How the Program Has Been Used

“The Wounded Bear” is a modern-day medicine story about hope and healing. A medicine story is a Native American term that describes the healing effect a story can have on the listener. This medicine story shares the blueprint needed in our society to heal the violence and heartbreak in our communities. The Wounded Bear program is offered as a one-hour keynote presentation, a one-day/six-hour workshop and a two-day or three-day intensive healing retreat.

• School principals have used in their morning announcement to remind the children about compassion, understanding, and conflict resolution.

• Schools have used “The Wounded Bear” after the 9/11 tragedy, Columbine, Sandy Hook and other incidents of school violence to help students and faculty better understand what’s behind this type of violence. What truly heals to prevent further violence. The Wounded Bear teaches students to resolve their conflicts and personal challenges more effectively and have greater compassions for their peers. The program is used to train peer mediators in effective conflict resolution and student unity.

• The Wounded Bear program has been used by national and international organizations to help homeless children heal from the effects of trauma and addiction, giving them hope that no matter what they have been through they can really resolve their pain and live successful lives.

• First Nation communities have used “The Wounded Bear” to help survivors of the residential schools and other cultural losses heal the deep intergenerational pain associated with these losses.

• Conference organizers use the program at the beginning of their conference to set the tone for the entire conference around hope that there is no limit to what we can accomplish, healing on all levels is possible, compassion for those we struggle to understand, and deeper and greater understanding of what action we can all take to respond effectively to the challenges we face.

• Human service programs use “The Wounded Bear” to address the deeper healing needs of trauma survivors both youth and adults and to train their staff to respond effectively in the healing process.

• Communities in crisis have used “The Wounded Bear” to de-escalate the crisis and address the healing needs of everyone concerned.

• Court officials have used “The Wounded Bear” to reach troubled Youth when all other efforts have failed.

• Mental health systems have used “The Wounded Bear” to train staff to effective respond to their clients healing needs and empower them to live independently…no longer needing mental health services.

• Veteran’s organizations have used “The Wounded Bear” to assist Veterans in healing from combat trauma.

• Universities have used “The Wounded Bear” to teach students understanding of destructive behavior and what creates change to support successful healing.

• Correctional professionals have used the Wounded Bear program to offer a healing model for offenders to effect change in behavior, encourage personal responsibility, and to support recovery programs within the institution, as well as for training for correctional officers to create a safer environment for both staff and inmates and to empower their staff in greater understanding of inmate behavior and management.

• Law enforcement agencies have used The Wounded Bear Program in SWAT training to better understand perpetrators of violence and support de-escalation for hostage negotiations or surrender.