Honouring the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: A Call to White Settlers to Lean In and Reflect

Introduction

September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NDTR) in Canada, a day set aside to reflect on the tragic legacy of the Indian residential school system and its impact on First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples of Turtle Island (Canada). This day also serves as a time for settlers to confront the deep wounds inflicted by colonial violence, to remember the children who never returned home, and to stand in solidarity with Survivors and their families. As therapists working within an anti-oppressive framework, particularly with trans* and queer clients, this day offers a profound opportunity to reflect on intergenerational trauma and how we can promote healing in our practices.

Truth Before Reconciliation

Before we can move toward genuine reconciliation, we must first confront the truth. As the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) emphasized in their final report, “Without truth, justice, and healing, there can be no genuine reconciliation. Reconciliation is not about ‘closing a sad chapter of Canada’s past,’ but about opening new healing pathways of reconciliation that are forged in truth and justice” (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015).

All of our actions toward reconciliation must be based on a fundamental commitment to truth, openness, and humility. This truth is not simply about recognizing the past atrocities of the residential school system but also acknowledging the ongoing harm that continues to affect Indigenous peoples today. Truth requires settlers to sit with the consequences of colonial violence, understand how their lives and privileges are interconnected with these systems of oppression, and accept the need for personal and collective accountability.

Education is a key element of this truth. It is everyone’s responsibility to learn the truth about the atrocities committed against Indigenous communities and to understand how these harms continue to shape the lives of Indigenous people. Only by grounding ourselves in truth can we begin the journey toward reconciliation, a journey that must prioritize justice and healing alongside accountability for the legacies of colonization.

The Legacy of Residential Schools

For over a century, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children in Canada were forcibly removed from their families and placed in residential schools. These schools were not merely educational institutions; they were instruments of cultural genocide designed to eradicate First Nations, Inuit, and Métis languages, beliefs, and ways of life. Many children faced physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Thousands died in these schools, leaving a legacy of grief and loss that continues to resonate in Indigenous communities today.

The trauma experienced by residential school Survivors is not just historical—it is a present reality for many. Intergenerational trauma, as noted by Dr. Eduardo Duran, manifests in deep psychic wounds that continue to affect Indigenous families across generations, contributing to mental health challenges, substance use, and family violence (Miller, 2017). This trauma was extended through practices like the Sixties Scoop, during which Indigenous children were placed into non-Indigenous homes, severing their connections to culture and language. Chelsea Vowel describes this as a form of cultural annihilation, one that continues to harm First Nations, Inuit, and Métis families through the overrepresentation of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis children in the child-welfare system today (Vowel, 2016). The shame and disenfranchised grief many Survivors feel complicate their healing journey, which must also contend with the systemic racism and oppression that persist in Canadian society.

Intergenerational Trauma and Healing in Therapeutic Practice

As psychotherapists and art therapists with an anti-oppressive lens serving First Nations, Inuit, and Métis clients across Canada, we often work with clients who experience the impact of intergenerational trauma, including those who may not explicitly recognize how their struggles are connected to a larger historical context. In working with Indigenous clients, including Two Spirit individuals, it is essential to acknowledge how residential school trauma affects not only the individual but their family and community. The ongoing effects of settler-colonial violence mean that trauma is not just personal but collective. Intergenerational trauma shows up in myriad ways: unresolved grief, identity confusion, and a deep sense of loss of culture. These struggles are compounded by contemporary systemic inequalities and ongoing settler-colonial violence.

Moreover, the mainstream framing of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis resistance as conflict, as seen in media narratives, contributes to the pathologizing of Indigenous identities and struggles. These frames often delegitimize First Nations, Inuit, and Métis rights claims and reinforce colonial attitudes (Budd, 2024). As therapists, it is crucial to remain aware of how these narratives shape not only public opinion but also our clinical work with Indigenous clients. Jennifer Mullan emphasizes the necessity of integrating historical trauma into therapeutic work, not as something to be “treated” in isolation but as something to be held and witnessed in the broader context of colonialism (Mullan, 2023).

For trans* and queer Indigenous clients, this intersectional approach is vital. The compounding oppressions of gender dysphoria, racism, and colonialism require gender-affirming and anti-oppression therapists to create a space where clients can explore both their personal identities and the broader socio-political forces that shape their experiences. For example, one of my clients, Robin, a Two Spirit person, found it healing to reconnect with their ancestors’ traditions through art therapy. By integrating cultural symbols and practices into their artwork, Robin began to reclaim a sense of self that had been denied by colonial forces, both historically and personally. Art therapy allowed Robin to engage with their grief and anger, giving voice to emotions that are often silenced by a society that demands they “move on” from the past.

Reconciliation in Action: What Settlers Must Do

It is not enough to express sorrow or wear an orange shirt on NDTR. True reconciliation requires action, accountability, and sustained effort. As settlers, we must take responsibility for the ongoing harm caused by colonization, recognizing that the trauma is not only historical but ongoing. This includes not only acknowledging the truth of what happened at residential schools but also actively working to dismantle the systems of oppression that continue to harm Indigenous peoples today. Reconciliation, as articulated by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, involves a long-term commitment to justice and healing, grounded in mutual respect (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015).

Indigenous peoples are also on the front lines of the fight for environmental justice. Their leadership in protecting land and water is not just a fight for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis rights but for the well-being of the planet as a whole. As Julia Cantzler highlights, Indigenous movements for land sovereignty are inherently tied to the fight for environmental health, benefiting not just Indigenous communities but settler populations as well (Cantzler, 2021). Settlers must recognize this interconnection and actively support Indigenous-led environmental justice initiatives.

We are all complicit in these systems. It is not enough to offer apologies or token gestures; we must also reflect on how our lives, privileges, and practices uphold these oppressive structures, and actively commit to the work of dismantling them in our daily lives.

Listening to Survivors is a critical part of this process. As Kim Harvey, a Tsilhqot’in intergenerational Survivor, shared during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s National Event in British Columbia, “Reconciliation to me comes down to truth, education, and knowledge-sharing practices. . . . It’s everyone’s responsibility to educate themselves about what happened” (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015, p. 213).

Creating Space for Collective Grief and Sacred Rage

Mullan’s work on decolonizing therapy highlights the importance of holding space for collective grief and sacred rage. These emotions are not only natural but necessary responses to the violence inflicted on Indigenous peoples (Mullan, 2023). In therapy, we can guide clients—whether they are Indigenous or settlers—through processes that allow them to sit with uncomfortable truths, to mourn what has been lost, and to channel their rage into action. This emotional processing is critical to healing; without it, we risk perpetuating a cycle of avoidance and denial.

As settler therapists living and working on stolen lands, we also have a responsibility to sit with our own grief and rage as we learn about the atrocities committed in the name of Canadian progress. We must resist the urge to compartmentalize these emotions or rush toward solutions. True healing, both individual and collective, requires time, patience, and a willingness to face the darkest aspects of our shared history.

Cultural Humility in Therapy

One of the key lessons for settler therapists is the shift from cultural competence to cultural humility. While cultural competence suggests a static goal—where a therapist can master an understanding of a culture—cultural humility acknowledges that learning is an ongoing process, one that requires openness and a willingness to be taught by clients themselves. This approach is especially important when working with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis clients, as their experiences of colonialism, trauma, and resilience are diverse and deeply personal. Mullan (2023) speaks to the importance of engaging in decolonial emotional work, which means settler therapists must approach these interactions not as experts, but as learners who are actively dismantling their own biases and the colonial structures that inform the therapeutic relationship.

In practice, cultural humility involves acknowledging the limitations of our understanding and making space for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis clients to bring their knowledge and healing practices into the therapy room. It means validating their stories, histories, and the impacts of intergenerational trauma without attempting to fit their experiences into Western psychological frameworks that often pathologize or misunderstand Indigenous ways of knowing (Mullan, 2023). As a therapist, this may require you to sit with discomfort, slow down your desire for resolution, and truly listen to the stories your clients carry, as part of their broader community and cultural context. In doing so, we not only support their healing but also acknowledge the harm that Western psychological frameworks have caused by often disregarding Indigenous knowledge systems and cultural practices. As Mullan (2023) emphasizes, this process involves ongoing reflection and a willingness to unlearn the biases that we, as settler therapists, may unknowingly carry into the therapeutic space.

Land Acknowledgments and Their Deeper Meaning

In recent years, land acknowledgments have become common practice in Canadian institutions and therapy spaces. However, many acknowledgments remain superficial, performed as a quick formality rather than a meaningful expression of respect and connection to the land. As therapists, especially those of us who are settlers, it is important to reflect on what land acknowledgments truly mean and how they can deepen our work with Indigenous clients.

For many First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples, land is not just a resource or a place; it is a relative, an entity with its own spirit and significance. The act of acknowledging land can be an important part of reconnecting with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis identities, especially in the face of the disconnection and displacement caused by residential schools and colonization. To offer a meaningful land acknowledgment is to honour the ongoing relationship between the land and First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples and to recognize the role that land plays in healing from historical trauma (Vowel, 2016).

For settlers, going deeper with land acknowledgments means not only naming the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples whose land we occupy but also taking responsibility for understanding how colonialism has disrupted their relationship with this land. It involves reflecting on how we might contribute to decolonization and support Indigenous sovereignty. As therapists, this can also mean incorporating nature-based healing practices and land-based acknowledgments in sessions, creating a space where clients can reconnect with the land as part of their therapeutic journey.

Pathways to Healing for Indigenous Clients

Supporting First Nations, Inuit, and Métis clients in therapy requires a deep understanding of both historical and ongoing traumas, as well as a commitment to creating a space where Indigenous cultural practices are respected and integrated. For many Indigenous clients, healing is not just an individual process but a communal one. Therapists can facilitate pathways to healing by recognizing the collective nature of Indigenous trauma and resilience.

•Incorporating Traditional Practices: Traditional healing practices such as smudging, drumming, or storytelling have long been part of Indigenous cultures, offering ways to reconnect with the land, ancestors, and spiritual traditions. In therapy, these practices can serve as powerful tools for grounding clients and fostering spiritual healing. When appropriate and with client consent, therapists should consider integrating these practices into therapeutic work. By honouring these traditions, we validate Indigenous clients’ cultural heritage and contribute to their healing from colonial trauma (Vowel, 2016).

•Holistic Approaches: Indigenous healing is often holistic, focusing on the mind, body, spirit, and the environment. Therapists can encourage clients to engage with the land through nature-based activities such as walks, grounding exercises, or even land-based acknowledgments. This reconnection with the land, which is often disrupted by colonial histories, can play an essential role in healing. As Mullan (2023) suggests, nature-based practices can offer clients a sense of grounding and provide a safe space for them to reconnect with both their culture and their natural environment.

•Community-Based Healing: Healing for many Indigenous peoples involves community. Historically, Indigenous communities have been spaces of collective support, healing, and resilience. Encouraging clients to engage with their community, attend cultural events, or participate in Indigenous-led support groups can help them overcome feelings of isolation. These connections can bolster a client’s sense of identity and belonging, which is crucial for their recovery from trauma and the process of reclaiming cultural practices that were suppressed or lost due to colonialism (Mullan, 2023).

•Trauma-Informed Care: Finally, utilizing trauma-informed approaches is essential when working with Indigenous clients. Therapists must acknowledge the layers of historical and intergenerational trauma that affect Indigenous peoples. This involves understanding the long-term impacts of residential schools, the Sixties Scoop, and other colonial practices that disrupted families and communities. Trauma-informed care should go beyond individual therapy, recognizing that healing is about addressing both personal and collective wounds. As Miller (2017) notes, therapists should consider how a client’s community, culture, and historical context shape their experiences and responses to trauma.

By incorporating these elements into therapeutic practice, we not only help First Nations, Inuit, and Métis clients heal from personal trauma but also contribute to the broader process of decolonization and community resilience. Therapists must be flexible, open to learning, and willing to adjust their practices to honour First Nations, Inuit, and Métis ways of healing.

Decolonizing Mental Health: What It Means in Practice

Decolonizing mental health is not simply an intellectual exercise—it requires action, accountability, and a radical rethinking of therapeutic practices. Jennifer Mullan (2023) urges therapists to confront their complicity in upholding colonial structures and commit to practices that are anti-oppressive and equitable. One of the key elements of decolonizing therapy is recognizing how deeply Western psychology has been shaped by colonialism, often pathologizing Indigenous and marginalized communities while reinforcing a capitalist, individualistic model of mental health.

Actionable steps for settler therapists start with an ongoing commitment to questioning and dismantling the frameworks that centre Western, Eurocentric approaches to healing. This might involve rethinking therapeutic language, moving away from pathologizing terms, and instead focusing on clients’ strengths and resilience. For example, terms like “trauma” and “disorder” can sometimes limit how we understand First Nations, Inuit, and Métis clients’ lived experiences. Chelsea Vowel, in Indigenous Writes, explains that Indigenous peoples are often misunderstood or misrepresented in health care and social services, which do not take their cultural contexts into account, leading to further marginalization (Vowel, 2016).

Moreover, the collective nature of healing is essential in Indigenous communities. This contrasts with the Western emphasis on individualism in therapy. As Mullan (2023) notes, therapists should create space for collective grief and sacred rage, emotions that arise in response to centuries of colonial violence. Therapists must be open to facilitating healing processes that may not fit neatly into Western psychological models. Additionally, fostering reciprocal relationships with Indigenous clients and communities is key. This means moving beyond the hierarchical therapist-client dynamic, acknowledging that healing often takes place within a community, not just in individual therapy sessions.

Therapists can also incorporate traditional First Nations, Inuit, and Métis healing practices, like drumming, storytelling, or connection with the land, into their work, when appropriate and with permission. By honouring these practices, therapists are helping to decolonize their approach and validate Indigenous ways of knowing and healing (Mullan, 2023). Ultimately, decolonizing mental health involves recognizing that healing is not just about the individual but about the collective. Indigenous communities are working to heal from centuries of colonial violence, and therapists must create space for this collective healing to occur, free from the constraints of a system that often prioritizes individual achievement and self-reliance (Cantzler, 2021).

Call to Ongoing Learning and Active Allyship

As we reflect on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, it’s important to remember that reconciliation is not a one-time event but a continuous process that requires ongoing learning and active allyship. For settlers, this day serves as a reminder of the work that remains to be done to support First Nations, Inuit, and Métis sovereignty, reparative justice, and decolonization. True allyship means committing to long-term change, both within ourselves and within the systems we inhabit.

One of the most powerful ways to begin is through self-education. Many settlers are only now learning about the full history of residential schools, colonial violence, and the ongoing struggles of Indigenous communities. It is our responsibility to deepen our understanding of these issues, starting with the voices and experiences of Indigenous people. Readings like those from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and Chelsea Vowel’s Indigenous Writes provide valuable insights into the ongoing impact of colonialism and how settlers can support Indigenous rights and healing (Vowel, 2016).

Beyond education, allyship in action might include participating in local Indigenous-led events, advocating for policies that support Indigenous sovereignty, or contributing to reparative justice initiatives. Julia Cantzler (2021) emphasizes that environmental justice movements led by Indigenous peoples are not only about land rights but also about the well-being of the planet and all who inhabit it. Settlers can learn from these movements and actively contribute to them as part of their allyship.

This day is an invitation to reflect not only on the past but on how we can actively support a better future—one where Indigenous communities are thriving, and settlers have taken meaningful steps toward accountability and change.

Call to Action: Steps You Can Take

As we reflect on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, it is crucial that we move from reflection to action. Here are some ways you can contribute to supporting Indigenous communities:

•Donate to Indigenous-led organizations that work toward healing and justice, such as the Indian Residential School Survivors Society.

•Attend Indigenous-led events to learn more about local Indigenous cultures and ongoing movements for justice and sovereignty.

•Support Indigenous-owned businesses and creators by choosing to buy from local Indigenous artisans, authors, and organizations.

•Advocate for policies that promote Indigenous sovereignty, environmental justice, and reparative justice.

Conclusion: A Commitment to Decolonization

On this National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, let us not simply mark the day with ceremony or sentimentality. Let us commit ourselves to the hard work of decolonization—work that involves dismantling the very systems that continue to harm Indigenous peoples. For those of us in helping professions, our responsibility is twofold: to support our Indigenous clients in their healing while actively challenging the colonial structures that continue to oppress them.

Take a moment to reflect on the systems you are part of and the privileges you benefit from. What can you do today and beyond to support the healing and sovereignty of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities?

This is not a one-day event. It is a lifelong commitment to justice, healing, and reconciliation.

References

Cantzler, J. (2021). Environmental justice as decolonization: Political contention, innovation and resistance over Indigenous rights to land and water in Canada. Canadian Journal of Political Science.

Miller, J. R. (2017). Residential schools and reconciliation: Canada confronts its history. University of Toronto Press.

Mullan, J. (2023). Decolonizing therapy: Oppression, historical trauma, and politicizing your practice.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. (2015). Canada’s residential schools: Reconciliation: The final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, Volume 6. McGill–Queen’s University Press.

Vowel, C. (2016). Indigenous Writes: A guide to First Nations, Métis & Inuit issues in Canada. HighWater Press.