WELL FOR CULTURE

In this episode, we talk about the ways that social media and time spent in the digital world can harm our health, and why this is potentially the biggest public health crisis of our time

Currently in Native country is a resurgence of Indigenous fatherhood teachings and practices, as well as an evolving role of Indigenous fathers in their families and communities. In this conversation WFC Co-Founder Thosh Collins sat down with his friend and collegue Dr Joshuaa Allison-Burbank during a Native Wellness Institute Power Event that was live on Facebook. Josh is a Diné / Pueblo Man and father of 2 from Tohatchi, NM on the Navajo Nation. Josh received an MA in 2015 and a PhD in 2020 in speech-language pathology from University of Kansas. He also attended the University of New Mexico completing undergraduate degrees in speech and hearing sciences. Josh's research and clinical interests include autism spectrum disorder, communication disorders associated with cleft/craniofacial differences, disability surveillance, early intervention, and culturally responsive service delivery. Josh is an adjunct lecturer at the University Vermont Medical Center. Josh has facilitated numerous workshops and technical assistance related to early childhood programming and diversity initiatives across Indian Country. Josh currently works as a speech-language pathology at Northern Navajo Medical Center in Shiprock, NM. Thosh also co-authored, with Josh, a chapter called American Indian Fathers and their Sacred Children in recently the published book called ‘Handbook of Fathers and Child Development’. Handbook of Fathers and Child Development by Fitzgerald, H.E., von Klitzing, K., Cabrera, N., Scarano de Mendonça, J., Skjøthaug, Th. (Eds.) https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783030510268 
To learn more about Josh’s work and consulting business visit his website at https://www.lilmoccasins.com/About. Instagram: @ndnslp

As COVID-19 continues to impact the world, tribal Nations and Indigenous people continue to see sweeping impacts of the virus in our communities. This episode explores public health implications and perspectives surrounding the topic. First, we talk about some of the ways that the virus has impacted our family and communities personally. We then interview Deionna Vigil, a Research Program Coordinator at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for American Indian Health. She offers insight into the public health response to the pandemic in Indian Country. She explains how this has shifted over time. She then answers our questions about the vaccine. This is a 2-part series. The next pandemic episode will be released soon, in which we will explore cultural, spiritual, and wellness-oriented impacts of the virus. These episodes have been made possible with funding by the National Geographic Society Emergency Fund for Journalists.

Resources on how to take actionhttps://blacklivesmatter.com/global-actions/https://blacklivesmatter.com/defundthepolice/https://www.standwithbre.com/?fbclid=IwAR1O5lupss1_YmmjZpPlUr_mH0i5NX95YFaETWIJS4xwUDlUQTF-Tgz9zk0List of books recommended in episode:The Autobiography of Malcolm XBury the Chains: Prophets and Rebels in the Fight to Free an Empire's Slaves by Adam HochschildThe work fo Dr Cornel West, an American philosopher, political activist, social critic, author, and public intellectual.

In this episode we give our thoughts on the current global pandemic, and we discuss ways we can all stay grounded and well through Indigenous teachings, using our original model for holistic health, the 7 Circles of Wellness. We provide a short guided session of emotional freedom technique, which is a tool to reduce stress and anxiety.

SEASON 2 EP 1 - HOW TO STAY HEALTHY ON TRAVEL ✈️ Welcome back to the WELL FOR CULTURE podcast! We’re starting season 2 with a conversation about staying well on the road. In this episode, you will learn our methods for healthy eating (even in rural areas with few options); why you should try to keep your circadian rhythm on track; how to squeeze in movement/fitness sessions; and how we stay spiritually grounded while away from home. Enjoy your trip, and thanks for tuning in!  Remember you can always find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Let us know what you think of this episode, and comment with any follow-up questions after listening. Send requests for future topics to info@wellforculture.com

PODCAST EPISODE 10 : OUR INTERTRIBAL WEDDING // Guess what? We got married this month! It was a beautiful, healthful, spiritually grounding ceremony followed by a 3-day celebration full of friends, family, and Indigenous food. We did things in our own unique way — combining customs from our various tribal nations and adding tweaks of our own to make it all come together. We weren’t planning on doing a podcast episode on this topic, but since the whole thing turned out so nicely, we wanted to tell you about it, inspire some ideas, and invite you to share our happiness. Thanks for listening!

CONSCIOUS INDIGENOUS PARENTING // Indigenous parents all over the world are reclaiming and revitalizing the parenting philosophies and methodologies that have been keeping Native families well and strong since the beginning of time. In this episode, Thosh and Chelsey share all about their tips, experiences, and thought processes from pregnancy to labor/delivery and through the stages of baby care. This is the first in an ongoing series of parenting episodes. For more of this type of content, be sure to check out all of the #wellforbaby blog posts on welllforculture.com

Healthy relationships set the foundation for strong families which in turn make up thriving Indigenous communities. Much of the healing and wellness needed within our communities is dependent upon breaking the cycles of unhealthy relationships and reconnecting with our original teachings on love, honor, trust, and respect. One of the seven circles of wellness is “Kinship/Clanship/Community.” The topic of healthy relationships lies within this circle. Many of our listeners requested that we open up and share a little bit about our own relationship and discuss how we stay well in our partnership. We also share some stories about other relationships that we admire and share a bit about our past experiences so that the listener can hear firsthand examples of good partnerships and red flags to look out for. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. We are utilizing our platform to spread awareness on the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships and to encourage those who may be in an unsafe situation to reach out to available resources. We hope that the listener will also become informed on the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Online resources for healing and support: https://www.thehotline.org | National Domestic Violence Hotline | 1-800-799-7233 https://www.nativewellness.com | Non-profit that offers Healthy Relationships Training https://www.strongheartshelpline.org/ - 1-844-7NATIVE | A Native American helpline for domestic and dating violence You Are Not Alone - Native Women's Association of Canada | A toolkit for First Nations women, girls and diverse people for escaping domestic and dating violence.

PODCAST EPISODE 07 — A CONVERSATION WITH SEAN SHERMAN, @thesiouxchef • We are so excited to share this episode with you all! Many of you are probably already aware of the amazing work Sean is doing in the area of revitalizing and evolving Indigenous food-ways. He is an award-winning chef, cookbook author, social entrepreneur, and much more. In this episode Thosh and Sean talk about the importance of making Indigenous foods a part of our lives again; the critical link between our health and our food-ways, the Indigenous Food Lab , a new project Sean and his team are undertaking through their non-profit organization NATIFS and so much more. Listen and share! Available now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Reestablishing our relationships with food is perhaps the most critical step toward reclaiming Indigenous health and wellbeing. Unfortunately, the food conversation can be overwhelmingly complex, but we’ve broken down some of the basics and shared our thoughts to help you start viewing food more like your ancestors did. Topics covered in this episode include the impact of colonialism on modern health; Indigenous values-based food choices; why we don’t say “diet,”; no more one-size-fits-all solutions; the mental/physical/spiritual/emotional components of food; mindful eating; what is ancestral food; and much, much more ! This is the first of many FOOD episodes to come.

In this episode, we break down an Indigenous perspective on the importance of MOVEMENT for total health. Contrary to popular belief, movement is not just PHYSICAL, it is also MENTAL, SPIRITUAL, AND EMOTIONAL. We need movement in our lives for preventative healthcare, for healing, and for functioning at our best capacities. Tune in to hear about the many, many ways that movement impacts our lives, and find out how to go about starting your fitness or movement practice.

In this episode, we sit down with Jillene Joseph (A'aninin), the Executive Director of the Native Wellness Institute, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to the healing and wellness of Indigenous people. She shares NWI's founding story, and the role it played in the development of the wellness movement in Native country. Jillene also shares some favorite moments from her career, and advice on maintaining wellness in your life.

In this episode, Chelsey and Thosh share their backgrounds and personal stories. You’ll find out where they come from, why they became passionate about wellness, and how they met and created Well For Culture.

In this episode, we share all about our original wellness model, The 7 Circles of Wellness. Learn about why we should focus on each of these areas in order to achieve and maintain balance. This model is the very foundation of our wellness philosophy and practice. You don't want to miss this episode.

Well For Culture is an Indigenous Wellness Initiative that focuses on reclaiming total health and wellness through indigenous teachings and practices.