Volume_6_Issue_4_Digest

7 TPC Digest 7 TPC Digest Violence and Residual Associations Among Native Americans Living on Tribal Lands Adam Hardy, Kathleen Brown-Rice R esearch suggests that Native Americans living on tribal lands are more likely to be victims of violence than any other population in the United States. The purpose of this article is to help shed light on the nature of this issue and provide counselors with culturally competent treatment directions. Although the exact prevalence of exposure to violence is difficult to ascertain due to between-tribe differences, it is estimated that 46–91% of Native Americans have experienced physical or sexual trauma. Non- Native populations have previously been estimated to report exposure to violence at a rate of 7–51%. The likelihood of violent victimization increases for individuals with substance abuse issues, low socioeconomic status, unemployment, and a history of childhood trauma. Moreover, Native American women are twice as likely to be sexually assaulted when compared to women of other ethnicities. The high rates of exposure to violence on tribal lands can lead to several issues among Native Americans. For example, this population is more than twice as likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Furthermore, Native Americans on tribal lands are at increased risk for depression, suicidal ideation, substance abuse and chronic pain. Exposure to violence also is theorized to increase high-risk behaviors, such as sexual promiscuity which can lead to residual consequences (Hobfoll et al., 2002). Unfortunately, cultural competency deficiencies among counselors have been identified as a major barrier for receiving treatment. Although the benefits of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) are well established, a major criticism of this treatment approach has been its application to minority populations. In particular, CBT has been criticized for ignoring the spiritual wellness of the client. In order to better account for this gap in treatment, counselors can utilize the Native American Medicine Wheel with their Native American clients. This sacred tool has been used for generations to depict health and healing. Each direction on the wheel represents various interconnected concepts, including physical, mental, emotional and spiritual domains. Counselors can process how these concepts impact each other as the client works toward recovery from exposure to violence. Moreover, counselors can incorporate other aspects of the Native American Medicine Wheel into counseling sessions. In order to avoid the violation of sacred traditions, these ideas must be collaborated between the counselor and client. There also are specified implications for working with Native American clients after exposure to sexual violence. Native Americans are at a high risk to attempt suicide following sexual assault, and victimization recurrence rates have been reported as high as 79%. It is theorized that these phenomena are, in part, due to high levels of self-blame perceptions. When self-blame is exacerbated by encounters with others in the environment, the likelihood of traumatic stress symptoms increases. It is crucial for counselors to aid these clients in the ability to identify and challenge self-blame cognitions and behaviors to create sustained change. If the cycle of violence on tribal lands is to be broken, counselors must continue to learn how to heal the emotional and spiritual wounds of Native Americans. Adam Hardy, NCC, is a Counselor at Glory House in Sioux Falls, SD. Kathleen Brown-Rice, NCC, is an Assistant Professor at the University of South Dakota. Correspondence can be addressed to Adam Hardy, 3005 West Courtyard Lane, Sioux Falls, SD 57108, adam.hardy@usd. edu.Mathematical Sciences Building, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, christopher.belser@ucf.edu. Read full article and references: Hardy, A., & Brown-Rice, K. (2016). Violence and residual associations among native Americans living on tribal lands. The Professional Counselor, 6 , 328–343. doi : 10.15241/ah.6.4.328 7 TPC Digest