Women helping Women of Wellbriety International – Idle No More
Women of Wellbriety International (WOWI) Women helping Women in Wellness and Sobriety
by Sara Gepp
Women of Wellbriety is a 100% volunteer-run organization where women provide peer support for each other in the pursuit of recovery from trauma and to break the cycle of inter-generational trauma created by; colonization, residential schools, addiction, domestic violence, human trafficking, incarceration, suicide, family disruptions and the effects of institutional racism.
Officially formed in 2012, the premise is that women can provide support and resources for each other across the U.S., Canada and the world. That Grandmothers provide the leadership and guidance to advise the circles to grow sustainably. Women In Wellbriety support circles are filling an unmet need for women to be able to process, heal and grow, not only from alcoholism and addictions, but from all the other struggles and traumas in our lives.
Though those problems are overwhelming, one woman can help another woman with direct peer support. The way that women support each other in WOWI is through a Facebook page for Women called Women in Wellbriety International. There women can join or form a local support circle, join a weekly teleconference called the “Phone Talking Circle” and participate in daily support on the WOWI Facebook group. All women are included regardless of race, cultural background or tribal affiliation.
“Women In Wellbriety Purpose/Mission Statement:
The Purpose of Women In Wellbriety, is to connect women, who are living in Wellbriety (Sobriety & Wellness in Mind, Body, Heart & Spirit), with each other. To support them in creating healing and positive change for themselves, their families, their communities and their Nations.”
Women in crisis can get immediate informational resources and a contact person to help them through; Suicide Prevention, Domestic Violence, Mental health, Trauma and Recovery Resources for Women to form their own support circles by phone or in person.
In September 2014, WOWI became a Delegate Organization registered with the United Nations and a group of delegates, including; Mary Lyons, Linda Woods, Sharyl Whitehawk and Leanne Johnson traveled to New York to address the needs of Native American women in Urban centers as well as on America’s impoverished reservations. Representing the idea that one woman can help another with minimal resources and an abundance of hope.
On behalf of WOWI, Mary Lyons the group’s advising Grandmother, has created a Go Fund Me account to help defray the costs of delegate travel. The link can be found here: http://www.gofundme.com/wowi-un
You can also connect with the on their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/womeninwellbriety/
For Media you will find the press release here: https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/idlenomore/pages/1516/attachments/original/1425878903/WOWI_2015_Delegate_Announcement.pdf?1425878903