Welcome to WEEK #8 of the Creative Substitute for “Building Circles of Support!”

Hello Everyone! Welcome to our final session of this series!

Our topic this week is- Learning The Dance: Celebrating FASD

Now that our province and our economy is slowly opening up, I am starting to sense some optimism and hope in the community and the people I meet. It seems like social distancing and washing our hands has become a part of our lifestyle, whereas 6 weeks ago it was something new and foreign to us. How quickly we learn. I’m sure many of you have both positive and challenging stories to tell of things that have occurred over the past weeks.

As this is our last installment of the Building Circles of Support Series, we thought that we would end on a positive note! Rather than us passing on information on FASD, in this session, we have asked several Individuals living with FASD to be our teachers. After all they are our greatest teachers! We end the session with a powerful teaching given to us by Elder Mary, an Elder and Wisdom Keeper.

Usually we end the Telehealth sessions with having Visions and Voices, a group of adults living with FASD, speak to the group about their journey throughout the years living with FASD. As that isn’t possible at this time, we have asked 2 participants to write a short narrative of how the events of the COVID-19 pandemic have unfolded for them during this time into something positive. The facilitator of the group, Emma, starts the articles off with a brief introduction to the two women.

  1. This week we are connecting with Lisa Morrisseau and Jessica Siddle, two incredible women who live with FASD. Both these women have been telling their life stories to differing audiences for many years as Visions and Voices presenters. They are exceptional public speakers. They enjoy sharing their unique life’s journey. Their stories of struggle, support, laughter and hope have reached many people. Today they have reached out to us through writing. Lisa and Jessica speak on what it is like for them during the COVID pandemic and tips on how to sane:
     


     
    Visions and Voices presenters are adults who live with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Presenters have spoken throughout Manitoba to teachers, families, police officers, caregivers, social workers, and many others. The presenters share their stories and facilitate conversations about FASD. If you are interested in learning more go to the Visions and Voices website. You may also contact Emma Bergen, Visions and Voices Coordinator, at ebergen.vnv@initiativesjc.org.
  1. We would also like to direct you to some videos which involve celebrating the strengths of individuals with FASD found on the Manitoba FASD coalition website.
  • This first video, titled “A Place Where I Belong: Community Making a Difference”, is the story of how one community is walking beside Chris,an individual with FASD, on his journey of self-discovery, healing, and belonging. It is a model which many small communities can learn from. Chris is also a part of the Visions and Voices speaking group.
     

     
  • In particular, for the educators (and caregivers) who have been following us over the past weeks, we recommend that you view the 3rd video on the page, titled “Learning the Dance: Community Making a Difference”. This video is the story of how 2 schools in Manitoba have focused on relationships, built upon strengths, and reframed behaviours in order to support 2 students with FASD to find success and a sense of belonging within the school community.
     

     
  1. An adoptive mother also shares her story on how the Pandemic has had a positive effect on their family living with an adolescent daughter with FASD. Although there are many struggles in raising an adolescent with FASD, together, the family has moved through this into a more positive light.
     

     
  1. We also wanted to highlight the perspective of an 11-year old student in grade 6, who has FASD and is currently at home during this Pandemic, like many of you and your children. Here are some of the things he has been working on to share how he is feeling, keeping busy, and staying connected to others while staying at home:
     


     
  2. Our next videos are by one of our favorite speakers who is living with FASD. By now you are all familiar with Myles Himmelreich. In this these last 2 videos, Myles impresses upon us that even though having FASD can be a struggle, there are many positive aspects of living with FASD:
     
    FASD: I Struggle, But I Also Succeed (Myles Himmelreich)
    Finally,in our last video, Myles encourages us to think of the term FASD as a new acronym, that being:
    F – Faith
    A – Ability
    S – Strength
    D – Determination

 

 

  1. We end our session with a teaching from Mary Wilson, an Elder and Wisdom Keeper, whobeautifully describes her life’s journey in living with individuals with FASD. May this be something we can hold in our hearts as we move forward in Learning the Dance…
     

     

We want to thank those of you who have followed us throughout the last 8 weeks. We hope that these sessions have given you some more insight into understanding FASD than you may have before. We realize that there is so much more to learn about FASD and encourage you to keep learning and seek out more resources on FASD in your communities. Mostly, we ask that you keep looking at the positive aspects individuals with FASD bring to our communities and ways we can give them opportunities for Success and a Sense of Belonging.