“I’ve never seen addiction without an underlying cause — it’s always about something deeper.”

— Shontelle Prokipcak

In this episode of Mino Bimaadiziwin, host Carol Hopkins sits down with Shontelle Prokipcak, a social worker, psychotherapist, and registered addiction specialist with Mental Health and Addiction Services Ottawa. Shontelle shares powerful insights into the deep connection between trauma and addiction, explaining how healing means addressing the root causes beneath behavior. She discusses using schema therapy to separate colonial-imposed shame from cultural identity and to rebuild self-worth through empowerment and connection.

Together, Carol and Shontelle explore harm reduction, SMART Recovery, and the importance of safe spaces for community healing. At the heart of Shontelle’s work is a belief that culture is medicine and that everyone deserves wellness, belonging, and the chance to live a good life.

For more on the work of Thunderbird Partnership Foundation, please visit our website at www.thunderbirdpf.org You can find us on social media by searching for ThunderbirdPF  

Mino Bimaadiziwin is produced by David McGuffin of ExploreProductions.ca  ​

Additional Production assistance by Graham McGuffin and Clare McGuffin.