What Is Indigenous Focused Oriented Therapy (IFOT)?
Indigenous Focused Oriented Therapy (IFOT) is a therapeutic approach designed primarily for Indigenous individuals but has been found effective for people from various backgrounds. In short, IFOT means therapy that holds you within your relationships, not just as an individual — it treats healing as something that happens in connection, not in isolation. This form of therapy recognizes that healing extends beyond the individual to encompass their immediate family, community, nation, ancestors, and even broader entities known as All My Relations. This interconnectedness is central to IFOT, acknowledging that some burdens individuals carry are collective, vicarious, and intergenerational experiences.
Who Provides IFOT at Flower in the Wind Therapy
IFOT sessions are offered by Samaria Nancy Cardinal, MSW, RSW, a Blackfoot-Métis therapist and the daughter of respected Elder Douglas Cardinal. Samaria weaves Indigenous ways of knowing with clinical training in IFOT, EMDR, and trauma-informed care. As she puts it, "I am not an expert; I am a fellow traveller." Sessions are available in person at Miskanawah East and Miskanawah West in Calgary, and virtually across Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and The Northwest Territories.
Key Benefits of IFOT
Holistic Healing
By focusing on you within the context of your larger community and connections, IFOT fosters holistic healing. This approach can help heal you, your family, your community, and even your ancestral lines.
Addressing Collective Trauma
IFOT is particularly effective in addressing collective trauma, including intergenerational and communal traumas. It provides a framework for understanding how these traumas manifest in you and offers pathways for healing that consider these broader contexts. This approach pairs naturally with trauma-informed therapy and EMDR for those carrying trauma in the body as well as the story.
Combating Feelings of Aloneness
Many people experience feelings of isolation. IFOT helps counteract these feelings by emphasizing one's interconnectedness with the community and ancestors, fostering a sense of belonging and support.
Focusing on the Body's Wisdom
Unlike traditional therapies that often focus on narrative and story, IFOT emphasizes the body or "felt sense." The belief is that "the body knows what we need," by paying attention to its signals, we can uncover the "Medicine" it carries. This approach encourages you to stay present in your body's experience rather than getting lost in the narrative, which can sometimes be overwhelming or distracting.
Inclusive Benefits
While IFOT was primarily developed for Indigenous people who have experienced intergenerational trauma and genocide, its principles and practices offer benefits to non-Indigenous individuals as well. This inclusivity makes it a versatile approach to therapy.
How IFOT Works
Working with the Collective-Self-in-Relation
The therapy involves working with the collective self-in-relation, which can help you understand and address the collective traumas you carry. This collective perspective promotes a deeper sense of healing and connection.
Engaging the Felt Sense
IFOT prioritizes engaging with the felt sense, the body's innate wisdom. By staying grounded in the body's experience, you can access the healing "Medicine" the body highlights, leading to more effective therapeutic outcomes.
Recognizing the Medicine
In Indigenous cultures, Medicine often refers to the wisdom and healing potential inherent in all beings. IFOT harnesses this concept by helping you recognize and utilize your body's Medicine to facilitate healing.
Who Can Benefit from IFOT?
While IFOT was specifically created for Indigenous people dealing with intergenerational trauma and genocide, it is an effective therapeutic approach for individuals from various backgrounds. Those who have collective trauma memories or have experienced significant communal or intergenerational traumas can find this therapy beneficial. IFOT is offered alongside individual therapy and counselling for Indigenous people for those who want a fuller picture of Samaria's approach.
Frequently Asked Questions
IFOT was developed primarily for Indigenous people navigating intergenerational trauma, and it remains rooted in that context. That said, its principles around felt sense, community, and collective healing have also supported people from other backgrounds who carry communal or intergenerational trauma.
Traditional talk therapy often centers on narrative and story. IFOT instead prioritizes the felt sense, the body's own signals and wisdom, as a guide for what needs attention and care.
IFOT stands for Indigenous Focused Oriented Therapy. It's a body-centered, relationship-centered approach to healing that considers your connection to family, community, ancestors, and All My Relations, not just your individual experience.
Samaria offers IFOT sessions in person at Miskanawah East and Miskanawah West in Calgary, as well as virtually for clients throughout Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and the Northwest Territories. Online sessions provide a flexible way to access Indigenous Focused Oriented Therapy from the privacy and comfort of your own home.
Conclusion
Indigenous Focused Oriented Therapy offers a unique and holistic approach to healing that extends beyond you to include family, community, and ancestors. Focusing on the body's wisdom and the collective self addresses individual and communal traumas, fostering a profound sense of belonging and healing.
Ready to explore the benefits of IFOT? Book a session with Samaria today and take the first step towards holistic healing and connection.
Thank you for considering Flower In The Wind Therapy as your partner in health and well-being. We look forward to supporting you on your healing journey.
