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

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Date
2021-05-05Author
Beech, Lorna Theresa
ORCID
0000-0002-6043-1166Type
ThesisDegree Level
MastersMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
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.
Degree
Master of Education (M.Ed.)Department
Educational Psychology and Special EducationProgram
School and Counselling PsychologySupervisor
Martin, Stephanie LCommittee
Mykota, David; Graham, Holly A; McIntyre, LaureenCopyright Date
May 2021Subject
decolonizing, Indigenization, non-Indigenous mental health professionals, Indigenous clients