Traditional Healing Practices Among First Nations Students

Traditional Native healing practices are an important aspect of the First Nations peoples' conception of health and well-being. The purpose of this study was to assess post-secondary First Nations students' attitudes toward traditional Native healing practices. First Nations adult voluntee...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Wyrostok, Nina C., Paulson, Barbara L.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association 2007
Subjects:
Online Access:https://cjc-rcc.ucalgary.ca/article/view/58634
Description
Summary:Traditional Native healing practices are an important aspect of the First Nations peoples' conception of health and well-being. The purpose of this study was to assess post-secondary First Nations students' attitudes toward traditional Native healing practices. First Nations adult volunteers were surveyed in several adult educational settings to appraise their attitudes towards traditional healing practices in terms of their interest, valuing, and participation. The majority of subjects reported having participated in a diversity of Native healing practices. Implications of the prevalence of these beliefs and practices are discussed and recommendations for counsellors are offered. Les pratiques de guérison traditionnelles autochtones constituent un élément important de la conception aborigène de santé et de bien-être. Le but de cette étude est d'évaluer les attitudes des étudiants des Premières Nations du niveau postsecondaire envers ces pratiques de guérison traditionnelles. Pour ce faire, des volontaires adultes autochtones de divers milieux éducatifs ont été étudiés afin d'évaluer leurs attitudes : leur participation à ces pratiques, ainsi que l'intérêt et la valeur qu'ils y accordent. La majorité des sujets (80,8 %) ont indiqué avoir participé à plusieurs pratiques de guérison autochtones. Les implications découlant de la prédominance de ces croyances et de ces pratiques sont étudiées et des recommandations à l'usage des conseillers sont offertes.