Implementation and evaluation of a two-eyed seeing approach using traditional healing and seeking safety in an indigenous residential treatment program in Northern Ontario

ABSTRACT

Indigenous clients in need of residential care for substance use disorders (SUD) often present with the diagnosis of substance use disorder (SUD) combined with intergenerational trauma (IGT) or both. SUD is exceedingly prevalent amongst Indigenous peoples due to the health impacts of colonisation, residential school trauma, and IGT on this population’s health. We evaluated the effectiveness of a Two-Eyed Seeing approach in a four-week harm reduction residential treatment programme for clients with a history of SUD and IGT. This treatment approach blended Indigenous Healing practices with Seeking Safety based on Dr. Teresa Marsh’s research work known as Indigenous Healing and Seeking Safety (IHSS). The data presented in this study was drawn from a larger trial. This qualitative study was undertaken in collaboration with the Benbowopka Treatment Centre in Blind River, Northern Ontario, Canada. Patient characteristic data were collected from records for 157 patients who had enrolled in the study from April 2018 to February 2020. Data was collected from the Client Quality Assurance Survey tool. We used the qualitative thematic analysis method to analyse participants’ descriptive feedback about the study. Four themes were identified: (1) Motivation to attend treatment; (2) Understanding Benbowopka’s treatment programme and needs to be met; (3) Satisfaction with all interventions; and (4) Moving forward. We utilised a conceptualised descriptive framework for the four core themes depicted in the medicine wheel. This qualitative study affirmed that cultural elements and the SS Western model were highly valued by all participants. The impact of the harm reduction approach, coupled with traditional healing methods, further enhanced the outcome. This study was registered with clinicaltrials.gov (identifier number NCT0464574).

KEYWORDS:

• Intergenerational trauma
• substance use
• two-eyed seeing
• seeking safety
• residential treatment
• harm reduction
• traditional healing practices

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge that this study would not have been possible without the involvement, support and active participation of the leadership of the North Shore Tribal Council and the generous participation of the clients and staff of Benbowopka Treatment Centre.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded in part by a Catalyst Grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and by a grant from the Northern Ontario Academic Medicine Association.