Region:
Prairies
Institution/District or Area Office/CCC:
Bowden Institution
Programme Title:
aboriginal Healing Programme
Programme Description:
Sex offender retraining which is delivered holistically,
encompassing the four major life areas as per the Medicine Wheel i.e., physical, mental,
emotional and spiritual. The programme is a blend of core programme teaching with service
being provided by an Elder to cover spirituality and culture. It is recognized the latter
will not be able to cover all cultures or spiritual practices of every participant.
Indicate whether this is a shared initiative with NPB:
No, but would desire NPB be thoroughly informed. We would be pleased
to provide workshops.
Method of Delivery:
Group with occasional individual.
Service Deliverers:
Elder, CSC.
Background of Service Providers:
Elder who is recognized as such in the community. Able to provide
cultural/spiritual teachings. Able to work under the umbrella of the partnership model.
Retrainer - specific training in working with sex offenders (Justice
Institute of B.C.)
Occasional other co-facilitators with extensive experience working
with sex offenders are used.
Number of sessions per week:
Eight sessions over four days: 0800-1130 & 1300-1530 hours.
Capacity per session:
Maximum twelve.
Total Duration per Programme:
Hours are 0815-1100 and 1300-1500 four days per week for 12 weeks.
First two programmes were fourteen weeks.
Target Groups:
Primarily, but not absolutely limited to, Indian, Metis and Inuit
men who have committed a sexual offence.
Exclusions:
Intellectual impairment or mental illness or an inability to work in
group process. Those who flatly reject Native Spirituality.
Participant Assessment Approach:
Motivation to make changes, action to demonstrate same, willingness
to participate in group process.
Expected Results of Programme:
1) offenders will discuss the sexual offence behaviour
2) offenders will not blame others for their choice to offend
3) offenders will be able to identify their own feelings of
victimization
4) offenders will be able to identify the likely feelings of their
victim
5) offenders will be able to discuss some emotional and attitudinal
precipitants of the sexual offence behaviour
6) offenders will discuss what situations and emotional states must
be considered
7) offenders will be encouraged to openly discuss their sexual
fantasies and
Follow-up After Programme:
At approximately 6 months after completion of programme, individuals
will be given the pre-post evaluation questionnaire again.
Two modules are currently being developed for formal follow-up:
1) Sex Offender Maintenance Model (programme)
2) Community Readiness Module
To date there has been an informal follow-up for those inmates who
request an interview with either Elder, Facilitator or both.
Programme Evaluation Approach:
Two knowledge questionnaires pre and post programme. Culture fair
test - the Kelly Grid. Post programme interview wherein participants are seen individually
and asked to answer such as the following: "describe your offence cycle; how might
your victim feel or be affected?; describe your relapse prevention plan."
Commencement Date of Programme:
September 3, 1996
Programme Completion in 1996-1997:
Two
Target Completions for 1997-1998:
Three
Assumptions:
Outside resource people will be brought in (i.e., Healers).
8. Intensive Sex
Offender Program For aboriginal Men, Mountain Institution, British Columbia
TREATMENT GOALS
This intensive program for aboriginal male sex-offenders is based on
the holistic model, where participants will learn, experience and develop skills to
maintain a healthy sexual and offense free lifestyle, under the guidance of
qualified correctional practitioners and an aboriginal Spiritual Advisor. aboriginal
Culture/Spirituality will be the basis under which the program will function and Spiritual
Healing will be the ultimate by product.
The responsibility for learning rests with the individual. Offenders
must be motivated and have an idea of their own goals. They must accept responsibility for
their offense(s)
Offenders will be required to participate in the cultural and
spiritual components of the program
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
- to provide a safe and healing environment that will assist the
participant identify and correct his dysfunctional behaviors.
- to assist offenders develop skills to recognize the deviant
patterns of thinking and behaving.
- to assist offenders to gain insight and understanding of deviant
and dysfunctional behaviors.
- to assist offenders to be able to identify high risk situations
and high risk factors
- to assist offenders to understand and establish their own Behavior
Cycle
- to assist offenders to establish a Relapse Prevention Program
(Personal Maintenance Program)
- to identify those offenders who require additional program
involvement for enhancing successful community integration.
ADMISSION CRITERIA
The candidate will:
- have accepted responsibility for their sexual offending and be
willing to discuss all parts of their abusive behavior cycle.
- request treatment and demonstrate the motivation to change.
- be able to understand the written work and complete it, bearing in
mind the service of a tutor will be utilized as well as a 2 hour per week discussion on
homework expectations for each forthcoming week. It must be recognized that English is
often a second language and therefore, more assistance may be required than with the
general population group.
- have a comprehensive psychological assessment on file.
- be totally committed to a full time program involvement, and not
be involved in other assignments such as legal actions, temporary absences, other work
assignments. Each participant will however, develop a WELLNESS PLAN, which they will be
encouraged to follow.
- have preferably taken the Cognitive Living Skills Program and
other programming identified in their Correctional Plan.
METHOD OF ACCOMPLISHING THE TREATMENT GOALS.
The Program will be provided by a male Spiritual Advisor, a
qualified and experienced male sex-offender therapist and a female correctional
practitioner who is specifically trained to deliver aboriginal sex-offender treatment. The
three facilitators will be viewed as equal members of the treatment team.
Most importantly the aboriginal Sex-Offender Program will be based
on a Cultural/Spiritual Concept and spiritual healing is viewed as the cornerstone of this
program. The Program in it's entirety will, in essence, be considered a Puberty Ceremony,
at which time those participants who complete the program will be honored as having passed
into manhood. It should also be noted that the Educational modules are an integral
component of the learning/healing process.
The facilitators will present each participant with:
- a special cup (preferably made of a metal from Mother Earth) that
he will use each morning for the Water Ceremony.
- tobacco. In accepting tobacco he will be making a commitment to
honesty and to completion of the program.
- a piece of print.
- a white candle to be used during prayer.
Each day will begin and end with a ceremony and/or prayer, lead by
the Spiritual Advisor. A special prayer may be offered on occasion, for instance, to honor
a death in the family, or celebrate a participants birthday. Participants will attend a
Sweat Lodge Ceremony every second week which will be exclusively for group participants.
Visiting Elders will be invited to provide teachings at certain
times throughout the program. For instance, during the Sexuality and Human Relationships
module, a female Elder will be invited to provide teachings about these issues. An Elder
whose expertise is Generational Grief and Shame will provide 2 days teachings on that
issue. A visiting aboriginal resource person will provide a full day workshop on the
Effects of Residential School. Yet another Elder who has been incarcerated in his past
will spend an afternoon and share his life story. He will be viewed as a positive role
model.
Halfway through the program a lunch will be served to honor the work
and progress made thus far. The Graduation Ceremony at the end of the program will be a
major celebration. Significant others (up to 2 each) will be invited to celebrate the
event. Correctional Services of Canada people will be invited to join in the celebration.
Each participant will be asked to give a talk about his experience and what he has
learned. The Certificate of Achievement will be wrapped in leather and presented to each
graduate. From an aboriginal point of view, we must celebrate the human being and our
achievements, while recognizing that changing our deficiencies and dysfunctions will be
our lifelong journey/ work plan.
The program will provide educational modules including; Thinking
Error and Cognitive Restructuring, Rational Emotive Therapy, Sexuality and Human
Relationships, Behavior Cycle and Relapse Prevention Planning.
The following is an outline of the aboriginal Sex-Offender Program
offered at Mountain Institution.
HEALING/INSIGHT/FEELINGS GROUP
This is a free floating group where facilitators will steer the
group process. It will not be labeled a psycho-therapy group or a Healing/ Talking /
Sacred Circle. Unlike a true Healing, Talking or Sacred Circle, participants will be
confronted and when necessary brought back on track. They will be encouraged to look at
their attitudes, thoughts and behaviors. The facilitators will use a combination of
techniques encouraging group cohesion and participation/ confronting problems, denial as
they arise.
This group will begin with a WATER CEREMONY, in which the
participants will drink pure spring water from a special cup, while the Elder/Spiritual
Advisor teaches the SEVEN SACRED RULES OF LIFE. The significance of this ceremony is to
water the essence of goodness within each person. The teachings may be alternated with
PRAYER some days. This ceremony will take a few minutes. A special prayer may also be
offered at this time for a specific reason, such as honoring a death in the family or
celebrating a group members birthday, etc.
By fully participating in the group process, participants will have
an opportunity to explore their own feelings, deviant thoughts and behaviors. They will
identify with others thoughts/feelings and behaviors and provide feedback to assist
themselves and others change. Throughout the group process, a supportive and safe
environment will be maintained.
The group will maintain a strict time frame, commencing at 08.30,
ending at 10.30 hours, Mondays through Thursdays.
Every three weeks the morning will be used for Review Group, where
the facilitators and group members will provide feedback to each group member.
Facilitators will encourage the members to provide positive feedback in terms of how they
see their fellow members growing and progressing as well as positive criticism where they
see their fellow members having to work harder.
AUTOBIOGRAPHY MODULE
Each participant will construct a genogram and an autobiography.
Each person will present both verbally.
The genogram will include as many ancestors as can be remembered to
a maximum of 5 generations. Participants, using different colored markers will mark each
person in the genogram (as it applies) as having :
- been a victim of sexual abuse,
- suffered from alcoholism / cultural self hate, depression,
poverty, family violence
- been a survivor of the residential school system,
- etc.
By using the genogram, participants can, at a glance, see what
traumas/dysfunction have been generational, and in identifying them, they can then begin
the process of understanding themselves and breaking the cycles.
The autobiography will include a summary of his childhood, school
experiences, sexual development and experiences, adolescent and adulthood experiences and
criminal behavior. The presenter will choose one or two other persons from the group to
stand with him as he gives his presentation. The purpose of choosing another to stand with
him is to begin to teach that aboriginal people need not stand alone. This exercise will
begin the process that we can offer support to each other ( and the presenter) can ask for
support and help when we are in need.
The autobiography will serve two purposes. It will allow group
members and facilitators the opportunity to get to know their fellow participant and allow
the presenter an opportunity to take a risk, talking about himself in a safe environment ,
while facing the events and traumas of his life. Through this process they will begin to
identify that aboriginal people have had similar experiences and are in a healing process.
THINKING ERROR and COGNITIVE RESTRUCTURING MODULE
This is an educational module in which the facilitators will teach
the participants to identify and label their thinking errors. Based on the fact that every
person, whether responsible of irresponsible has certain patterns of thinking, each person
will be encouraged to look at their particular pattern of thinking.
To change their deviant way of thinking, the pattern must be
disrupted and a new and more appropriate way of thinking learned.
They will maintain a log in which they will make 4 entries a day.
Using the log they will identify their Thinking Errors, labeling and restructuring them.
Total hours = 18
RATIONAL EMOTIVE THERAPY MODULE.
Will be included and incorporated into the Thinking Error Module, as
well as six afternoons where the principles of RET will be taught and discussed. In this
module, the basics of emotional disturbance and how to overcome one's own emotional
disturbance will be taught. This module is of significant importance given that aboriginal
people live with the effects of generational shame/trauma and grief and a very confused
history.
Total hours = 12 hours
SEXUALITY AND HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS
This module is designed to assist the participant to identify
unhealthy and disrespectful ways of thinking, behaving and relating to other human beings.
A female Elder will be in group throughout the module to provide teachings about the
sacredness of the human body and boundary issues. During this module the following areas
will be covered:
- sex education, including factual information on basic anatomy and
physiology, STDs, and contraceptives.
- responsible decision making skills in terms of sexual
relationships, planned parenthood.
- understanding the development of the individual's sexuality,
including deviant behaviors and their own sexual victimization.
- understanding past and present relationships, and learning about
healthy vs unhealthy relationships.
Total hours = 18
BEHAVIOR CYCLE
1) In order for the offenders to identify a repetitive cycle of
thinking, feeling and behavior that lead to offending or abusive behaviors the following
will be covered:
- a detailed presentation by facilitators to teach the participants
about the cycles they have developed.
- a detailed written and oral presentation on his individual
Behavior Cycle, to the group identifying his own thoughts feelings and behaviors that were
present prior to, during
and after each offense.
- completing written assignments in the Freeman-Longo and Laren Bays
workbooks, "Who Am I and Why Am I In Treatment?", Why Did I Do It Again?"
and "How Can I Stop?"
2) As a second part of this exercise, the participant will present
his appropriate interventions and deterrents that will effectively break the deviant
cycle.
3) Their Behavior Cycle is to be shared with the individual's
support people, as well as his Parole, Probation and Community Program people, i.e., Band
Social Worker and/or Program Provider.
Total hours = 30
VICTIM EMPATHY
This module will focus on increasing the offender's awareness of the
effects his offending behaviors have on his victim(s). To assist the offender to
experience the feelings of his victim (both short and long term) and to develop empathy,
the following exercises will be used:
a) Near the beginning of the program the offender will be asked to
write a letter to his victim, which will be sealed and stored for later critiquing. During
the Victim Empathy Module the offender will read his letter and will be asked to critique
it himself and will be given feedback from the facilitators and the other participants.
b) A series of victim empathy videos will be shown and discussed.
c) One 3 hour session will consist of a panel of 2 or 3 victims (
who have been in recovery and are comfortable and willing to face these offenders) will
sit in the circle and tell their story.
d) Finally, each offender will participate in a Victim Empathy role
play, where he will assume the role of his victim and another member will become the
person he is confiding in. He will be coached by the facilitators and other group members.
e) The workbook, "Empathy and Compassion" by Freeman-Longo
and Bays will be used to compliment this module.
Total hours = 48
SUCCESS / OUTCOME
Success is indeed impossible to determine. However, the offender's
day to day behavior will be observed. His daily logs will be monitored. As an aboriginal
cultural/spirituality based program, the focus is on healing and growing and becoming
aware. As an alcoholic or drug addict, the sex offender will need to practice a relapse
program for the rest of his life.
Furthermore, restitution will be discussed and the offender will be
encouraged to make restitution to his victim(s) where doing so will not further traumatize
the victim. This may be done by conducting a give-away, potlatch or shame feast or
whatever tradition is specific to his people. However, this will not be "part"
of the program, but will be something he may consider for a later time. While for
mainstream society this may not be an important consideration; however, in the aboriginal
community, where families are closely related and offenders will likely be returning to
their communities, a great deal of work needs to be done in this area.
EVALUATION
The offender agrees to participate in pre and post testing on a
battery of psychometric battery of psychological tests. These tests have been adopted from
the Personality Disorder Programs at RHC.
The offender's thoughts, feelings and behaviours will be monitored
throughout the program. His general behaviour and his logs will be the sources of
information in this regard.
Every 3 weeks review groups will be conducted where the facilitators
and other group members will provide feedback and confrontation to all participants.
A final report will be written, and will speak to progress, changes
in attitude, thoughts, feelings and behaviors, while in the program and areas that the
offender needs further work, insight and change and will make recommendations for further
programming.
PROGRAM SCHEDULE
Each morning will be dedicated to the Healing/Insight/Feelings
Group. There are approximately six mornings when special resource people will attend and
rather than proceed with group, a teaching will be offered.
Each afternoon will be dedicated to educational modules that will
include Thinking Errors and Cognitive Restructuring, Behavior Cycle and Relapse Prevention
Plan, Teaching from Elders, Victim Empathy, RET and Sexuality and Relationships.
Each Friday morning will be used to discuss and provide instruction
for the following weeks homework. A tutor will be utilized to assist members with their
homework.
Every second Thursday afternoon the members will participate in the
Sweat Lodge Ceremony.
Throughout the program, tobacco, pure spring water, sage,
sweetgrass, cedar and other sacred medicines will be used to aid the healing process.
9. Tsow Tun Le Lum
Substance Abuse Treatment Centre
THUYTHUT, roughly translated as "Standing Tall", is an 18
week closed residential program for aboriginal sex offenders. This program commenced as a
pilot project at Tsow Tun Le Lum Substance Abuse Treatment Centre (near Nanaimo B.C.) in
1992 and continues to offer 2 program cycles each fiscal year. The program is grounded in
the culture of the aboriginal people of the region. The program schedule for the Sexual
Abuse and the Alcohol and Drug Abuse programs are similar, although the group work for the
Sex Offender program deals with subject matter specific to that group.
This community-based clinic offers comprehensive assessments and a
multi-disciplinary treatment program for sex offenders. The clinic assesses incest
offenders and rapists, and is open to both aboriginal and non-aboriginal offenders.
Acceptance into the program is conditional upon the result of the assessment.
There are three phases. Phase 1 has a psycho-educational approach,
and is didactic in nature. Phase 2 has a heavy emphasis on group therapy and reinforces
the psycho-educational training of Phase 1.
In Phase 1, treatment includes psycho-educational lessons, both
group and individual therapy, with the Thuythut panel of elders. Treatment concentrates on
a psycho-educational curriculum covering sexual aggression, victim empathy, the offending
cycle, human sexuality values and inappropriate myths about relationships, as well as
relapse prevention planning. Participants attend educational group sessions and are
required to do exercises on their own which are designed to help them understand each of
the content areas. Group therapy initially focuses on denial. Offenders are required to
share their deviant sexual behaviour, sexual misdemeanors and crimes with each other in an
open and honest way without minimizing, blaming, or rationalizing. Supportive
confrontation is used to break through denial.
Each offender is required to develop a comprehensive sexual history
and share this with the group. Peer feedback is developed and regularly used in group
therapy. Stemming from their sexual histories, offenders begin to work on how they were
abused during their own lives and how that abuse relates to their own sexually offensive
behaviours. Care is taken not to allow blaming and rationalization to detract from full
and honest accountability for their own actions.
Before the end of the first phase, offenders develop a plan to
ensure against offending during the inter-session which occurs between the first and
second phases of treatment. Work assignments are issued to offenders for completion during
the inter-session period.
Elders lead sessions which teach cultural ethics, traditional values
and principles and introduce spirituality. Traditionally, witnesses were paid to stand by
the teacher and were responsible for remembering and validating the session. However,
during treatment sessions, everything is recorded in writing, and at the beginning of each
session, it is read aloud.
The second phase reinforces the psycho-educational training of the
first phase and has the offender emotionally connect that content with his or her own
experience and life. It helps offenders strengthen self-esteem, sobriety, and personal
resources for reintegration into the community without re-offending. The offender is also
required to define and create healthy relationships.
In general, the clients attend 5 hours per week of
cognitive-didactic or psycho-educational sessions focusing either on sexual offending
behaviour or on alcohol and drug issues. The program includes 5 hours per week of
Traditional Values and Principles, 10 hours per week of more process-oriented group
therapy and two hours per week of Elder sessions. Offenders are introduced to stress
management techniques, complete homework assignments, attend AA, may participate in
individual counseling sessions, and are involved in leisure pursuits and activities of
daily living. The program is offered within a therapeutic environment. It would appear
that the clients attend a total of 400 hours of group sessions over the course of the 18
week program, which is consistent with intensive programs (National Standards and
Guidelines for the Provision of Services to Sex Offenders, 1996). This program integrates
traditional healing with a cognitive-behavioural approach.
10. Canim Lake Family
Violence Program
The Canim Lake Band developed a program for sex offenders. The
initiative involves seven phases of intervention for perpetrators and survivors. The seven
phases are: community orientation; deferred reporting; risk and trauma assessment; primary
intervention; reunification; maintenance programs; and research and empirical growth. The
treatment intervention takes a cognitive-behavioral approach, and the polygraph is used to
provide additional monitoring.
11.
Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw Family Intervention Program (Fip)
An evaluation of the Gwa'sala-'Nakwaxda'xw Family Intervention
Program [known hereinafter as FIP], an aboriginal intervention program, produced by the
B.C. Institute on Family Violence stated that the philosophy of the program was that:
(1) the program must be grounded in traditional values and customs
of the people;
(2) it must employ both traditional aboriginal and mainstream
psychological approaches to healing;
(3) it must base healing on support from families and the community;
(4) it should treat both abusers and survivors, and
(5) the ownership, responsibility and control of the program must
reside with the community.
Although the philosophy was based on solid principles, the program
was only in operation from April 1994 to February 1995. The evaluation took place a few
months after it closed down. Except for some disagreements among the social workers
themselves, the reasons for closing down the project are unclear in the report although
the evaluation mentioned that the breakdown of the FIP was closely connected to problems
related to band politics, money, shifting roles, and a weak administrative and management
structure. By the same token, the evaluation was very thorough and the conclusions could
be useful to other aboriginal intervention programs.
The evaluation states that the history and development of the FIP
has strong roots in the community. The community has a history of relocation, residential
schools, victimization and cultural devaluing. This history contributed to many problems
including: a severe problem with alcohol abuse, child sexual abuse, child apprehensions,
spousal abuse, elder abuse, child neglect, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Fetal Alcohol Abuse and
dependence on social assistance. (Attempted or completed suicide was not identified by
respondents as a serious problem in this community.)
FIP was initiated in 1991 when two mothers wrote to Chief and
Council to express concern over sexual abuse. Between 1991 and 1992 the community used
Federal "Family Violence" funds to develop a program. This Family Violence
Initiative was jointly funded by the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
and the Medical Services Branch of Health Canada in an initiative lasting from 1991 to
1994-1995. By the end of 1992 the band administrator approached the consultant to work
again for the community. Chief and Council played a key role in providing political
leadership.
The components of the program for the abusers were the following:
· Assessment: This included a thorough psychological
assessment and Risk Management Committee recommendations to Crown Counsel
· Safe House: This was a home originally designated for
women and children at risk of violence or abuse. However, it was later decided that the
abuser should leave the family home rather than the converse. This was generally supported
by the community.
· Individual therapy: Occurred once a week with the
consulting psychologist or the paratherapists, supervised by the psychologist.
· Group therapy: This occurred once a week and was co-lead
by a consulting psychologist and paratherapists. Most reports indicate this was working
well and the abusers were motivated and supportive of each other.
· Sponsors: Each abuser had a sponsor that he met with twice
a week for 20 minutes.
· Drug and alcohol counseling: Was required for abusers when
appropriate.
· Case conferences: Included relevant FIP staff and
probation.
· Community work: Was supervised by the community patrol and
seemed focused on providing services for the Elders. There were suggestions that this
needed to be expanded.
Other FIP components included: (1) Individual therapy for children,
adult clients, and staff, (2) Family therapy; (3) Group therapy (non-abuser men's group,
an infrequent Elder's group, children's groups, women's groups); and (4) Support groups
(A.A., Adult Grief). Note that for the children there were groups for 3-4 year olds, 7-10
year olds, 10-13 year old boys, and 10-13 year old girls.
There were also components in place for the community. These
included Brief Emergency Intervention, as the FIP served as a Walk-In Clinic for
individuals in acute distress. As well, there was an On call service provided by
the paratherapists during evenings and week-ends.
The evaluation team noted some confusion regarding the definition of
traditional healing and its role in the FIP. "It may be that people, including
ourselves, are not always talking about the same thing when this topic is discussed"
(B.C. Institute on Family Violence, 1995). The FIP evaluation stated that the problem of
defining traditional healing needed to be clarified. It mentioned that if it is to be a
model for treatment then it must be clearly defined for funders and evaluators. A
distinction can be made between traditional healing and traditional mechanisms and the
role each plays within a program. The traditional healing ways that exist in the community
need to be a part of the program. The evaluation indicates that traditional healing may
not be relevant to certain individuals, and would have to be an individual choice. On the
other hand, traditional mechanisms of the community guide daily community life and are
relevant to the operation of a program, as they can impact on the delivery of
healing/clinical services (B.C. Institute on Family Violence, 1995).
Concerning the involvement of the Band Council, the evaluation
mentioned that programs designed and controlled by the Band Council will not "get the
job done" unless the community is involved. But by the same token, the evaluation
indicated that the FIP should have been operated at arms-length from Chief and Council.
There is always the risk that Chief and Council, a political body, will have a
conflict-of-interest on matters related to the program and make decisions which are not in
the best interest of the program (B.C. Institute on Family Violence, 1995). In the closing
comments, the evaluation suggested that leadership must come from within the community but
"expertise" is needed from without. It added that the role of the outside
"expertise" is to support the community.
