Spirit Talker is documentary series that follows Mi'kmaq medium Shawn Leonard, as he travels from coast to coast to coast using his psychic abilities to connect the living with the dead and bring hope, healing, and closure to indigenous communities. This is a key part of his work and Shawn describes this as his life's mission - to connect the living and the dead and help grieving people, their families, and communities make peace with their losses, begin to heal, and move on with their lives.

Boat Rocker

In the first episode of Spirit Talker, Shawn begins his journey into reconnecting with his Mi'kmaw culture, and travels to Miawpukek First Nation or Conne River, Newfoundland - his ancestral home. An emotional reunion between mother and daughter offers the chance for forgiveness and a message of hope from a beloved grandmother helps a daughter find her way forward.

Miawpukek First Nation, NFLD

Shawn travels to Qalipu First Nation, Newfoundland and learns about the local Mi'kmaw history and participates in a community drum circle. The spirit of a chief reaches out to praise his granddaughter and the story of a daughter's hand-made bracelet secretly placed in her father's casket is revealed.

Qalipu First Nation, NFLD

As Shawn's journey of reconnecting with his Indigenous heritage continues, he travels to Cape Breton and experiences Mi'kmaw culture Eskasoni style. We meet an elder who greets spirit messages with skepticism until she is re-connected with her mother and a woman haunted by the trauma of the past reconnects with her lost love.

Eskasoni First Nation, NS

Shawn visits Membertou First Nation in Nova Scotia and learns about a sad chapter in the community's history and receives spirit messages of forgiveness from elders. A mother is reunited in spirit with the daughter she tragically lost and a niece faces and deals with her guilt over her uncle's death.

Membertou First Nation, NS

Shawn visits southern New Brunswick and experiences an intense spiritual connection with his ancestors during a sunrise ceremony in a sacred place - the ocean floor on the Bay of Fundy. The spirit of a young son consoles his grieving mother and a hockey loving husband connects to his loving wife.

Elsipogtog First Nation, NB

As Shawn continues to reconnect with his Indigenous culture, he participates in a community feast in the Mi'gmaw territory of Listuguj, Quebec. An emotional reunion between a mother and her daughter pulls at the community heartstrings and a spirit connection is made by two siblings with their mother who passed away suddenly.

Listuguj Mi'gmaw First Nation, QC

Shawn returns to his hometown of Halifax, Nova Scotia and we learn about the city's vibrant Mi'kmaw community and about a settlement that was wiped out during the Halifax Explosion. A husband who died unexpectedly consoles his grieving widow and a mother relieves the guilt her son has been carrying since her passing.

Halifax, NS

Shawn makes his first ever visit to the Maliseet community of Tobique First Nation in New Brunswick where he learns the story of Malabeam, a revered Maliseet woman. A young woman is consoled by a connection with her beloved aunt and a brother gone too soon reaches out to his grieving sister.

Tobique First Nation, NB

As Shawn's journey into his Indigenous culture continues, he goes on a medicine walk outside Saint Mary's First Nation, a Maliseet community in New Brunswick. Seven years after her death, the spirit of a young girl comes through for her mother. Shawn also makes a powerful spirit connection for a woman grieving the loss of her husband and daughter.

Saint Mary's First Nation, NB

Shawn celebrates National Indigenous People's Day with the community of Acadia First Nation, near Yarmouth Nova Scotia. The spirit of a young woman who died of cancer shares her sense of humor with her mother and siblings, and a close sisterly bond is renewed through a life re-affirming connection.

Acadia First Nation, NS

Shawn visits Bear River First Nation near Digby Nova Scotia and harvests sweetgrass on the shores of the Bay of Fundy then learns some new Mi'kmaq words while painting. A mother sends a message of hope and forgiveness to her adult children and the story of an unknown sibling living in England is revealed.

Bear River First Nation, NS

Shawn continues his journey and makes a strong spirit connection when he visits the site of the former residential school just outside Sipekne'katik First Nation, Nova Scotia. A young mother hears from her only son who passed away unexpectedly and a beloved brother in spirit helps guide his sister through a traumatic and emotional experience.

Sipekne'katik First Nation, NS

In the final episode of season 1 of Spirit Talker, Shawn visits Millbrook First Nation near Truro Nova Scotia and joins the Mi'kmaq Warriors for a lacrosse scrimmage. A young man delivers a powerful spirit message to his sister who has been struggling for answers about his death and a woman gets her wish when she connects with her beloved mother.

Millbrook First Nation, NS

Shawn travels into the heart of the Acadia First Nation to meet a pair of father and daughter artisans building a birch bark canoe the traditional way, and he explores ancient stories carved in stone. During Shawn's spirit sessions, a family is reunited with a son and brother lost a decade ago, and a grieving woman receives comfort when her father steps forward.

Acadia First Nation - Wildcat, NS

Shawn explores a centuries old trail system and then searches for arrowhead artifacts along the riverbank. A powerful reading with three sisters revisits the tragic death of their brother and a reluctant participant connects with a brother he never had the chance to grow up with.

Woodstock First Nation, NB

As Shawn travels to the Wolastoq in Kingsclear, he meets the Maliseet people of the river where he pounds ash for baskets and challenges himself at a community softball game. At a reading, a family plagued with questions around the sudden death of a son finally gets the answers they're seeking, and a woman gets confirmation that her spiritual connection with her father is real.

Kingsclear First Nation, NB

Shawn fulfills a life-long dream of fly fishing on the Miramichi and later enjoys an outdoor feast of plamu. A family grieving three losses in just two years receives spirit messages of love and strength and a young woman with devastating health issues gets a boost of support from her grandmother's spirit.

Metepenagiag First Nation, NB

In windy coastal New Brunswick, Shawn discovers a new ceremonial plant at water's edge and harvests fresh clams with local residents. In the readings, a woman receives an apology from her husband in spirit, and a skeptic turns believer when Shawn makes a powerful connection with her grandmother.

Esgenoopetitj First Nation, NB

Shawn travels to Lennox Island in PEI, where tries his hand crewing on a lobster boat that is part of the food fishery there. He shares powerful messages of love and strength in an emotional reading with a young father and later a spirit of a grandmother eager to connect with her granddaughter catches him off guard.

Lennox Island First Nation, PEI

In Natoageneg First Nation, Shawn heads into the bush with some veteran moose hunters and gets tips on cooking a moose roast in the community kitchen that's putting wild foods back on the menu. During a reading, Shawn confirms a brother in spirit intervened to save his dying sister's life and 32 year after his passing, a man passes along healing messages to his grieving sisters and mother.

Eel Ground First Nation, NB

It's back to school time for Shawn as he checks out the local elementary where traditional learning is embraced. Later a trip to nearby Chapel Island has Shawn connecting to thousands of years of Mi'kmaw history. The spirit of a grandfather is cheering on his granddaughter in her quest to become a doctor and well-known chief reaches out to his daughters to let them know he is proud they are carrying on his groundbreaking legacy.

Potletek First Nation, NS

In a reserve straddled by the beautiful Bras dor Lakes, Shawn is challenged to an exciting game of Waltes and he keeps the beat with a band that's blending Mi'Kmaw tunes with traditional music. A woman in spirit sends a message of love to her husband and young children, and in a deeply moving session, Shawn helps to ease the pain of a man burdened by the sudden loss of his brother.

Wagmatcook First Nation, NS

Shawn tries his hand at the intricate art of quilling and harvests some wild oysters with a local expert. During her private reading a sister gains a new understanding about the night of her brother's tragic accident and a woman conquering her addictions finds renewed strength.

Waycobah First Nation, NS

On the north coast of the province, Shawn gets the chance to spear eels with the Eel Man himself, and taste them again for the first time at a community feast. During a reading, a man who took his life reaches out to his mother, asking her to forgive. And an emotional reunion of "three amigos" with an urging for her sister to walk a sober path.

Paq'tnkek First Nation, NS

Shawn takes part in a cathartic water healing ceremony as the clean-up of the infamous Boat Harbour gets under way. A private reading with three sisters re-connects them with the spirit of their mother and reveals their complicated relationship and a teenage son who died suddenly comforts his questioning mother.

Pictou Landing First Nation, NS

A visit to this Annapolis Valley community sees Shawn connecting with a young activist who is passionate about taking a stand against climate change. A reading with a mother and daughter who've lived through many traumas, are finding strength with the spirit connections Shawn makes. And a last-minute decision to come to a reading pays off in a big way for one man.

Spirit Talker

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