Mental Health Services For Native Americans
Posted by Improving Lives Counseling Services, Inc. | Mental Health
Thanks to the reduced stigma around mental health, more than 75% of Americans believe in the importance of mental health and mental wellbeing. They’re more comfortable than ever speaking out about their problems and the importance of maintaining good mental health. Unfortunately, due to past racial, cultural, and religious discrimination, many ethnic, minority, and Indigenous communities continue to lack trust in psychiatric medicine. Many cling to stigmas around a diagnosis of mental illness and the need to seek mental health care. Others continue to believe it is taboo to be discussed or acknowledged within the community.
Native Americans’ belief in a sense of self as protector has historically led them to ceremonies and rituals in the treatment of mental illness. Because they have had a unique perspective on mental health, they have allowed accessibility and “tolerability” prevent them from seeking professional mental health care. Improving Lives Counseling Services’ team of counselors, therapists, and clinicians understand and respect the importance of the uniqueness that shapes the experiences of Oklahoma’s many Native (Indian) populations – augmenting their understanding in counseling sessions and in developing treatment plans.
NATIVE AMERICANS AS CLIENTS
Making a client feel comfortable begins with respect for how they are identified. Something as simple as using inappropriate terminology can create unpleasantness between the client and the counselor. Though Native American, American Indian, Indian, or Native is usually acceptable, tribes have individual preferences on how they are addressed. Comparably, knowledge of healing practices, spiritual beliefs, traditions, and culture are important. These can differ from tribe to tribe or within the same tribe. Using preferred terminology and “integrating cultural sensitivity into their mental health care can enhance and improve outcomes.”
Forty-three percent of Oklahoma is Native American country. Improving Lives Counseling Services’ diverse team of mental health care professionals make accommodations for lifestyle and culture when treating Native Americans. In addition to providing these communities with culturally responsive care: “intentional and consistent mental health care to see, respect, and celebrate the aspects that make each person unique,” they competently integrate Native American wisdom and healing practices into treatment sessions and treatment plans.
NATIVE AMERICANS – MENTAL HEALTH
Native American adults have one of the highest rates of mental illness. Many in the psychiatric community believe high numbers of depression, anxiety, chronic stress, post-traumatic-stress-disorder, trauma, suicidality, promiscuity, domestic violence, and alcoholism are due to centuries of conquest and oppression. Psychologists believe removal from their native lands, forced assimilation, and decades of discrimination has led to historical intergenerational trauma. Today, 83% of Native Americans (4 out of 5) report experiencing some form of violence. Fifty-six percent of Native women report psychological, physical, and sexual violence by an intimate partner. Suicide rates among Native American youth are significantly higher than the national average and substance abuse, a significant issue in the Native American community, has been linked to poverty, lack of access to services, environment, and climate change. In addition, Native Americans are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.
PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECT
Native Americans’ have a high prevalence of mental health problems presenting with both mental and addictive disorders. Like in other populations, these mental health diseases and mental and behavioral disorders have a physiological affect. Statistics show Native Americans have the highest rates of high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, liver disease, hepatitis, and stomach, lung, colon, and liver cancers. Recent studies found professional mental health treatment and well-being programs improve physical health.
MENTAL HEALTH ACCESS
In the past, access to mental health services were limited in Native American communities due to factors such as geographic isolation, lack of resources, and cultural stigma surrounding the disease. Considering environment, traditions, religious beliefs (there are many) and community in diagnosing and treating Native Americans, Improving Lives Counseling Services’ team of licensed, professional, specialty skillset counselors and therapists, offer comprehensive prevention and treatment programs to Oklahoma’s Native Tribes including the Creek, Osage, and Cherokee. “Continually expanding our footprint, and accepting Medicaid, Medicare, and SoonerCare, Native American culturally appropriate mental health services are available, affordable, and easily accessible online and in-person. Call 918-960-7852 to learn more.
