12-Step Facilitation

IAM, in conjunction with Julia Sullivan, is developing a training curriculum to offer a leadership course on leading a 12 step program with Inupiaq cultural values defining the way IAM offers programs to residents of the North Slope Borough.

Julia Sullivan is a certified instructor in Internal Family Systems work. She considers this combining of IAM with IFS a foundation of "indigenous work". She works with several other indigenous (tribes) across the United States and Canada offering healing support.

Internal Family Systems is a powerfully transformative, evidence-based model of psychotherapy. We believe the mind is naturally multiple and that is a good thing. Our inner parts contain valuable qualities and our core Self knows how to heal, allowing us to become integrated and whole. In IFS all parts are welcome.

IFS is a movement. A new, empowering paradigm for understanding and harmonizing the mind and, thereby, larger human systems. One that can help people heal and helps the world become a more compassionate place.

IAM expects that combining Internal Family Systems with Inupiaq cultural values will a very positive approach to this new part of IAM's work.

IAM's 12-Step Facilitation Program will help people of faith to connect Iñupiat Values with the Christian roots behind the 12-step program in order to foster a healthy spiritual life. Currently, IAM is providing a weekly online Bible Study and Prayer Service based on the 12 steps. IAM has assigned two of our Listening Way Local Leaders (one man and one woman) to serve as supervisors for this program: Doreen Simmonds and Chris Stein. They will be IAM's hands and feet to work with a contractor that specializes in a faith-based approach, designing 12-step curriculum for the local context. The Internal Family Systems Institute (IFS), will work with these Listening Way Leaders, as well as with our Board of Directors, and with others from the North Slope, to specifically design an approach that local people can use for applying the 12-steps to the Iñupiat Values. It will take approximately four months for local people to work with IFS to custom design this curriculum. However, once finished, we expect it to be of service in our communities for years to come.