Dibaadan supports are available to all Nipissing University students.
For more information, contact mhwellbeing@nipissingu.ca or 705-474-3450 ext. 4507
Dibaadan provides specialized outreach, prevention, and intervention from a wholistic Indigenous wellness perspective. This includes events and activities to learn more about caring for your well-being. Any student may access these services (status, non-status, non-Indigenous).
Dibaadan Meaning: "Speak the Truth, speak from your Heart"
Aaniish naa Meaning: "How are you?"
Mino bimaadziwin Meaning: “To Live the good life following a balanced approach”
Origin: Anishinaabemowin
Aaniish naa Visits
Visit one-to-one with the Dibaadan Wellness Coordinator either in-person in B210 or online to explore and engage in wholistic wellness practices following an Indigenous approach. Students can partake in cultural crafts, explore goals, visit for a wellness check, tea or a walk etc.
All students are welcome!
We offer appointment times on Monday and Friday. If these don’t meet your needs, please get in touch, and we’ll work with you to find a suitable option.
Click here to schedule a visit - Book an Appointment with Us
Campus Trail Walks
Beginning January 20th 2026 - Tuesdays and Fridays from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm.
Meet us in the Office of Indigenous Initiatives (F215) and join us for a walk on the beautiful campus trails!
Mino bimaadziwin Drop-In
A weekly drop-in with the Dibaadan Wellness Coordinator. No appointment needed; students can drop by to talk in a safe setting and engage in wellness activities. All students are welcome!
Thursdays 11:30 am to 1:00 pm in F215
Drop-in Smudge
Wednesdays from 9:00 to 10:00 am in F215
Start off your day in a good way!
Sharing Circles
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Indigenous sharing circles build on wholistic mental health and wellbeing. This is a supportive time for reflecting, relationship building, and sharing with others. The sharing circles help introduce students to sharing, and learning together. Gaining a better understanding of self and others. Every sharing circle begins with a smudging ceremony. The Dibaadan Wellness Coordinator will facilitate a conversation for wholistic wellness related to one of the four directions of the medicine wheel. All students are welcome! |
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Dibaadan Monthly Activity Calendar
Week of January 5–9
Monday, January 5
Welcome Back, Students!
• Breakfast in OII hosted by Indigenous Student Success
Wednesday, January 7
• Drop‑in Smudge — 9:00–10:00 AM (F215)
• Echoes in the Tipi with Caitlin — 2:00–4:00 PM
Thursday, January 8
• Mino Bimaadziwin Drop‑in — 11:30 AM–1:00 PM (F215)
Week of January 12–16
Monday, January 12
• Virtual Aaniish naa visits — bookable online
Wednesday, January 14
• Drop‑in Smudge — 9:00–9:30 AM (F215)
Welcome Back, Students!
• Breakfast in OII hosted by IFP
Friday, January 16
• Trail Walks — 11:00 AM–12:00 PM (meet at F215)
• Aaniish naa visits — bookable online In Person or Virtual
BCSL Monthly Sharing Circle with Noodin — 1:30–2:30 PM (Treaty Learning Centre)
Week of January 19–23
Monday, January 19
• Aaniish naa visits — bookable online (virtual only)
MENtal Strength Panel Discussion — 12:00–2:00 PM (Small Caf)
Tuesday, January 20
• Trail Walks — 10:00–11:00 AM (meet at F215)
Norm Dokis Learning Series — 11:00 AM (F215)
Wednesday, January 21
• Drop‑in Smudge — 9:00–10:00 AM (F215)
Anishinaabe Bingo — 5:00–7:00 PM (F215)
Thursday, January 22
• Mino Bimaadziwin Drop‑in — 11:30 AM–1:00 PM (F215)
• Echoes in the Tipi with Caitlin — 2:00–4:00 PM
Friday, January 23
• Trail Walks — 11:00 AM–12:00 PM (meet at F215)
Week of January 26–30
Monday, January 26
• Virtual Aaniish naa visits — bookable online
Tuesday, January 27
• Trail Walks — 11:00 AM–12:00 PM (meet at F215)
Wednesday, January 28
• Drop‑in Smudge — 9:00–10:00 AM (F215)
Medicine Bag Workshop — 1:00–4:00 PM (F214) Register to attend the Medicine Bag Workshop
Thursday, January 29
• Mino Bimaadziwin Drop‑in — 11:30 AM–1:00 PM (F215)
• Echoes in the Tipi with Caitlin — 2:00–4:00 PM
Friday, January 30
• Trail Walk — 11:00 AM–12:00 PM (meet at F215)
History of Dibaadan
From September 2015 – March 2017, Nipissing University under the leadership of Mental Health & Wellbeing funded by the Mental Health Innovation Fund, led a two- year initiative to overall “Strengthen Mental Health Services for Indigenous Students” at Nipissing University. This project was called “Dibaadan”. (Speak from Your Heart- Your Truth – Ojibway Anishnaabemowin)
Phase 1: The Project Facilitator worked within a consultative framework (medicine wheel) with an Indigenous Advisory Circle consisting of community leaders in the helping field as well a Traditional Elder and NU student representatives.
Phase 1 consisted of evaluating and information gathering of peer reviewed scholarly literature on “Wise Indigenous Mental Health Practices”. In particular identifying barriers that exist for Indigenous learners that wish to access mental health services. This phase of data collection included: Interviewing students, Office of Aboriginal Initiatives, MHW counseling staff and counselors at the university. Also, hosting Discussion Circles, a Drum Social and a Traditional Anishinabek Medicine Bag Workshop for students.
As a way of “giving back” to the community, Dibaadan hosted a series of Teach In’s facilitated by leaders in the Anishinabek community open for all of Nipissing University.
Phase 2: The Project Facilitator worked with the Advisory Circle, Nipissing University students, Office of Aboriginal Initiatives and Mental Health & Wellbeing (MHW) to select recommendations for immediate implementation. The Project Facilitator assisted MHW in the appropriate implementation of select recommendations and evaluated the impact of these changes to service. A focus was on sustainability as the project and funding would end in March 2017. The project would report Dibaadan wise practices, Indigenous Evaluative approaches, Values, Accessibility of Services influenced and student narratives/voices and outline what we did best, possible future outcomes with the Nipissing University community, community partners, and the Post Secondary Student Counseling programs across the province.
Phase 3: The Project Facilitator worked with the advisory circle members, and Nipissing University to hire a Dibaadan counsellor. Changes to the Student Development Services (SDS) environment made the office space more inviting to indigenous students. The Dibaadan counsellor and the ‘Enji Giigdoyang’ Office of Indigenous Initiatives (OII) department continue to work on strengthening their partnerships and collaborating on projects that support indigenous students on campus.
Additionally, the Dibaadan project created a monthly professional development day for the staff from both SDS and OII to learn more about Anishinabek values, ceremony, cultural awareness and insight about post-secondary indigenous student stories. Other practices such as brief individual counselling, sharing circles, and drop-in time supporting the seven grandfather teachings were implemented by the project.
Currently, the Dibaadan project continues to grow and develop collaboratively with the students that participate. The advisory circle members meet bi-annually to discuss the future of the Dibaadan Project. Indigenous holistic programing will continue to be available on campus to aid all students in their post-secondary journey.
Cultural Knowledge Building, Relationships and Community!
Dibaadan Report
Indigenous Helplines and Resources
Talk 4 Healing - 1-855-554-4325
Talk4Healing offers 24/7 help, support and resources for Indigenous women, by Indigenous women, all across Ontario.
Hope for Wellness Help Line - 1-855-242-3310
Offers immediate help to all Indigenous peoples across Canada.
Counselling and crisis intervention is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Mental Health & Wellness Program - 705-472-2811 ext. 217
daw@nbifc.org
Giiwedno Mshkikiiwgamig North Bay Indigenous Hub - 1-705-995-0060
Traditional Healing services and Mental Wellness and Social Services are offered.