Tsilhqot’in Radio

Health Yalhtɨg - Mental Health - Part 2 - Ellen Williams

Health Yalhtig (The Health Talk Podcast) is about supporting the health and well-being of our nation and the communities around us. It creates space for open conversations about important topics like mental health, chronic illnesses, and cultural healing practices, including the role of ceremony and traditional knowledge.                                                                                                             By bringing together traditional teachings and modern medical knowledge, the podcast aims to help our communities stay strong, informed, and connected. It’s about sharing knowledge, supporting one another, and helping future generations live healthy, balanced lives.
 
In this episode, we welcome back Ellen Williams, Team Lead for the Mental Health Department at the Tsilhqot’in National Government. In the sixth episode of Health Yalhtig, Ellen joins us again to take a deeper look into mental health and some of the challenges faced within our communities. Together, we talk about ways we can better understand what people may be going through and how we, as a community, can come together to support those who may be struggling or in need of help. This conversation focuses on the importance of awareness, compassion, and creating safe spaces for people to reach out and access support.

Health Yalhtɨg - Medical Emergencies - Geraldine Charleyboy Elkins

Health Yalhtɨg (The Health Talk Podcast) is about supporting the health and well-being of our nation and the communities around us. It creates space for open conversations about important topics like mental health, chronic illnesses, and cultural healing practices, including the role of ceremony and traditional knowledge.                                                                                                             By bringing together traditional teachings and modern medical knowledge, the podcast aims to help our communities stay strong, informed, and connected. It’s about sharing knowledge, supporting one another, and helping future generations live healthy, balanced lives.
 
In this episode, we sit down with Geraldine Charleyboy Elkins, who was born and raised in Tŝideldel First Nation and currently manages an emergency medical response team serving Tŝilhqot’in communities and surrounding areas. She completed her Primary Care Paramedic training at the Justice Institute in Kelowna and has worked as a paramedic for 13 years. In the fourth episode of Health Yalhtɨg, Geraldine talks with us about how to recognize medical emergencies, what community members can do while waiting for EMR teams to arrive, and common situations such as cardiac arrest, accidents, allergic reactions, and drug toxicity overdoses. She also shares practical tips on being proactive by keeping important medical information written down and stored in a safe place for EMRs to access when needed.
 

Health Yalhtɨg - Sweat Lodge Ceremony - Bruce Baptiste

Health Yalhtig (The Health Talk Podcast) is about supporting the health and well-being of our nation and the communities around us. It creates space for open conversations about important topics like mental health, chronic illnesses, and cultural healing practices, including the role of ceremony and traditional knowledge.                                                                                                             By bringing together traditional teachings and modern medical knowledge, the podcast aims to help our communities stay strong, informed, and connected. It’s about sharing knowledge, supporting one another, and helping future generations live healthy, balanced lives.
 
In this episode, we sit down with Bruce Baptiste from the Tŝideldel First Nation, who is a Cultural Ambassador for Denisiqi Services Society and serves on Band Council for the Tŝideldel First Nation. In the fifth episode of Health Yalhtɨg, Bruce speaks with us about the sweat lodge ceremony and the mental and spiritual healing it can bring. A Residential School Survivor, Bruce, was introduced to sweat lodge ceremonies in 2010 and now helps organize ceremonies across Tŝilhqot’in communities and beyond, continuing a tradition that has supported healing in the Nation for generations.

Health Yalhtɨg - Men's Mental Health - Bruce Baptiste

Health Yalhtig (The Health Talk Podcast) is about supporting the health and well-being of our nation and the communities around us. It creates space for open conversations about important topics like mental health, chronic illnesses, and cultural healing practices, including the role of ceremony and traditional knowledge.                                                                                                             By bringing together traditional teachings and modern medical knowledge, the podcast aims to help our communities stay strong, informed, and connected. It’s about sharing knowledge, supporting one another, and helping future generations live healthy, balanced lives.
 
In this episode, we’re joined again by Bruce Baptiste from the Tŝideldel First Nation to talk about men’s mental health. In the seventh episode of Health Yalhtɨg, Bruce shares different ways men in our communities can find support in their healing journeys, including through sweat lodge ceremonies, time on the land like fishing and hunting, and recreational activities such as sports. We also talk about how many men tend to keep their struggles to themselves, and how that can lead them down difficult paths. As a Residential School Survivor, Bruce speaks to the lifelong impacts of abuse and trauma, and the importance of finding healthy ways to heal, connect, and move forward.

Health Yalhtɨg - Women's Sweat Lodge Ceremony - Dorothy Myers

Health Yalhtig (The Health Talk Podcast) is about supporting the health and well-being of our nation and the communities around us. It creates space for open conversations about important topics like mental health, chronic illnesses, and cultural healing practices, including the role of ceremony and traditional knowledge.                                                                                                             By bringing together traditional teachings and modern medical knowledge, the podcast aims to help our communities stay strong, informed, and connected. It’s about sharing knowledge, supporting one another, and helping future generations live healthy, balanced lives.
 
In this episode, we sit down with Dorothy Myers from Yuneŝit’in, who brings decades of experience conducting sweat lodge ceremonies in the Tŝilhqot’in, after first becoming involved in the practice in 1979. In the eighth episode of Health Yalhtɨg, Dorothy speaks about the importance of sweat lodge ceremonies in supporting women’s mental, emotional, and spiritual healing. She also shares valuable teachings on the protocols women should follow when attending sweat lodge, including during important phases of life such as moon time, pregnancy, or after the loss of a loved one, helping ensure these sacred practices are carried out with respect and care within our communities.

Health Yalhtɨg - Traditional Medicines - Sharon Primeau

Health Yalhtig (The Health Talk Podcast) is about supporting the health and well-being of our nation and the communities around us. It creates space for open conversations about important topics like mental health, chronic illnesses, and cultural healing practices, including the role of ceremony and traditional knowledge.                                                                                                             By bringing together traditional teachings and modern medical knowledge, the podcast aims to help our communities stay strong, informed, and connected. It’s about sharing knowledge, supporting one another, and helping future generations live healthy, balanced lives.
 
In this episode, we sit down with Sharon Primeau, a respected Matriarch from the Tŝideldel First Nation. From a young age, Sharon grew up listening to her mother and Elders share stories about the healing power of plants and berries, which sparked a lifelong passion for natural medicine and traditional healing practices. She later became President of the British Columbia Wildcrafting Society and has travelled throughout the province connecting with different communities and traditional healers to continue expanding her knowledge in this field. In the ninth episode of Health Yalhtɨg, Sharon shares teachings on traditional medicines and how they can be used to help support healing for a variety of symptoms and overall wellness within our communities.

Tŝ'iqi Nadint'i - Jenny Philbrick

The Matriarchs Podcast is a storytelling space created to uplift Indigenous women and honor the matriarchs who shape our families, communities, and futures. Through heartfelt conversations, we sit with women in many different roles—mothers, caregivers, artists, leaders, knowledge-keepers, advocates, and professionals—to share their stories, experiences, and wisdom.This podcast is rooted in community, connection, and respect. It is about creating a safe space where women feel seen, valued, and heard, while strengthening intergenerational bonds and celebrating the many forms of Indigenous womanhood and leadership. Above all, the Matriarchs Podcast exists to uplift women’s voices, preserve their stories, and inspire others through the power of shared lived experience. 
 
Join us for our very first episode if Tŝilhqot’in Matriarch’s where our host interviews Tŝilhqot’in National Government very own executive director Jenny Philbrick! Jenny is a Tŝilhqot’in Matriarch from the Tl’etinqox community. In this episode we discuss topics of school and education, family, what it means to be a Matriarch in her perspective.

Tŝ'iqi Nadint'i - Talia Baptiste

The Matriarchs Podcast is a storytelling space created to uplift Indigenous women and honor the matriarchs who shape our families, communities, and futures. Through heartfelt conversations, we sit with women in many different roles—mothers, caregivers, artists, leaders, knowledge-keepers, advocates, and professionals—to share their stories, experiences, and wisdom.This podcast is rooted in community, connection, and respect. It is about creating a safe space where women feel seen, valued, and heard, while strengthening intergenerational bonds and celebrating the many forms of Indigenous womanhood and leadership. Above all, the Matriarchs Podcast exists to uplift women’s voices, preserve their stories, and inspire others through the power of shared lived experience. 
 
In this episode of Tŝilhqot’in Matriarch’s, we chat with Talia Baptiste, a proud Tsilhqot’in woman from Tsideldel and Tl’etinqox and the new Women’s Council Manager. She shares what it’s like balancing youth and leadership while working for the Nation, along with her love for travel, music, and concerts that keep her grounded. Talia talks about the strength she draws from the young children in her life, the importance of uplifting youth, and the powerful matriarchal leadership shaping our communities today. It’s a real conversation about growth, culture, and stepping into responsibility in a good way for future generations.

Tŝ'iqi Nadint'i - Geraldine Charleyboy Elkins

The Matriarchs Podcast is a storytelling space created to uplift Indigenous women and honor the matriarchs who shape our families, communities, and futures. Through heartfelt conversations, we sit with women in many different roles—mothers, caregivers, artists, leaders, knowledge-keepers, advocates, and professionals—to share their stories, experiences, and wisdom.This podcast is rooted in community, connection, and respect. It is about creating a safe space where women feel seen, valued, and heard, while strengthening intergenerational bonds and celebrating the many forms of Indigenous womanhood and leadership. Above all, the Matriarchs Podcast exists to uplift women’s voices, preserve their stories, and inspire others through the power of shared lived experience. 
 
In this episode, we talk with Geraldine Elkins, an emergency response paramedic who brings a powerful perspective on leadership, care, and matriarchal strength. She shares her journey through education and what it took to step into the healthcare field, along with the realities of her work and what her role truly involves. Geraldine speaks about what it means to serve as a healthcare worker for her own community — the responsibility, the emotional strength it requires, and the deep care that comes with the job. This conversation highlights women in leadership, the importance of knowledge and training, and showing up for your people in some of their most critical moments.

Tŝ'iqi Nadint'i - Ashton Harry

The Matriarchs Podcast is a storytelling space created to uplift Indigenous women and honor the matriarchs who shape our families, communities, and futures. Through heartfelt conversations, we sit with women in many different roles—mothers, caregivers, artists, leaders, knowledge-keepers, advocates, and professionals—to share their stories, experiences, and wisdom.This podcast is rooted in community, connection, and respect. It is about creating a safe space where women feel seen, valued, and heard, while strengthening intergenerational bonds and celebrating the many forms of Indigenous womanhood and leadership. Above all, the Matriarchs Podcast exists to uplift women’s voices, preserve their stories, and inspire others through the power of shared lived experience. 
 
In this episode, we sit down with Ashton Harry, a dedicated leader from Tl’etinqox who wears many hats with strength and intention. Alongside her main work, she also runs a consulting business in her free time, while still making space for the land, berry picking, and staying connected to culture. Ashton shares what it’s like being in leadership while going to school and bringing those skills back to serve her community. Holding the role of one of only two women on Chief and Council in Tl’etinqox, she speaks honestly about the challenges and triumphs of working for your own people, stepping into new roles, and finding the paths you’re meant to walk. It’s a conversation about growth, responsibility, and women holding leadership while staying grounded in who they are and where they come from.