Good summary. Lewis
On Jun 21, 4:21 pm, Diane Perrin <mdlorra...@comcast.net> wrote: > D. What do elders expect mental health practitioners to know? > > In Dr. Lewis Mehl-Madrona’s research with 19 traditional healing > elders, twelve core principles were developed through a narrative > inquiry format. These core principles were such that the elders felt > necessary for mental health professions to understand in order to > successfully provide services for indigenous peoples. According to > the research, the elders “proposed that implementing these principles > could influence the way that psychiatry, psychology, and social work > are taught and practiced by impacting mental health training programs > to include more culturally appropriate concepts and practices for > indigenous people.” > > Following are summaries of the twelve key concepts developed from the > research: > > 1. Genuine listening is very important for the healing process. This > includes talking, dreams, and story. They discussed the importance of > knowing as much as possible of a person’s story and that the illness > itself was part of the story. Listening equals respect. It was > suggested that teaching the art of listening could be more important > that diagnosing. > > 2. Teach a Relational Model of the Self. The elders did not believe > in an ‘authentic’ self, but a self that was a story built around the > relationships with other people: “first, through the mother, second, > through the peers, and third, through the broader media representing > the stories of culture.” > > 3. Teach how to help people and groups find their own solutions to > problems rather than relying on externally imposed solutions. They > believed helpers are to assist people in finding their own way and > that emphasizing the individual and isolating him from the community > leads to social disruption, thus making it difficult for the community > to develop local solutions. > > 4. Teach that people are self healing. Nature is self-healing and we > are a part of nature. It is necessary to start a conversation with > nature, and it isn’t necessary to know the solution. > > 5. Teach students to be selfless of intent. The elders believed it was > essential to hold the highest good of the person being healed above > all other considerations of personal reward. Healing should start > with the community rather than as an after thought. > > 6. Teach students to be passionate about their work. The elders want > genuine interest and passion from practitioners. > > 7. Assist students to maintain some independence from politics. Dr. > Mehl-Madrona’s experience explained how “conventional medicine could > make indigenous healing ineffective by taking away the relationships, > the community and treating various therapies as interchangeable units, > just like drugs.” > > 8. Teach student the importance of faith, hope and the power of the > activated mind. “Your mind must be empty in order to hear the > spirits,” according to one elder. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "CulturalandTraditionalHealthandHealing" group. To post to this group, send email to culturalandtraditionalhealthandhealing@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to culturalandtraditionalhealthandhealing+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.ca/group/culturalandtraditionalhealthandhealing?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
