My Experience Using Traditional Cherokee Medicine in the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders

ABSTRACT

I have been employed in a residential substance use disorder treatment center. The talented therapists I worked with were well focused on western therapeutic models. These therapeutic models work, but the component that seems to be missing from these scientific models is about the spirit. At this facility, they recognized the effectiveness of Native Indian healing modalities and they were viewed as an integral part of the healing process for these clients. My job was to reach clients on their deepest levels and to give them additional perspectives on deep healing; healing the spirit. I used my intuition and my heart energy in treating these clients. This is the Indian way. The Pueblo Indians told my medicine man, J.T. Garrett, that all Americans are crazy, and of course, he was somewhat astonished and asked them why. They said – “Well, they say they think in their heads. No sound man thinks in his head. We think in the heart.”. This can be difficult to understand when using a strictly Western medical model. This article will outline how I use Cherokee Native traditions in my work with those with substance use disorders and the effectiveness of them.

KEYWORDS:

• Cherokee
• traditional
• medicine
• treatment
• substance use disorder

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.