meet maskihkiy’s owiyasiwêwak stewardship bundle team: okimawapiw iskwew ~ Lisa L’Hirondelle

maskihkiy wellness works from a circular and seasonal framework. rather than following a conventional hierarchy, we honour the skills, gifts and wisdom each person carries, working collaboratively to shape what we offer and share with community.

our interconnected circle of Elders, project-based supports and internal stewardship bundle carriers work together to guide maskihkiy and offer genocide-informed, reciprocal medicine through mental health supports, land-based wellness and training.

owiyasiwêwak is nêhiyawêwin (Cree) for those who lead and uphold our work.

over the next few moons, meet the owiyasiwêwak — our stewardship bundle team. 

okimawapiw iskwew ~ Lisa L’Hirondelle, MSW, IJE RSW

Otipemisiwak Métis Nation of Alberta & Papaschase First Nation

Lisa holds maskihkiy’s community relationships and land-based bundle

what drew Lisa to work with maskihkiy wellness?

I first connected with maskihkiy wellness during COVID when I attended their maskihkiy monday offerings. At a time when I was looking for a place to connect culturally, maskihkiy wellness created spaces where I could connect with community, culture, and spirit. I was deeply thankful for those opportunities, as they became an important part of my own healing and reconnection.

What continues to draw me to maskihkiy wellness is the opportunity to walk alongside our relatives during their wellness journeys and provide support in ways that are culturally responsive, meaningful, and grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing.

The foundation on which maskihkiy wellness is built and operates aligns deeply with how I want to show up in community and, most importantly, for community. I value being part of a space that recognizes wellness as something that can be supported through culture, connection, land, spirit, relationships, and community.

what drew Lisa to become a therapist?

Spirit.

I never intended to become a therapist. My professional background was initially in social work. It was through my own experience of needing mental wellness support after losing my kokum that my path began to change.

I found that the existing mental health system did not feel right for me. At the time, I couldn't fully explain why. I simply knew that something was missing.

I began reconnecting with community, Elders, and ceremony, and this was where I found something that felt right. I began listening more closely to spirit, giving myself to spirit, and following what felt right rather than trying to determine exactly where my path was leading.

That journey eventually led me to the Master of Social Work program with a clinical specialization. I decided to enter the program and simply see what happened.

During my studies, Karlee – who was a professor at University of Calgary at the time – introduced me to IFOT and ITFL. Being introduced to land-based wellness tools and to a modality that honoured Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing was a significant turning point for me.

It helped me recognize a way of practicing that felt aligned with who I am and how I understand wellness.

Looking back, I can see that I have been guided every step of the way. Becoming a therapist was never something I planned; it was a path I was led toward through spirit, experience, community, and the teachings and relationships that came into my life.

one medicine gift Lisa carries and shares with the world

Laughter.

This is the simplest medicine that comes with me into every session, every interaction, and every space I enter.

I believe laughter can create connection, soften difficult moments, and remind us that even in the midst of hard experiences, there can still be moments of joy, warmth, and humanity.

A hobby/interest that feeds Lisa

Being on the water.

There is something about being on the water that brings me peace and allows me to slow down, reconnect, and simply be.

Learn more about Lisa and the other ways she works with maskihkiy here

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