Restoration of the Indigenous Spirit

2013 CANARRebecca Ereaux, MSW & Judy Gobert PhD (ABD)

Overview

• What is “Restoration of the Indigenous Spirit”?• What is Mindfulness?• Why Mindfulness for suicide prevention?• Overview of data on suicide in “Indian Country”• Mindfulness on the Flathead Reservation• Future Plans, Next Steps

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Restoration of the Indigenous SpiritSalish/Kootenai Culture

Mindfulness Concepts

Cultural Value/Language Metaphors in Salish & Kootenai Narratives

Presence (the now)

Present going forward orientationExistential (reflecting on present moving forward)Time orientation: never go backward

We go forward, we ask our ancestors and those who have gone on for help to not make the same mistakes, to not repeat history. We are always evolving and changing. Cultures and peoples die and go extinct if we are static. However, there are our original teachings, those from Creation that are our foundation. Many of the values here are from those teachings.

Breath Air Spirit Holy People/Breath of Life Beings The air is a holy being, as are rocks, water, fire.

Awareness

Each individual is at the center, their center, of the universe. Naming ceremonies are intended to introduce the child/person to the universe and also to their ancestors

Life cycle, seven directions, seven generations, seven includes, cardinal directions, the sky, the earth, and the central being, the person themselves.

Focus/Attention

Our focus & attention is like a drop of water in a still pond, concentric circles of things we must attend to and focus on. First, is our individual health and each circle outward is part of that whole, it impacts us and we must attend to it in our prayers and ceremonies.

Again in our prayers, our ceremonies, our ways we pay attention to each of those circles. For example, picking berries, we pray and make offerings beginning in the winter and continuing through the year for the various berries, our staples, that there be enough for all the creatures who depend on them for survival, including ourselves. We ensure our actions don’t destroy the bushes and ensure harvest for generations to come. We are now ensuring our tribal codes have protections against over-harvesting from others who use our berries for profit. It is our duty, obligation, job to do this.

Balance/Harmony

A balance between and among all things. Humans balance is physical, mental, spiritual and intellectual. A balance between what we borrow from the world for survival and leaving some behind for the next year, or next generation.

Prayers include the animals, the water, the air, the land, the rocks, the insects, the birds. That we as caretakers leave enough behind for their survival and for the generations to come. If we are out of balance, then we do things that bring our universe out of balance.

Connection (interconnection)

Family (includes extended family, even those who are not blood related, but are related by custom), community, band, nation. Other connections include our connections to our ancestral lands, the lands we still retain and the plants, animals and other beings. HOW we are connected is told in our stories. WHY we are connected is also told in our stories.

There are many many stories about Coyote and his related-ness, or not, to other animals and those interactions are parables of how we as human beings interact with eachother, the earth, the air, the animals, the environment

Empathy

Empathy for all of creation is one of the most basic teachings. We were put here to ensure survival, but not only of ourselves, but all things.

Both cultures have renewal ceremonies annually. During those ceremonies we pray for all of the plants, animals, insects. There’s a deep sorrow when some animal or plant disappears. We spend a lot of time, effort and money to ensure that we all survive, together. A piece of us, our history, our culture is lost with the loss of one of our animals. I don’t think we’ve recovered from the loss of the kokoni salmon from our lake.

Compassion/self-compassion

Compassion for everything is another basic teaching. We also try to have compassion for ourselves. We pray and have ceremonies because we are pitiful human beings and need the help of our ancestors and creation.

We call on the other beings of creation to help us when there is tragedy, when we are hungry, when our families don’t have what they need. We humble ourselves and ask for help from all of them. It’s also common practice to help our Tribes and many many programs are based on the compassion to help our peoples.

Non-judgment/acceptance

Acceptance is one of those basic teachings that is included in our prayers. It is however one that isn’t practiced as much due to the influence of the churches and western ways.

We used to bring peoples behavior back into line with common practice by non-judgemental ways of teasing, story-telling. We accepted peoples differences without judgement. Many of our stories talk of this. However, we have a system in place that mimics the western way and it has brought about a rife of gossipy judgemental behavior.

Body Presence

Being present to our bodies, minds, spiritual ways and intellect was one of those cultural values that ensured our survival.

We used to go through extensive training to learn, teach, pray, be aware of our strengths and weaknesses physically, even our dreams were used to guide us. That training and those teachings are almost gone now. Mindfullness can reteach us those ways.

Cause & consequences

Cause and consequence were direct expressions of our values and how closely we followed those ways. Another culture has been imposed and we’ve adopted their ways to a large extent.

All of our stories show direct cause and consequence and have many many teachings within them. As we refine the Mindfullness course more of our teachings will be included and new stories will emerge that fit the cause and consequence of today’s world.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is highly valued in our communities. But, it is tied to learning from the experience so it doesn’t happen again. This is tied to cause and consequence.

In the most sacred ceremonies we ask for forgiveness for what we’ve done, and also for anything that we may do that is not intentional, we pray for our words, thoughts and deeds in the future so we don’t hurt anyone. We also pray for our “enemies” and those who have hurt us. We pray they get the things they need in their lives that makes them hurtful and angry so they can be better human beings.

Vision

Vision is multi-dimensional. It is an internal examination of self, including our dreams. There are ceremonies where we seek vision to guide us into the future. There is external vision we have for our families, our communities, our peoples.

Many ceremonies and dreams are used to help us to have vision, to see ourselves, to see our people, to show us the way we need to proceed. We ask our ancestors to come back for those ceremonies to help us to find the vision we need for our survival.

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Mindfulness is…• Paying attention on purpose,• Being in the present moment• Non-judgmentally • Attention (concentration) + Awareness

John Kabat Zinn

• Simple, but not easy…….mindfulness is a mental exercise• Attention• Awareness• Acceptance

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Mindfulness is …….

When the mind is calm and focused in the present, it is neither reacting to memories from the past nor being preoccupied with plans for the future, two major sources of chronic stress known to impact health.”

Dr. Joan Borysenko

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Documented Benefits of Mindfulness• Increased emotional

regulation• Increased social skills• Increased ability to orient

attention• Increased working memory,

planning, and organization• Increased self esteem• Increased sense of calmness,

relaxation and acceptance• Increased sleep quality

• Decreased test anxiety• Decreased ADHD behaviors-

specifically hyperactivity and impulsivity

• Decreased negative affect/emotions

• Decreased anxiety• Decreased depression• Reduced conduct and anger

management problems

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Awareness & Breath

Change sympathetic to parasympathetic balance within minutes!• Check in to find muscle tension, emotional state• Breathe in, belly extends, pause (40%)• Exhale more fully and slowly (60%), pause• 6 breaths per minute or fewer

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Research on Mindfulness: Mind/Body Medicine

NeuroscienceClinical Science

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Mind Body Connection

Physical states can affect mental and emotional states, and vice versa.

The interrelationship between thoughts, feelings, beliefs and attitudes and their positive or negative impact on biological functioning,

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Stress & Effects

• Adults with high perceived stress 2.6x greater risk of dying (Nielson, 2008)

• Stress can “get under the skin”• Gene expression• Aging: Telomere length

– Chronic, severe stress equivalent to an extra 10 years of “aging” (Epel et al., PNAS, 2004)

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Stress & Diet Work Together to Promote Abdominal Fat (Kuo et al., 2007 Nature Medicine)

Study with fats, under in 3 conditions:

• Control• Junk Diet• Stress/Junk a ballooning of visceral fat, abdominal

obesity, metabolic syndrome

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Preliminary Results, Dr. Thao Le

• 40 Incarcerated Youth• Native Hawaiin, Pacific Islander ancestry• Collecting and testing secretory IgA, cortisol• Increased IgA – increased immunity• Decreased cortisol – decreased stress

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Stress Summary

• Stress is not just in “head”, but in body, brain, cells

• Serious risk factor for physical and mental health• We can live well with stress if we build up

resilience factors!

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Mindfulness & Neuroscience

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Mindfulness NeurobiologyIn one study, a research team from Massachusetts General Hospital looked at the brain scans of 16 people before and after they participated in an eight-week course in mindfulness meditation. The study, published in the January issue of Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, concluded that after completing the course, parts of the participants' brains associated with compassion and self-awareness grew, and parts associated with stress shrank.

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A wandering Mind is an Unhappy Mind

Mathew A. Killingsworth and Daniel T. GilbertNovember 12, 2010 Vol 330 Science

1.How are you feeling right now?2.What are you doing right now?3.Are you thinking about

something other than what you’re doing?

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Mindfulness & Neuroscience

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Why Mindfulness for Suicide Prevention? To address Suicide we

must first speak of it

“Silence is dangerous when we pretend the problem is not there…communication is a healer

to break the silence.”

Canadian First Nations Elder

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Stress-Diathesis Theory of Suicide

• Diathesis means a constitutional vulnerability to develop a disorder/behavior (suicidal behaviors).

• Potentiating factors are needed to trigger the disorder/behavior (stress).

• Can be influenced by genes, combinations of genes, brain pathology.– Genetics effects, childhood abuse and epigenetic mechanisms are

implicated in the etiology of suicidal behavior• Variations in neurotransmitters may influence response.• Relationships between stressors and suicidal behavior may change

over time.20

Increased rates suicidal behavior

Old age (suicide)Younger age (behavior)

Male (suicide)Female (behavior)

Family history of attemptChild maltreatment

Poor healthPoverty

UnemploymentPoverty

Social Isolation

Local suicide epidemicsEconomic climate

Lack of mental health care services

Access to lethal means

Psychopathologyanxiety

depressionimpulsivityirritability

feeling of hopelessnessAlcohol/substance abuse

Suicidal behavior

Individual Social EnvironmentPhysical Environment-

Suicide Risk Factors

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Tribal Risk Factors• Historical trauma• High unemployment/poverty• High rates of substance abuse• Substandard health/mental healthcare• High incidence of drop outs• Assimilation/Acculturation• High incidence of abuse• High rates of out of home placement• Having a family member who died by suicide

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Why Mindfulness?

• A way to deal with historical stressors and current stress

• Historical Cultural Practice• Evidence based results• Has been used with other adolescents• Never been used in a Native community• 30 years of research that shows it’s effective• Elders said to!

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Tribal Strengths & Protective Factors

• Strong cultural identity• Language• Cultural ways• Spirituality• Ceremonies• Kinship/family/tribal connectedness• Bi-cultural

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90% of those who die by suicide suffer from at least one major psychiatric disorder

• Depressive disorders most prevalent (49-64%)• The 2nd disorder is a Substance abuse.• Bi-Polar, Schizophrenia are among the top 4• 1/3 of male suicides - conduct disorder, co-morbid with

a mood, anxiety, or substance abuse disorder.

• Ultimately, mindfulness exercises and trains the brain25

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International Suicide

RatesWorld Health Organization - 2010

Jordan

Mexico

U.K.

Spain

Australia

China (Mainland

Canada

Denmark

USA

Germany

New Zealand

Sweden

France

Switzerland

Finland

Japan

Ukraine

Russian Federation

Lithuania

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65

Females

Males

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Suicide in Montana

• For all age groups, Montana has ranked in the top five for suicide rates in the nation, for the past 30 years.

• June, 2012 by the Center for Disease Control, Montana has the highest rate of suicide in the United States.

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Suicide Rates* Among Persons Ages 10–24 Years, by Race/Ethnicity and Sex, United States, 2005–2009

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2nd Leading Cause of Death by Age, MT 2004-2008

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1st Leading Cause of Hospital Admittance 2009

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Background- Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes

• Headquartered in Pablo, the Flathead Reservation is the fourth largest reservation in Montana.

• The reservation is home to almost 65% (4,550) of the 7,052 enrolled Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribal members.

• The Flathead Indian Reservation is home to three tribes, the Bitterroot Salish, upper Pend d'Oreille and Kootenai.

• The reservation includes approximately 1.3 million acres in 4 counties.

• The territories of these three tribes covered all of western Montana and extended into parts of Idaho, British Columbia and Wyoming.

• The Hellgate Treaty of 1855 established the Flathead Reservation, but over half a million acres passed out of Tribal ownership during land allotment that began in 1904.

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Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes (CSKT)

• Community has: – Programs at Tribal Social Services– Circle of Trust Suicide Prevention

(SAMSHA funded)• Public media campaign messages by

Tribal Elders• Gatekeeper training

• Why Mindfulness?– Only five suicide prevention

programs for Native American youth have been deemed evidence-based by SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidence-Based Practices and Programs.

– Based on contemplative science: uncover the nature of reality & suffering.

– Provides tools/skills, particularly emotional regulation skills.

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Mindfulness Practice: Developing the “mindfulness” muscle

• Mindful Breathing• Mindful Listening• Mindfulness of Nature• Mindful Walking• Mindful Eating• Mindfulness of the Body• Mindful Communication• Informal Mindfulness practices

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Mindfulness Curriculum

• Module 1: Introduction to Mindfulness & Mindful breathing

• Module 2: Mindful Listening• Module 3: Mindfulness of

Nature• Module 4: Mindfulness of

Body• Module 5: Mindfulness of

Thought

• Module 6: Mindfulness of Emotions

• Module 7: Cultivating Compassion & Empathy

• Module 8: Judgment & Forgiveness

• Module 9: Aligning with Vision

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Structure within each session

• Prayer, Smudge• Check-In• Story/Metaphor or Activity• Reflection/Discussion• Practice• Prayer

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Translation & Adaptation• Phase 1:

– Approval from Council– Presentation to Cultural

Committees– Blessing from Elders

• Phase 2:– Connecting with Two Eagle

River School to offer as an elective class

– Required a champion from the community (Judy Gobert)

– CSKT Tribal Services involved in all aspects of the project including review of curriculum

– Cultural syntonic (goals, metaphors, language and method).

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Translation & Adaptation• Phase 3:

– Expert Mind Body Awareness (MBA) trainers trained facilitators from the community

– Four facilitators were selected based on experience with group facilitation, working with youth aged 15-20 years, and similar life experiences.

– Along with the 4 facilitators, 20 community members participated in the 2 full days of training

• Phase 4:– Mindfulness training was

offered as an elective at the school

– Training took place 4 times a week (Monday-Thursday) for 9-weeks.

– At the end of the pilot study the principal made the elective class a permanent class in the school schedule

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What Now?• Search for funding to expand beyond the initial pilot study.• Program sustainability requires staffing and expertise in

mindfulness, more intensive training.• Attendance at the school is not consistent so it is difficult to

have enough students receiving the full 9-weeks of training.• The program, while well received by the community, is not yet

established as an evidence based suicide intervention.• Modification of the curriculum over the summer. Offering it to

other schools and in the community. • Continue the research, pre & post interviews secretory

IgA, cortisol brain scans 44

Partnerships Can Work!• Thao Le, Associate Professor, University of Hawaii at

Manoa, Colorado Injury Control Research Center• Judy Gobert, Tribal Social Services Department,

Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes• Two Eagle River School• Lorann Stallones, Professor, Colorado State University,

Colorado Injury Control Research Center45

Somewhere deep withinthere is a firmer, simpler, warmer human being.This human being trusts this human being accepts boththe limits that give a human dignity, and the talents that the world awaits.

Somewhere deep withinthere is a purpose that cannot be shaken,a love that no longer fears, and a wisdom that ennobles life.This human being is both the instrument, and the profound expression of life.

Unknown

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Our Ultimate Goal?

Restoration of the Indigenous Spirit

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