Managing Back to School Stress
September 20, 2025
September 30th marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day. Honouring the children who never came home, the survivors, and all those impacted by residential schools, this day both commemorates this painful history and acknowledges the ongoing, intergenerational impacts of this system on Indigenous families and communities.
How do we move beyond acknowledgement?
This time also serves as a crucial reminder that reconciliation must move beyond words and into meaningful action. As we reflect on the history of colonization and the residential school system, we recognize their ongoing impacts on the emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being of Indigenous Peoples. As mental health practitioners, we acknowledge that this recognition plays an important role in our ongoing self-reflection and commitment to ethical, culturally responsive practice grounded in cultural safety and humility. This includes listening to and amplifying Indigenous voices, honouring Indigenous worldviews, and actively fostering accessible opportunities for healing and resilience.
What resources exist to support healing?
Alongside community-based supports and traditional cultural practices, accessing safe, respectful, and culturally responsive counselling can be an important part of the healing journey for many individuals and families. Through the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA), First Nations individuals living in BC may be eligible to access counselling services at no cost. This funding can cover 22 or more sessions with FNHA-approved clinical counsellors and social workers who are specially trained in providing culturally responsive, trauma-informed care, aiming to help remove financial barriers to accessing essential mental health support.
How is OK Clinical Therapy Group taking meaningful action?
At OK Clinical Therapy Group, we are committed to taking meaningful action toward making these services both accessible and customizable for each individual, ensuring the care we provide honours each client’s identities, values, and lived experiences. Our team includes highly trained, culturally responsive counsellors who are FNHA registered and available in person at our 9 clinic locations across BC. Our counsellors continue their commitment to supporting accessibility by also offering services online and on the phone with flexible appointment times, including weekends and evenings.
Final Thoughts
Contact us directly to see how we may be able to help with accessible, quality counselling care. For more information, you can also visit our page on First Nations Counselling Services.
Written by: Noa Dagan
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