Aboriginal Mental Health

The paper “The Mental Health of Aboriginal People: Transformation of Identity and Community” was written by Laurence J Kirmaye, Gregory M Brass and Caroline L Tait. The paper was published in The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry (Kirmaye-Brass-Trait, 2000). The writers have very well and successfully summarised evidences that are related to mental health of the Aboriginals or also known as First Nations in Canada, Inuit and Métis; the other Indigenous groups of Canada.
The paper portrays Indigenous People as one of the most severely impacted section of the injustices caused to them during the period of colonization. The paper, in its support has used a number of researches as evidence that directly put these sections of the society as the victim

Thus, providing relevancy towards the non-Indigenous communities by providing an opportunity to receive new perspectives into the struggles that Indigenous People face due to the history and effects of colonialization. This is a crucial step in rebuilding any type of relationship, understanding and common-respect between Indigenous Peoples and

As the model is predicated on the assumptions that the past shared with the Indigenous communities of the Canada severely affected their conditions and made them more vulnerable to threatening social conditions, it can successfully target and treat the complex trauma of generations along with the unresolved traumatic history. The three-phase treatment, which includes sessions, behavioural therapies, diagrammatic structures, formal logic-based methods that rapidly and sustainably rebuild the confidence and a number of therapies, can aim to solve a number of emotional, behavioural and intergenerational transmission of trauma. Moreover, it is crucial to stay open to interpretation and to make room for any viewpoints, traditions, values, cultures and methodologies of Indigenous Peoples to be exercised during such a process. Otherwise we would only continue the perpetuating cycle of colonialization and “dominance” by 1) going about the situation as we see fit and/or 2) as if we “know better.” As this model can work as a fundamental puzzle piece or foundational block of knowledge for working in the field (with Indigenous People), non-Indigenous social workers/people can actually begin working with, understanding and allowing Indigenous People to feel safe, heard and just as involved in the process as the social worker is; solely based