19 staff members and clients met in a Native American healing lodge and discussed their therapeutic approach to healing from historical trauma. The healing process was composed of 4 components: 1) Counselors recognized the pain carried by their clients resulted in dysfunction which (for some) led to substance abuse. 2) Clients acknowledged their pain and the manifestations of their trauma. 3) The acknowledgement of pain had a cathartic effect, which initiated the process of self-improvement and introspection. 4) Clients acknowledged their Indigenous heritage and identity. It is important for psychologists to utilize culturally based treatment options and to consult with Indigenous groups when creating treatment options.
Source: Joseph P. Gone. ” A community-based treatment for Native American historical trauma:prospects for evidence-based practice.” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 77, no. 4 (2009): 751-62, doi: 10.1037/a0015390.
