The Medicine Wheel of Mental Health
Indigenous holistic wellness framework
Session Details Duration: 40–75 minutes Description: This session offers a brief, practical introduction to the Medicine Wheel as an Indigenous model for holistic wellness. Drawing on my experience in Indigenous Social Work practice, I provide a clear,…
Active Listening
Empathy Exercises
Group Activity
Journalling & Reflection
Mental Health Literacy
Workshop
Description
Session Details
Duration: 40–75 minutes
Description:
This session offers a brief, practical introduction to the Medicine Wheel as an Indigenous model for holistic wellness. Drawing on my experience in Indigenous Social Work practice, I provide a clear, non-esoteric framework for understanding and achieving balance across four core aspects of self. Attendees will be guided through a simple process to quickly self-assess their current well-being, providing an immediate and practical tool for stress management and personal reflection.
Exactly What I Will Offer (Session Flow):
| Time (Approx.) | Activity Segment | Description |
| 5 minutes | Introduction & Framing | I will briefly introduce myself as a Professor of Indigenous Studies and MSW, connecting my 20 years of social work practice to the utility of the Medicine Wheel. I will clearly state that this is a non-spiritual, practical model for holistic health. |
| 5–10 minutes | The Four Quadrants: Core Concepts | I will present the Medicine Wheel framework, defining the four core aspects of the self and their connection to directional teachings (Spiritual, Physical, Emotional, and Mental). This segment focuses on the practical functions of each area in daily life and work. |
| 10–15 minutes | Guided Reflection & Self-Assessment | Attendees will participate in a structured, guided reflection. I will instruct participants to quickly assess where they are allocating energy in each of the four areas on a scale (e.g., 1–10). This is a simple, private exercise designed to identify the quadrant currently needing the most attention or showing the greatest imbalance. |
| 5–10 minutes | Closing & Integration Tool | I will summarize the concept of balance as the key to holistic wellness. I will offer a tangible takeaway: encouraging participants to commit to one small, immediate action in their lowest-rated quadrant. This turns the reflection into an immediate stress management tool they can use in their daily lives. |
Benefits
Benefits: The Medicine Wheel of Mental Health
This brief session provides a memorable, practical tool rooted in Indigenous ways of knowing to immediately impact personal and team well-being.
- Elevates Personal Resilience and Well-being
- Participants gain a structured, holistic framework for viewing health across four key domains: Spiritual, Physical, Emotional, and Mental. This moves beyond a singular focus on stress and provides a model for proactive, balanced care.
- Fosters Stress Management and Focus
- The quick self-assessment tool allows participants to efficiently pinpoint the areas in their lives currently needing attention. This clarity reduces mental clutter and provides a simple, actionable step for managing stress and improving focus.
- Enhances Team Empathy and Perspective
- Learning a respected Indigenous framework encourages cultural literacy and the ability to view well-being from a different perspective. This promotes empathy for different approaches to balance and strengthens the understanding of varied needs within a team.
- Encourages Alignment and Engagement
- The model connects individual well-being to a greater whole. By encouraging personal balance, the session indirectly supports a higher state of engagement and motivation in professional tasks, as individuals are working from a more grounded foundation.
- Provides a Practical, Culturally Rooted Tool
- Attendees leave with a simple, memorable Indigenous Social Work perspective (The Medicine Wheel) that they can immediately apply to self-check and reflect on their balance in just a minute or two, making it a sustainable tool for lifelong well-being.
Additional Experience Info
Rationale
This fee range is appropriate because:
High-Level Expertise: The session is delivered by a professional with a Master of Social Work (MSW) and the academic authority of a Professor of Indigenous Studies, leveraging 20 years of practice.
Specialized IP: Instructor is teaching a specialized, culturally rooted concept (The Medicine Wheel) and reframing it for immediate professional utility, which has high value for modern corporate wellness and diversity initiatives.
Efficiency and Impact: A shorter session is just as much work to prepare as a longer one, but it delivers maximum impact in a compact timeframe, which organizations value for scheduling efficiency.
Hosted by jay Lomax
About the Host
I am a proud Sixties Scoop survivor from Dakota Tipi First Nation. Drawing from my profound lived experiences in colonial foster care and adoption, I have dedicated my life to community healing. I am a Professor of Indigenous Studies and an Instructor in the Bachelor of Indigenous Social Work (BISW) Program at First Nations Technical Institute on Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. I have taught Indigenous culture at several Ontario colleges and universities for over eight years. This follows a 20-year career that included work as a social worker and adoption worker serving the Indigenous population in downtown Toronto. I hold a Master of Social Work (MSW). I am also an established cultural performer and educator who shares a broad range of knowledge, including Birch Bark Teachings, Indigenous ways of knowing, Cultural practices, Song and Dance teachings, and perspectives on Mental Health and Social work practices. I also present extensively on personal topics, such as Sixties Scoop Survivor skills and Indigenous identity. Over the last 25 years, I have delivered hundreds of cultural talks and presentations, including for a crowd of 65,000 at the World AIDS Conference in Toronto, sharing Dakota and Ojibwe dance and drumming as a long-time member of the Red Spirits Singers and Dancers. My story highlights the vital role of Indigenous social workers in fostering healing and belonging, inspiring us all to continue supporting communities and traditions.
Travel Locations
I would like to travel to England, Greece, Spain, Germany, Japan and Korea, Italy, France, Croatia, Czechia, Austria, Netherlands, Budapest, Barcelona, Portugal, Dublin Ireland, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, Norway, Estonia, Montenegro, Belgium, Finland, Poland,
Focus Areas
Creative/CultureWell-being/Health
Location
Max Tanenbaum Courtyard Garden, 227 Front St E, Toronto, ON M5A 1E8, Canada
Languages
English
Corporate Experience
Moderate
Session Types Offered
Passive/performative (eg. music, meditation, artist etc.)
Past Experience Doing Sessions
Yes - Performing
Client Requirements
Microphone, video screen, access to HDMI for laptop.
Past Clients
CIBC, BMO, TD, TDSB, TMU, FNTI,
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