Spirit First Counselling & Consulting
Meet Sogii Steph
Stephanie Francis is a Wabanaki woman, a traditional knowledge carrier, storyteller, and registered social worker based in Sitansisk (St. Mary’s First Nation) near Fredericton, New Brunswick. She is the heart and spirit behind Spirit First Counselling & Consulting, a practice that blends Indigenous wisdom with Western approaches to support healing, resilience, and wellness.
With over 30 years of experience working on the front lines in Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik communities, Stephanie brings deep cultural knowledge, compassion, and a trauma-informed lens to everything she does. Her work is guided by the Two-Eyed Seeing framework and rooted in the belief that stories, ceremony, and community connection are powerful medicines.
Stephanie is also the author of The Bird in a Cage, a powerful story inspired by her lived experience and years of work supporting Indigenous people through trauma. Originally intended as an oral teaching, the story helps listeners and readers make sense of trauma in a gentle, non-threatening way.
Whether she’s supporting individuals through personal healing, leading community responses to critical incidents, or helping organizations become safer spaces for Indigenous employees, Stephanie meets each moment with warmth, strength, and Spirit First.