"I'm Not the Expert": Ways Mental Health Providers Decolonize Their Practice

Abstract

To date, little research has been devoted to understanding how mental health professionals decolonize and Indigenize mental health services, either in a private practice setting or mental health services. The purpose of this study was to expand on existing literature by documenting ways in which non-Indigenous mental health professionals decolonize mental health services. Semi-structured interviews were completed with nine professionals who shared their stories about how they decolonized and Indigenized their practice and/or mental health services when working with Indigenous clients. The methodological framework used was the basic interpretive qualitative research design (Merriam, 2002), which investigated the dynamics of counselling Indigenous clients in a therapeutic situation. Next, ways of being more culturally informed while working with Indigenous clients from the perspective of mental health professionals were explored. Thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) was used to identify, analyze, and develop themes in the data. Six themes emerged: decolonizing; being a cultural ally; practicing holistically; understanding and respecting Indigenous ways of knowing and doing; appreciating vital components; and commitment to lifelong learning. Findings are described alongside implications for practice and potential future research directions.