Healing journeys: Indigenous Men's reflections on resources and barriers to mental wellness

• Published in: Social science & medicine (1982) 2021-02, Vol.270, p.113696-113696, Article 113696
• Main Authors: Waddell, C.M., de Jager, M.D., Gobeil, J., Tacan, F., Herron, R.V., Allan, J.A., Roger, K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Barriers; Canada; Colonialism; Community health care; Community health services; Coping; Decolonization; Fathering; Grief; Healing; Indigenous; Indigenous peoples; Masculinity; Men; Mental health services; Rites & ceremonies; Role models; Trauma
• ISSN: 0277-9536; 1873-5347
• DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.113696

Indigenous peoples in Canada and other settler colonial nations experience barriers to healing in the health care system and their communities. Drawing on four sequential sharing circles and indepth interviews with 11 Indigenous men, this article shares the stories of Indigenous men and their healing journeys with the aim of improving culturally safe support in the community. In sharing their stories, these men identified coping with colonialism, as well as trauma and grief, as barriers in their healing journey. They also described finding strength in cultural role models, fathering, as well as ceremony and connecting to the land. We discuss the implications of these findings for service provision and decolonizing community health services. •Indigenous men experience healing barriers in health care system and communities.•Colonialism is an ongoing systemic issue that impacts Indigenous men's mental health.•Men can find strength in cultural role models, fathering, and Indigenous ceremony.•Meaningful, culturally relevant mental health supports for Indigenous men are required.