In our final episode of this series, Nat and I have the immense pleasure of sitting down with Dr. Robyn Bourgeois to learn from her heart-centredness practices, in the classroom and beyond.
Dr. Robyn Bourgeois (Laughing Otter Caring Woman) is a mixed-race nehiyaw iskwew (Cree woman) whose Cree family comes from Treaty Eight (Lesser Slave Lake) territory. She is an associate professor in the Centre for Women’s and Gender Studies at Brock, where her scholarly work focuses on Indigenous feminisms, violence against Indigenous women and girls, and Indigenous women’s political activism and leadership. She is currently serving as the university’s Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement. In addition to being an academic, Robyn is also an activist, author, and artist.
In this conversation, Robyn shares what it means to be heart-centred, inside and outside of the university system. She provides examples and actionable takeaways for becoming and remaining heart-centred through difficult situations. Robyn discusses how and why she sets boundaries when helping students navigate difficult situations, as well as her experience calling upon both mental health training and Cree cultural practices to lift the heaviness of others’ stories. Robyn provides a great example of the way heart-centeredness changes outcomes in challenging situations and how we all need community to survive and thrive.
Let’s listen in…
About Our Guest:
Dr. Robyn Bourgeois (Laughing Otter Caring Woman) is a mixed-race nehiyaw iskwew (Cree woman) whose Cree family comes from Treaty Eight (Lesser Slave Lake) territory.
She is an associate professor in the Centre for Women’s and Gender Studies at Brock, where her scholarly work focuses on Indigenous feminisms, violence against Indigenous women and girls, and Indigenous women’s political activism and leadership. She is currently serving as the university’s Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement. In addition to being an academic, Robyn is also an activist, author, and artist.
Music: I Care - Loyalty Freak Music licensed under a CC0 1.0 Universal License.
Talk Paper Scissors Theme Music: Retro Quirky Upbeat Funk by Lewis Sound Production via Audio Jungle
Episode Artwork: Canva (remixed)