Understanding cultural dynamics is equally paramount in the delivery of effective health services, for one can realize the complex layers of impact on mental health treatment. While considering case conceptualization for American Indians and Alaska Natives, there are distilled cultural aspects in behavioural health services. However, the juxtaposition of these indigenous cultures against those of European descent is just as necessary to round out an understanding. In terms of the negative cultural paradigms, we are able to understand the varying dimensions in perspective as well as the methodology for mental health care. This brief essay authored by Middleware aligns with a relational approach to discussing culturally competent care by comparing Native American and European American cultures. This paper will, as guided by the same, further engage in a discussion of largely how the case of Vicki, as cited in SAMHSA TIP 61, lays bare such challenges and opportunities in the field around implementing cultural competence into behavioural health practices that will lead to the same result.
Comparison of Native American and European Cultures:
Native American culture is very much rooted in spirituality, community-based support structures, and holistic paradigmatic healing indigenous to them. Coupled against a historical backdrop of colonization, forced assimilation into one’s culture, and further forced displacement, this already leaves immutable hauntings of the past that would bear heavier yet on them with mental health. Traditional healing, a lot of times clothed with spirituality and communal participation, gets mixed up with many of the barriers, such as cultural stigmas and limited access to quality behavioural health services.
The European peoples have, at least in mainstream Western culture, followed the lead of individualist, scientific-based medical practice and the professionalized mental health service. Over the history of European colonization, upon the psyches of indigenous communities, long-lived and yet surviving today, not only to shape mental health itself but also part of broader cultural idioms around health and healing.
Summary of the Case of Vicki:
Vicki’s situation, an example which is given in SAMHSA TIP 61, is an excellent illustration of the very complicated interrelations of cultural elements in mental health treatment. Vicki experiences several kinds of challenges as a Native individual. These include the historical traumas caused to Indigenous communities and the Indigenous people due to the colonial impact, as well as the Indigenous communities’ contemporary socio-cultural issues. In this novel, two processes are involved: enculturation, whereby Vicki’s Native American heritage and traditions penetrate her interior, and acculturation, which refers to her conformity to the dominant Western cultural norms. The former one has a substantial impact on her mental health conditions and way of thinking, while the latter one dictates her worldview and personality. Cultural aspects clinch the difference with these influences existing in a juxtaposed state that is loud enough for it to possibly be scientifically judged, and it becomes imperative for culturally competent care to be provided. To Vicki and others who are Indigenous, the pursuit of the two ends is the most essential element of her progress. Recognizing Vicki’s cultural context as well as combining traditional and evidence-based medicine approaches that preserve and integrate her cultural heritage are the two fundamental steps in ensuring successful and respectful behavioural health care facilities.
Explanation of Respect for Vicki’s Culture:
In order to change this and ensure success for Vicki as well as for all who share the same cultural backgrounds, respective behavioural health professionals need to respect Vicki’s values and culture as a framework. Her Indigenous background needs to be recognized and respected. This includes the beliefs, practices, and healing practices of the same culture. These opportunities will look to bring non-traditional approaches that will fit multitudes of traditional methods for healing with Western evidence in treatments. Any collaboration, mutual partnerships, or sensitive approaches taken with Indigenous communities, tribal leadership, or culturally sensitive practitioners in their own right must span these Western systems of health to reflect Native American cultural practices. Consequently, an effective behavioural health service that targets a Native American and Alaska Native population must be built on the understanding that can be impacted by historical traumas in concurrence with contemporary cultural dynamics.
In critically analyzing the case of Vicki, made by comparison of the Native American culture against the European culture to give emphasis on Vicki, her culture, to be respected in intervention strategies so that the pharmacological treatment can render support towards the behavioural health professionals in developing cultural responsive care that is sensitive toward the varied cultural identity and thus will improve the treatment uptakes effectively.
References
Fountain House. “Why Is Cultural Competence Important in Mental Health Care?” Fountain House, 8 Feb. 2022, www.fountainhouse.org/news/why-is-cultural-competence-important-in-mental-health-care.
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