By Spencer Sterritt

VIU Nanaimo’s first Indigenous counsellor helping students

Mar 26, 2017 | 9:15 AM

NANAIMO — Vancouver Island University-Nanaimo’s first Indigenous counsellor is addressing trauma from her student’s past in order to help set the next generation up for a more productive future.

Noelle Hanuse, from Oweekeno and Klahoose First Nations, started at the university’s Nanaimo campus in January. She already has roughly 20 clients, half of whom identify as Indigenous.

“I see my work as soul work,” she said. “The soul has been wounded with historic trauma and I meet a client soul to soul. Because of the systemic genocide that’s been inflicted on many First Nations people, the interventions must address this specific trauma to that individual or group.”

Depression and anxiety are the two most common symptoms she treats.

One idea Hanuse suggested was a Gladue Factors style report for Indigenous students coming to university.

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In the court system, Gladue Factors are a report submitted to the judge explaining the Indigenous history of the accused and how colonialism and residential schools have affected them. It’s taken into consideration during sentencing and works to mitigate the sentence.

A Gladue Factors style report for Indigenous students would examine their past and be applied to their schooling.

“Students are experiencing historic and ongoing colonial trauma and sometimes it can get in the way of their studies because of increased anxiety and all those feelings of a lack of self-worth and major family obligations,” she said.

Having experienced the chaos of a residential school system herself, attending the Sechelt Indian Residential School from 1964 to 1970, Hanuse said being removed from family-oriented societies can significantly hamper students.

“I think the trauma can be so overwhelming that it can stop you in your tracks. That’s what I see with some of the students. They’re trying to deal with that and be a student at the same time.”

While residential schools haven’t been active for decades, Hanuse said it’s still an often-overlooked part of Canada’s history and there’s a “lack of understanding,” both in terms of what First Nations dealt with at the schools and how the trauma ripples out through the generations.

“When I first started talking about it, I felt people really shut me down. They didn’t believe it, they didn’t want to talk about it. Even the people I went to residential school with…people weren’t ready to hear about it.”

Half of her clients are non-Indigenous. Though she doesn’t use traditional First Nations lessons or teachings with domestic and international students, unless asked, she said there’s a real benefit to expanding people’s knowledge about First Nations issues.

“There’s so much misunderstanding about Indigenous peoples in Canada, B.C. and Nanaimo. It’s being that role model and showing them that we’re human, that we have a lot to offer.”

Any VIU students hoping to see Hanuse can schedule an appoint through the Health and Wellness Centre.

Spencer.sterritt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit