Syllabics
This mini workshop provides participants with practical tools to maintain wellness and healthy relationships within professional and community settings. While also incorporating emotional Self-Care in Social Work. Participants will learn to recognize signs of burnout, become aware of unhealthy attachment patterns, and establish respectful workplace boundaries. The session will also explore strategies for entering and exiting communities in ways that honor both personal well-being and cultural responsibility, emphasizing alignment with Indigenous and First Nations worldviews, including the values of being dahkota and practicing being a good relative.
Emery-Rose Assiniboine is a mother of two, mental health counsellor, and program facilitator specializing in Indigenous parenting and trauma-informed care. She is Dakhota from Long Plain First Nation, MB, and Nehiyaw from Nekaneet Cree Nation, SK. Emery holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Indigenous Social Work and is a certified Parenting Coach through the Jai Institute of Parenting. Currently, Emery is employed with Macewan University as a Counsellor with Wellness and Psychological Services providing mental and emotional health support to the students across campus. Her work focuses on supporting Indigenous families through trauma-informed care, parenting guidance, and holistic wellness.
The Berry Fast Presentation and Workshop is a culturally rooted and trauma-informed educational session designed for girls aged 8 to 12—and is also beneficial for female youth, young adult women, caregivers, and mothers. This workshop is based on the Anishinaabe Rites of Passage ceremony known as the Berry Fast, which is traditionally held during a girl’s first year of her moontime.
This sacred rite fosters body sovereignty, self-love, self-discipline, and respect for one’s body and spirit—teachings that serve as lifelong protective factors for mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Led by a facilitator with lived experience of guiding her daughter through this traditional process, the session includes personal story-sharing and mental health and wellness promotion.
tansi kakiyaw, (Hello everyone) my name is Blaire Buffalo. I am nehiyaw and nahkawiniwak (Plains Cree and Saulteaux) from Day Star First Nation in Treaty 4 territory Saskatchewan. I currently reside in Saskatoon on Treaty 6. I’m a proud mother of two daughters. I have attained a Bachelor of Indigenous Social Work through the First Nations University of Canada. As well as acquired a Master of Social Work – Indigenous Specialization through the University of Victoria. Through my master’s program at UVic, I have gained knowledge and experience working within a decolonial approach to re-search through Indigenous ways of knowing and being. I am the owner of Miskâsowin Counselling and Consulting. In addition to being a licensed social worker with the Saskatchewan of Social Workers (SASW), I am an authorized Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) mental health therapist through Indigenous Services Canada. In addition to my life experience, I have worked with adults and youth in community-based organizations for more than ten years. Over the past 3 years, I have worked with families and survivors of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) with the Family Information Liaison Unit (FILU).
My therapeutic approach to serving and helping is trauma-informed and survivor-focused, identity-resurgence, resiliency, cultural and land-based approaches structured with contemporary healing are the philosophies and methods of my therapy. This was founded on what I’ve learned about breaking cycles for future generations. For us to carry out our own healing work is an integral part of our work for future generations. In order to help our Indigenous people, I hope to become and be a safe space for others, while encouraging self-awareness, healing for the wellness of our communities and nations.
Shiza Hirani is an award-winning youth advocate, a current Hill School of Business student at the University of Regina, and the Founder of Youth MentorNet Café, a youth-led initiative that is grounded in the mission to empower youths and build capacity of high-school students across Canada and internationally. Shiza’s cause has reached over 10,000 youths in 15+ countries through her free-of-cost virtual and in-person mentorship sessions, workshops, and over 100 open-access creative e-learning resources. Her youth mentorship endeavors are equipping youths with career guidance, financial literacy skills, and soft skills to help them navigate their stressful post-secondary transitions and admission processes. In 2025, Shiza’s Youth MentorNet Café received the prestigious “RCE Saskatchewan Education for Sustainable Development Recognition Award” from the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan
On the global stage, Shiza serves as a United Nations Global Ambassador for Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education), amplifying youth voices and advancing equity in education worldwide. She also represents young leaders nationally as a member of Enactus Canada’s National Student Advisory Council, and internationally as an Advisory Board Member to Canada’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations.
Shiza’s dedication and impact have been celebrated with more than 25 prestigious accolades, including the Women Student Leaders in Business Administration Award, RBC Future Launch Award, Hill Business Students’ Society and Faculty of Business Administration Award, SaskEnergy Award, and the 2025 Henry Baker Scholar Award, presented at Regina City Hall by the Mayor in recognition of Shiza’s academic excellence and philanthropic leadership.
Jaime is an Indigenous social worker with a Master’s degree in Indigenous Social Work. Jaime is a facilitator dedicated to guiding others toward authenticity and healing. With both lived experience and academic grounding, he creates spaces where participants feel safe to reflect, grow, and reconnect with their true selves. His work is grounded in the belief that each person carries gifts within, and that reclaiming those gifts transforms not only individuals but also communities.
Syndel Thomas Kozar (she/they/any) is a Two-Spirit, neurodivergent, mixed nêhiyaw (Plains Cree) and settler student, artist, and advocate from Treaty 6 Territory in Saskatchewan. Currently pursuing a Double Honours BA in Indigenous Studies and Women’s & Gender Studies at the University of Saskatchewan, Syndel’s research focuses on the impacts of colonial policy on Indigenous identity, gender, and intergenerational rights. Their work bridges lived experience, academic inquiry, and community-based advocacy, centering Indigenous youth, kinship, and systems transformation. Syndel regularly presents on the Indian Act, Two-Spirit identity, and decolonial resistance in both policy and creative spaces.
Alex Powalinsky, MISW, RSW (she/they) is a queer Métis/Ukrainian artist, advocate, and social worker, and a proud member of Métis Nation–Saskatchewan. She works across the full spectrum of practice, bridging micro and macro levels by supporting Indigenous 2SLGBTQIA+ people and women through community engagement and development, advancing arts-based initiatives, and influencing policy and systems change. At the heart of Alex’s practice is a commitment to Indigenous self-determination: ensuring voices from the margins contribute to shaping communities, programs, and the systems that affect their lives.
This presentation is offered on behalf of All My Relations Creative Connections, an Indigenous arts collective of two Indigenous social workers, Alex Powalinsky and Lisa Halsall. Together, they form the project management team of the Prism Project, a 30-month initiative advancing equality for Indigenous 2SLGBTQIA+ people through arts-based knowledge creation, community engagement, and resource development. They are also co-founders of Studio Q, an arts-based community space and hub for social change serving Prince Albert and the surrounding region.
Self-determination in Indigenous social work requires us to look not only at the centre of systems, but also from the margins, where exclusion, erasure, and internalized colonization are most visible. This workshop explores how culturally grounded and heart-centred practice can move us from exclusion to belonging. Drawing on Indigiqueer and community-led examples of leadership and systems change, participants will reflect on how internalized colonial values limit self-determination and how bridging Indigenous and Western worlds can create more inclusive futures. Together, we will co-create practical commitments that participants can bring back to their own practice, strengthening representative leadership, inclusive policies, and culturally grounded approaches.
My name is Sharon L. Acoose. My Indian name or Spirit name is Circling Eagle Women. I have 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. I am a recovering addict, and I have 34 years under my belt. Of the 11, my 20-year-old grandson died of a fentanyl OD on July 5, 2021, my oldest daughter’s youngest. I still attend the AA meetings now on Zoom, and I go to my home group face-to-face. I have also found my Culture. I attend Sweat Lodge Ceremonies and Pipe Ceremonies. I find that I gain balance in all areas of my life when I participate in Ceremony.
I have worked at the University since 1999, first as an Academic Advisor at the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College at the University of Regina, before it was renamed First Nations University of Canada. I am now a Professor for the School of Indigenous Social Work – Saskatoon Campus. My area of interest is to work with Street People, those women and girls involved in prostitution and the other violent issues that stem from living unhealthily. I am interested in the world of drugs and alcohol and the negative impact it has had on Indigenous people and all the harm they have done over the decades. My heart is also with all the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls across Canada. I am a Mental Health Therapist via NHIB, but it is my side hustle. I teach full-time courses at the School of Indigenous Social Work. I speak to many different things that are all a means to healing our Spirits.
Live each day as if it were your last!
Alexis Išnána hails from the Tatanka Najin Dakota Oyate (Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation) in Saskatchewan. She is an alumnus of the Indigenous Social Work program and graduating Class of 2024. She served as the 2022 – 2023 Miss FNUniv Pow-wow Princess. Alexis is a registered social worker currently working with Indigenous youth. Most importantly she is passionate about her Dakota language and way of life. She has spent the last few years working alongside youth in her community and helping preserve her language. Since graduating she has been busy working with her people and alongside Indigenous youth.
Bonnie and Diane Musqua are Saulteaux Ojibwe from Keeseekoose First Nation. Together, they have over three decades of experience in advancing culturally grounded approaches to child and family wellness.
Bonnie Musqua serves as a First Nations Consultant with the Ministry of Social Services and Yellow Thunderbird Lodge in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. Diane Musqua currently works in her home community of Keeseekoose First Nation as the Director of Family Wellness.
Since 2003, they have jointly trained child welfare service providers with a specialization in Cross-Cultural Training. Their areas of expertise include the Historical Overview of Child Welfare, the Residential School Legacy, Truth and Reconciliation, Trauma-Informed Practice, Domestic Violence, and Addictions.
In 2008, Bonnie and Diane were recognized by the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society of Canada as Touchstones of Hope Reconciliation Trainers, receiving their Trainer of Trainers designation.
They remain committed to the spirit of reconciliation and continue to provide training and facilitation across Saskatchewan and throughout Canada.
Jennifer Laewetz is a proud member of George Gordon First Nation and a leading voice in Indigenous politics and policy in Canada. With a background in Political Studies and Indigenous Governance from the University of Saskatchewan, Jennifer brings years of experience in federal politics, policy development and government relations.
She is widely recognized for her ability to communicate complex political issues through an Indigenous lens, making her a sought-after speaker and commentator. Her voice has been featured across national platforms including CBC, National Post and APTN, where she is a weekly contributor to Canada’s National Indigenous News Network. Jennifer is also a seasoned speaker whose voice has been heard across the country and through her large social media audiences, including on TikTok, where she amplifies Indigenous perspectives and advocates unapologetically.
Behind the scenes, Jennifer is a dedicated Nation Builder and business owner, working directly with First Nations across the country. She focuses on identifying gaps, coaching leadership and helping communities achieve their full potential — from policy and governance to organizational development and capacity-building. Jennifer is committed to supporting Nations as they navigate complex political and organizational challenges.
Jennifer also believes in lifting others as she climbs. She actively mentors Indigenous business students and entrepreneurs, knowing that the more Indigenous people occupying spaces of influence, the stronger our collective future will be. Through every aspect of her work, Jennifer strives to create space, opportunity and lasting impact for Indigenous people.
October 24, 2025
Undergraduate Program Coordinator
Assistant Professor
Regina Campus
P: 306.790.5950 ext. 3282
E: inswprogram@firstnationsuniversity.ca
Graduate Program Coordinator
Lecturer
Regina Campus
P:306.790.5950 ext. 3284
E: inswprogram@firstnationsuniversity.ca
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(the good path through life)
(the good path through life)