Leona Swamp Bio
Kanerahtiióstha niwaksennó:ten. Wakathahión:ni tánon Sharenhó:wane tewakwatsiratákie. Ahkwesáhsne nón:we tkí:teron. Kanien’kehá:ka wakehontsió:ton. Wakenonhsionnión:we. Kaié:ri nihá:ti wakewí:raien tánon kióhton nihá:ti wakateré:shen.
My given name is Kanerahtiióstha. I am a path maker (wolf clan) and belong to family fire Sharenhó:wane. I live in Ahkwesáhsne, I'm Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk Nation) from the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. I have four children and nine grandchildren.
I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from SUNY Potsdam where I majored in Psychology and minored in Sociology. I also hold an Associates Degree in Social Work. I am a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist trained by the Grief Recovery Institute. I was also trained through White Bison’s Mending Broken Hearts training that deals with grief and intergenerational trauma. I've completed four cycles with the late Harry Thompson through the Ononhkwaon:we Traditional Medicines program for healing using the Medicine Wheel.
Aseshate:ka'te Grief Services was founded in May 2018 to provide grief counseling that specializes in intergenerational trauma and grief recovery utilizing Indigenous methods. Although the majority of my Western education and training has assisted in understanding the complexities of trauma and grief, the development and application of the F.I.R.E. Process incorporates my cultural knowledge as well as all that I have learned working in my community over the past 25 years.
I recently became a Certified Death Doula through the University of Vermont and I have been working on a Funeral Rites and Protocols book for my community to assist the community when they experience a death in the Longhouse. I have attended numerous trainings to be able to provide trauma informed care for those in need and have a love of learning.