Dalla Lana School of Public Health

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Presented by Waakebiness Insitute for Indigenous Health …

From Harm to Healing: How Sacred Spaces Transform Hospitals Into Places Where Our People Can Thrive

Welcome to the Ontario Network Environments for Indigenous Health Research Webinar Series!

Please join us on January 29, 2026 with guest speaker Dr. Vanessa Ambtman-Smith!

Date: Thursday 29 January 2026

Time: 1:00 pm – 2:00pm EDT

Location: Online via Zoom

Presentation title: From Harm to Healing: How Sacred Spaces Transform Hospitals Into Places Where Our People Can Thrive, Evidence-Based Pathways for Traditional Healing in Healthcare Settings

Speaker Biography:

Dr. Vanessa Ambtman-Smith (Niizhobinesiik, Nêhiyaw-Métis, Thunderbird Clan) is a Cree researcher and Assistant Professor with a joint appointment in Indigenous Studies and Geography and Environment at Western University. She earned her doctorate in Geography at Western University (2025) and is a Vanier Scholar and Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Doctoral Fellow. Her academic journey began with a BA in Indigenous Studies and Psychology from Trent University (2003), and she holds a Graduate Certificate in Leadership with Health Specialization from Royal Roads University (2017). Vanessa’s research is grounded in Indigenous methodologies and guided by ceremony, employing the Vision Wheel framework adapted from traditional Medicine Wheel teachings. Her work examines how traditional healing spaces within colonial institutions create opportunities for environmental repossession and cultural reclamation. Driven by her lived experience as a Sixties Scoop adoptee and her commitment to Indigenous health sovereignty, her research program aims to transform healthcare environments to better serve Indigenous peoples. Her specific areas of focus include traditional healing practices in hospital contexts, Indigenous health geography, decolonizing research methodologies, and the intersections of place, identity, and healing. Her research has been conducted primarily in urban Indigenous contexts in Ontario, with particular attention to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto. Prior to her academic career, Vanessa brought over fifteen years of experience as an Indigenous health advocate and system leader, having served as Indigenous Health Lead for both the South West and Toronto Central Local Health Integration Networks. Her work has contributed to the development of Indigenous men’s residential treatment programs and the creation of traditional healing spaces within mainstream healthcare institutions, bridging Indigenous knowledge systems with Western healthcare approaches.