to community and cultural supports.
- Connecting with other Nation departments and community resources.
- Services for those who want to make sense of their kids, especially when dealing with emotional, behavioral and/or learning issues.
- Parent support groups including Gathering our Medicine, Circle of Security, and PC-Care.
Therapy is a space where community members can come to be heard and to process experiences that are impacting their life.
We offer different types of therapy for healing and growing including arts-based, expressive, EMDR, play, talk, nature and body-oriented.
Children and youth can talk, play music, create art, be on the land, and connect with their spirit and culture.
Family therapy includes all family members in the session.
This support helps family members understand each other better with a goal of increasing support and communication while working through difficult or historical situations.
We believe family therapy is best for families who are wanting to better communicate and understand each other.
The Wellness team offers therapeutic groups where children, youth, and parents can join with other community members and receive support together.
Groups are led by a member of the Wellness team and are formed around a shared issue such as processing feelings and emotions, learning new skills, supporting overall wellness and parenting/caring for children.
These groups include:
- Gathering our Medicine
- Circle of Security
- sx̱el̓t shíshi7ch (Art Circle)
- shíshi7ch tl’a siw̓í7ḵa (Men’s Circle)
- Culture is Healing (a wellness group for young adults to connect with spirituality and traditional ways of healing and taking care of yourself)
- LGBTQIA2S+ Youth Wellness Group (coming in 2024)
Information about programming is also available on the department Facebook page.
Nation Updates
Housing Allocation Coming in 2025: Update Your Information Today
The Squamish Nation has updated its Housing Allocations Policy to enhance clarity, transparency, and consistency in managing the Housing List and making allocation decisions. This updated policy will guide the next housing allocation process, which includes up to 15 lots and homes. The new allocation is expected to take place in 2025, marking the first allocation in seven years.
Our Children Our Way Society Welcomes New Ruling from the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, Demands Immediate Action from Canada on Jordan’s Principle
The Our Children Our Way Society is applauding the latest ruling from the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (CHRT) which reinforces the obligation of the Government of Canada to eliminate its systemic discrimination against First Nations children.
