Aboriginal Program

The Aboriginal Program that Magdalena provides has been well received. Magdalena has been a member of the Canadian Psychotherapy and Counseling Aboriginal and Indigenous Group since 1993. With over 13 years of supervised clinical experience, Magdalena serves Aboriginal families who are struggling with generational trauma, abuse and mental illness. She also counsels delinquent youth and adults with the problems of reactivity, aggression, violence and addiction and facilitates group therapy, creative art therapy and play therapy for children and youth.

Where it is appropriate, Magdalena likes to move beyond the different mediums of traditional medical models of mental health and talking therapy methods and use the essential tools and techniques of art, play, sand tray, music therapy, and the somatic approach to the healing of trauma and loss. She has found that these aforementioned techniques and also the techniques of positive psychology to be proven to be very effective with and liked by her Aboriginal clients.

The afore-mentioned therapeutic mediums help Aboriginal clients to further overcome their emotional problems, stop the circle of generational trauma and help them to develop healthy and happy relationships with their family members and their greater community. Magdalena also uses holistic approaches and is very confident that these modalities are culturally relevant to Aboriginal people.

Magdalena focuses on and builds on the grassroots and very often works as part of a group who provides psychotherapy. She feels it is crucial to listen very well to core culture components and then to also provide science based knowledge to enhance the therapy program. Magdalena talks and listens to elders for their input and guidance when working together with others within the community.