"Healing through Indigenous Wisdom" - with Valerie Ringland, PhD

You are invited to a public talk by Dr Ringland, whose 2017 social work PhD was on Indigenous and Western science perspectives on trauma healing.

She has worked in government, NGOs, and taught courses such as Indigenous Science Research Methods at UPeace in the Indigenous Science Master’s program.

As an Indigenous East Frisian (and Jewish-Sumerian) woman who is the first generation born off her traditional lands, she brings both lived experience and academic rigour to her work.

She will give two 1 hour talks with Q&A at the Nan Tien Markets in Wollongong on Saturday May 3rd, at 11am and 1pm, covering topics such as:

- Cosmological and ontological foundations of Western and Indigenous science;

- Data considerations and research methods among Indigenous scientists;

- Western and Indigenous science perspectives on trauma and healing, including ancestral (intergenerational) trauma;

- The Medicine Wheel as a tool for cultivating Indigenous knowledge and practicing reflexivity.

Dr Ringland’s 2024 book “Healing through Indigenous Wisdom: A Year Around the Medicine Wheel” is a scholarly annotated and accessible 52-week guide building on her PhD work.

It supports readers to embrace an authentic Indigenous cosmological framework through holistic exercises addressing physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of wellbeing, and honours Indigenous scientists through respectful story-telling and knowledge-sharing.

Dr Ringland will be available to sign books you buy on the day.

Any dana reciprocity that you offer for her talk would be appreciated and honours the Indigenous gift economy.

You can park at Nan Tien Institute, 231 Nolan Street, Unanderra. The market plaza is next to the car park.

Please consider coming earlier on Saturday to participate in Taichi at 9:45am and meditation at 10:30am (½ hour), peruse the market stalls, have a coffee or lunch at the market plaza, or walk across the bridge to visit Nan Tien Temple or visit the art gallery at the Institute