Healing from trauma is deeply shaped by relationships, culture and community. Working with Aqqiumavvik Society in Arviat, Karen Aglukark explored Inuit understandings of healing and social support, generating community-informed knowledge to support more culturally respectful mental health research and practice in Nunavut.

For firefighters, workplace culture can shape whether mental health concerns are discussed and whether support feels accessible. Laurence Sonier’s research with firefighters in Edmundston, New Brunswick examined how stigma, organizational culture and workplace relationships influence help-seeking, identifying practical opportunities to strengthen mental health support within fire services.

Violence-prevention programs need to reflect the experiences and needs of the women they are designed to support. Jersee Hill’s research will gather professional and lived perspectives from Indigenous women to help strengthen Connections, a program for women with young children who have experienced violence in relationships.

Recovery from addiction and intergenerational trauma can look different when healing is grounded in culture, community and lived experience. Peter Gilhuly’s Sacred Synergy project worked with Takla Nation to explore community-led approaches to recovery, creating space for people to share their experiences and identify culturally grounded pathways toward healing and wellness.

Economic abuse can limit a person’s independence, safety and well-being, particularly when access to housing, employment and financial resources is already constrained. Cree researcher Dante Carter is examining how colonial economic structures intersect with experiences of economic abuse in Onion Lake Cree Nation, and how Cree perspectives and community-led approaches may inform healing and economic well-being.

For Inuit women in Nunatsiavut, sewing can be a place to share knowledge, build relationships and begin conversations that may otherwise be difficult. Jill Williams is exploring how sewing circles and gatherings on Inuit homelands can support connection and collective well-being, with community knowledge and Inuit ways of knowing guiding the work.