Meet Charity Fleming, Our Indigenous Board Member

Aanii boozhoo indinawe maaganidog [hello to all my relations].

Anishinaabe kwe indow [I am a life carrier, a woman, of the original peoples – Anishinaabe / Ojibwe].

Anangkwe or Charity ndizhinikaaz [my indigenous spirit name is Anangkwe / Star Woman, my English name is Charity Fleming].

Name ndoodem [my clan is Sturgeon Clan].

Wabauskang First Nation / Sault Ste Marie Ontario / the three great lakes ndoonjibaa besho [I come from around].

Guelph / Belwood Lake ndaa besho [I now live by].

I also identify as having Scottish and Romanian settler origins and following Christian as well as Anishinaabe spiritual practices.

My teachers have included elders, knowledge keepers, professors, family members, and lesson gifters from all of creation. I have a Master of Social work degree and am a Registered Social Worker in Ontario, as well as the 2023 recipient of the Ontario Association of Social Workers Inspirational Leader award.

I have specialized my career within three focus areas: indigenous adapted mental health approaches, treating PTSD, and treating child and adolescent mental health. For my entire career I have prided myself in always working directly within First Nations communities – including 25 different First Nations across Ontario.

I am the CEO and President of a group of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy clinics across Southern Ontario called Qualia Counselling Services. I have been gifted with a wonderful co-owner and non-indigenous ally named Thomas Brown. Together we have built a series of eight clinics that serve indigenous and non-indigenous peoples and has about 100 staff members. We have won awards for our individual, couples and family counselling and teaching and training.

I am also the teaching director of our CBT program offered through Wilfrid Laurier University, Faculty of Social Work. We offer a variety of CBT courses including advanced CBT for Trauma, CBT for Women’s Reproductive Mental Health, and Mikwendaagwad “It is Remembered” Sacred Circle CBT. I am also faculty with Ontario Association of Social Workers and McMaster Michael De Groote School of Medicine.

I look forward to connecting with, hearing, and responding to the needs of our indigenous CCPA members as well as non-indigenous allies. I am honoured to be the Indigenous Director during this term and hope to honour the work done before me while building upon it to move forward the interests of indigenous peoples and community in this role.

Vacant

Learn more about the Indigenous Circle Chapter on their page.