Introducing Healing Between Worlds: A Journey of Healing and Transformation

Healing Between Worlds is Ryan Deneault’s empowering business inspired by his unique and complex life story as a functioning addict struggling to fit into society for over 30 years. The venture is committed to educating, inspiring, and providing new pathways to healing for individuals, groups, and communities alike. Anchored in four core values – truth, vulnerability, courage, and connection – the mission of Healing Between Worlds is to provide resources, education, and support for individuals, groups, and communities to bridge indigenous and non-indigenous cultures in Canada.

Driven by Ryan's unwavering passion to make a profound and positive impact, Healing Between Worlds proudly extends three distinct services:

1. The Learning Package is focused on educating individuals, groups, and communities on the history of Canada through an Indigenous Lens, the importance of Truth and Reconciliation and the Implementation of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP).

Ryan, along with his sister Rachelle, recently worked with Christine Meikle School at the Calgary Board of Education to help the staff understand what it means to look at Canadian history through an Indigenous lens.

In Ryan’s words –

“This is never an easy truth to hear. Once we are able to build this foundation of understanding, we begin the process of seeing how we can change our daily interactions with the people around us, in this case, the students of this very special school. I facilitated a morning and an afternoon session around a fire at a park in Calgary away from the school. In both cases, once Rachelle and I finished our storytelling we provided a talking piece giving every participant a chance to speak. The questions and comments were very well-thought-out and led us into an amazing conversation about the life of the students this school serves. Christine Meikle School serves the most complex students, with many restrictions on how they are able to face the world. As we shared space with one another, we discussed the ability to walk alongside these students, providing them with empowerment by giving them choice in how they go through their day. The next day, we went from class to class to spend time with the teachers and their aids. We found staff had taken the time to reflect on the teachings and started thinking about how they could implement new strategies to walk alongside their students. It was a remarkable two days”

2. Keynote Speaking. Ryan provides keynote speaking sessions for all types of events, creating a safe space to have meaningful conversations about the path toward reconciliation. He hosts workshops and one-on-one sessions to help individuals, groups, and organizations understand Indigenous history and provide a safe space to ask questions, learn, and share.

Ryan conducted a workshop for the team at Amplify Consulting Inc. where he provided information and insights on Canadian history, and a safe space for the team to ask questions and learn the role they play in reconciliation.

Ryan during the opening of Healing Between Worlds.

3. Coaching and Mentorship. Healing Between Worlds offers peer addiction counselling and mentorship, where people can work with Ryan one-on-one or as a group. Through these multiple offerings, each person can choose to learn and walk their own journey of healing in ways that make them feel safe.

Ryan has been working with Genesis Place, a transition house in Kamloops, mentoring individuals one-on-one to help them on their healing journey, from addiction to recovery. He is also working with functioning addicts one on one within the community of Kamloops. This is very important work mentoring and assisting individuals struggling with addiction to find a way to health in a private manner, avoiding the stigma and possible complications with their workplace.

Ryan believes in the power of collaboration. Through Healing Between Worlds, he is open to walking together with organizations focused on mental health and addiction support to bring in fresh perspectives and expertise that will make a difference in supporting the needs of their clients.

“It's amazing to see how educational institutions, government sectors, and NGOs play a crucial role in helping us fulfill our mission of providing these educational opportunities. Together, we strive to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for everyone,” notes Ryan.

Ryan is passionate about the work of Healing Between Worlds, and he pours his heart into providing an array of resources, education, peer addiction counselling, and mentorship. Ryan envisions a society that undergoes a profound transformation, one that is desperately needed in our world today. He firmly believes that this work is a collective effort, and asserts, "We heal when we walk together."

Through empowerment and inspiration, we invite everyone to embark on their own transformative journey, contributing to the creation of a more just and equitable world. Together, we can make it happen.

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