Indigenous Wisdom in Coaching Book Club: "The Serviceberry: An Economy of Abundance"
December 31, 2025 from 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Registration Closes 12/30 at noon

Eligible for .75 Core Competency and .75 Resource Development CCEUs 

Attending all 6 meetings will result in 4.5 Core Competency and 4.5 Resource Development CCEUS

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🪶 Indigenous Wisdom in Coaching Book Club 

July 2025 – December 2025

This event is hosted in alignment with the International Coaching Federation's ethics, values and commitment to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's (TRC) Calls to Action #92 “to advance reconciliation through education, respectful engagement, and systemic change” 

Goal: Create a safe, welcoming space for reflection, discussion, and collective learning rooted in Indigenous stories and knowledge.

🌿 Why This Book Club Matters

Understanding and deepening Indigenous relationships is not only a path toward personal growth and professional development—it is a responsibility. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada calls on every sector, including business and coaching, to advance reconciliation through education, respectful engagement, and systemic change (TRC Call to Action #92).

In the field of coaching, aligning with these calls means strengthening our ethical foundation and cultural competence. The International Coaching Federation (ICF) emphasizes integrity, respect, and inclusion in its core values—qualities that are profoundly enriched by Indigenous teachings on relationality, reciprocity, values and community care.

This book club offers coaches and leaders an opportunity to reflect deeply, repair relationships, and develop a more just and relational approach to their practice. Together, we learn to coach not only for performance—but for healing, restoration, and systemic transformation.

🗓 Monthly Reading List & Themes

About the Texts

21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act by Bob Joseph

Bob Joseph unpacks 21 pivotal—and often overlooked—aspects of the Indian Act (1876–present), from banning traditional ceremonies to disenfranchising Indigenous women. Written in a clear, conversational style, he connects historical legislation to both current legal obligations and reconciliation efforts .

In the second part, Joseph charts a path beyond colonial policy, advocating for self‑government, self‑reliance, and Indigenous-led futures—arguing that Canada can only advance reconciliation once the Act is effectively dismantled 

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

This lyrical collection of essays weaves Indigenous wisdom, scientific ecology, and personal memoir. Kimmerer—the Potawatomi ecologist—invites readers to recognize reciprocal relationships with plants and land, grounding environmental stewardship in gratitude, ceremony, and care.

Blending traditional stories with botany, she challenges individualism and fear‑based environmentalism, instead inspiring readers to rekindle love for the Earth by honoring its generosity 

Calling My Spirit Back by Elaine Alec

This memoir‑driven collection explores reclaiming Indigenous identity and spirituality. Through storytelling and reflection, the authors chronicle journeys of reconnection with ancestral traditions, land, and purpose following systemic marginalization.

The shared narrative illuminates the power of tradition, ceremony, and creative expression in healing intergenerational trauma—offering an inspiring testament to resilience and self‑determination.

A Mind Spread Out on the Ground by Alicia Elliott

Alicia Elliott’s memoir essays blend personal reflection and social critique as she examines the heavy legacy of colonialism on her Po­tawatomi heritage. The title essay describes the profound exhaustion of decolonial living: “My mind feels spread out on the ground.”

Through stories of family, education, systemic racism, and violence, Elliott challenges readers to confront Indigenous resilience and the personal toll of structural injustice—ultimately urging deeper empathy and action.

Coming of Age by Elaine Alec

Elaine explores rites of passage, resilience, and identity formation. Through diverse narratives she reflects on community, Indigenous Traditional Knowledge, intergenerational bonds, and the tension between modern challenges and cultural guidance.

The Serviceberry: An Economy of Abundance by Robin Wall Kimmerer

In this compact follow‑up to Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer elaborates the concept of the “gift economy” through the natural life of the serviceberry plant. She emphasizes reciprocity, gratitude, and resource-sharing as foundations for communities and ecosystems 

Blending scientific insight with Indigenous teachings, she highlights how simple acts—like offering berries—can reimagine wealth as relational abundance, urging everyday practices to counter scarcity and foster mutual flourishing .

🌿 Why these titles matter in professional executive coaching in BC?

Each of these works offers profound lessons in relational leadership, cultural humility, and systems thinking. This learning supports ethical competencies for coaches supporting inclusive, and values-driven teams in British Columbia. Integrating Indigenous perspectives on reciprocity, resilience, and interdependence equips Coaches to foster more empathetic, equitable, and sustainable organizational cultures.

🎯 Learning Objectives

📚 Subjects Covered

About the Host

Robyn Ward is the CEO and Founder of Rewarding Relationships. Robyn Ward is a Certified Executive Coach (ICF/ACC) Certified Cultivating Safe Spaces Facilitator (CSS), volunteer counsellor (ENH), speaker, activist, and change-maker. She has mixed European heritage (Ukrainian, English, German) and is the proud mother of two Indigenous teenagers. Her life and her family's life is rooted in the Anishinaabe 7 Sacred Teachings: Respect, Courage, Wisdom, Humility, Truth, Honesty and Love. These values guide her daily and hold her personally and professionally accountable throughout her life. For 20 years she has focused her professional development on four fields: psychology, business, coaching and technology. When she’s not supporting clients or facilitating workshops, Robyn is a Board Member and consultant at Animikii. As well, she serves on the Board of the ICF Vancouver Island Coaches Association as a Regional Director, and she serves as a (non-Indigenous) Matriarch at the Sage Initiative. 

She is an ally and social justice disrupter to all spaces lacking inclusion and human rights, frequently Womxn, BIPOC and 2SLGBTQQIA+ intersections. Her focus is healing, connecting, nurturing and supporting healthy relationships internally and externally. Learn more @ www.rewardingrelationships.ca

Tickets

$0.00 Member Ticket

$0.00 Non-Member