By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

tackling recovery

First Wellbriety conference outside the U.S. coming to Red Deer

Sep 17, 2022 | 9:31 AM

Wellbriety, a movement that started in the 1990s, is bringing its first conference outside the United States to Red Deer.

The conference is an opportunity for those in all stages of recovery from addiction, as well as those with loved ones affected, to gather and learn primarily Indigenous, but also other ways of healing.

It takes place Sept. 22-25 at the Cambridge Hotel, with registration $65 and available through Eventbrite.

Tanya Schur, spokesperson for Urban Aboriginal Voices Society, one of the conference’s organizing partners, says Wellbriety is for everyone, regardless of background.

“The approach, which comes from a Colorado-based organization called White Bison, is based on the medicine wheel and 12-steps, and is open to people of all traditions,” says Schur. “Some people who maybe haven’t found a method that connects to them may find that the Indigenous way resonates with them.”

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Other fellowships such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and Cocaine Anonymous have all been invited to participate in the conference.

The full schedule is below:

Schur says when it comes to the greater community being more accepting of those facing addiction and hopefully recovery, there’s a lot to unpack.

“A lot of this is about understanding that our story of colonization, and the legacy of residential schools have had a huge impact on our mental, spiritual and physical health and wellness,” she says.

“Part of the White Bison’s and the Wellbriety movement’s founding philosophy is that culture is the prevention, but culture is also the cure.”

According to the Wellbriety website, the first gatherings were in 1994 in Wisconsin. There have been smaller initiatives in places like Calgary, but never a conference of this size.

Schur says they’re expecting up to 300 participants from across Canada and the United States.

“Alberta was one of the first areas in the country that really grabbed hold of this method, this way of doing recovery in a traditional way. In Red Deer, both the Red Deer Native Friendship Society and Safe Harbour Society offer some form of Wellbriety,” she says. “In Canada, there are three certified White Bison trainers, and two are from Alberta.”

Correctional Wellbriety programs have also been established at Bowden Institution, the Edmonton Institution for Women, and at Pê Sâkâstêw Centre in Maskwacis, she shares.

“None of this is to say that Wellbriety is better than AA or any other fellowship. We support each other, but not everything works for everybody,” adds Schur. “There are different strokes for different folks. It’s simply another way to do recovery, and if it resonates with you, you are welcome.”

More information about Wellbriety in Red Deer is at safeharboursociety.org.