Be the Buffalo: Courage, Culture, and Recovery

"Be the Buffalo"—For more information on CTA 21 and what you can do: Click HereFor more resources and insights on what Unbreakable is, check out our website: http://www.yourunbreakablelegacy.comMusic by Indigenous Rapper - WolfCastleSpotify - Instagram In this powerful episode, Kait sits down with Earl Thiessen, Executive Director of Oxford House (Calgary), to talk about recovery, culture, and coming home to who you are. Earl shares his journey from homelessness and addiction to leadership, how reconnection to Cree culture, ceremony, and community transformed his life and now anchors Oxford House’s peer- and culturally-supported recovery housing.You’ll hear about:The moment a judge offered Earl a window of opportunity, and how he took itWhy pretreatment housing fills a deadly gap between detox and treatmentThe medicine wheel in practice: emotional, spiritual, mental, and physical healingThe power of sweat lodge and what it means to “send the spirits home”Honouring MMIWG and opening Red Woman House on Earl’s mother’s birthdayBeing gifted 10 braids of sweetgrass and the feeling of “coming home” to Cree community“Be the buffalo”: moving into the storm with courage, vulnerability, and serviceWhy this matters:Addiction isolates; culture connects. Oxford House’s Indigenous healing homes show why belonging, ceremony, and time (no arbitrary discharge dates) are essential to breaking cycles and restoring families.—Follow Oxford House: InstagramWebsite: https://www.oxfordhouse.ca/Follow Unbreakable:Instagram: / unbreakable_legacy TikTok: / YourUnbreakableLegacy Facebook: / Unbreakable Legacy LinkedIn: / Unbreakable Legacy Website: http://www.YourUnbreakableLegacy.comSubscribe to Unbreakable’s channel here: / @yourunbreakablelegacy —In this episode:00:00 Introduction to Oxford House and Earl's Journey03:07 The Evolution of Peer-Supported Recovery Housing06:05 Cultural Reconnection and Healing08:45 The Importance of Community and Connection11:55 Indigenous Healing Practices and Their Impact14:48 Holistic Healing: Balancing Mind, Body, and Spirit17:44 Cultural Ceremonies and Their Significance25:34 The Power of Vision and Connection28:36 Strength Through Vulnerability30:31 Honoring the Past and Healing34:18 The Role of Women in Indigenous Culture38:38 Reconnecting with Heritage41:47 The Pursuit of Knowledge and Growth45:13 Challenging Yourself for Others