Indigenous Counseling for Mental Health and Addiction in Indigenous Communities

Running head : GWEK PRESENTATION
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1
GWEK PRESENTATION
Question 1:
Indigenous counseling is a culturally loaded process of helping indigenous individuals
who are suffering from mental illness either because of psychological distress or because of
substance abuse (Smylie et al., 2016).. Indigenous counseling is an effective way of supporting
youth especially individuals in between 19 to 30 years who are struggling by incorporating
Indigenous knowledge, experience, and healing (Smylie et al., 2016). Therefore, the counseling
decreases the problematic substance uses, crisis indicators like suicide tendency, hospitalization
and improve mental health. To provide healthy living, Gwekwaadziwin Miikan created a
residential land-based treatment program for those individuals (gwek.ca., 2019).
I feel these approaches are different from the western approach because indigenous
counseling supports the young and younger adults for their recovery from stabilization, through
treatment, aftercare, and transition back into their community. Besides, it integrates traditional
indigenous culture with the therapeutic best practice, life skills, outdoor experimental learning
from the emotional, spiritual and psychological perspective (Shaw et al., 2019). Moreover, it is
a more empathetic approach compared to the western approach where the counseling ensures
that Indigenous communities can become healthy and prosperous (Kirmayer, Sheiner &
Geoffroy, 2016).
Question 2:
The main purpose of the counseling is to address the epidemic of mental illness and
addiction experienced by many indigenous communities. I feel the counseling is important
because according to Statistics of Canada, the mental health of indigenous individuals is poorer
than non-aboriginal peoples. As discussed by Hackett, Feeny and Tompa (2016), in 2002 to
2003, approximately 70 % aboriginal individuals of Canada faced mental health challenges