Aaqitauvik Healing Centre heals by diving deep
Quaqtaq-based facility works to help Nunavimmiut surmount childhood trauma; Founder hopes more people sign up
Snow covers the Aaqitauvik Healing Centre in Quaqtaq, where workshops are held for people who want to heal from childhood trauma. (Photo courtesy of Wendy Pierce/Aaqitauvik Centre)
Aaqitauvik Healing Centre founder and executive director Eva Deer says she believes that if people are willing to be helped, her programs will work for them. (Photo courtesy of Aaqitauvik Centre)
Quaqtaq’s Aaqitauvik Healing Centre heals the mind, body and spirit and its founder Eva Deer wants more people to know about it.
“Teaching about emotional issues is heavy,” she said in an interview.
“We feel this program is needed, people are waiting for it.”
Since 2008, the centre has been delivering programs that focus on the sources of trauma and begin the healing journey.
Formerly a school teacher and principal in Quaqtaq, Deer founded Aaqitauvik based on a workshop that changed her own life in 2004. The three-month training session was in Ontario.
“It was really intense,” she said.
“It was all about the well-being of the person emotionally, spiritually and mentally.”
She had never seen this kind of training before.
“I was so touched,” Deer said. “During those three months, I saw things about myself which I never thought of. I took [the program] very seriously.”
At the time, she said, she thought if she could share what she had learned, she could improve others’ lives. From that thought, the idea of the Aaqitauvik Healing Centre was born.
Deer and her husband, Robert Deer, went to work asking organizations for funding, and made it happen.
Aaqitauvik is now a regional organization. Anyone from Nunavik, or even outside of Nunavik, can sign up.
There are five programs: healing seminars for men, women and youth; the Steps to Freedom program; and the prison program. All are free, with the only expense being travel costs to get to Quaqtaq.
“We make sure that clients that come to these programs gain trust of each other, so that once you feel comfortable they share their experiences, their pain, and hurt,” Deer said.
She and her team visit correctional institutions three times a year for the prison program to offer a five-day workshop. There are usually 15 to 20 clients there every time they visit.
The programs “work with people who are ready to make changes in their lives, get healed from pain and hurt from their childhood,” Deer said.
Clients usually recognize what they have gone through as they progress through the program. By the second week, deeper emotions are tackled.
“By the middle of the program, we teach about why things come to death,” Deer said.
“What happened to you, why is it that you are so angry, why do people kill themselves, why do people murder others.”
This line of questioning is meant to help clients think about their childhood experiences.
Deer said she and her team closely watch the way each person responds.
“We really try to discern what they need, we don’t want to make people feel hurt after our program,” she said.
Another round of the Steps to Freedom program, which was created in 2019, began Monday. The intense three-week, five-hour-per-day course is meant to help people dismantle the trauma that stems from childhood abuse and neglect.
Congratulations Eva for taking the 1st steps in knowing that you had to change your life to better yourself. I too, admitted myself in a 6 month live in program at Hawkesbury Ontario on July 1, 1985 and I have been celebrating my Sobriety ever since. The first 3 to 4 weeks in the program allowed my body to get rid of any or all alcoholic beverages and street drugs or prescription drugs to exit my body. This comes with withdrawal symptom’s. Once the alcoholic beverages and drugs were no longer in my system, it was time to start sitting in group therapy sessions. Through these group therapy sessions (2 – 4 times a day and evening) I heard other clients talking about my childhood traumas and I became angered at myself because I was seeing how strong these clients were in telling their deepest most secrets and why wasn’t I able to start sharing. Approximately 3 weeks later I ran away from the rehabilitation center for 6 hours (i did not use) and I knew I had to return. Once I returned back to the rehabilitation center, I called an emergency group session and this is when the flood gates of hurt, pain, agony, resentment, hate, grieving, anger, loneliness. I was sobbing and crying uncontrollably with snot exiting my mouth and nostrils. And the tears would not stop falling from my eyes. It felt like hours that I was sharing and through this, my attitude and violent behavior was no longer present. I still believe I have a somewhat sarcastic attitude but it is not as bad as I once was. I do not have that extremely violent behavior as I once had. This violent behavior was my social mechanism to allow myself to survive. I do hope that your organization accomplishes what you and Robert set it out to be. To help those hurting and in pain. Love Bernie Adams