Mind Body Medicine - Incorporating Indigenous Wisdom into Healing
The Minnesota Indian Women's Resource Center (MIWRC) is a non-profit community organization that provides social services and education to American Indian women and their families. Established in 1984 by three local Native women and one male Native ally, our Mission is to empower American Indian women and families to exercise their cultural values and integrity, and to achieve sustainable life ways, while advocating for justice and equity. Since 2012, MIWRC has been training indigenous community members in Mind-Body Medicine (MBM) to better incorporate self-care into their agency cultures, to support providers who serve and care for community members, and to address intergenerational trauma. See below for evaluation findings and participant feedback from our MBM pilot.
Evaluation Findings
MBM is Reducing Job-Related Stress and Burnout
Participants report that using MBM techniques helps them to become calmer, more relaxed, and to avoid becoming overwhelmed. MBM helps them “stay in the moment. For many, it reduces burnout and exhaustion. Many have incorporated MBM into a regular part of their routine to prepare themselves for their workday.
Providers are Using Mind-Body Medicine to Help Clients, Patients, and Students
Many providers work with people who are experiencing severe trauma. They are using MBM to help the patients, clients, students, and others they work with to help them reduce stress and anxiety. Providers have used MBM to help people prepare for court appearances, cope with medical treatments, and deal with difficult family situations.
Incorporating Indigenous Wisdom and Mind-Body Medicine
MIWRC has indigenized MBM training to incorporate indigenous wisdom, traditions, and culture, which resonates with many people who have been trained. Participants value that the training is led by indigenous trainers who incorporate ceremony and sacred traditions into the learnings.
MBM Training Outcomes
- 51% had no prior experience or training in MBM
- 96% know how to use MBM techniques to reduce their stress
- 97% have a better understanding of the impact of stress on the body after training
- 98% of participants reported they were satisfied with the MBM training
Thanks to our dedicated MBM practitioners.
Donna LaChapelle (Ojibwe/Dakota) and Linda EagleSpeaker (Blackfoot) were the first Native American elders to become fully certified as faculty members by the Center for Mind Body Medicine.
MIWRC's Elder in Residence, Linda EagleSpeaker and NACC's Elder in Residence, Donna LaChapelle, work to extend the benefits of MBM and culturally-grounded trauma healing locally and regionally via our Mind-Body Medicine in Indian Country education and training program.