News Psychology

An apology to Indigenous communities sparks a mental health rethink

For decades, health care has denied the importance of harmony between people and the planet

A photo of two Indigenous youth skinning a moose as part of a hunting camp in Alberta, Canada.

Colonization has created enduring trauma in Indigenous communities. Some psychologists have been testing to see if helping people reconnect with culture can foster healing. Here, Indigenous youth skin a moose as part of a hunting camp in Alberta, Canada.

Stephanie Tipple

By Sujata Gupta

Earlier this year, the leading psychological association in the United States apologized to the country’s Indigenous people and communities for directly and indirectly supporting centuries of abusive assimilation efforts.