Indigenous culture-as-treatment in the era of evidence-based mental health practice

Although there have been almost no rigorous trials to establish empirically supported treatments for Indigenous North Americans, a body of literature has connected traditional cultural-spiritual practices to identity and wellbeing. Promoting cultural and spiritual practices in Indigenous communities thus provides a promising form of prevention and treatment grounded in scientific literature. Pan-Indigenous cultural identities and practices allow for consideration of future community-based interventions that might be applied with these populations broadly, while taking local traditions into consideration. These interventions also need to take into account the current landscape of mental health treatment, including the prominent emphasis on evidence-based practice.