Patricia Baker-Dupuis has lived and worked on the Fond du Lac Reservation for the past 35
years. Patti is enrolled in the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa in North Dakota. Her personal
journey of challenges led her to a spiritual path of healing and growth through Traditional
Teachings and guidance from her Elders, creating a foundation for her professional career to
help others. In 1990, she began working in Prevention/Intervention, providing education to the
Fond Du Lac and neighboring urban youth to enhance their personal development skills. After
ten years, she transitioned to aftercare counseling and inpatient treatment at Mashkawisen
Treatment Center as a Chemical Dependency Counselor. The inpatient program incorporated
her cultural knowledge by integrating ceremonies and traditional teachings into client-centered
treatment plans to support the healing process. For the past ten years, she has worked for the
Fond Du Lac Tagwii Outpatient Treatment Program at the Tribal Clinic as the Phase 2 Counselor.
During this time, she provided treatment plans using culturally specific Ceremonies and
Teachings such as: feasts, sweat lodges, grief ceremonies, and using the Traditional Dewe’igan
(Drum) given to the program for healing, growth, and balance in the treatment of substance
use. Patti firmly believes in the opportunity and ability for all people to heal.