Reflections from "What is Response-Based Practice? A Dignity Centered Conversation"
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Septmber 30th, 2025
“What I’ve learnt from this event is that response-based practice is about remaining curious and teachable. What can we learn from the people we support and walk alongside? This is not about ‘advice giving’, it’s not about ‘diagnoses’, and it’s not about ‘empowering’ victims. It’s about guiding each other to remember and recognize the wisdom and resilience~resistance~power that already lives within each of us, including our ancestral wisdom! How can we support and walk alongside each other, to honour our Spirits? To come even more fully ALIVE? How can we remember more often that we are powerful co-creators of our collective future, that we have the power to heal ourselves and each other? To remember and recognize, even while we experience some of the most painful harmful moments of our lives, we are engaging in Small Acts of Living that protect ourselves and those around us, we still use whatever power is available to us. We can restore dignity for each other by supporting ‘the injured party in pursuing just redress. Dignity is expressed in the insatiable desire for self-governance, in a context of freedom and equality.’ (Richardson & Wade, 2010, p. 138).”
– Reflection from Dani Sherwood, co-facilitator for the event
Above: A reflective art piece by Jessica Ganton-Stanley; Artist, Registered Art Therapist, Registered Therapeutic Counsellor and Clinical Supervisor.