MVSKOKE RESERVATION- The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Center for Victim Services (CVS) holds a monthly Women’s Empowerment Support Group. These sessions are open to women who are survivors of domestic or sexual violence. Sessions are held at two different locations across the Mvskoke Reservation: Okmulgee and McIntosh County. The monthly sessions do require registration.
“Akvwapukulke (uplifting and supporting) offers women survivors the opportunity to express themselves and related aspects of their traumatic experience or healing process without having to use words. Artistic expression can be simple, yet empowering experience of ‘telling without talking’ about abuse and seeks to enhance survivor’s skills of self-care, connection with others and a connection to their own body, mind, and spirit,” stated MCN CVS.
During sessions, supplies and dinner are provided by MCN CVS.
MCN CVS Assistant Director Tania Barden (Cherokee) said these sessions began years ago when one of their former therapists recognized the need for them on the reservation.
MCN CVS didn’t want to start with a traditional therapeutic group of sitting in a circle. Their program aimed to bring people together who share commonalities. The healing would be culturally and traditionally grounded. However, it doesn’t always lean towards culture.
Their past sessions have included beadwork, a vision board, ribbon skirts, basket weaving, moccasins, and cooking frybread.
Bardin mentions that she participated in one of their sessions before. During the group, one of the instructors told them that they would do a mood painting.
“She’d play music and through that, what you felt you painted. It’s really unique, like I said it’s offering opportunities to heal. So it’s not just people coming and talking to you. To me that is a little bit more of that standard therapeutic and educational standpoint. So it’s through that unique auspice of using culture and activities to bring people together for healing,” Barden said.
During these sessions, there isn’t typically a speaker; it’s just someone teaching a skill set. However, this doesn’t mean that nobody ever discusses, because citizens are allowed to share their experiences if they want to, Bardin explained.
“It’s something that unites people together, it’s a safe space for people to be together that have experienced a very traumatic thing, and a lot of times they connect and they make friends. It’s a really beautiful thing,” Barden said.
People can share and make connections with others who have experienced similar victimization and are also on a healing journey– the sessions are a safe, confidential space.
“Everybody understands that they don’t leave there and talk about people that are in the group, so it’s a safe space for people to come together and find that support. A lot of times, not only do you find a friend or somebody with that common hurt, they leave there feeling better and knowing that they have that additional support,” Bardin said.
Bardin says that Native Americans have an extremely high rate of domestic and sexual violence within the reservation. She stated that Oklahoma is second in the Nation for women losing their lives to domestic violence.
“So if we can provide a positive healing outlet for people, why wouldn’t we? Our program sees this as an opportunity to provide a support and service to people that actually we find a lot of support as well in, and I think it’s just a great resource that we hope to expand upon,” Bardin said.
MCN CVS is currently looking for a Wellness Coordinator to provide more ideas for these sessions and expand them further. After COVID, their program learned that they can also run many virtual group sessions. Bardin says that if anyone has any ideas or thoughts, they are welcome to call MCN CVS.
“We’re here wanting people to recognize that the Center for Victim Services serves anyone also regardless of race, you don’t have to be a member of a federally recognized Tribe to access services or participate,” Bardin said.
Bardin brought up that victims can feel alone at times, but CVS wants to share the message that they are not alone; MCN CVS will be there to help in any way, and they can reach out to them. Bardin says it can also be done anonymously as well.
Citizens don’t have to give their names if they want to talk to someone. Bardin states that their program has an amazing staff and is welcoming to anyone in need.
Their program offers resources and, if they are outside their jurisdiction or reservation, they help them find someone to whom they can refer them too.
“If you or someone you know has been a victim of any type of crime, that there is help and there are people that genuinely care and want to be there to support you. It can be overwhelming, it can feel isolating. People often feel like they are alone, but we want them to know they are not,” Bardin said.
For any questions or to register for the group sessions, you can contact MCN CVS at 918-732-7979.
To keep up to date with activities or information, you can also follow the Muscogee Nation Center for Victim Services.
