American Indian / Alaskan Native

AI/ANAI - 101

Cultural Values• Importance is placed on

harmony with the environment

• Each person is seen as part of a larger system

• Elders and other community leaders are respected for their knowledge and wisdom

• Children are the future and are to be protected and supported

• Helping others is more important than helping oneself. A community approach to healing is emphasized in most cases

• Prayer and traditions are important facets of life and are sacred and must be protected

Manifest Destiny

Broken Promises

“Kill the Indian – save the man”

Captain Pratt used this

philosophy to open Carlisle

and many other boarding schools

Taken Against Their Will

Carlisle Boarding School

Boarding Schools

Carlisle Boarding School

Trauma• Historical

Trauma• Intergenerational Trauma

• System Induced Trauma

Traumatic Events• A single event (a disaster, car

accident, rape, suicide of a loved one

• Prolonged traumatic experiences (e.g., forced assimilation, historical events such as removal from homes and homelands

• Cumulative effects (high rates of and exposure to violence, such as domestic violence and community violence

• Personal events that impact several generations (forced relocation – both in general and to boarding schools - massacres

• Youth suicides and multiple suicides

• Violent deaths (homicide, suicide, unintentional injuries) and accidents

• Multiple experiences of victimization

TraumaGRIEF

• Collective Grief

• Complicated Grief

• Impaired Grief

“American Indians and Alaskan Natives

need proprietary behavioral health

care”American Journal of Public Health Volume 94, Issue 1

Bonnie Duran, DrPHMargaret Sanders, PhD Betty Skipper, PhD Howard Waitzkin, MD, PhD Lorraine Halinka Malcoe, PhD Susan Paine, MPH Joel Yager, MD”There is a need for culturally appropriate

mental health treatments and preventive services”

SUPPORT: • CAPACITY BUILDING

GRANTS to provide training and development for organizations that serve AI/AN

• GENUINE AI/AN Traditional Healing Programs administered by qualified facilitators

Sparrowhawk Consulting

Richard Martel

(720) 985-5100richard@sparrowhawkconsulting.org