Unpacking Intergenerational Trauma (w/ Chrystal Toop)

And So, She Left: Wisdom from Women Beyond the Corporate World

Content Warning: This episode contains themes that some listeners may find disturbing or upsetting.

Chrystal Toop has been through a lot.

Chrystal is the founder of Blackbird Medicines, an indigenous spiritual and cultural wellness practice in Canada.

Born in the small town of Marathon, Ontario, and raised in challenging family circumstances, Chrystal’s story uncovers the generational effects of residential schools. Her great-grandfather's experiences set off a chain of events that shaped her family's life.

Despite incredible obstacles like caring for siblings while young, battling financial hardships, transient living, and even overcoming homelessness, Chrystal never gave up. She began a family and found her calling as a talented indigenous storyteller.

This episode of "And So, She Left" offers deeply moving insights into Chrystal's life, rooted in the wider context of Indigenous experiences in Canada and the intergenerational trauma that is far too common in the Indigenous community.

Learn more about Chrystal and Blackbird Medicines.

We'd love to hear your feedback!
Here's a quick 5-question survey. Your answers will help us to make the show even better: https://forms.gle/5JnfCUWbgLRw1NTa8

In this episode, we cover:

• The unbelievable story of Chrystal's birth
• How to recognize and face intergenerational trauma
• The impacts of residential schools on Indigenous families across Canada
• What Chrystal learned about being self-sufficient through childhood neglect
• How Chrystal found family and trust while living on the streets of Ottawa
• The role of culture as a grounding force in one's life, and how Chrystal found her calling as a doula

Quote of the Week:

"Within one generation, my family left the land. My family lost their language. And when you don't have such large essential pieces of how you relate to each other as a family...the impacts of that on the next generation are monumental."— Chrystal Toop

Hosted by Katherin Vasilopoulos. Made by Cansulta and Ethan Lee.

Music by © Chris Zabriskie, published by You've Been a Wonderful Laugh Track (ASCAP).

Songs used in this episode include: "Air Hockey Saloon," "Cylinder Two," "I'm About to Do the Second Hardest Thing I've Ever Done," "Editing Beyond the Door III Again," "You Fiddle, I'll Burn Rome," "We Were Never Meant to Live Here," "Short Song 011723," "The Dark Glow of the Mountains," "Short Song 020723," "I Can't Imagine Where I'd Be Without It," "There's Probably No Time."

Used under the Creative Commons 4.0 International License