Indigenous healing: an introduction

Mainstream social work relies heavily on evidence-based treatments, but the criteria for evidence, the origins of treatment models, and the populations they serve overlook Indigenous cultural healing. This article introduces core Indigenous healing concepts—all my relations, land, story, and medicine—and describes practices such as sweat lodge and ayahuasca ceremonies. It argues that these methods are essential for social work to address a significant gap in the field, answering what some Indigenous healing methods are and why they matter in social work contexts.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Social work literature, education and practice are replete with ‘evidence-based’ treatments. However, upon analysing (1) what counts as evidence, (2) who created the treatment models and (3) who they are intended to treat, it becomes clear that there is a significant gap in social work that needs to be addressed. The clinical and disciplinary fields of social work have not attended to Indigenous cultural healing. This article introduces social workers and therapists to several core Indigenous healing methods and concepts, including (1) all my relations, (2) land, (3) story and (4) medicine. The healing practices of sweat lodge and ayahuasca ceremonies are discussed. In this article, I answer two major questions: (1) ‘What are some Indigenous healing methods?’; and (b) ‘Why are they important, including in social work contexts?’.