Feb. 8 – 10, 2023
Isaksimagit Inuusirmi Katujjiqatagiit Embrace Life Council was thrilled to host an Auricular Acu-Technician (AAT) Training through the People’s Organization of Community Acupuncture (POCA) in Iqaluit, Nunavut. This training was free and available to anyone in Iqaluit who was a frontline worker in the field of mental health. This training equips practitioners to provide an accessible, culturally appropriate tool for frontline workers to continue to support their clients and communities.
IIKELC wants to thank POCA for the generous support in making this training possible and for all the donations you left with us preceding the training!
Stay tuned to our social media to be updated anytime we host Ear Acupuncture Community Clinics!
What is an AAT?
Auricular Acu-Technicians (AAT), also referred to as Acupuncture Detoxification Specialists (ADS), are non-acupuncturists who are trained to treat 5 points on the outer ear using needles or seeds; this 5-point treatment is often referred to as Acudetox. This simple, inexpensive, safe, and efficient ear acupuncture treatment created for non-acupuncturists has been used over the last 40 years to address issues related to addiction support in recovery, pain, PTSD, toxic stress, disaster relief, insomnia, mild to severe anxiety and depression, and the healing of emotional traumas.
For the first two days of the training, participants will be trained in the history, theory, and practice of the 5-point treatment. On the third day, participants will host a community clinic where they can practice the 5-point treatment and receive direct feedback from instructors before becoming officially certified.
History of Acudetox:
Acudetox was originally created as a harm reduction technique in the 1970s through collaboration with the Black Panther Party, the Young Lords, and Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncturists. Over the years Acudetox has been found to support all individuals, regardless of substance use habits. Acudetox is offered in community care settings all around North America and is able to foster balance within each individual’s unique nervous system. Acudetox can be beneficial for all people, regardless of where you lie on the spectrum of mental health.
Building off the legacy of those who developed and championed this treatment for decades, including the Young Lords, the Black Panther Party, Lincoln Detox, and the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association, POCA’s Ear Circle created a training program whose mission is to train and support as many people as possible to become AATs and use the 5 Needle Protocol in their work and communities.
The mission of POCA’s Ear Circle is to train and support as many people as possible to become Auricular Acu-Technicians (AATs) and use the 5 Needle Protocol in their work and communities as a supportive treatment for substance use disorders, trauma, and mental health issues.
More Projects
2024 Mental Health Creative Writing Contest
In honour of Embrace Life Day / World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10th the Isaksimagit Inuusirmi Katujjiqatigiit Embrace Life Council (IIKELC) is happy to announce that this year’s Mental Health Creative Writing Contest (MHCWC) is now open! The MHCWC is a contest for Nunavut residents to write stories that are meaningful to oneself, to.
Words from Gwen Natsiq
Your mental health is the most important thing, it should be your top priority. You need to know who you are as a person, what your boundaries are, and what helps you feel better about being a good role model.
2024 Winners of the Mental Health Art Contest
The 2024 Mental Health Art Contest is completed. 12 Winners from across Nunavut have been selected!