Healing the Soul Wound: Counseling with American Indians and Other Native People

by Eduardo Duran, Allen E. Ivey (Series Editor), Derald Wing Sue (Series Editor)

Eduardo Duran―a psychologist working in Indian country―draws on his own clinical experience to provide guidance to counselors working with Native Peoples. Translating theory into actual day-to-day practice, Duran presents case materials that illustrate effective intervention strategies for prevalent problems, including substance abuse, intergenerational trauma, and internalized oppression. Offering a culture-specific approach that has profound implications for all counseling and therapy, this groundbreaking

Genres: Psychology, Counselling, Indigenous, Nonfiction, Social Work, Mental Health, Spirituality

160 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2003

Reviews

[Jaidyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book offers some helpful perspectives on introducing aspects of spirituality into what were previously very strictly Western psychological practices, it made me wonder who the intended audience for this book was. As a Native woman, I felt like the universality & tribal glossing (which the author does warn about) is too prevalent, and leans into the "mystical Indian" trope a bit too much for my comfortability.

Also would have been interested to read specifically how the author's own identity weaves into his practices, other than the brief references to Crazy Horse and broad teachings. I am Dakota, so I can read/understand the name he has in parentheses, but I think this book could've benefited from some reflection on his positionality & what tribes/traditions he may have ties to.

[Nausheen Chowdhury · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will be grappling with the content of this book for a long time. There is A LOT concerning the archetypal and spiritual dimensions of trauma that I’ve been sitting with since finishing the book.

Some things I learned:

1. The indigenous concept that everything is conscious, including illness, leads to the idea that all illness has a distinct purpose that eventually will teach and bring wholeness to the individual.

2. We are alienated from the natural world because we have made the natural world an object that can be perceived as separate from our immediate experience (i.e. the Cartesian split). Objectification of the life-world into a subject-object relationship helps us to rationalize away the reality of the soul.

3. Reality in MOTION — Indigenous languages have verbs as the primary carrier of meaning in most situations. The use of verbs gives perceived reality an aliveness. This is important to be aware of because Western modes of thinking that make nouns static have a direct impact on diagnoses and treatment in modern clinical settings.

4. In Western therapeutic settings, therapist are supposed to present themselves as a blank screen. While being a blank screen can enhance the perceived objectivity of the events occurring in the healing process, it also dehumanizes the healer (the book calls this the “wounded healer spirit”).

5. Western research loses relevance when imposed on people of color because its orientation is basically micro-social, concentrating itself almost entirely on personal characteristics of the individual actors in social processes rather than on social-historical factors.

6. Practitioners must shift from psychologizing to spiritualizing. Pathologizing rhetoric must be replaced with rhetoric that allows patients to form relationships with their life-world. This includes forming relationships with the source of their pain so that they can make existential sense of what is happening to them.

7. “The explicit and conscious act of killing involves the affirmation of life, which is nourished by that which is killed.” <— still thinking hard about this one

8. There are six cardinal directions from which the life-world can be understood: the west, north, east, south, sky, and earth. Jung’s six psychological functions—thinking, feeling, intuition, sensation, introversion, and extroversion—can be represented in these cardinal points. The task for psychological balance is to literally be at the center where no one type dominates.

9. LASTLY, Duran believes that we should never get so arrogant as to believe that we are in control of the forces that govern the psyche. Instead, these forces are in control, and we are merely trying to appease them with the use of good manners.

[Francesca · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read about the impact of historical trauma on Native American communities and individuals, including therapy clients. Also excellent for anyone interested in culturally-congruent psychology interventions. A book that practices what it preaches, seamlessly melding spiritual and intellectual traditions with practical considerations.

[Pablo Borja · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me feel seen and understood.

This is undoubtedly one of the most important books I've ever read. I never imagined a book could help me understand myself and my people so profoundly. This book made me feel seen and understood.

It's a must-read for anyone from a colonized country—everyone in the Americas should read it. Despite its depth, it's surprisingly easy to read and the ideas are explained so clearly and plainly. There are some many ideas in this book that resonated so deeply and just clicked for someone of my background -I am originally from Mexico, living in the US.

I also want to give praise to the author for their admirable and meaningful work. I'm so glad people like this are sharing their ideas with the world. Books of this caliber give me hope for a better world, especially for those who've endured oppression for generations and carry a "Soul Wound."

Read this book. You owe it to yourself.

[Tori Petty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good perspective on alternate forms of healing. Liked a lot of the metaphor and spiritual aspects. Felt a lil negative to western strategy. But it also was clear it wasn’t the intended focus in the book.

[JuliannaM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really important text for sure; reflects lots of teachings that I've been gifted from shared time with Anishinaabe, Oji-Cree, and Haudenosaunee Elders and Knowledge Keepers.

I did find the case studies very contrived, but otherwise the discourse is clear and highly relevant. Nahow.

[Nancy Diaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing. gained so much insight

[GayChrisMiller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read only if you’re ready. It’s a heavy read that dives deep into the nature of intergenerational trauma and the way that can manifest in the body.

[Blaze-Pascal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read.

[Solita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a textbook for therapists and students training to become licensed therapists, written by a Native PhD therapist, introducing non-Western perspective and approach to soul/psyche healing. He warns non-Native therapists to "resist going Native", becoming a pseudo-Native, you know, a "pretendian". (Like a therapist I once had.) Excellent advice for non-Native therapists, as well as acculturated Native/Indigenous therapists. Duran boldly states the issue of the colonized mind in a non-pejorative tone, and proceeds to explicate and demonstrate the way to a healing road. I heard much of this world-view in my early childhood. (I am a Mestiza.) It's great to have this world-view finally validated. My soul-damaged mother wanted me to forget it. In Western terms, she has narcissistic personality disorder. In my experience and perspective, she is a self-preserving destroyer. She was bitten by a vampire, and became one. She's subtle, which makes her quite insidious. I must keep my distance from her, and continue toward that place of balance. I feel sorry for her. I really do. But I can't help her. Not directly, anyway. Only in my healing, can I help her heal. But it won't be in her lifetime. :(

[Julene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent insight on ways to work with Original Peoples. Practical and a good book to remind us what the problems are with sticking with our Western world view and how harmful that can be to other cultures. It is a book to read to become more culturaly competent. I suggest all psychotherapists, and counselors read it.

[Jebediah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eduardo Duran is a very magical man and listening to him speak is the most soothing thing you can do for yourself on a Saturday evening. This book also blew my mind. A must-read for anyone interested in therapy & inter-generational trauma.

[Bita · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books in psychology for those of us who want to honor our indigenous healing practices from our backgrounds. My grandmother's teachings are in here.

[Randi Kofsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Fantasic resource on intergenerational trauma. Easy to read and follow.

[Kelsey Mech · Rating 3 out of 5]

The overall concepts were amazing with lots of concrete takeaways. However I struggled with some of the presentation of information through dialogues.